Maybe it's me but this article in the Houston Chronicle sure glosses over the dumpster fire Sumlin has going.
Sumlin's class: so far, so good
by Brent Zwernerman
COLLEGE STATION – Coach Kevin Sumlin's "yes sirs" this summer are running second at Texas A&M only to those hollered by corps of cadets members on Simpson Drill Field - and for Aggies, that's a promising thing.
With kickoff to a crucial season for Sumlin less than two months away, the fifth-year coach has kicked into overdrive on the recruiting front, with a class of 2017 that's added key components as the summer heat has intensified.
Based on a rush of recent verbal pledges, including by dual-threat quarterback Kellen Mond, Rivals.com ranks the Aggies' class of 2017 eighth nationally. Sumlin has for years posted "#YESSIR!" on his Twitter page as a literary wink when a player announces his intentions to play for the Aggies. Coaches are not allowed by NCAA rules to address specific recruits publicly.
Recruits not a problem
The Aggies to date own commitments from 17 players, including six Rivals four-star prospects. Such high-ranking pledges have helped cool the heat around Sumlin's program following the abrupt transfers of starting quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray last December.
College Sports
Senior quarterback Trevor Knight has transferred in from Oklahoma, where he once started before he was beaten out by Heisman Trophy candidate Baker Mayfield, and Sumlin has pegged Knight as the starter over junior Jake Hubenak.
For his part, Mond, who played at San Antonio's Reagan High before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., this past winter, is expected to contend for the starting gig upon his planned arrival in about a year. Mond (6-5, 200) posted on his Twitter page following his verbal pledge on June 27 that he believes A&M is "the right program to help make my dreams a reality."
The Aggies' six four-star pledges include defensive back Derrick Tucker of Manvel, offensive lineman Grayson Reed of Cypress Creek and linebacker Santino Marchiol, like Mond of IMG Academy.
"A&M has made a push for a couple of kids who are considered leaders in the (overall national) class, and others have wanted to follow suit," said Brian Perroni, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports.com. "Guys like Kellen Mond and Santino Marchiol have dynamic personalities that draw others."
Now or never for Sumlin
Rivals rated the Aggies' class of 2016 as the nation's No. 17 haul, while A&M rated sixth in 2014 and 10th in 2015. A&M is entering its fifth season in the Southeastern Conference, which has won eight of the last 10 national championships (with half of those by Alabama). The closest the Aggies have come to winning a conference title was during their first season in the league.
In 2012, freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy, and A&M finished fifth nationally but third in the SEC West behind Alabama and LSU. A season later, the Aggies finished in the middle of the seven-team division in Manziel's final year, and for the past two seasons have finished in the lower half of the West.
Important year
Sumlin, 51, has four years remaining on his contract paying $5 million annually, and he likely needs a decent finish this season to solidify his return in 2017, especially after A&M needs to fill 100,000 seats in its rebuilt, half-billion dollar Kyle Field. That's one reason there's been a sense of urgency placed on recruiting, one observer reasoned, and why the Aggies have enjoyed a surge of pledges of late.
"The biggest reason is that everyone is involved, from Kevin Sumlin and the coordinators down, and they're much more active than they were last year," said Mark Passwaters, publisher of the Rivals fan website AggieYell.com. "They may need a good class to keep their jobs, and they're approaching it with that kind of seriousness."
The Aggies open their telling season on Sept. 3 against UCLA at Kyle Field, and A&M's new offensive coordinator, Noel Mazzone, arrived from the same position at UCLA in January. Sumlin said when he first called Bruins coach Jim Mora Jr. to inquire about Mazzone, Mora replied, "You know we play each other the first game, right?"
"It was a little bit of an awkward conversation," Sumlin said, smiling.
The UCLA contest also will mark the start of the second go-round for the A&M defense under coordinator John Chavis. Last season, the Aggies chopped their total defense in half, from 102nd in 2014 to 51st, and Sumlin has said this offseason the Aggies might possess a top 15 defense behind junior end Myles Garrett and one of the nation's top set of safeties in Armani Watts, Justin Evans and Donovan Wilson.
"We've got a chance to be really good on defense," Sumlin said.
Next up for A&M this offseason is SEC Media Days next week in Hoover, Ala., where Garrett is expected to be one of the top draws Tuesday, the second of four media days.
Sumlin's class: so far, so good
by Brent Zwernerman
COLLEGE STATION – Coach Kevin Sumlin's "yes sirs" this summer are running second at Texas A&M only to those hollered by corps of cadets members on Simpson Drill Field - and for Aggies, that's a promising thing.
With kickoff to a crucial season for Sumlin less than two months away, the fifth-year coach has kicked into overdrive on the recruiting front, with a class of 2017 that's added key components as the summer heat has intensified.
Based on a rush of recent verbal pledges, including by dual-threat quarterback Kellen Mond, Rivals.com ranks the Aggies' class of 2017 eighth nationally. Sumlin has for years posted "#YESSIR!" on his Twitter page as a literary wink when a player announces his intentions to play for the Aggies. Coaches are not allowed by NCAA rules to address specific recruits publicly.
Recruits not a problem
The Aggies to date own commitments from 17 players, including six Rivals four-star prospects. Such high-ranking pledges have helped cool the heat around Sumlin's program following the abrupt transfers of starting quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray last December.
College Sports
Senior quarterback Trevor Knight has transferred in from Oklahoma, where he once started before he was beaten out by Heisman Trophy candidate Baker Mayfield, and Sumlin has pegged Knight as the starter over junior Jake Hubenak.
For his part, Mond, who played at San Antonio's Reagan High before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., this past winter, is expected to contend for the starting gig upon his planned arrival in about a year. Mond (6-5, 200) posted on his Twitter page following his verbal pledge on June 27 that he believes A&M is "the right program to help make my dreams a reality."
The Aggies' six four-star pledges include defensive back Derrick Tucker of Manvel, offensive lineman Grayson Reed of Cypress Creek and linebacker Santino Marchiol, like Mond of IMG Academy.
"A&M has made a push for a couple of kids who are considered leaders in the (overall national) class, and others have wanted to follow suit," said Brian Perroni, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports.com. "Guys like Kellen Mond and Santino Marchiol have dynamic personalities that draw others."
Now or never for Sumlin
Rivals rated the Aggies' class of 2016 as the nation's No. 17 haul, while A&M rated sixth in 2014 and 10th in 2015. A&M is entering its fifth season in the Southeastern Conference, which has won eight of the last 10 national championships (with half of those by Alabama). The closest the Aggies have come to winning a conference title was during their first season in the league.
In 2012, freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy, and A&M finished fifth nationally but third in the SEC West behind Alabama and LSU. A season later, the Aggies finished in the middle of the seven-team division in Manziel's final year, and for the past two seasons have finished in the lower half of the West.
Important year
Sumlin, 51, has four years remaining on his contract paying $5 million annually, and he likely needs a decent finish this season to solidify his return in 2017, especially after A&M needs to fill 100,000 seats in its rebuilt, half-billion dollar Kyle Field. That's one reason there's been a sense of urgency placed on recruiting, one observer reasoned, and why the Aggies have enjoyed a surge of pledges of late.
"The biggest reason is that everyone is involved, from Kevin Sumlin and the coordinators down, and they're much more active than they were last year," said Mark Passwaters, publisher of the Rivals fan website AggieYell.com. "They may need a good class to keep their jobs, and they're approaching it with that kind of seriousness."
The Aggies open their telling season on Sept. 3 against UCLA at Kyle Field, and A&M's new offensive coordinator, Noel Mazzone, arrived from the same position at UCLA in January. Sumlin said when he first called Bruins coach Jim Mora Jr. to inquire about Mazzone, Mora replied, "You know we play each other the first game, right?"
"It was a little bit of an awkward conversation," Sumlin said, smiling.
The UCLA contest also will mark the start of the second go-round for the A&M defense under coordinator John Chavis. Last season, the Aggies chopped their total defense in half, from 102nd in 2014 to 51st, and Sumlin has said this offseason the Aggies might possess a top 15 defense behind junior end Myles Garrett and one of the nation's top set of safeties in Armani Watts, Justin Evans and Donovan Wilson.
"We've got a chance to be really good on defense," Sumlin said.
Next up for A&M this offseason is SEC Media Days next week in Hoover, Ala., where Garrett is expected to be one of the top draws Tuesday, the second of four media days.
