Texas athletic director Steve Patterson is reportedly on his way out the door, and Mack Brown is getting a big push to become the school's next athletic director, according to Fox Sports Bruce Feldman.
Brown was the former head coach of the football team at Texas, where he coached the Longhorns to a National Championship in 2005. Brown had great success at Texas, leaving a record of 158-48.
Texas President Gregory L. Fenves reportedly fired Patterson, according to Brian Davis and Kirk Bohls of Hookem.com. Patterson had a five-year contract with Texas, and since there was no buyout clause the school will have to pay the full amount of his contract. Former Longhorn linebacker Mike Perrin is reportedly expected to get the interim job as athletic director, according to Davis and Bohls.
Brown reportedly met with the Fenves last week prior to the school's decision to go in another direction, according to Davis and Bohls. Brown didn't have the strongest finish as the head coach of the football team, but this isn't just about football, as Texas' basketball team has struggled for a while too. The Longhorns brought in VCU head coach Shaka Smart to turn their program around this past spring.
Both football coach Charlie Strong and basketball coach Smart should be safe in their first couple of seasons at Texas, but Strong is more likely to feel the heat soon if his team doesn't perform. Brown's replacement was Strong, and while there has been no negative comments made it's likely to be in the back of both of their minds.
For Strong and the football team, all they can worry about is performing on the field. The Longhorns still have their Big 12 schedule in front of them, and it will be a tough task as teams like Oklahoma, TCU and Baylor are likely to be heavily favored. Strong likely knew when coming to Texas that it would be a rebuilding mode for a couple of seasons, but now that there is reportedly a new AD and possibly Brown in the future, no one is sure what the future will hold for the Longhorns.
