Jim Schlossnagle stunned the Texas A&M Aggies by deciding to fill the head coach vacancy at the Texas Longhorns last month. The timing of the move angered many of the Aggies faithful, which came just hours after he vehemently denied leaving College Station in a press conference following their defeat to the Tennessee Volunteers in the College World Series.
Along with several fans, Schlossnagle's move also angered one of Texas A&M's legendary athletes, Dan Campbell, the current head coach of NFL outfit Detroit Lions.
In an appearance on 'The Ticket' in Dallas show on 96.7, Campbell initially praised Schlossnagle, acknowledging there may be unknown factors that influenced Schlossnagle's decision.
"You try to put yourself in his shoes, and who knows the decisions, the reasons," Campbell said. "It’s one of those tough moments, I hate to criticize... I know this, as an Aggie, I hate to see him go, ’cause he’s a good coach."
However, he ridiculed him soon after, saying:
"Immediately after though, he tipped his hand — if ever so slightly. On the flip side, man, hey, sayonara. So, now you’re the enemy, so let’s go beat his (expletive)."
Texas A&M Aggies stars show faith in new head coach after Jim Schlossnagle's departure
Schlossnagle led the Aggies to one of the most successful seasons in program history. They earned the No. 3 national seed in the postseason and were unbeaten throughout the NCAA Tournament to make the College World Series finals for the first time.
Soon after Schlossnagle's departure, some of their stars from the season decided to enter the transfer portal, leaving the Aggies with what initially seemed like a lot of work to do.
However, with one swift move, new athletic director Trev Alberts curtailed the damage caused by his surprise move. The Aggies promoted hitting coach Michael Earley to Head Coach, which prompted stars like Jace LaViolette and Kaeden Kent to exit the portal and commit to the Aggies.
With most of the pieces in place and clever recruiting, the Aggies look set to be legitimate contenders for the 2025 season. Whether they can break their College World Series duck with Earley at the helm, only time will tell.
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