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Sean Miller made his first public comments since leaving Xavier to become the head coach at Texas Tuesday afternoon in an introductory press conference.
Miller mentioned Xavier in his opening remarks.
"Xavier University is a small Jesuit school in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it is an amazing place. To be a college basketball coach there has incredible meaning to the university," Miller said. "Their athletic director Greg Christopher and president Colleen Hanycz believed in me, gave me an opportunity.
"You wouldn't want me to be the coach unless I had some strong feelings about the place that I left. I love that place."
More: 'Our top priority.' Xavier coaching search underway as Sean Miller leaves for Texas
Miller led Xavier to a 65-40 overall record over the last three seasons and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. Xavier reached the Sweet 16 in 2023.
"I've been a coach for 32 years in college basketball. Eleven of those 32 were at Xavier, eight as the head coach in two different stints. It's a place that trusted me, believe in me," Miller said. "When I tell you that I'm forever a part of them and forever grateful, that would be an understatement."
Miller was asked by Josh Newman of LoneStarLive.com about how hard it was to leave Xavier for the second time.
"It was a major struggle for me," Miller said. "It tugs at your heart when people believe in you, and you've been at a place for eight years as the head coach. You have family and friends. You become tied to so many of those teams, players and moments. So much of it is doing more with less at a place like that. There's a lot of pride and it starts to become a part of who you are when you're in that.
"At the end of the day, this is a life-changing opportunity for me and my family. I believe this gives us the best opportunity to compete and win national championships."
This season, Xavier beat Texas in the First Four at UD Arena. Texas then fired head coach Rodney Terry and athletic director Chris Del Conte pursued Miller, locking in a deal that became official on Monday.
Williams: Sean Miller's departure for Texas tough reminder of no loyalty in college sports
More: University of Texas announces Sean Miller as next Longhorns basketball coach
"When he left Arizona, he (Miller) went to Xavier, they had not been to the (NCAA) tournament in four years. They were downtrodden," Del Conte said Tuesday. "Sweet 16 immediately, went to (two) tournament appearances in three years. You start to think that's a coach competing at the highest level and took a program on its way down and said, 'here you go.'"
There were reports that Del Conte was interested in Miller when Xavier and Texas met in the Sweet 16 in Kansas City in 2023. Ultimately, Texas decided to keep Terry, who led the Longhorns to the Elite Eight as the interim head coach.
Miller signed a six-year contract with the Longhorns, according to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Sean Miller talks Xavier Musketeers at Texas Longhorns introduction
Continue reading...
Miller mentioned Xavier in his opening remarks.
"Xavier University is a small Jesuit school in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it is an amazing place. To be a college basketball coach there has incredible meaning to the university," Miller said. "Their athletic director Greg Christopher and president Colleen Hanycz believed in me, gave me an opportunity.
"You wouldn't want me to be the coach unless I had some strong feelings about the place that I left. I love that place."
More: 'Our top priority.' Xavier coaching search underway as Sean Miller leaves for Texas
Miller led Xavier to a 65-40 overall record over the last three seasons and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. Xavier reached the Sweet 16 in 2023.
"I've been a coach for 32 years in college basketball. Eleven of those 32 were at Xavier, eight as the head coach in two different stints. It's a place that trusted me, believe in me," Miller said. "When I tell you that I'm forever a part of them and forever grateful, that would be an understatement."
Miller on leaving Xavier: "It was a major struggle for me."
Miller was asked by Josh Newman of LoneStarLive.com about how hard it was to leave Xavier for the second time.
"It was a major struggle for me," Miller said. "It tugs at your heart when people believe in you, and you've been at a place for eight years as the head coach. You have family and friends. You become tied to so many of those teams, players and moments. So much of it is doing more with less at a place like that. There's a lot of pride and it starts to become a part of who you are when you're in that.
"At the end of the day, this is a life-changing opportunity for me and my family. I believe this gives us the best opportunity to compete and win national championships."
How Sean Miller ended up at Texas
This season, Xavier beat Texas in the First Four at UD Arena. Texas then fired head coach Rodney Terry and athletic director Chris Del Conte pursued Miller, locking in a deal that became official on Monday.
officially official#HookEmpic.twitter.com/GOIdhTTNJK
— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) March 25, 2025
Williams: Sean Miller's departure for Texas tough reminder of no loyalty in college sports
More: University of Texas announces Sean Miller as next Longhorns basketball coach
"When he left Arizona, he (Miller) went to Xavier, they had not been to the (NCAA) tournament in four years. They were downtrodden," Del Conte said Tuesday. "Sweet 16 immediately, went to (two) tournament appearances in three years. You start to think that's a coach competing at the highest level and took a program on its way down and said, 'here you go.'"
There were reports that Del Conte was interested in Miller when Xavier and Texas met in the Sweet 16 in Kansas City in 2023. Ultimately, Texas decided to keep Terry, who led the Longhorns to the Elite Eight as the interim head coach.
Miller signed a six-year contract with the Longhorns, according to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Sean Miller talks Xavier Musketeers at Texas Longhorns introduction
Continue reading...
