Interim Texas men's AD Mike Perrin's first objective is to "calm the waters and get people excited about UT athletics again," according to a front-page piece by Brian Davis of the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. Perrin was formally introduced yesterday after Tuesday's dismissal of Steve Patterson and said, "I’ve been concerned. I sat in the stands last week and saw empty seats.” Perrin noted that the announced crowd for last Saturday’s game against Rice "looked about 20,000 short of capacity." Meanwhile, more than 7,000 tickets "remain on the Texas end of the Cotton Bowl for the Oct. 10 matchup against Oklahoma." Perrin: “It concerns me that fans, last week, voted with their feet." Perrin said that it is "difficult to unwind the policies" that Patterson "already has in place." Season-ticket sales for the '15 football season "are already done," and the men’s basketball team is "contractually bound to fly to Shanghai, China, in November." But Davis notes Perrin can "finish off what should be a blockbuster contract extension with Nike" and could "help negotiate a settlement on the embarrassing Joe Wickline lawsuit against Oklahoma State." More than "anything else, Perrin can give UT coaches his full support." UT women's AD Chris Plonsky called Perrin's appointment a "beautiful hire." Plonsky: "You can see how calm he is and methodical" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 9/17). Perrin said UT President Gregory Fenves "hasn't limited my authority" despite having the interim tag. Perrin: "He doesn't have me on a short leash outside of that which is implied in interim. I'm going to look at everything I can." In Dallas, Chuck Carlton notes while Fenves yesterday declined to "go into much detail about the differences that led to Patterson's departure, he said that 'what's very important to me is our relationships with our fans, our season-ticket holders and that they feel good about following Texas athletics.'" Carlton notes while "active in UT organizations, Perrin has never worked full-time in an athletic department" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/17).
RIGHT MAN AT THE RIGHT TIME: In San Antonio, Mike Finger notes former Vikings Owner and UT alum Red McCombs praised Fenves for "showing great leadership" in switching ADs. He added that he believes Perrin is "the ideal man" to smooth things over with the fan base. McCombs: "No. 1 is to get everybody comfortable again. There have been so many unexpected changes. And people haven't liked all the change" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 9/17). In Oklahoma City, Berry Tramel wrote Perrin "seems like the ideal candidate as interim AD." He "understands Longhorn culture" and "knows Texas people." How much "impact he'll have as interim AD remains to be seen," but a school that "needed a familiar face in a leadership role has found exactly that" (NEWSOK.com, 9/16). In Austin, Cedric Golden writes Perrin "represents a return to normalcy, and in the best-case, a return to national relevance in the sports that matter." This could be a "win in the long run," especially if UT "gets back to winning where it matters most" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 9/17). Also in Austin, Kirk Bohls writes it is likely Fenves and Perrin "are at least open to the possibility" of the job becoming permanent. Perrin makes "a lot of sense," as he is "one of them, a diehard Longhorn." Bohls: "Maybe he’ll bumble through his one interim year. Or maybe he’ll be a shooting star who pries millions out of Nike, gets a new basketball arena built on campus" and inspires football coach Charlie Strong to a winning season (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 9/17).
THE REPLACEMENTS: ESPN's Brett McMurphy cited a source as saying that a timetable for hiring a full-time AD "has not been determined, and a search may not begin 'until early next year' because of the difficulties involved in talking to candidates during football season" (ESPN.com, 9/16). In Austin, Ryan Autullo notes Plonsky "insists she is not interested" in taking Patterson's place. Plonsky yesterday said that she is "looking forward to working alongside" Perrin. She noted she does not want the job despite a N.Y. Times story that "trumpeted her as a 'logical fit.'" Plonsky: "I've never been interested in the men's athletics job" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 9/17). Meanwhile, former UT football coach Mack Brown yesterday said that he is "not interested" in filling the AD position. CBSSPORTS.com's Dennis Dodd noted it is believed that UT "will make Brown part of its search committee" (CBSSPORTS.com, 9/16). In Ft. Worth, Jimmy Burch writes UT "must find the opposite" of Patterson, as the new hire must understand the "glad-handing element of college sports." One of the "primary tasks of any athletic director at the college level is to keep boosters engaged enough to fill luxury suites at the football stadium and finance new facilities." Patterson gave the "cold shoulder to several influential donors during his time at Texas and shut them out in deliberations that led to the hiring of Strong and men’s basketball coach Shaka Smart." The new AD also "cannot come from a professional sports background." Embracing another "unconventional candidate, at this point, would be a mistake" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 9/17).
