SEC Head Coach Evaluation: Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin
Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
You have to be doing something right for the NFL to come knocking at your door nearly every off season. According to ESPN’s sources, that is what happens for Sumlin.
Sumlin has compiled a 28-11 record in his 3 seasons at A&M. Add in his previous 4-year stint at Houston and Sumlin has accumulated an impressive 63-28 career record.
No one was ever questioned Sumlin’s ability to coach offense. Whether at Houston or A&M, his offenses have exploited weaknesses, thrashed defenses, and put up firework displays on the scoreboard. We do not need to evaluate that here.
Much like his ability to coach offense, Sumlin’s skill at recruiting has never come into question. Due in part to A&M joining the SEC and Kevin Sumlin’s preexisting connections in Texas from coaching at Houston, he has consistently landed
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elite signing classes. His last 3 classes have averaged 8th in the nation according to ESPN.com. Again, a definite positive that needs no evaluation.
So what does go in the positive column that actually needs evaluation? The defensive coordinator change.
Texas A&M has consistently fielded one of the worst defenses in the SEC every season Sumlin has been there. After his defense finished 102nd in total defense according to ncaa.com, Sumlin decided he had seen enough. The rumor mill swirled when Will Muschamp was let go by Florida. Many speculated he would either return to Auburn or go back to the state of Texas, joining A&M rather than the Univeristy of Texas this time. When
Muschamp landed at Auburn, Sumlin and Co. put their full pursuit into luring John “Chief” Chavis away from LSU, his coaching home since 2009.
It took a lot of drama and even more cash, but Sumlin got his man. Chavis may not be able to make a miraculous 1 season turnaround, but the future is bright. If fans and Sumlin give “Chief” time, Aggie fans should expect to be yelling “Gig ‘Em!” all the way to Atlanta in the near future.
John Chavis will not need the same level of suffocating defenses he produced at LSU. If he can even get A&M to a point where they are above average, Sumlin’s offense is so potent that A&M will have no problem hovering around elite status as long as the powerful duo is in College Station.
With Chavis in tow, A&M enters the 2015 season in the “others receiving votes category” (or 27th) in the Amway Coaches Poll. Only needing a few wins to break into the Top 25, Aggie fans are excited about the season. On the flip side, they are only a couple of early losses away from playing the 2015 season entirely unranked. If this were to happen, would Sumlin start feeling the pressure to leave?
Next: Sumlin's Stresses