It appears that Mack Brown’s sabbatical from the game of college football will be a brief one.
Citing sources familiar with the process, Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News confirmed a Chip Brown Scout.com report that the former Texas head football coach has reached an agreement to serve as a studio analyst this fall. UT athletic director Steve Patterson subsequently confirmed to the Austin American-Statesman‘s Kirk Bohls that the long-time coach is opting for a television gig.
An official announcement is expected at some point this week, Bohls reported.
It’s unclear what studio role Brown will fill -- and if the Longhorn Network will be involved -- although hopefully it means either Mark May or Lou Holtz -- or both -- will be shown the door, although we won’t hold our breath on that front. There have been reports that Holtz is set to retire, although ESPN has denied the speculation that came directly from Holtz himself. From a 247Sports.com interview with Holtz last month:
“I’d like to practice my golf a little more. I’ve been everywhere except to bed. I’ve spoken to everybody except my wife. Somebody said, ‘Do you ever go anywhere where people don’t recognize you?’ I said home. I owe it to her to spend a little more time with her. I said that last year too.”
Brown “stepped down” as the Longhorns’ head coach in December of 2013 after 16 seasons in Austin, and was ultimately replaced by Charlie Strong three weeks later. Since his “resignation,” Brown has served as a paid advisor -- $500,000 annually -- to university president Bill Powers as part of a new contract that runs through 2020.
Additionally, Texas will pay Brown a total of $2.75 million over four years as part of the settlement to force an early retirement for Brown.