After returning a report earlier in the week that he was going to step down as the head football coach at the University of Texas, Mack Brown on Saturday stepped down as head football coach at the University of Texas.
Which means something didn't add up in the speculation leading up to Saturday's announcement. Either the decision was not his to make as multiple reports, such as his lawyer, Joe Jamail, said on Thursday, or he wanted to be the source to break the news, rather than Orangebloods.com.
Or Brown simply could have been waiting for Alabama to offer an extension that coach Nick Saban would accept so Brown could rest easy that Saban wouldn't come to Texas and make Longhorns fans forget about Brown's accomplishments.
"Sally and I were brought to Texas 16 years ago to pull together a football program that was divided. With a lot of passion, hard work and determination from the kids, coaches and staff, we did that. We built a strong football family, reached great heights and accomplished a lot, and for that, I thank everyone. It's been a wonderful ride," Brown said in a statement as reported by ESPN.
"Now, the program is again being pulled in different directions, and I think the time is right for a change. I love The University of Texas, all of its supporters, the great fans and everyone that played and coached here. I can't thank DeLoss Dodds enough for bringing our family here, and Bill Powers and the administration for supporting us at a place where I have made lifelong friendships.
"It is the best coaching job and the premier football program in America. I sincerely want it to get back to the top and that's why I am stepping down after the bowl game. I hope with some new energy, we can get this thing rolling again."
The statement is quite different from the one he gave on Tuesday in response to the Orangebloods.com report that he had decided to resign.
"I haven't seen [the] article," Brown wrote in a text message to the website Horns247 as reported by ESPN. "I'm in Florida recruiting. If I had decided to step down, I sure wouldn't be killing myself down here. I have not decided to step down."
Brown leaves with a 158-47 record in 16 seasons at Texas, nine win shorts of Darrell Royal's school record for most wins in school history.
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