Sean Miller Discusses Texas Longhorns Recruitment From Xavier

Departing from Xavier was a complex choice for Miller, who began his head coaching career with the Musketeers in 2004. The unique appeal of Texas played a significant role in his decision to leave, recognizing the school’s prominence in the basketball landscape.

“Well it’s two parts,” Miller shared when asked about his departure from Xavier, as reported by On3. “I mean there aren’t many places that combine the forces that we have on our side. The city of Austin. I think it gets known around the country as like this really cool, great college town. I had never heard a bad word. Great place to live. Great food scene, live music, great college town. You get to Austin and you’re like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is one of the top ten largest cities in our country.’ It’s way more than a college town; it’s a thriving city. It’s the fastest growing city in America. And then you look at our campus. Starting with the University itself, I think the statistic that is in play right now is 90,000 applicants a year. They accept less than 9,000. There aren’t many universities that can say that.”

Miller is also enthusiastic about Texas’ facilities. The almost brand new practice facility was a decisive factor for him.

“That and the other part of Texas is the Moody Center and our practice facility,” he continued. “It’s only two and a half or three years old. There are very few places that have that type of new facility, and that’s a great combination that I just named there in a row. It’s a decision that although for me, at Xavier, it’s not like I wanted to leave there. It’s a great place in its own right; it’s just if you really want to be the best or try to win at the highest level, I think the future of college sports is right here.”

One aspect Miller will need to acclimate to is the strong sense of pride within the SEC. Every team in the conference shares a unique camaraderie and rivalry against other power conferences, and Miller is already beginning to experience it.

“It Just Means More is a great slogan,” he remarked. “We’ve all seen it from the outside if you’re not part of the SEC. But it does. You feel that when you turn the TV on, when you watch a college football/college basketball game; you sense that college sports is just incredibly important in this footprint.”

While Sean Miller holds Xavier in high regard, he realized he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to coach the Texas basketball team.