UT prez supports Brown as Longhorns head coach

Dec 6, 2012 - 10:56 PM Austin, TX (Sports Network) - University of Texas president Bill Powers on Thursday issued a statement supporting head football coach Mack Brown.

"Now that the Longhorn football team has finished its regular season, there has been an increase in media speculation about Coach Mack Brown's future. I'd like to state unequivocally that Coach Brown has my full support as well as the support of Men's Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds. Put succinctly, Mack Brown is and will remain the Longhorns' head football coach.

"Coach Brown restored Texas' winning tradition. He embodies the Texas character, is a superb ambassador for The University of Texas, and runs a program that is both winning and clean, a program that all alumni and fans can and should be proud of. Mack cares about the young men on the team as people, as students, and as players, in that order, and he models the kind of leadership that will serve our players for the rest of their lives.

"I look forward to watching this young team win the Alamo Bowl and continue to grow in seasons to come."

Brown, at the helm since 1998, guided Texas to an 8-4 record (5-4 in the Big 12) with its bowl result outstanding. Despite guiding the Longhorns to nine consecutive seasons of double-digit wins (2001-09), which included seven straight bowl victories and a national title, the program has gone just 21-16 over the last three campaigns.

The 61-year-old native of Tennessee has led the school to a 149-43 record and 91-31 conference mark in 15 seasons.