Stock Up: Vic Schaefer Is Why We Still Believe in College Sports
The Good Guy Is Back on the Biggest Stage in the Final Four
Texas plays UCLA in the final this weekend in Phoenix.
And as big as that game is—and it’s massive—there’s a part of me that keeps coming back to something bigger.
Vic Schaefer.
Vic Schaefer is the kind of guy I grew up idolizing. The good guy. The guy who worked hard, treated people the right way, loved his family, and tries to make a difference in the lives of the people who come across his path on a daily basis. He is the sort of man my parents would teach me about when I was a kid. The kind of person they hoped I would become.
That’s Vic Schaefer. He’s all that, mixed with a southern flair.
If you listen to Full Ride, you know Vic has been a staple on the show for the last few years, and we just love him—honestly. I know I can speak for Coach Rick Neuheisel when I say every time we get to talk to Vic, it’s an absolute treat.
For multiple reasons.
Sure, it’s always special to talk to such an accomplished coach—especially one who actually wants to come on your show and makes time for it. That matters. We don’t take that lightly. The fact that a coach of his caliber trusts our show as a place to share the story of his program? That’s pretty cool.
But that’s not why I love the guy.
He’s just real. A down-to-earth, family man. Who loves coaching kids and helping them become better players, but more importantly, better people.
I love his tradition of celebrating a big win at the Capitol Grille with his family in Austin. Vic is always with his family. You can tell the job of being a basketball coach never became too big to put his loved ones first. In fact, he has made them an integral part of what makes Texas women’s basketball a family.
A good, down-to-earth, make-an-honest-living human being. And his teams reflect that. They take on his personality. They’re tough. They’re connected. They play like they care about each other.
At 65, Schaefer is one of the most successful coaches in the game—but it’s wild what Andy Landers told us on Full Ride.
Landers joined us to recap the Elite 8 and preview Phoenix, and he told a story that honestly stops you in your tracks.
Schaefer was ready to be a head coach for years… and nobody gave him a shot. Vic knew it. His boss, Gary Blair knew it. Yet, Schaeffer had to wait for somebody, anybody, to give him a shot.
Think about that.
He was grinding as an assistant from 1997 to 2012. Arkansas. Then Texas A&M under Gary Blair. Fifteen years. Fifteen years of doing everything right, learning, preparing, waiting… and still, nothing.
Can you imagine?
One of the best coaches in the sport—just waiting for someone to believe in him.
Finally, that opportunity came at Mississippi State Bulldogs women’s basketball.
And what did he do?
He built it from nothing into a powerhouse.
Back-to-back national title game appearances. A program that went from afterthought to appointment viewing. And let’s not forget—his team is the one that ended UConn Huskies women’s basketball’s historic 111-game winning streak in the Final Four in 2017.
He landed stars like Victoria Vivians and Teaira McCowan and completely changed the program’s identity and culture.
That wasn’t just a win. That was a moment.
And right in the middle of it all?
Family.
His daughter, Blair Schaefer, was a huge part of those teams and is now on his staff at Texas. Another reminder of what matters most to him. He told us himself—she’s ready to be a head coach. Says she can do everything. Work ethic, versatility, leadership.
That doesn’t surprise me.
That’s the standard he sets.
Now It’s Texas. Now It’s the Biggest Stage.
Now here he is with Texas Longhorns women’s basketball, with a chance to win it all. Lets go Vic! Hook Em’!
He will have his hands full against UCLA in the semi-finals and beyond that a likely matchup with heavy favorite, UCONN. Obviously, saying this won’t be easy is an understatement.
Texas didn’t just show up in Phoenix—they imposed their way there. Toughness. Defense. Physicality. That same identity Schaefer has built everywhere he’s been.
Standing across from them is UCLA Bruins women’s basketball—a team that brings a completely different style. Flow. Skill. Confidence. When UCLA is right, they make the game look easy.
That’s what makes this matchup so good.
And Phoenix is just the stage.