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KEVIN SUMLIN NAMED TEXAS A&M HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
COLLEGE
STATION, Texas-Kevin Sumlin, one of the brightest and energetic coaches
in the country, has been named the Texas A&M head football coach,
Aggie Director of Athletics Bill Byrne announced today.
"It is
with great pride that we announce Kevin Sumlin has accepted an offer to
become the next head football coach at Texas A&M University," Byrne
stated. "We began this search process a little over a week ago and
spoke to many worthy and qualified candidates, but my decision, which
was made in consultation with (Texas A&M) President (R. Bowen)
Loftin, kept leading me to Kevin. We met this morning to finalize the
offer. I believe he is the right person to lead our football program
into the Southeastern Conference. First of all, Kevin is a terrific
person. He is also one heck of a recruiter and he will put together a
great staff."
Sumlin led the Houston Cougars to a school-record
12 wins in 2011 and the program's highest finish in the Bowl
Championship Series rankings. He was recently named the 2011 Region 5
Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association and is a
finalist for the National Coach of the Years honors as well. The
Cougars led the nation in total offense, passing offense and scoring
offense this season, marking the second time in four years to
accomplish that feat under Sumlin's direction.
"I am very
excited about the opportunity to serve as the head football coach at
Texas A&M University," Sumlin said. "Having coached there before, I
understand the culture and embrace the commitment by the 12th Man
regarding Aggie football. Aggieland is a special place and I look
forward to working with the young men in the football program and
recruiting the type of players we need to be successful in the SEC."
"With
that being said," Sumlin continued. "I can't thank the University of
Houston enough for giving me a chance to become a head football coach.
It is tough to leave a group of players who have worked so hard and
have done things the right way in taking Cougar football to greater
heights."
Overall, Sumlin is 35-17 at UH and for the third time
in four years has the Cougars headed to a bowl game. In 2008, Sumlin's
first year as a collegiate head coach, he led UH to an 8-5 mark and a
victory over Air Force in the Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl in Fort
Worth. It marked the school's first bowl victory since 1980.
He
was a finalist for the 2009 Paul "Bear" Bryant National Coach of the
Year when he led the Cougars to a Conference USA West Division crown
and a final record of 10-4.
Despite losing his top two
quarterbacks to injuries in the 2010 season, Sumlin led UH to a 5-7
mark just missing a bowl appearance.
Sumlin went to Houston from
the University of Oklahoma where he served as co-offensive coordinator
and special teams coordinator while working with tight ends and wide
receivers during his five seasons in Norman. During his time at OU, the
Sooners went to five straight bowl games with four of those being BCS
appearances.
Sumlin is no stranger to Aggieland having served
two seasons on the offensive staff with R.C. Slocum. Sumlin came to
A&M in 2001 as the assistant head coach and wide receivers coach
working with receivers such as Terrence Murphy, Jamaar Taylor, Bethel
Johnson, Greg Porter and Mickey Jones. After three games in 2002 with
the Aggies averaging just 16 points per game, Sumlin was promoted to
offensive coordinator and the Aggies averaged 33 points per game the
rest of the season and knocked off the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners,
30-26, at Kyle Field.
Sumlin was a four-year letterman at Purdue, and also made coaching stops at Purdue, Minnesota, Wyoming and Washington State.
Born
in Brewton, Ala., he graduated from high school in Indianapolis, Ind.,
Sumlin and his wife, Charlene, have four children: daughters Courtney
and Shelby, and sons Jackson and Joey.
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