What does the hiring of Steve Patterson as the next AD at Texas mean for the Big 12 and OU? First and foremost the Patterson hire signals a new day for Texas football and as result a new day for OU. DeLoss Dodds was the ultimate good old boy and his removal was good news for both OU and UT fans. While it is true that over the past several years OU has lived the good life with Mack at Texas, but the Sooners have pretty much sucked that turnip dry. Beating Texas has been good for our egos, but unfortunately has done little for the Sooners nationally.
Basically, Deloss is out and the new guy is in. The reason for the change is simple. The UT Regents want to restore the Longhorns to their former the national prominence. The Regents also realize that Mack cannot make that happen. The only thing left to be resolved is how to make the Mack exit happen in a manner to respect Mack and what he has accomplished at Texas. Mack is a really good guy and a solid coach, but from time to time changes are needed. In the end, Mack will fight for his job as he negotiates a
Texas-size severance buy-out for himself. Regardless, Mack will be out…
Times have changed dramatically since Mack won a national championship with Vince Young at quarterback a few years back. Texas A&M’s move to the SEC has taken the state and the nation by storm and the A&M Regents and the obnoxious Aggie fans have lorded this fact over the Longhorn faithful. Texas fans are not used to such treatment by anyone much less the hated Aggies.
While Texas officials have only themselves to blame for the A&M-SEC move, they are not interested in finding fault with themselves, so finding a scapegoat has become paramount of late. While, Mack with his recent national championship and decent winning record is not a perfect fit for the scapegoat suit, he will have to do. Don’t get me wrong there is no reason for any coach not to win big at Texas so I do not feel too sorry for Mack.
Using the SEC template that encourages top level teams to continue to get better which in turn makes the rest of the league better is a move that will help the Big 12 and OU. At first I was like everyone else seeing Mack as a good thing for OU as we took advantage of weak Longhorn teams. Times have changed however, and no longer can the Big 12 survive the cut-throat playoff world without strong UT and OU football programs. Listed in most circles as the # 5 conference among the five power conferences, serious changes are needed to elevate the conference into 2014 final four playoff discussions.
A Texas program coached by a high profile coach will be good for the long-term health of the Big 12. The move will be particularly good for OU. A strong Texas program will force OU to up the ante to keep up for the Jones. With the T. Boone hay already in the OSU barn and with the NCAA likely to take a closer look at the OSU play-for-pay “sock” money program, a slip in the OSU program can be expected sooner than later. Now is a perfect time for both OU and UT to separate themselves from OSU.
OU leaders realize that Texas is the key of OU’s survival. OU cannot afford to lose the OU/Texas rivalry. This game is at the core of OU football. With the loss of the OU/Nebraska rivalry keeping a strong OU/Texas match-up is a must. While some may suggest that losing the OU/Texas rivalry could never happen, the same was once said of the OU/Nebraska and Texas/Texas A&M rivalries. In the changing world of college football anything is possible.
Finally, I hope that UT hires a fire-breathing coach to replace Mack Brown. A lackluster Texas program combined with a watered down Big 12 will be the death of the Big 12. If changes are not made and quick, the conference will disband within five years. The four power conferences, SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Pac 12 will simply devour a weak Big 12.
A strong Texas football program that forces OU to get better will elevate the Big 12 to compete with the power conferences and give the Big 12 and OU a fighting chance. For this to happen, Mack must go…
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