Tag: Kevin Sumlin

Reflecting on Texas A&M’s 2 memorable wins against former Alabama coach Nick Saban

With the news of head coach Nick Saban retiring from Alabama, many in Aggieland breathed a sigh of relief as the big bad elephant finally left the room.

With the news of head coach Nick Saban retiring from Alabama, many in Aggieland breathed a sigh of relief as the big bad elephant finally left the room.

Texas A&M compiled a 2-10 overall record against Saban and the Crimson Tide. The victories may have been few and far between but they sure were memorable. Both wins against Alabama came when they were ranked No. 1 in the nation.

November 10, 2012; Tuscaloosa, AL; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) celebrates against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first quarter at Bryant Denny Stadium. John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
(John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)

Back on Nov. 10, 2012, the Aggies were led to victory by a young upstart quarterback. Johnny Manziel shocked everyone in Tuscaloosa, and the world for that matter, with the 29-24 upset win. Manziel’s life changed forever as he became “Johnny Football” and went on to become the first freshman to ever win the Heisman Trophy.

While the Jimbo Fisher era in Bryan-College Station may not have gone as planned, the most memorable victory during his tenure has to be against Alabama. On Oct. 9, 2021, Fisher became the first former Saban assistant to defeat him, doing so with a 41-38 win. From 28 yards out, Seth Small nailed the game-winning kick to pull off the upset.

(Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports)

Saban’s retirement opens the door of opportunity for head coach Mike Elko and Texas A&M to establish itself at the top of the pack in the revamped SEC. With the Texas Longhorns joining the conference later this year, it’s officially time for the Aggies to show who the best team in the Lone Star State — and perhaps the entire SEC — really is.

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Former Texas A&M Head coach and current Maryland assistant Kevin Sumlin was arrested on DUI charges

It has been reported that former Aggies HC and current Maryland co-offensive coordinator Kevin Sumlin was arrested on DUI charges.

These are the type of days to put aside any bias regarding current or former coaches when dealing with personal matters, as former Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin, who currently serves as the co-offensive coordinator at Maryland under current head coach Mike Locksley, was reportedly arrested and charged with a DUI (Driving under the influence) last weekend.

First reported by The Diamondback sports editor Taylor Lyons, Sumlin was arrested in Florida during the Terrapins bye week, and according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the 59-year-old was apprehended on Saturday, Oct. 21 at precisely 1:00 a.m. and released on bail just hours after his arrest.

According to Lyons, Sumlin reportedly refused a breathalyzer test, resulting in a license suspension for at least one year, per the initial report. He also pleaded not guilty and waived arraignment, as this charge can result in a maximum of six months in prison.

Before joining Maryland last February, Sumlin spent one season in the USFL as the head coach of the Houston Gamblers after serving as Arizona’s head coach from 2018 to 2020. However, Sumlin’s five-year head coaching stint at Texas A&M (2012-2017) has become a resurfaced talking point among current Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher’s struggles in year six, as Sumlin’s 45-22 records have now trumped Fisher’s 43-24 career mark.

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Report: Maryland co-offensive coordinator Kevin Sumlin arrested for DUI

Maryland co-offensive coordinator, former Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin was arrested in Tampa and refused a breathalyzer during bye week.

Maryland co-offensive coordinator Kevin Sumlin was arrested on DUI charges this weekend in Florida, according to a report from The Diamondback’s Taylor Lyons.

The report cited a Hillsborough County police report, saying Sumlin was arrested early Saturday morning along U.S. Highway 301 in Tampa, Florida after he refused a breathalyzer test. Sumlin pled not guilty and he waived his arraignment, meaning he will not appear in court for the initial plea.

The Terrapins were on a bye this week.

Sumlin joined the Maryland program earlier this year. He previously served as the head coach at Texas A&M from 2012-17 Arizona from 2018-20.

The Diamondback’s report said Sumlin’s attorney declined to comment and that a spokesperson for the team had yet to respond.

We will continue to monitor the story and provide updates as they are made available.

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A brief look back Texas A&M’s program changing win over Alabama in 2012

In 2012, Texas A&M shocked college football by going into Alabama and knocking off the No 1 team in the nation

Wins against Alabama are sacrist in the history of Texas A&M. There have only been three victories among the 15 games played between the two programs. However, on November 10. In 2012, the No 15 ranked Aggies traveled to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and returned to College Station with one of the biggest wins in the history of the team.

Not many people gave the Aggies a snowball’s chance on a hot beach to beat an undefeated Nick Saben-led Crimson Tide team that was on a 13-game winning streak. Apparently, no one informed Texas A&M as they would not be bullied into a loss.

The Aggies jumped out to a 20-0 lead, stunning the Alabama fans into silence as they watched Johnny football dance around an elite Crimson Tide defense on nearly every possession.

 

However, the Tide was ranked No. 1 for a reason, and they came roaring back in the second quarter to cut the lead down to a touchdown going into halftime. Then, they followed up with the only point in the third quarter with a field goal for 17 unanswered points and only down be three with a full quarter left to play.

The Maroon & White, sensing that the momentum was slightly slipping away, rattled off the two scores of the 4th quarter, pushing the lead back up to 29-17. Then, with under two minutes left in the game and needing a touchdown to take the lead, Alabama had to go for it on fourth and goal. At that point, freshman defensive back Deshazor Everett made the play of the game, intercepting AJ McCarron and giving the Aggie offense a chance to close out the game.

It wasn’t without some drama, but an offsides penalty gave them a fresh set of downs, allowing them to run out the clock instead of punting, ending the game with a final score of 29-24.

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Rewind: Arkansas-Texas A&M since the Aggies joined SEC

The Arkansas-Texas A&M series since 2012 has been full of drama and close games, but have usually gone the Aggies’ way.

If you go by the all-time series, Arkansas has a healthy lead over Texas A&M by virtue of the Razorbacks’ dominance over them in the Southwest Conference.

However, since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012, it’s been entirely one-sided. Arkansas has only one victory—20-10 in 2021, while A&M has won every other meeting.

The games have nearly all been close. A&M won in a rout the first year during the Johnny Manziel Heisman season, and won convincingly in 2016, but six of the other 11 meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less, including three overtime affairs.

A&M has also had coaching stability, with Kevin Sumlin and Jimbo Fisher the only two coaches they’ve had since 2012. Meanwhile, the Razorbacks have had five coaches (if you include interim at end of 2019).

Here is a look back at those games.

Texas A&M football’s preseason USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll rankings since 2000

Texas A&M football has seen its share of ups and downs since 2000, and we’re here to take you down memory lane from a rankings perspective from the last 22 seasons.

Texas A&M Football has seen its fair share of ups and downs since the 2000 season, and since the end of Head Coach R. C. Slocum’s 13-year reign, the Aggies saw a mix of epic lows and exciting highs, culminating with quarterback Johnny Manziel’s 2012 Heisman-winning season, and an 11-2 finish.

Since 2000, Texas A&M has been ranked in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll nearly a dozen times, while the program has cycled through a total of three coaches since, as current Head Coach Jimbo Fisher is entering his sixth season after enduring the dreadful 5-7 campaign in 2022. Since 2018, the Aggies have been ranked four straight seasons in the preseason rankings but have yet to live up to their lofty expectations since his arrival.

The USA TODAY Sports AFCA football coaches poll is produced weekly throughout the regular season with a voting panel consisting of 65 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches. The panel randomly chooses from a pool of coaches who indicated interest in participating. From a points perspective, A first-place vote is worth 25 points; second place is 24 points, and 1 point for the team at No.25.

Here at Aggies Wire, we’ll see where Texas A&M has been ranked in the preseason and at the end of each season since 2000 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA football coaches poll. Enjoy the trip down memory lane!

It’s time to put Jimbo Fisher vs. Kevin Sumlin to bed once and for all

The conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft where only three players were selected for Texas A&M has sadly rekindled the Fisher vs. Sumlin debate

For those outside of the Texas A&M coverage realm, it’s been the sole mission of many in the media to reignite a debate that should have died a long, long time ago; Jimbo Fisher vs. Kevin Sumlin.

Neither coach wins this matchup, as the highs have been equally high, and the lows, well, have been low for both regimes. So, in an effort to prove that a winner in this pointless face off simply fails to exist, let their resumes do the talking.

For clarity, I’m referring to Sumlin’s six seasons with the Aggies (2012-2017) highlighted by quarterback Johnny Manziel’s Heisman-winning, 11-2 2012 campaign capped off with a victory against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl, still recognized as one of the greatest seasons in program history.

After the aforementioned 2012 season, Sumlin would go on to achieve a 40-24 record and 51-26 overall, though his firing due to a consistent lack of midseason success in SEC play compared to his exemplary records in September opened the door for one of the premier hires at the time, as then Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher threw out his Christmas Tree earlier than usual as his sights were now set on Stetsons and Cowboy boots as College Station awaited his arrival in December of 2017.

In Fisher’s first season with what was a majority-constructed roster from Sumlins’ previous recruiting classes, Fisher finished 9-4 with a win in the Gator Bowl, leading to his second full season in 2019, finishing 8-5 with a consecutive bowl victory.

His best season so far with the program came during the 2020 campaign, known only as the Covid season where one game on their schedule (Ole Miss) was canceled, the experienced Aggies squad led by senior quarterback Kellen Mond finished 9-1 including an eight-game winning streak, and were notably on the cusp of their first appearance in the College Football Playoff, and finished the season with one of their biggest bowl wins in program history against North Carolina in the Orange Bowl. At the end of the season, Texas A&M ranked 4th in the country, their highest finish in AP Polling history.

Yes, progress has been made under Fisher, but since 2020, it’s been painfully average after an 8-4 finish in 2021, and of course, the recent 5-7 2022 season I myself have analyzed ad nauseam, the comparisons between Fisher and the previous regime have made their way back to the news cycle. Ranging from record comparison to a debate surrounding player development, the 2023 NFL Draft provided a perfect scapegoat for Aggie clickbait, As it was brought to the public attention that Kevin Sumlin has produced seven first-round selections during his time with the program, while Fisher has only produced one in five seasons.

Here’s a bit more clarity in response to that bombshell revelation: three of the seven players drafted in the first round (Luke Joeckel, Jake Matthews, Cedric Ogbuehi) under Sumlin were recruits of former Aggie head coach Mike Sherman, who Sumlin succeeded in the position, so give credit where credit is due. Lastly, 2017 No.1 overall pick Myles Garrett, who by all means is a generational talent and future NFL Hall of Famer realistically had all the makings of a future first-round pick regardless of the college he attended, while both Johnny Manziel and wide receiver Mike Evans’ are the best examples of first-round picks who developed under Sumlin’s fast-paced run and gun offense, so again give him all the credit in the world.

At 57 years old and entering his sixth season with Texas A&M, Jimbo Fisher is still recruiting at a high level despite significant losses to the transfer portal, and the 2023 roster is as talented and experienced as he’s possessed since, yes, 9-1 2020 season. Here’s the bottom line, Fisher is under immense pressure to turn things around ASAP, so comparing his current regime to Kevin Sumlin’s former life in College Station is an exercise in futility, but hey, we’re just focused on the season ahead. as always, Gig ‘Em, and BTHO off-season.

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Kevin Sumlin hired by Maryland as tight ends coach, co-offensive coordinator

Kevin Sumlin has returned to the collegiate scene.

After spending the 2022 season with the Houston Gamblers of the USFL, it appears that Kevin Sumlin is returning to the college game. He was most recently the head coach for the Arizona Wildcats until his firing in 2020.

Sumlin started out as a graduate assistant for the Washington State Cougars in 1989, three years after his collegiate playing career came to an end in 1986. The former Purdue Boilermaker’s linebacker also coached at his alma mater as the wide receivers coach from 1998 to 2000.

According to 247Sports, Sumlin was hired to be the co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach for the [autotag]Maryland Terrapins[/autotag]. He last served as a co-offensive coordinator for the Oklahoma Sooners from 2006 to 2007, he also coached tight ends from 2003 to 2005.

Sumlin was most known for his run at Houston from 2008 to 2011, and at Texas A&M from 2012 to 2017. He had a great start to his Aggies’ career but it wasn’t the same after Kliff Kingsbury and Johnny Manziel left College Station.

It remains unclear at this time what exactly his role will be as co-offensive coordinator as Mike Locksley is expected to have a larger role in the playcalling this upcoming season.

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Willie Taggart, several Pac-12 coaches named among worst coaching hires in past decade

When it comes to some of the worst head coaching hires over the past decade, the Pac-12 unfortunately comes up a lot.

The past decade or so has not been a banner time for the Pac-12 when it comes to football.

There have been some high moments, such as Oregon and Washington making it to the College Football Playoff, but there have been multiple low moments as well. USC — an historically great program — was an afterthought for several years, and the teams at the bottom of the conference floundered season after season.

Even the Ducks struggled mightily for a few seasons while they tried to find the right coach to replace Chip Kelly before landing on Mario Cristobal and then Dan Lanning.

Of course, football is about much more than just coaching, but the guy making the calls on the sideline usually has a major hand to play in whether a team is successful or not. This past week, 247Sports put out a ranking of some of the worst coaching hires over the past decade.

It feels fitting that a handful of Pac-12 coaches were on there, as well as one man with close ties to the Ducks. Here’s how Pac-12 coaches fared in the rankings:

Year-by-year salaries of Texas A&M head football coaches since 2012

Aggies Wire revisits the annual salaries of Texas A&M’s head football coaches over the past decade.

The salaries of college football coaches across the nation have skyrocketed in recent years, as programs flex their financial muscles in a supercompetitive athletic arms race.

To wit, the Texas A&M Aggies last season paid head coach Jimbo Fisher more than three times what predecessor Kevin Sumlin earned in 2012.

To get an idea of how rapidly coaching salaries are rising, Aggies Wire lists the annual compensation paid out to Texas A&M head football coaches over the past decade below.

[Source: USA TODAY college football coaching salary database; figures do not include income from non-university sources, incentive bonuses or the value of perks and benefits.]