Tag: Ross Bjork

Breaking: Texas A&M is expected to hire Mark Stoops as the next head football coach

It has been confirmed that former Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops is expected to become Texas A&M new head football coach.

It has been confirmed that the search for Texas A&M’s new head football coach after the firing of Jimbo Fisher has reached its end, as former Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops is expected to replace Fisher for the 2024 season and beyond, according to multiple sources, including GigEm247 inside Jeff Tarply, and TexAgs’ Billy Liucci.

Early Saturday, ESPN insider Pete Thamel and Athletic insider Bruce Feldman joined Liucci to report that Stoops was indeed a legitimate candidate for the position, as Thamel stated,

“One name that is expected to emerge in the next 24 hours is Kentucky coach Mark Stoops,” Thamel stated on ESPN’s College GameDay.”He coaches a rivalry game against Louisville (on Saturday), and the next 24 hours will be critical for his candidacy.”

Stoops, who is finished his 11th year at Kentucky with a 7-5 record (matching A&M), has compiled a 72-64 record (35-55 SEC) and has taken the Wildcats to seven bowl game appearances, including four wins while recording two 10-win seasons in 2018 and 2021.

At the age of 56, Stoops has a proven track record. Still, after firing Fisher with an enormous $76.8 Million buyout attached, this looks more like a lateral move, if any—Stoop’s $4.5 Million buyout was probably a selling point, coupled with his ability to develop talent at a high level with what A&M offers from a recruiting perspective.

Stoops, for many, was a complete surprise as UTSA’s Jeff Traylor, Arizona’s Jedd Fisch, Duke’s Mike Elko, and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham were more notable candidates throughout the week.

With more to come out as soon as Sunday morning, this has already become a polarizing hire within the fan base, though this would likely be the case with any new head coach announcement.

NOTE: Rivals site AggieYell Editor Mark Passwaters and writer Landyn Rosow were the first to break the news, combined with TexAgs.

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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.

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Report: Kentucky HC Mark Stoops is a candidate to take over at Texas A&M

According to multiple sources, Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops has emerged a legitimate candidate during Texas A&M’s head coaching search.

We’ve reached what looks to be the final stages of Texas A&M’s exhaustive search for the program’s next head football coach after the recent firing of now-former head coach Jimbo Fisher.

Throughout the week, credit to TexAgs’ Executive Editor and Co-Owner Billy Liucci, who has continued to drop several “nuggets” regarding potential names Texas A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork has and will pursue in the coming days.

Earlier this week, Liucci revealed that Ohio State head coach Ryan Day remains a candidate for the position despite being a long shot to leave the Buckeyes, especially if Ohio State were to lose to Michigan on Saturday. Now, after his most recent update, one surprising name has emerged late, as Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops enters the race, which was further confirmed by ESPN CFB insider Pete Thamel and The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman on Saturday morning.

“One name that is expected to emerge in the next 24 hours is Kentucky coach Mark Stoops,” Thamel stated on ESPN’s College GameDay.”He coaches a rivalry game against Louisville (on Saturday), and the next 24 hours will be critical for his candidacy.”

Stoops, who is finishing his 11th year at Kentucky, has compiled a 72-64 record (35-55 SEC) and has taken the Wildcats to seven bowl game appearances, including four wins while recording two 10-win seasons in 2018 and 2021. At the age of 56, Stoops has a proven track record, but after firing Fisher with an enormous $76.8 Million buyout attached, this looks more like a lateral move, if any.

However, Thamel explained that this is just one name out of several contending candidates, including UTSA’s Jeff Traylor, Arizona’s Jedd Fisch, Duke’s Mike Elko, and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham.

“One source cautioned me that things are fractured at Texas A&M,” Thamel stated. “a lot of people put up a lot of money to pay off Jimbo Fisher, so don’t expect this to be a linear search to the finish.”

While Mark Stoops and Ryan Day are the hot-button names of the day, anything can change at the drop of a hat.

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According to The Athletic, Jimbo Fisher ignored character concerns while recruiting top talent

According to The Athletic, now-former Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher readily ignored character concerns when recruiting top talent.

Now-former Texas A&M head football coach Jimbo Fisher has been relieved of his duties for nearly two weeks as the Aggies 2023 football regular season ends on the road Saturday vs. No. 13 LSU.

While Texas A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork is hard at work during the expansive coaching search, Fisher’s underwhelming six-year tenure is still being examined with a fine-tooth comb, as The Athletic (Subscription required) writers, including Sam Khan Jr., Bruce Feldman, and Max Olson recently wrote yet another in-depth look at what when wrong in College Station under the West Virginia native.

From Fisher’s undeserved massive contract extension to his blatant lack of quarterback development after the departure of former Kevin Sumlin recruited signal caller Kellen Mond, it was Fisher’s ignorance when recruiting some of the top classes year after year, most notably the historic 2022 recruiting class.

Known to the public and mentioned in the article, since singing the 2022 class, then director of player personnel Marshall Malchow departed to join Oregon head coach Dan Lanning in Eugene, leading to the hiring of Kevin Mashack from Indiana, who barely lasted a full year before his sudden dismissal back in June.

As Ross Bjork noted, this position is vital in the raucous transfer portal environment that will likely impact the Aggies once the portal officially opens on Dec. 4. With the lack of stability hindering any actual progress, Fisher reportedly took the same approach most college football fans take when researching their favorite team’s recruiting success, while completely ignoring any red flags tied to the various five-star rated prospects in the 2022 cycle.

“But the pursuit of the top-ranked 2022 class, which is the highest-rated in the modern era, became an obsession for Fisher and his staff, to the point that Fisher inquired about the 247Sports Class Calculator and how certain commits would affect A&M’s recruiting ranking. The former A&M recruiting staffer said Fisher ignored character questions if the recruits were five-star prospects.”

“He’s like, ‘Nope, he’s a five-star, we wanna take him,’” the staffer said.

Four of the seven players who left the program from the 2022 cycle were indefinitely suspended at various times last season, while wide receiver Chris Marshall entered the JUCO ranks after being dismissed from Ole Miss, cornerback Denver Harris is no longer on LSU’s active roster after both transferred last offseason.

Texas A&M has not dealt with the same suspension-based issues during the 2023 season. Still, more than anything, the close losses, nine-game road losing streak, and insufficient on-field development were the final straw for a program needing an infusion of new blood at the top of the mountain.

Ranging from vast resources to fan support, everything is in place to be successful for whoever succeeds Fisher in the coming days or weeks; a new era of Texas A&M Football is finally coming in 2024 and beyond.

Texas A&M will take on 14th-ranked LSU on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. CT., and ESPN will carry the game.

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Ryan Day to Texas A&M? It’s a long shot

Is Ohio State head coach Ryan Day a legitimate candidate for the Texas A&M opening? Maybe, but it’s not too realistic.

Texas A&M’s week-old search for its next football head coach after Jimbo Fisher’s dismissal has produced a list of intriguing names. While Aggies athletic director Ross Bjork is hard at work narrowing his list, TexAgs’ co-owner Billy Liucci, a leading A&M insider, provided an update regarding Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who, yes, is still a semi-legitimate candidate at this stage.

On Wednesday, just a day before we all enjoy Thanksgiving, Liucci isn’t sold on the idea of Day making his way to College Station from one of the best programs in the country. Still, crazier things have happened, including current LSU head coach Bryan Kelly leaving Notre Dame just two short years ago.

“There is Ryan Day smoke, but I’m very skeptical of the Ryan Day smoke,” Liucci stated. “I’m skeptical that that’s not an agent drumming up stuff. I will continue to include Ryan Day as a candidate. That’s not who I would expect them to land.”

However, the pressure is on full blast this weekend for No. 2 Ohio State’s road trip to No. 3 Michigan for the “The Game,” which is the de facto Big 10 championship.

If the Buckeyes were to lose, who knows what the future holds for Day in Columbus? As one of the country’s oldest and most successful programs, fans expect championships year after year, and 10- or 11-win seasons become more meaningless year after year.

“That one, there is enough smoke to where I’m like ‘Go lose to Michigan and see if that gets interesting at all,” Liucci stated.” I think there are a couple more people, in my mind, that are a lot more likely than Ryan Day.”

All of this remains hearsay, but just like Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer, who, according to Liucci, also remains a candidate, it’s critical to pay attention to how events play out on the final weekend of the regular season.

Texas A&M will take on 14th-ranked LSU on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. CT., and ESPN will carry the game.

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Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork is right: The Aggies next head coach needs to be on an incentives-based deal

In a recent interview, Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork noted that an incentives-based deal is likely in the cards for the next Aggie head coach.

Amid Texas A&M’s exhaustive search for the next head football coach, Aggie athletic director Ross Bjork will likely be judged for years to come by his selection. The previous regime hired former head coach Jimbo Fisher, who will be paid $76.8 million over the next seven years of his deal.

Last weekend during a radio segment on “Aggie Fan Zone,” Bjork took us on a deep dive into the search while revealing several changes to the hiring process. He noted that coaches, including those who have recently interviewed for the position, continuously rave about what A&M has to offer as one of the top programs in the country.

“They are saying, ‘You already have the giant of resources. If you have the right plan – recruiting, culture, leadership, having the right schemes, offense, defense, special teams and you hire a great staff, you have already got that. You have already got that combination.”

While a host of journalists and media members have ridiculed the idea that Texas A&M is among the “best” programs in the country, I don’t have to tell you the numbers don’t lie, as GigEm247 beat writer Carter Karels said it best regarding the Aggies’ decade-plus prolonged mediocrity on the gridiron:

“That perception might not make sense to everyone, because in the modern era, the Aggies have lacked a proof of concept. They have not won a national championship since 1939. They have not played in a conference championship since 1998. And in the last 25 seasons, they have reached 10-plus victories only once.”

But Bjork is correct that everything from high-end resources and recruiting success to unwavering fan support from the 12th Man makes this a turnkey position. And, yes, as many of you have already seen from our colleagues at For The Win, Bjork’s “This is not an 8-4 job” comment has made the rounds.

Still, he is moving toward the future past Jimbo’s failures while setting parameters for the new head coach to be judged on his job performance year after year.

While I recommend you listen to the full interview in the link above, Bjorks’ comments regarding a new incentive-based contract that will be given upfront in the first set of monetary negotiations is the right idea, which was avoided when Fisher was hired in 2017.

“We have to get the contract right,” Bjork stated. “We can’t do what we did before. … So we have level set with everybody that we have talked to. Here are the parameters. Here is the structure.”

Again, this isn’t a difficult concept to understand when it comes to truly competing for championships, or at the least, contending consistently. Yes, Bjork deserves the blame for extending Fisher’s massive deal after one successful season in 2020, but everyone deserves a mulligan, and it looks like he’s learned from that mistake during this search.

“But then it’s like, we are not giving bonuses to go to the Liberty Bowl. CFP, first round, quarterfinals, semifinals, host, win the national championship. You win the national championship, and you will get paid like a national championship coach.”

Arizona’s Jedd Fisch, UTSA’s Jeff Traylor, Duke’s Mike Elko, Washington’s Kalen DeBoer and Texas A&M interim head coach Elijah Robinson are the known candidates to have either received an interview or are being considered for the position.

Texas A&M will take on 14th-ranked LSU on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. CT., and the game will air on ESPN.

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Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork said Aggies football ‘is not an 8-4 job’ and is only fooling himself

Believe in yourself the way Ross Bjork believes in the Aggies’ potential

Give Ross Bjork credit for this: He’s not backing down from a fight with reality.

The Texas A&M athletic director has dug a deep trench as he embarks on a search to replace Jimbo Fisher as the head coach of his football team. Despite 75 million reasons to keep Fisher around a bit longer, the ever-growing list of big-brand programs in need of a new coach and the rather thin market for the schools who do need a replacement at the top, Bjork remains undeterred in his quest to watch this all blow up spectacularly in his face by setting unreasonable expectations.

There are not a ton of high-profile coaches out there looking to jump to Texas A&M right now. Which means he’s going to have to pick from a group of rising names in the sport and hope he guesses right.

First Bjork tried to speak with Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell about the gig. And, never mind the fact that Campbell played his college ball at Texas A&M before spending a decade in the NFL, coaches simply don’t leave young Super Bowl contenders for a mid-tier SEC job.

Campbell, in the nicest and most relatable way possible, turned his alma mater down the way most of us do when they call asking for more money.

“I know some people there and I love my school,” Campbell told reporters in Detroit. “That’s my alma mater and I want to do anything I can to help them but coach for them.”

It would be malpractice if Bjork didn’t at least attempt a phone call with his employer’s most sought-after alumni. Sure. But in case anyone thought that was just a set up to lower expectations in College Station, Bjork is here to remind us all that, no, he’s very serious.

It is at this point I must point out that Bjork has been the athletic director for three FBS schools. From 2010-2012, Bjork was at Western Kentucky, where he inherited head football coach Willie Taggart, who never finished with more than seven wins in a season with the Hilltoppers.

From 2012-2019, Bjork was at Ole Miss. There he inherited head football coach Hugh Freeze, defended him until the bitter end and ultimately replaced him with Matt Luke when Freeze could no longer remain in control.

Notably, Luke was the interim coach at Mississippi after Freeze was forced out. He went 6-6 that fall with the only conference wins coming against Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Mississippi State. That was enough to convince Bjork to drop the interim tag and anoint Luke to navigate the program through the fallout of the NCAA’s investigation into Freeze. Luke was fired after three seasons. The six wins in his first season was the highest mark he’d reach there.

By then Bjork was already at Texas A&M where he inherited head football coach Jimbo Fisher.

Do you see where this is going?

Bjork is now leading his first real coaching search for a college football program at any level. There are no looming NCAA punishments to hold him back. No shortage of money to spend on his guy. No extenuating circumstances. Just the ego of a fanbase who believes they should be competing to national titles every year.

Which means all the pressure is on Bjork to nail this. Comments like his “8-4” jab will only make it harder on himself.

All of which is to say, in the new era of the SEC, where Texas A&M will have to contend with Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, Tennessee and Ole Miss, the Aggies could do a lot worse than routinely going 8-4.

Bjork should know, since that’s been the average record at Texas A&M for 12 years now.

Is UTSA HC Jeff Traylor still in the running for the Texas A&M opening?

UTSA HC Jeff Traylor, despite his recent interview with Texas A&M, emphatically stated that the Roadrunners are his lone coaching priority, as of now.

As the search for Texas A&M’s next head football coach continues to ramp up, UTSA HC Jeff Traylor, whom Aggies athletic director Ross Bjork interviewed for an hour-and-a-half last week, is at least in the running for the prestigious position.

On Monday, four days ahead of the Roadrunners’ season finale against No. 24 Tulane, Traylor made a radio appearance on San Antonio’s Sports Star’s “The Blitz” to preview the game, and he noted his future at UTSA might last longer than many of us expected.

“My objective is to take care of my players and only my players. My wife and I love it here. We want to stay here. We’ve got to do things here. We are still behind in a lot of areas that my president, my AD, and our boosters are working like head to get caught up. The good is, when people are out there discussing hiring you, for some reason your own place seems to get moving a little faster. So, this is a win-win for everyone.”

While words only mean so much given the history of currently employed coaches vocally denying opportunities before ultimately taking said positions, we have to take Traylor at his word … for now, at least.

Sitting at an impressive 7-0 and tied with SMU and Tulane in the American Athletic Conference, a win over the Green Wave would place the Roadrunners (8-3 overall) in their second consecutive Conference Championship game and first as members of the AAC.

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Report: UTSA’s Jeff Traylor interviewed with Texas A&M

It has been reported by Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman that UTSA HC Jeff Traylor has interviewed with Texas A&M.

Speculation is at an all-time high as the search for the next Texas A&M head football coach is in full swing. There have been several names thrown out there early, like Dan Lanning and Mike Norvell; while these are the “sexy” names, they are not very likely as both are in prime positions for their own extensions soon.

However, one name that continues to pop up on every list, along with Mike Elko, is UTSA’s Jeff Traylor. It was reported by Kirk Bohls that Traylor recently interviewed with the A&M athletic director Ross Bjork for the position.

“Bjork interviewed Traylor for 90 minutes on a Zoom call, a conversation that lasted an hour longer than had been scheduled.”

“Neither Bjork nor Traylor returned phone messages Thursday night.”

Traylor has put together an impressive resume through his coaching career, and the Texas A&M job would be the logical next step if both feel it’s a good fit. His strong ties in Texas make him extremely popular among high school coaches, which should translate perfectly with the resources needed to recruit the best of the best.

While some may speculate that hiring a coach from the Group of Five after owing Jimbo Fisher close to $77 million doesn’t make too much sense, Traylor is a program builder who now has won at every level. For a program in need of more stability at the top, Traylor may be the perfect man for the job.

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Is UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor a viable option for Texas A&M?

Amid Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork’s head coach search, UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor could be a legitimate candidate to fill the role.

Texas A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork is the hardest working man in college football for the next two weeks, as the recent firing of now-former head coach Jimbo Fisher has galvanized the search for the program’s new leader.

With three games remaining this season, associate head coach Elijah Robinson has taken over in the interim role and will likely be considered for the permanent gig if the Aggies can finish strong, including a potential victory over LSU on the road.

Now, focusing on coaching candidates that fit the bill, one popular name keeps making the rounds on social media, as UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor has become a hot commodity for nearly every vacant Power 5 coaching job. A Texas native, Traylor has risen up the coaching ranks starting with his 14-year run at Gilmer High School in Gilmer, Texas, where he accumulated a 175-28 record, including three Texas 4A State Titles.

After stops at Texas and SMU in various positions, Traylor spent two seasons at Arkansas as the assistant head coach/running backs coach under then-head coach Chad Morris. After the 2019 season, Traylor accepted UTSA’s head coaching position right before the Covid-inflicted 2020 campaign. He dealt with tremendous adversity head-on while still finishing 7-5 and earning bowl eligibility as soon as he stepped on campus.

Since then, UTSA has gone 30-8, including the program’s first conference championship in 2021, finishing with a 12-2 record. Outside the metrics, Traylor has recruited at a very high level in the Group of Five while sending several future NFL prospects to the league, including current Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen.

Most importantly, though underreported, Traylor is well-liked in the Texas coaching community at the high school and college levels. In this area, Jimbo Fisher, a West Virginia native, fell short numerous times. So, why would Traylor be a good fit at Texas A&M?

He’s a program builder with ties to the University, as his son Jordan, currently an offensive assistant with New Orleans, played quarterback for the Aggies in the mid-2010s. At the same time, his aforementioned respect among the Texas coaching circuit would tremendously impact recruiting in the talent-rich state for years to come.

However, due to Fisher’s massive $77 million payout, handing the reigns to a G5 coach is a perception-based issue that could cause disagreements for Bjork and the Board of Regents, as ludicrous as that may sound.

Whether Jeff Traylor is a serious candidate, he has more than shown the ability to lead a Power 5 program shortly.

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