Texas may not be ready to publicly acknowledge it, but Arizona State is.
Following up on reports that Steve Patterson (pictured, left) has agreed to become the new athletic director at UT, ASU president Michael Crow (pictured, right) confirmed in a statement Tuesday afternoon that Patterson is indeed leaving the university to return to his alma mater.
“During his stay at ASU, Steve Patterson has positioned Sun Devil Athletics to continue its forward momentum well into the future,” Crow said. “He first became involved with ASU three years ago to put the university’s athletic department on a sound financial footing and that is exactly what he has done.
“I well understand his desire to return to his home state and wish him well at the University of Texas.”
Senior vice president James Rund will serve as interim AD while a national search for a replacement is conducted, Crow said.
An official announcement is expected to be made by UT later this week, although the timeline could be expedited based on the stream of reports and Crow’s confirmation.
(Photo credit: Arizona State University)