The Texas Longhorns have hired Arizona State AD Steve Patterson as the program's next athletic director, according to widespread reports. The position will become vacant when DeLoss Dodds retires at the end of this year. Patterson, 55, graduated from Texas in 1980 and graduated from UT's law school in 1984. A former executive with the Houston Texans and President of the Portland Trail Blazers, Patterson and West Virginia's Oliver Luck were reportedly the finalists for the position.
With Mack Brown's job security still up in the air, it's been widely rumored that the incoming AD's first task will be finding Brown's replacement. Considering Patterson's history and connections, here are the coaches most likely to be found on Patterson's list.
Jon Gruden
Gruden, who last coached for the Tampa Bay Bucs in 2008, would be a statement hire. Gruden has long been linked with a return to the sidelines, and is a member of Darrell Royal's coaching tree through former assistant Johnny Majors. Patterson's NFL links make it highly likely that he'll pursue a candidate with big-league coaching experience, and Gruden's Super Bowl ring and national clout make him as big-league as it gets.
Odds: 9/1
Art Briles
Briles turned Baylor from a punchline into one of the top programs in the nation, and the fact that they're still in the BCS picture two years after Robert Griffin III left for the NFL speaks volumes about his ability. Despite his loyalty to Baylor, he'd have a hard time turning down an approach from Texas if they came calling.
Odds: 15/1
Pat Fitzgerald
Northwestern HC Pat Fitzgerald has worked wonders in one of college football's most demanding jobs, and there are plenty of fans out there who'd love to see what Fitzgerald could do with top recruits at one of the most football-focused schools in the country. He's recruited in Texas for some time, and there are whispers that Texas and USC are the only jobs that he'd leave Chicago for.
Odds: 3/1
Nick Saban
It's almost a guarantee that the Longhorns will approach Saban about a potential vacancy. Whether he has any interest in leaving Alabama, where he's built a dynasty, is another story. Don't hold your breath, Longhorns fans, but rest assured that if Patterson thinks he has a shot at Saban, he'll take it.
Odds: 50/1
--
Stay tuned to our Texas Longhorns page for all the latest updates and rumors on the Texas coaching search from all your favorite blogs, papers and national media outlets
Back to the Texas Longhorns Newsfeed