Tag: Houston Chronicle

Jim Schlossnagle’s coaching future with Texas A&M is reportedly in question

According to a new report, Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle is set to make a decision regarding his future with the program

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Just minutes after Texas A&M’s (53-15) College World Series Finals loss to Tennessee in the decisive Game 3 on Monday night, Aggies head coach Jim Schlossnagle became the talk of the college baseball world.

Schlossnagle has led the program to two CWS appearances in his first three seasons. But during the past week in Omaha, rumors spread throughout social media regarding his coaching future.

On the surface, the rumors and their timing seemed extremely confusing, coming as they did during A&M’s run to the championship round. Then the Texas Longhorns announced the dismissal of longtime baseball head coach David Pierce on the day Schlossnagle and Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello, another hot coaching target, were playing for the title.

After the game, while Vitello crowd surfed with the Volunteer faithful, Schlossnagle was asked by TexAg’s Richard Zane if he could answer the “circulating rumors” regarding the Texas opening. Here is how he answered, minus several omissions:

“I left my family to be the coach at Texas A&M. I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again. That hasn’t changed in my mind.”

“I have poured every ounce of my soul into this job. I have given this job every single once I could possibly give it.”

Some may view his answer as an emphatic defense of what he built in just three seasons and read into it a future commitment to the program. After all the Aggies are doing everything to keep him, including the school’s recent $80 million commitment to renovating Blue Bell Park.

However, that smoke has become a raging fire. On Tuesday afternoon, Houston Chronicle writers Kirk Bohls and Brent Zwerneman revealed Schlossnagle is weighing his options between staying with the Aggies and leaving for the Texas job. His ties to Longhorns athletic director Chris Del Conte go back to their time together at TCU.

With a decision reportedly set to be made Tuesday night, Texas A&M AD Trev Alberts has his work cut out for him. For what it’s worth, here is how the financials weigh out:

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

Report: Clemson HC Dabo Swinney is now an apparent candidate for the Texas A&M opening

According to Houston Chronicle writer Brent Zwerneman, Clemson HC Dabo Swinney is an apparent candidate for Texas A&M’s head coach vacancy.

We’ve reached the state of random head coaching names becoming apparent candidates for Texas A&M’s HC vacancy, such as Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, and according to Houston Chronicle writer Brent Zwerenman, throw Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney’s name into the mix.

What some people need to understand is that during any major head coaching search, agents who represent any currently employed coach will attempt to use the opening as leverage for their client, so despite Zwerneman’s report, the fact that Clemson would want to move on from Swinney, or that Dabo would want to leave the program is somewhat questionable on its face.

Sitting at 7-4 while taking on South Carolina in their regular-season finale, the Tigers won four consecutive games to finish off the 2023 regular season, and from the looks of it, Clemson is back on track heading into 2024 while still recruiting at a high level at a consistent rate, so again, why would he leave one of the best jobs in the Power 5?

In 16 seasons, Swinney is 168-43 and has appeared in four National Championship games, winning two National Titles in 2016 and 2018.

Regardless, this is just part of the hiring process, as Texas A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork has likely narrowed down his options, and as of now, Dabo Swinney may or may not be a part of said list.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Twitter reacts to Jimbo Fisher’s post Maroon and White Spring Game joke to the media

After head coach Jimbo Fisher made a simple joke about equal criticism between himself and the media, Twitter reacted in a predictable fashion

Happy Jimbo Fisher overreaction season! Texas A&M is fresh off their Maroon and White Spring Game last Saturday, marking an end to a highly productive spring football season ahead of the pivotal 2023 campaign.

In a game that saw the White team defeat the Maroon squad 33-19 behind quarterback Max Johnson’s three touchdown passes, presumed 2023 starter Conner Weigman also displayed a solid outing for the Maroon, while the program’s more experienced offensive line and defensive line handled their business in the trenches in impressive fashion.

Overall, it was a great start to what hopefully should translate to a rebound season, but before head coach Jimbo Fisher could return behind the media curtain, post-spring presser proved some in the media more fodder for the lull summer months that lie ahead. At the end of the question portion of the press conference, Fisher chided Houston Chronicle writer Brent Zwerneman who was looking to ask the final question, stating

“If it’s the last question it’s gonna be a good question, I don’t need no Houston Chronicle question, give him a quesion, give him a TexAgs question, it’s a better question.”

Fisher was also quick to throw Sports Illustrated under the bus humorously.

“Sports Illustrated now, that ain’t a good one either.”

Within his humorous jab, Fisher winked several times, which basically expressed that he was having a little fun with his many compadres in the media, and if we’re all being honest with ourselves, we’re supposed to have thick skin in this give and take business, so let’s not blow things out of proportion. Well, that wasn’t the case, as reactions ranged from defending Fisher to asking the same old question “How much is his buyout again?” With that, here are the best Twitter reactions after Jimbo Fisher’s post-spring press conference.

Vikings get top ranked corner in Houston Chronicle’s latest mock draft

Getting a physical cornerback will be a priority and the Houston Chronicle agrees

The Minnesota Vikings are entering the 2023 offseason with a long list of needs, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. While the team’s offense has proven to be a strong force, their defense struggled throughout the 2022 season, ranking near the bottom of the league in several key categories. As a result, the Vikings will likely focus on improving their defense during the offseason.

On Monday, Brooks Kubena of The Houston Chronicle released his mock draft and helped the Vikings start that rebuild of the defense by selecting Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr.

Porter Jr. is one of the higher-ranked corners in this draft class and has been mocked by teams in the early portion of the first round. If the Vikings were able to acquire him, they’d be getting an aggressive and athletic cornerback.

Porter Jr. consistently used his physicality to bully opposing wide receivers, and he’s got really great awareness and the ability to make a play on the ball. Fans should be elated if this comes to fruition, as Porter Jr. would be a perfect fit for Brian Flores’ defense.

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Rockets reportedly looking for strong defensive coach as assistant

“I think they’re going to definitely try and add a guy who has some defensive coaching chops,” Houston Chronicle beat writer Jonathan Feigen says of the Rockets’ assistant search.

With three assistant coaches in Jeff Hornacek, Will Weaver, and DeSagana Diop not returning to the Houston Rockets staff for the 2022-23 season, head coach Stephen Silas likely has three vacancies to fill.

While some names have been rumored, including G League affiliate coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah and longtime NBA assistant Melvin Hunt, a formal hire has yet to be made. But Silas has made it clear that defense is a priority this offseason after Houston’s league-worst finish in 2021-22, and it appears that will factor into the coaching search, as well.

Longtime Houston Chronicle beat writer Jonathan Feigen elaborated in a conversation with Salman Ali on the Red Nation Hoops podcast:

Stephen (Silas) is extremely well liked and respected around the league. He’s got a ton of connections. People would like to work for him. …

I think they’re going to definitely try and add a guy who has some defensive coaching chops. Not necessarily running the defense, but a creative mind with a lot to offer as a guy that will help work with the defense.

I don’t think it’s quite the Jeff Bzdelik defensive coordinator (role) — I know they didn’t call him that, but “you run the show on defense” — it’s not that.

He’s looking for a defensive… I don’t want to say specialist, but a really strong defensive coach. That’s where they’re going with the main one.

Feigen, who said he anticipates Abdelfattah being one of the three hires, did offer one caveat when it comes to Silas’ ongoing search.

“There is a lot of uncertainty,” Feigen said of Houston’s situation. “When you’re joining a team that’s had the worst record in the league, twice in a row, and the coach has two years left on his contract — only one fully guaranteed — coaches have to consider that. But, he’s got connections like crazy, and he’s really well liked and highly thought of. That’s the one thing I’ve heard from people outside the organization.”

The new assistant coaching hires will join John Lucas (lead assistant) and Rick Higgins, who are still in place from Silas’ 2021-22 staff.

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Essential Houston Rockets media, fan sources for 2022 NBA trade deadline

As the 2022 NBA trade deadline nears, here’s our look at leading media and fan content providers when it comes to Houston Rockets news and analysis.

Everyone knows the biggest media names like ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania. But in many cases, news can break at the local level — rather than national — when it comes to important periods like the upcoming 2022 NBA trade deadline.

Moreover, even if a national reporter ultimately breaks the news of a transaction, it’s often local reporters and bloggers who can put it into the proper context to help fans of that team understand the rationale.

With the Feb. 10 trade deadline for the 2021-22 season fast approaching, here’s a rundown of many of the top reporters, analysts, and media and fan personalities covering the Rockets — including where to follow them on social media and ways to read or listen to their coverage.

(Disclaimer: You can and should also follow the team’s official media channels, but those outlets are not allowed to discuss transactions until they are finalized and processed by the league office.)

Texas and Oklahoma reach out to join the SEC, does this affect Notre Dame?

Would this matter for the Irish?

The Houston Chronicle reported Wednesday that Big 12 powers Texas and Oklahoma have approached the SEC about joining the conference. This move would cause huge ramifications across the college football world, and for Notre Dame, it will present an interesting scenario.

The Irish are coming off their first season with a conference affiliation, winning the ACC regular-season title. Even though they lost a rematch to Clemson in the league championship, the resume was enough for them to gain a berth in the College Football Playoff for the second time in three seasons.

The move angered many die-hard Irish fans, but with many schools canceling out-of-conference games, there really wasn’t an option for Notre Dame.

What the 2020 season did was quiet many of the doubters who said the Irish would struggle with a conference league schedule.

The news today could have some legs; SEC’s Commissioner Greg Sankey declined to comment on the situation.

If Texas and Oklahoma were to join the southern power conference, would this matter to Notre Dame? It certainly would, especially with the CFP’s expansion to 12-teams looming in the future. The question is how much would it matter?

The depth the SEC would have if the Big 12 powers joined would be almost unmatched across the college football landscape. The conference could have multiple teams in the CFP after the expansion, which would make the number of available spots diminish.

It might not matter at all, as an Irish team that would have double-digit wins would almost certainly be inside the top-12 and grab a spot. It still bothers me a bit that Notre Dame is essentially a No. 5 seed at best, due to the proposed expansion’s rule requiring the top four teams have a conference title.

At the end of the day, the potential move for Texas and Oklahoma really doesn’t do anything to affect Notre Dame’s status. The rivals can go to the SEC, all the Irish have to do is focus on themselves and impress the committee enough to get a top-12 seed while staying independent.