Arizona State athletic director Steve Patterson will be the next AD at Texas, according to a high-ranking Longhorns official with direct knowledge of the situation.
Patterson emerged as the favorite early Tuesday morning and agreed to take the job a few hours later. He will receive a multi-year deal starting around $1.4 million per year. Patterson's hire will be formally announced later this week.
"It's done," said the Texas official.
Patterson and West Virginia AD Oliver Luck were the final two candidates for the Longhorns job, the official said. Luck had been the reported favorite for weeks, but the official said that Patterson's edge came from his "marketing experience" and "business experience."
Patterson, 55, holds both an undergraduate and a law degree from Texas. While he was still relatively anonymous as a collegiate administrator, his work in professional sports -- in the NFL with the Texans (1997-2003), and in the NBA with the Rockets (1989-93) and the Trail Blazers ('03-07) -- impressed school officials. His jobs with those franchises were senior vice president and chief development officer, general manager and team president, respectively.
