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Rick Barnes

Rick Barnes out after 17 seasons as Texas coach

Eric Prisbell
USA TODAY Sports
Texas Longhorns head coach Rick Barnes.

After 17 seasons, Rick Barnes is out at Texas, according to a person with direct knowledge of the decision.

The person told USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced.

Barnes, the winningest coach in school history, led the Longhorns to the NCAA tournament all but one season (2013). But they had not reached the Sweet 16 since 2008.

Texas entered this season with Final Four aspirations. But injuries and overall inconsistent play helped to undermine the Longhorns' chances in the Big 12. The season ended with 11th-seeded Texas losing to sixth-seeded Butler 56-48 in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

Barnes, 60, struggled to reach the standard that he himself established at Texas. He reached the Final Four in 2003 — followed by Elite Eight appearances in 2006 and 2008. But the Longhorns then struggled to sign some of the best prospects from the talent-rich state of Texas, and the program began to stagnate.

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Texas brought back almost everybody from last year's team that reached the second round of the NCAAs. It also signed coveted Dallas-area prospect Myles Turner. But the season started poorly, with the dismissal of guard Martez Walker, and sputtered during league play, with the Longhorns fortunate to make the NCAAs with a late regular-season push.

Barnes received a contract extension through 2019 in the offseason. He was due $1.75 million for a buyout if fired before April and $1.5 million if fired after April 1.

The job is considered one of the nation's 10 best. There are resources and an in-state talent pool as strong as any in the nation. And because of the significant of the Texas football program, the men's basketball job also offers a coach a chance to avoid some of the scrutiny and criticism that would be found more often with similar jobs across the nation.

Top candidates to replace Barnes:

Gregg Marshall of Wichita State.

Shaka Smart of Virginia Commonwealth.

Chris Mack of Xavier.

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