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Texas to fire athletic director Steve Patterson

University of Texas Introduce Shaka Smart

AP

Getty Images

Texas is expected to fire athletic director Steve Patterson, according to a report from the Austin American-Statesmen, move that could come as early as this evening.

Former Texas linebacker Mike Perrin is reportedly going to be named the interim AD.

Patterson’s been criticized for many things during his short, 22-month tenure, but perhaps the biggest issue he had was his inability to get along with ... well, anyone. He angered season ticket holders by raising prices, he alienated boosters, his management style offended the people that worked under him.

For college basketball fans, perhaps what’s most relevant here is that Patterson undercut the basketball program under Rick Barnes. Not only he pull the use of a private 737 jet that Texas used for recruiting and schedule trips for the basketball team to China and the Bahamas, but he was the leak for the rumors surrounding Barnes’ departure from the program.

He’s not a popular guy in Austin, which is saying something considering the fact that he was able to sign football coach Charlie Strong and basketball coach Shaka Smart, two hires that were widely applauded by fans and media alike.

He hit a homerun with the two most important decisions an AD can make, and he still is getting run out of town. That should tell you something.

It should also tell you just how good of a job Texas is for a basketball coach. Smart took the Texas job despite this mess and the fact that he had a lifetime deal as the King of Richmond, Virginia.

It’s not all bad for Patterson, however. He signed a guaranteed, six-year deal worth $1.4 million annually that does not have a buyout clause, according to the report. So Texas will be stuck with a nearly-$6 million bill to fire an athletic director many warned they shouldn’t have hired in the first place.