Texas Longhorns AD DeLodd Doss looks to the past to defend coach Mack Brown

Texas Longhorns head coach Mack Brown (right) and safety Kenny Vaccaro (4) and running back D.J. Monroe (center) react after defeating the Oregon State Beavers in the Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome. Texas beat Oregon State 31-27. (Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports)

They say that those who do not study the mistakes made of the past are doomed to repeat them.

The Texas Longhorns have not enjoyed the type of success they have become accustomed too throughout history of their illustrious program as of late. The rebuilding process following the ultra-successful quarterbacking tenures of Vince Young and then Colt McCoy has been far slower than anyone had initially anticipated.

However, the team won nine games in 2012, including the Alamo Bowl against a very good Oregon State team. With 19 starters returning from that squad, including ever-improving quarterback David Ash and his entire offensive line, the Longhorns remain on a double-digit win trajectory for 2013.

“Football is fine,” athletic director DeLodd Dodds told told the Austin American-Statesman. “Nine wins are not the end of the world. But we want 13 wins.”

For some Texas fans, however, even the waiting game has proven too much to handle. They would like to see Brown out the door as the team prepares for Spring practices.

Dodds, who is also hoping for bigger things just like the fans, sees things differently. He looked to the recent past to help make his point.

“Next year we will be having a different conversation. Look at the programs that made changes: Lloyd Carr at Michigan, Phil Fulmer at Tennessee, R.C. Slocum at A&M,” Dodds said. “They all had great runs and then two or three average years and have been through two or three coaches since. Mack’s our coach. He’s the best person we can have in that position.”

Michigan took years to get back to the point where they are considered to be in contention for a Big Ten title in 2013. Tennessee is still terrible after running Fulmer out of town, and A&M is finally making a name for itself under Kevin Sumlin.

In all three cases, if fans could choose to go back in time and have their old coaches kept aboard, they would, pure and simple.

Dodds does not want to make the same mistake. Not with a big year expected, and not with a national championship-winning coach on his sidelines.

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What do you think Gamedayrs?