Texas AD Steve Patterson Resigns, Mike Perrin Named Interim

The University of Texas parted ways with athletic director Steve Patterson on Tuesday amid growing criticism from both outside and within the school. Former Longhorns linebacker Mike Perrin will take over the position on an interim basis.

Brian Davis and Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman report fan complaints over rising ticket prices paired with fading confidence from the school's coaching staffs prompted the move. University President Gregory Fenves confirmed Patterson had resigned in a "mutually agreed upon decision," according to Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News. Fenves also confirmed Perrin would take over as AD, per Carlton. 

Chip Brown of Horns Digest stated Texas regents and Fenves had a conference call Monday night to resolve the situation. 

Patterson released a statement regarding the news, per Max Olson of ESPN.com:

The American-Statesman report noted there was no buyout clause included when Patterson was hired in 2013, and he signed a guaranteed contract through August 2019. It could leave Texas on the hook for $5.6 million, unless the sides agree to a reduced amount.

Brown (h/t Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports) highlighted the issue with ticket prices in June. Texas raised the cost of attending a football game after last season by an average of 21.5 percent, despite going 6-7 with a blowout loss to Arkansas in the Texas Bowl.

That decision started to turn fans against Patterson, and the loss of faith from within the school's coaching community led Texas to make the change, according to the American-Statesman report.

"Comment from a frustrated athletic [department] employee that sums up Steve Patterson era: 'We're not Texas anymore. We're Arizona State,'" relayed Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News.

Davis and Bohls also pointed out Fenves contacted former football coach Mack Brown last week, but it's not believed he's a candidate for the AD job at this time. Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports provided the opinion of a source who thinks there will be a push for Brown, though:

Not long after the reports surfaced, former Texas players began campaigning for Brown on Twitter:

However Brown denied he'd been in talks, saying "I hate this for Steve, he was good to me. I’m really happy at ESPN/ABC. I have had no discussions with anyone about the AD job," according to ESPN's Brett McMurphy. 

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby also said he wouldn't be in the hunt for the job, according to Davis.

Once the Patterson decision becomes final, Perrin will take over on a temporary basis. He starred for Texas as a linebacker in the 1960s and was named to the Longhorns' Hall of Honor in 2010. He'll handle the duties while the search for a full-time replacement takes place.

Feldman highlighted a previous missed opportunity that would have likely allowed the school to avoid this mess:

In July, Patterson addressed critics, courtesy of the Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton: “Some people may like what we’re doing and some people may not. But somebody has to make tough decisions day in and day out to try to stay focused on what’s most important to us."

Patterson hired two coveted coaches for Texas' most high-profile coaching positions: Charlie Strong (football) and Shaka Smart (men's basketball). He still lost support from the school's supporters, however, and that eventually led to his exit.

It's unclear how quickly the school wants to get a new full-time athletic director in place. Perrin has a strong sense of Texas' rich history, so there shouldn't be a major rush to fill the void until the university is sure it's the right decision.