Head coach Sean Miller didn’t come to Texas to slow things down.
During his final three seasons at Xavier, Miller built offenses that prioritized speed and efficiency, with adjusted tempo rates of 70.5, 71.2 and 69.2. Two of those teams ranked among the 35 fastest in the country, according to KenPom.
It’s a philosophy Miller intended to bring with him to Austin. Instead, his first season taught him that, sometimes, the best approach isn’t necessarily the one a coach prefers.
However, three games into this season, Miller’s vision is beginning to take shape, as No. 7 Texas has shown glimpses of the up-tempo style that helped define his tenure at Xavier.
After averaging 18.3 seconds per possession last season, Texas has shortened that number to 14.2 this season. Its adjusted tempo has also jumped from 66.6 to 71.1, a pace the program hasn’t sustained over a full season in more than a decade.
“We really attempted to play at a faster pace,” Miller said about last year’s team. “It’s just, eventually you have to coach your players, and sometimes … you’re forcing a style onto him that isn’t in his best interest.”
Lacking the depth and defensive versatility needed to push the pedal, Miller adopted a more deliberate offensive approach. That adjustment paid off. Despite playing at a slower pace, Texas finished 13th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency.
Miller hopes that same efficiency can flourish with the faster style of play he originally envisioned.
But perhaps the biggest difference isn’t on offense at all. Last season’s defensive approach prioritized protecting the basket over pressuring opponents, limiting the turnovers that often create transition opportunities.
“When you’re in drop coverage, and you don’t force turnovers, it’s hard to get out in transition,” Miller said. “It’s hard to make those plays defensively that ignite the transition game.”
Last season, the Longhorns had a defensive turnover percentage of 13% and averaged just 5.6 steals per game. Through three games this season, those numbers have jumped to 23.7% and 10.7 steals per game.
The results are already showing up offensively. The Longhorns have scored 68 fast-break points compared to 57 in their first three nonconference matchups against unranked opponents last season.
Bringing Miller’s vision to life requires contributions on both ends of the floor: players who create opportunities and players who capitalize on them.
Freshman guard Austin Goosby has helped provide the former, recording seven steals through three games, while sophomore guard Isaiah Johnson has been tasked with keeping the offense moving.
“I think you have one guy, Austin, who’s our playmaker, and then you have another guy, Isaiah, who really has to be the head of the snake,” Miller said in a Wednesday media availability. “He’s got to be the guy that makes us go.”
Texas boasts a 1.86 assist-to-turnover ratio, up from 1.16 last season. But whether that combination can hold up against tougher competition remains to be seen.
The Longhorns have opened their season with three straight blowouts against lesser opponents. Sunday’s matchup against Baylor may offer a far different challenge.
“Against Baylor, one of the key stats in the game is just our team’s ability to play without turning it over in an early-season game against pressure and a team that I think plays really hard defensively,” Miller said.
For Miller, the hope is that a bumpier road won’t require taking his foot off the gas.
