Patterson Out

[North Texas Golfer]

So here's what I'm getting from my source:

The last straw was the coaches meetings last week. They absolute despised Steve Patterson

On top of this Steve Patterson was arguing with Fenves about the timing of the Erwin Center demo. He believed that UT could delay the med school, until Steve Patterson got the city to gift UT a billion dollars to build an arena, hence the stat the Athletic Department put out about Texas athletics bringing +$700mill into Austin. None of this was going to happen.

Fenves met with big donors and alums in Dallas 2 weeks ago and then some from Houston over the weekend. Big donor from Dallas said yesterday Steve Patterson would be gone before Fenves was inaugurated Thursday.

Mack was initially considered for interim until they hire some one full time.

As I reported here Mike Perrin will be interim. Mack had conflicts and felt awkward working over Strong so soon. 
— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

Who is Mike Perrin? In short, he's a well repected Houston atty and clos to sever big athletics council people. He's a solid, reliable guy with UT credentials and someone to ease the minds of coaches and calm down alums.

The decision to fire Patterson was made a few weeks ago, but Fenves made the call yesterday after meetings with the coaches.

Mack was asked to be interim as a courtesy, but politely declined and gave input.



Will, thanks for the info. Good stuff. 

Are you at liberty to expound on the coaches meetings last week and why they absolutely despise Patterson?

From reading the various sites this seems to have been a pretty big deal in the ultimate decision.

 

[UTK66]

Rumors starting on HD that Strong might bolt to Miami

Are you talking about the post that shadyangler or whatever its name is mad over on HD?? I haven't seen anything, anywhere even remotely close to that BS.

 

[Chitownhorn]

Time to rally around the flag, boys. We may be about to get our swagger back.

 

[CharcoalPuppy]

Doubt there is any truth whatsoever to that rumor.

He's under contract for three more years after this one. Unless he has a mountain of money saved up to buyout his contract, Texas would have to fire him. 

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[TeamMayhall]

[Tweet = https://twitter.com/qdiggs6/status/643808663786901505]

[Tweet = https://twitter.com/qdiggs6/status/643812875203575808]

 

[TeamMayhall]

Are you talking about the post that shadyangler or whatever its name is mad over on HD?? I haven't seen anything, anywhere even remotely close to that BS.

I read it in a couple different forums. Good news is there has not been any information supporting it

 

[HornEsch]

There are also some "rumors" coming from a poster, that has proven to have connections in the past, that CS and SP had a very heated argument within the past 2 weeks. Now I have no way to confirm validity of this, but it fits some of the other rumors floating around about SP losing the coaches. Seriously the only coaches that are going to really have any serious weight are Strong and Smart right now.

Will be interesting to see if more details come out about this.

 

[utisdabomb12]

What would this mean for Strong?  I would assume that with Patterson gone, he may not have the leeway to truly get this thing turned around...

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011


Bomani Jones tweeted this yesterday and I agree with him. If Strong only wins 6 or 7 games, I don't think he will be the coach after this year. 

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

Bomani Jones tweeted this yesterday and I agree with him. If Strong only wins 6 or 7 games, I don't think he will be the coach after this year. 


I respectfully disagree.

My guess is CFS will be here through 2016, minimum. Who can we get that's any better? Who'd want the job with all of the upheaval in Texas athletics the past two years?

 

[utisdabomb12]

I mid-September, this has a reactionary feel to it. I hope that Fenves et al are using good logic and not letting emotional check-writers have undue influence.

Yep. Those same "check-writers" are going to have the same undue influence on a guy like Strong staying or not unfortunately. 

 

[utisdabomb12]

 Who'd want the job with all of the upheaval in Texas athletics the past two years?

Seems like a risky proposition to take the job right now, but I get the feeling some of the "check writers" are in a mode right now where they are going to cut a big time check for somebody if they get rid of Strong. 

I don't want Strong gone, but I agree with what Bomani tweeted yesterday. Few wins+new AD usually equals coaching turnover. I also don't think a lot of the donors/boosters were ever really in Strong's corner. I hope this isn't the case, but we shall see. 

 

[Randolph Duke]

I want Tom Jurich, not just for his business skills, but also because he is singularly suited to decide if Charlie Strong should be the head football coach at UT or whether it would be best for one or both parties that he move on to coach elsewhere. Personally, I am tired of all the drama surrounding UT athletics and I think it is time we get back to our versionof normal. I want to get the right people in place to manage the various responsibilities and then get back to the job of adding to the legacy of the various athletics programs. I want UT football to be fun again, I want basketball to become relevant, I want to sit and enjoy a beer at a baseball game and I want to be surprised by the tower being lit orange when the other, less well followed teams, does well.

It is unusual in that we recently replaced the Chancellor of the System, the university president, the athletic director, the head football coach and the head basketball coach. Statistically, one of those hires had to go wrong. It did. It was dealt with effectively. We're still Texas.

 

[HornEsch]

Right now the word is that the BMDs, outside of a couple, like CS a lot and want him to have a chance. So unless CS bolts for Miami, I think he will be here at least through the 2016 season. If he stinks it up next year that is when you might see movement.

 

[utisdabomb12]

I can't see Strong bolting for Miami unless he thinks he's going to be fired. Strong doesn't seem like the guy to start something and bolt town before he accomplishes what he wants to accomplish. 

Right now the word is that the BMDs, outside of a couple, like CS a lot and want him to have a chance. So unless CS bolts for Miami, I think he will be here at least through the 2016 season. If he stinks it up next year that is when you might see movement.

Strong doesn't seem like a guy to start something and get out of dodge before he accomplishes what he wants to accomplish. Seems to me like Strong is in this for the long haul at Texas. 

 

[HornEsch]

Strong doesn't seem like a guy to start something and get out of dodge before he accomplishes what he wants to accomplish. Seems to me like Strong is in this for the long haul at Texas. 

That is what I hope and think as well. However I think it depends largely on the type of AD we put in place.

 

[betogonzalez]

I highly doubt a new AD will come in and fire Charlie Strong.  The new AD will be focused on mending fences, not trying to fire and hire a new football coach. 

 

[HornEsch]

I agree. My point was more about Charlie deciding to take the Miami job if we get an AD and they do not mesh. Also with the BMDs being in Charlie's corner, a new AD would be very foolish to go down that path.

 

[utisdabomb12]

I highly doubt a new AD will come in and fire Charlie Strong. The new AD will be focused on mending fences, not trying to fire and hire a new football coach.

If the new AD is focused on mending fences he's going to listen to the guys cutting checks. Hopefully, the people cutting checks are in Strong's corner.

 

[HornEsch]

Sounds like Perrin is going to get a 1 year contract according to Brian Davis.

If that is true, it sounds like we are going to take our time and make the RIGHT hire this time.