Texas football coach Mack Brown says he won't retire

By Austin Laymance

Special to the Star-Telegram

AUSTIN -- Mack Brown isn't going anywhere.

On Monday, the Texas coach said he has no plans to retire despite speculation about his future with the Longhorns following a 63-21 drubbing by Oklahoma.

Texas is 6-9 against OU under Brown, including three straight losses.

"I'm way too competitive and have way too much pride to leave something bad," Brown said. "I'm going to get this fixed."

During the Longhorns' team meeting Sunday night, Brown told his players he wasn't quitting on them and expects them to do the same.

"There will be some people that say he thought about retiring before and he may quit," Brown said. "I told them that if somebody is telling you to quit, don't. In your life if you start quitting, then you're a quitter. You need to compete. You didn't sign up for just the good days.

"When you come to a place like this it is really important that we win. And when we lose it is really important to people that we get it fixed. That is what we need to do."

But Texas has struggled to win consistently since it finished 5-7 in 2010.

The Longhorns (4-2, 1-2 Big 12) have lost consecutive games for the fifth time in the past two-plus seasons. In 12 years prior, Brown's teams dropped consecutive games just four times.

Regardless, Brown has the support of UT athletic director DeLoss Dodds and school president Bill Powers. Following an 8-5 season in 2011, the coach signed a contract extension through 2020.

"I've got great bosses. This job isn't like the others," Brown said. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world and that's why I know I have time to fix things. And I can.

"One of the problems a lot of coaches have is they know they don't [have time to fix things]. It puts so much pressure on them that they can't coach. And I wouldn't be in a place in that position."

At least publically, the Longhorns still believe in their embattled coach.

Quarterback David Ash, who will start this week against Baylor (3-2, 0-2) despite an injured left wrist, offered a simple answer to those questioning Brown.

"Stop," Ash said. "He's a winner. He's a competitor."

For now, it appears the players have taken Brown's message to heart.

"You can't just give up in the middle of the season," cornerback Quandre Diggs said. "We're going to go out and continue to fight."

So will their coach.

"I have my energy," Brown said. "We are darn sure going to get this thing fixed."

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