Sean Miller 3.0 is still as driven as he’s ever been, but in this version, there is a sense of calm that is undeniable.
He’s at peace with his place in the sport. And he’s at a spot that is aligned and fully on board for the challenges of major men’s college basketball.
Miller has Texas ready to roll.
He took over the Longhorns a year ago after his second stint at Xavier, a golden opportunity after losing his job at Arizona following a dozen years. “I’m super excited to be at Texas,’’ Miller said in an offseason chat this month. “I really am. This is an amazing place to live. A lot of things are aligned here. We have great support.
“Think about the state of Texas and the great programs,” he continued. “That better make you energized because there is great competition and there are high expectations.”
I’ve covered Miller for decades and I can tell the difference. Sure, there was pressure starting out at Xavier. He reached an Elite Eight and a Sweet Sixteen in the five seasons at Xavier. And he certainly was in the cauldron of high intensity at Arizona, battling UCLA in the Pac-12 and reaching three Elite Eights.
His tenure at Arizona ended in 2021 amid a federal probe into an assistant coach, Level I NCAA violations, a self-imposed one-year postseason ban and an overall failure to provide an atmosphere of compliance and monitoring of the staff.
Miller was only out two years before Xavier snatched him back up again. And in three seasons he led the Musketeers to two NCAA Tournaments and a Sweet Sixteen.
The Arizona ending humbled Miller. Being back at Xavier at a time when the sport was changing with a need for financial backing to help pay players through NIL and collectives while UConn was dominating the Big East made the job even more difficult. And yet Xavier was always a tough out. The scrappiness of the Musketeers mirrored the Miller profile he has shown throughout his playing and coaching career.
And yet, leaving the grittiness of Xavier for deep-pocketed Texas was a no brainer. It may have seemed a bit abrupt after three seasons, especially when the Musketeers gave him another shot, but Texas is still Texas and it’s hard to deny the difference.
The Longhorns started slow last season, then grew into a formidable force as the SEC schedule progressed, squeezing into the NCAA Tournament at 18-14, 9-9 in the SEC.
Texas then beat NC State in the First Four in Dayton, dusted off BYU in the first round, topped Gonzaga in the second and then lost a crushing two-point game to Purdue in the Sweet Sixteen.
“The way our season ended is a reminder of just how much March Madness can captivate the world,’’ said Miller. “We ended up playing our very best basketball of the season that last month. We had a couple of individual players like Tramon Mark who rose to the challenge. The way we lost to Purdue (a Trey Kaufman-Renn tip-in with 0.7 seconds left) showed how close we were to being in (the Elite Eight).
“That gave us momentum, for our program, for our fan base and for people to see that we can take the next step at Texas,’’ said Miller.
Texas has plenty of rich history and Rick Barnes, now at Tennessee, did reach a Final Four in 2003 with T.J. Ford leading the way.
Texas, which usually likes to do things large, actually got it right with the Moody Center. Men’s basketball doesn’t need to be in a 20K-plus arena. The Moody Center seats 16,223, a bit more modest by Texas terms. Miller raves about the city of Austin — a foodie and music hotbed that serves as the state capitol. And being in the SEC means the Longhorns have the year-round buzz that comes with that conference. Having Chris Del Conte as the athletic director doesn’t hurt, either. He’s always been all-in on his coaches.
“The administration here thinks toward the future,’’ said Miller. “They’re progressive. They want to win championships. And it gives us an opportunity to do so.’’
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The three pillars to get it done at Texas are retention, recruiting and the portal.
Next season’s team has done a super job at all three.
Matas Vokietaitis is back and ready to be an All-American. The 7-foot junior averaged 15 points and seven rebounds and busted BYU with 23 and 16 in the opening-round win. He was one board short of a double-double against Gonzaga with 17 and 9.
“He’s on a quest to become a better player,’’ said Miller. “He’s one of the hardest workers. He loves the game. He’s going to be a smarter player. And his ability to run as a 7-footer is a difference.’’
The Longhorns loaded up in the portal by nabbing David Punch (TCU), Isaiah Johnson (Colorado), Mikey Lewis (Saint Mary’s), Elijah Freeman (Auburn) and Amari Evans (Tennessee). Expect them all to have an impact, especially Punch, Johnson and Lewis.
The six high school seniors joining this summer put Texas in the top five in recruiting classes, led by small forward Austin Goosby. But the latest addition of Marcus Spears Jr., who reclassified from the Class of 2027, gives Texas another frontcourt player who can add immediate depth. Miller said the ability to play big — something that past champs UConn, Florida and Michigan were able to do — is a must. And having the addition of Punch to go with Vokietaitis could be a difference maker.
Texas will have plenty of prep before the SEC schedule begins, with neutral-site games against Baylor (in San Antonio) and Miami (in Houston), plus contests against Georgetown and either UCLA or Saint Mary’s in San Diego, at Louisville in the ACC-SEC Challenge and Memphis at home.
And count Miller as someone in favor of expanding to an overall field of 76. Xavier and Texas each played in the First Four the past two seasons, so he understands how hard it is to get into the NCAA Tournament. And he won’t take that for granted, especially now at this point in his career.
“You’re just excited to play and be a part of the tournament,’’ said Miller. “There’s nothing like it. Giving that opportunity to more teams will only make the first couple of rounds more adventurous for the tournament. That’s what makes March Madness the unexpected, the parity. And I think there will be more it then ever before moving forward.’’
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