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Wednesday, November 26, 1997

Texas Athletics Council discusses Mackovic's future

By CHIP BROWN / AP Sports Writer

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The athletics council that advises University of Texas president Peter Flawn discussed the performance of football coach John Mackovic behind closed doors Tuesday, but refused to divulge what was said.

"The football issue was talked about and pretty thoroughly talked about," said athletic director DeLoss Dodds, who doesn't serve on the nine-member council but sat in on the meeting. "No vote was taken. We just had a good discussion."

Dodds said he will submit a recommendation on Mackovic's fate to Flawn after the season, which wraps up Friday when the Longhorns (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) play at No. 15 Texas A&M (8-2, 5-2).

Flawn will make a final recommendation to the school's board of regents.

Newspaper reports have said that school regents already have reached a consensus to fire or reassign Mackovic after the A&M game -- possibly as early as Saturday.

"I don't know what my decision is going to be," Dodds said. "It's hard to give a recommendation when you haven't done the review."

Council chairwoman Waneen Spirduso said the group had a wide-ranging discussion about the football program, which opened the season with high hopes after winning the Big 12 title last year and quickly crumbled after a 66-3 loss to UCLA in the second game.

Asked if she would discuss the tone of the talks about Mackovic and the football program, she said, "I don't think that would be appropriate."

Dodds said the group talked "about everything, from academics and recruiting to performance."

Council member Marlen Whitley, UT's student body president, also declined to comment on the meeting.

A call to Flawn's office by The Associated Press wasn't immediately returned.

Dodds said he hoped an announcement on Mackovic's review would come quickly after the season ends.

"I don't want to put a time line on it, but I would like to move as briskly as we can to resolve it," he said.

The Dallas Morning News, quoting unidentified sources, Tuesday reported that Mackovic would be ousted by Monday and that Texas officials have placed Northwestern coach Gary Barnett at the top of their list of replacements.

The newspaper said North Carolina's Mack Brown, Arizona State's Bruce Snyder, Miami's Butch Davis, Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer, Mississippi's Tom Tuberville and Georgia's Jim Donnan also are on UT's list of candidates.