3 worst head coaching hires in Texas basketball history

Bob Weltlich (1982-83 to 1987-88)

77-98 (.440 winning percentage)

Veteran head coach Bob Weltlich is known as one of the toughest head coaches to play for, not just in Texas program history but in the last few decades in college hoops. Weltlich was nicknamed "Kaiser Bob" for his merciless disciplinarian style as a head coach.

That was a reputation that Weltlich had formed from quite a few incidents while he was a head coach in the 1970s and early 1980s with the Ole Miss Rebels.

But Weltlich did produce some winning teams in his latter years in Oxford as Ole Miss's head coach. Weltlich led the Rebels to post winning records in each of his last two seasons with the program, including an NCAA Tournament appearance during the 1980-81 campaign.

Weltlich was hired at Texas by then athletic director DeLoss Dodds to replace the once beloved Abe Lemons. Despite Lemons posting a winning record and winning multiple awards (including National Coach of the Year) during his time as Texas's head coach, the Longhorns struggled out of the gates under Weltlich.

Manpower shortages and chemistry issues prevented the Longhorns from even reaching double digit wins in each of Wetlich's first two seasons at Texas. The Longhorns only won one game in SWC play in Weltlich's first season, and four combined in his first two years at the helm.

While the results on the floor marginally improved for Weltlich and the Longhorns over the next few years, Texas never reached the heights it did in the early years under Lemons, which included two 20+ win and ranked seasons.

Weltlich led the Longhorns to an NIT appearance during the 1985-86 season. Texas also won the Southwest Conference regular season title thanks to a three-way tie across the conference standings in 1986.

Many of the issues that plagued Weltlich from the very start of his tenure at Texas, including player retention and recruiting were ultimately reasons for his demise in Austin. Weltlich was let go following the 1987-88 season.

Weltlich finished his tenure at Texas with the second-worst winning percentage of any head coach in program history. To make matter worse, his tenure came before Tommy Penders, who statistically was one of the best head coaches in Texas program history.