Decision on ASU’s next coach not up to Love, Patterson?

On November 29th Arizona State Vice President of Athletics
Lisa Love told Arizona Sports 620’s
Burns and Gambo that it was her job to find the
school’s next football coach.
On December 14th, Arizona Sports 620’s Paul Calvisi
tweeted that Love and COO Steve Patterson’s influence
on the decision is now, well, relatively nil.
“I’m told by multiple sources that both Lisa Love & Steve
Patterson are “no longer part of the decision-making
process.”
Calvisi reports that sources have told him ASU’s search
committee now includes school president Michael Crow, Sr.
VP Christine Wilkinson and a search firm hired by the
school.
This would be an interesting development, but maybe not
terribly surprising. ASU’s reputation has taken a hit over
the last two weeks, with Love bearing much of the blame.
Whether it was the (seemingly) bungled pursuit of
Houston’s Kevin Sumlin, the non-hiring of June Jones or
just the fact that the search has entered its third week
with no end in sight, confidence in Love has definitely
eroded among ASU fans.
However, as long as she remains in her current role she
will likely be the next coach’s boss, which would create a
somewhat uncomfortable dynamic, especially if the new
coach struggles to win games.