When Rodney Terry stepped in as Texas’ interim head coach after Chris Beard’s abrupt departure, he was seen as the steady hand the program needed. And for a while, it seemed like he was just that. But stability can only take you so far, and now, after a crushing First Four exit at the hands of Xavier, the Longhorns are once again questioning their direction. And as usual, Texas fans didn’t hold back either.

At first glance, Terry’s tenure doesn’t scream failure. With their 6-12 SEC tournament, the Longhorns are one of the last four to give the SEC a league record 14 total teams. They’ve also edged out schools such as West Virginia and Indian, both of which were among the first out. Even Bubba Cunningham addressed the decision shortly after announcing the result pointing out Quad 1 victories for Texas.

And this isn’t the only case. When he took over the position left vacant by his boss, he led the Longhorns to the Elite Eight of the 2023 NCAA tournament. And then, he secured a strong recruiting class that resulted in Texas getting into the NCAA tournament. Impressive right?

But when you look closer—a 19-15 record, an early SEC Tournament exit, and a blown 13-point lead in March Madness—the concerns start to pile up.  More than anything, it’s the inconsistency that has everyone on edge. One game, the Longhorns looked dangerous.

The next, they seemed lost. Terry’s decision to shift Tramon Mark to point guard in the SEC Tournament provided a short-lived spark, but it wasn’t enough to change the bigger picture. And that’s why, multiple reports indicate that Texas officials are evaluating Terry’s ability to lead the program at an elite level. After the news about his evaluation got aired, spectators dived into the comment section and this time they had a unique take.

Texas’ tournament hopes crumble while fans call for change: justified or not?

Heading into Wednesday night’s matchup in Dayton, Texas fans expected their team to step up and prove they belonged in the tournament. But instead, the Longhorns found themselves in a familiar, frustrating situation—blowing a lead and falling short when it mattered most. And while some might have expected fans to rally behind head coach Rodney Terry in the aftermath, the comment section painted a very different picture.

“Rodney Terry is a complete joke of a coach. Feel bad for Texas fans having him waste away all this talent,” wrote one fan bluntly. Unfortunately for Terry, the criticism wasn’t unwarranted. Texas entered their First Four matchup as the No. 11 seed, facing off against the Xavier Musketeers.

For a while, things looked promising. The Longhorns built a solid lead, reaching as high as 13 points, but then—just like in previous heartbreaks—their game unraveled in the second half. Costly mistakes, missed free throws, and a lack of composure in crunch time spelled doom. The result? An 86-80 loss that left fans fuming. “Rodney Terry is horrible lmao,” another fan posted.

The turning point came with just over five minutes remaining. Xavier drained a go-ahead three-pointer, and suddenly, the pressure was on. Texas freshman guard Tre Johnson, who had been reliable all season, had a rough stretch that highlighted the Longhorns’ struggles. First, he forced up a bad three-point attempt off the dribble. Then, he failed to get back in transition, which led to a crucial Musketeers’ layup. To top it off, he committed a soft foul that turned into a three-point play, giving Xavier even more momentum.

“FIRE RODNEY TERRY RIGHT NOW! #FireRodneyTerry” demanded another furious fan.

The collapse continued as Texas squandered their advantage. Johnson’s missed free throws and Xavier’s superior shot-making widened the gap. But the dagger came with 1:39 left, when senior forward Kadin Shedrick, in what seemed like an unforced error, shoved Xavier forward Zach Freemantle while already in strong defensive position. The whistle blew. Freemantle stepped up to the line, sinking both free throws, extending Xavier’s lead to three.

“Fire Rodney Terry… embarrassing 2nd half,” wrote another fan on X. Texas still had a shot, but Johnson missed another forced jumper, and Xavier capitalized. In a cruel twist, a bricked three-pointer by Freemantle bounced hard off the backboard—right into the hands of a Musketeer under the basket for an easy putback. That was the nail in the coffin. The Longhorns’ tournament run ended before it ever truly began.

“So Rodney Terry is fired before he leaves the building, right?” another user posted. Within hours of the loss, reports from Jeff Goodman and Chip Brown of Horns247 surfaced, indicating that Texas Athletics Director Chris Del Conte was expected to fire Terry after two seasons that failed to meet expectations.

“Now it’s Rodney Terry’s time to go,” another spectator chimed in.

For now, Terry remains in charge. But with Texas setting its sights on national championships, patience is running thin. The coming weeks will determine whether Terry gets another shot at leading the Longhorns or if the administration decides to make a bold move in pursuit of a brighter basketball future.

Texas fans will be watching closely. And if performances like this continue, it’s clear what many of them already believe—the writing is on the wall.