Nino Brown said:

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If you seriously can't understand that it's a combination of coaching and resources than no one can help you. Maybe you should go back and ask LSU why they hired Saban after being at Mich St. Dabo got his first HC job at Clemson. It's always a gamble but when the resources are there you keep swinging. Jackie was the biggest hire but didn't get going for a couple years. Sumlin has a solid first few years but has leveled.

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I agree with this, the right coach will get it done...we just keep getting the wrong coach. I feel like I've heard A&M referred to as the sleeping giant just waiting for the right coach to wake us up for like 20 years now.

NoahAg said:

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Bob15 said:

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A&M is maybe a top 25 job. Not a top 10 job. We just think we are. We should be based off our resources. But, we aren't.

Alabama
Ohio State
Clemson
USC
Florida
LSU
Georgia
Florida State
Auburn
Michigan
Texas

Are all bigger jobs than Texas A&M. What do they have in common? They've won something in the last 10-15 years. Current recruits weren't born the last time Texas A&M was relavent on the national scene on a consistent basis. Hell, many of our fans weren't either (or they were kids).

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Troof. To that list, I would add:

OU
Notre Dame
Penn State
Miami
Tennessee
Nebraska
Arkansas
Oregon
Stanford
Cal
UCLA

We are closer to:

Oklahoma State
Virginia Tech
Colorado
Arizona State
Arizona
Washington
Washington State
Michigan State

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Totally disagree that Arkansas, Cal, and UCLA are better programs than us. And I would put us right in the mix with Tennessee and Nebraska. Agreed that OU, Notre Dame and Penn State are in a class above us.

Got to also remember that we hired Fran coming off of our modern "glory days" with the WC, conference championships and sustained top 10 rankings; not sure the program has the same level of prestige these days to steal a high-profile coach (and don't agree that we are prestigious just bacause we are in the SEC, truly prestigious schools don't have to lean on their conference as a crutch).

Quote:

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Totally disagree that Arkansas, Cal, and UCLA are better programs than us. And I would put us right in the mix with Tennessee and Nebraska. Agreed that OU, Notre Dame and Penn State are in a class above us.

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Sorry, I'll elaborate. We may be a better program, but in terms of national relevance, those schools rank ahead of us.

We're not as big a deal nationally as we think we are.

Ag CPA said:

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Got to also remember that we hired Fran coming off of our modern "glory days" with the WC, conference championships and sustained top 10 rankings; not sure the program has the same level of prestige these days to steal a high-profile coach (and don't agree that we are prestigious just bacause we are in the SEC, truly prestigious schools don't have to lean on their conference as a crutch).

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That is a very good point, we just finished a great run in the 90's (probably our best ever for a decade) and Fran was replacing a coach who had been there for 13 years...

Now we are trying to get someone to come to a program that has had 3 different coaches over the last 13 years

A&M is a top job because of resources and recruiting. We have made some very bad decisions in the past 20 years, which have kept us back. That said:


Fran- on the surface looked like a homerun. I still believe that a deep dive would have raised red flags. But the prevailing wisdom said it was a high % move.

Sherm- this one was the most questionable. But, Sherm had been an NFL HC and had some success. NFL HCs with less success than Sherman succeeded in college. His ties to the program were probably a big part of the decision. It was not a bold move.

Sumlin- was a rising star in the mid majors. Some P5 program with money was going to hire him. I do not begrudge hiring him. I begrudge the way we handled his contracts and put up with his crap for too long.

NoahAg said:

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Quote:

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Totally disagree that Arkansas, Cal, and UCLA are better programs than us. And I would put us right in the mix with Tennessee and Nebraska. Agreed that OU, Notre Dame and Penn State are in a class above us.

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Sorry, I'll elaborate. We may be a better program, but in terms of national relevance, those schools rank ahead of us.

We're not as big a deal nationally as we think we are.

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Cal and Arkansas???

Give me a break

Look at tv ratings, merchandise, attendance, ticket sales...you name it and it won't back up your argument

Quote:

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Even the blue bloods have made hires that weren't considered "elite".

For every Nick Saban or Urban Meyer, you get guys like Mike Shula, Charlie Strong and Ron Zook.

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See the following:

t.u. before Mack Brown

OU before Bob Stoops

Alabama before Saban

etc...

OP so bad

aggiedent said:

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Fran was a splash hire. We got him away from Alabama.

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He had Never built a D1 Program! What a splash - like a belly flop!

NoahAg said:

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Quote:

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Totally disagree that Arkansas, Cal, and UCLA are better programs than us. And I would put us right in the mix with Tennessee and Nebraska. Agreed that OU, Notre Dame and Penn State are in a class above us.

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Sorry, I'll elaborate. We may be a better program, but in terms of national relevance, those schools rank ahead of us.

We're not as big a deal nationally as we think we are.

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No, those teams are not ahead of us nationally. Arky, seriously? Neither is UCLA or Nebraska. Nebraska is a shell of it's former self and it's doubtful they'll ever get back to what they were.

garc said:

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NoahAg said:

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Quote:

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Totally disagree that Arkansas, Cal, and UCLA are better programs than us. And I would put us right in the mix with Tennessee and Nebraska. Agreed that OU, Notre Dame and Penn State are in a class above us.

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Sorry, I'll elaborate. We may be a better program, but in terms of national relevance, those schools rank ahead of us.

We're not as big a deal nationally as we think we are.

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No, those teams are not ahead of us nationally. Arky, seriously? Neither is UCLA or Nebraska. Nebraska is a shell of it's former self and it's doubtful they'll ever get back to what they were.

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Cal is the biggest joke of the teams he thinks are more relevant nationally, Cal??

texancanuck11 said:

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Bob15 said:

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A&M is maybe a top 25 job. Not a top 10 job. We just think we are. We should be based off our resources. But, we aren't.

Alabama
Ohio State
Clemson
USC
Florida
LSU
Georgia
Florida State
Auburn
Michigan
Texas

Are all bigger jobs than Texas A&M. What do they have in common? They've won something in the last 10-15 years. Current recruits weren't born the last time Texas A&M was relavent on the national scene on a consistent basis. Hell, many of our fans weren't either (or they were kids).

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Well that just isn't true. We've been ranked 5 of the last 6 years. We hit #4 last year. We've hosted college gameday the last few years. We have a ton of guys in the NFL who played for us.

A coach would go to A&M because we have the recipe to be a winning program: money, access to recruits, conference, etc. We just haven't had the right chef. That's the pitch that Woodward has to give potential coaches.

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Don't get me wrong, I love A&M football as much as the next Aggie on these boards, but as a current high school senior, I'll admit that A&M has technically been nationally relevant, but not consistently throughout entire seasons since 2012 and 2013, and by the end of recent seasons, we're pretty well-known for our annual Aggie November Collapse's. People know A&M can be good, but for the most part, my generation has seen Texas A&M as a mediocre program that has had a few short moments in the (positive) spotlight.

I'm excited to see what comes next for A&M. A new coach, alongside a team loaded with potential, could really make waves next year, so long as Woodward and Co. don't screw up this next hire.

I think A&M could be a top-10 job in due time, but we need some wins (especially conference wins at home) to show for it. Definitely top-25 though

NoahAg said:

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Bob15 said:

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A&M is maybe a top 25 job. Not a top 10 job. We just think we are. We should be based off our resources. But, we aren't.

Alabama
Ohio State
Clemson
USC
Florida
LSU
Georgia
Florida State
Auburn
Michigan
Texas

Are all bigger jobs than Texas A&M. What do they have in common? They've won something in the last 10-15 years. Current recruits weren't born the last time Texas A&M was relavent on the national scene on a consistent basis. Hell, many of our fans weren't either (or they were kids).

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Troof. To that list, I would add:

OU
Notre Dame
Penn State
Miami
Tennessee
Nebraska
Arkansas
Oregon
Stanford
Cal
UCLA

We are closer to:

Oklahoma State
Virginia Tech
Colorado
Arizona State
Arizona
Washington
Washington State
Michigan State

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LOL - stopped reading at Arkansas.

1939AggiesNattyChamps said:

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It's not a top job. We have won 10 games once in 20 years

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We totally believe you're an Aggie

Good grief A&M is a much better job than Nebraska and Tennessee. Those teams days of relevance are over. Look ahead, not behind.

Is the OP serious??? To be honest it's kind of sad how some of you look at old A&M and somehow think we are just the same old ehhh program. It's like the current reality you live in doesn't even matter because in your opinion nothing can change in the college football landscape. NEWSFLASH!!! We joined the flipping SEC, have more $$$ than God himself, and have potentially the nicest stadium and facilities in the country.

Stop feeling bad for yourself and realize that this ain't your daddy's Texas A&M anymore and the sooner some of your get that in your thick battered Aggie syndrome plagued skulls the faster us new army can get us to winning!!!

BigBaller_Ag said:

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Is the OP serious??? To be honest it's kind of sad how some of you look at old A&M and somehow think we are just the same old ehhh program. It's like the current reality you live in doesn't even matter because in your opinion nothing can change in the college football landscape. NEWSFLASH!!! We joined the flipping SEC, have more $$$ than God himself, and have potentially the nicest stadium and facilities in the country.

Stop feeling bad for yourself and realize that this ain't your daddy's Texas A&M anymore and the sooner some of your get that in your thick battered Aggie syndrome plagued skulls the faster us new army can get us to winning!!!

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Yet we are aiming for coaches that are daddy's age...

Solution. Hire a 29 year old as HC.

aggiedent said:

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Fran was a splash hire. We got him away from Alabama.

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Patterson made Fran at TCU.

BigBaller_Ag said:

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Is the OP serious??? To be honest it's kind of sad how some of you look at old A&M and somehow think we are just the same old ehhh program. It's like the current reality you live in doesn't even matter because in your opinion nothing can change in the college football landscape. NEWSFLASH!!! We joined the flipping SEC, have more $$$ than God himself, and have potentially the nicest stadium and facilities in the country.

Stop feeling bad for yourself and realize that this ain't your daddy's Texas A&M anymore and the sooner some of your get that in your thick battered Aggie syndrome plagued skulls the faster us new army can get us to winning!!!

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Daddy's A&M usually finished in the top 10 and played in HUGE games that meant something.

New Army Ags don't know how to finish and haven't won a conference home game in two years.

85AustinAg said:

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Good grief A&M is a much better job than Nebraska and Tennessee. Those teams days of relevance are over. Look ahead, not behind.

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That is laughable. Tennessee is a perennial top 10 job. You can't look at just the last few years to determine the quality of a program. I do think Nebraska will continue to decline, but Nebraska puts us to shame the last 20 years. Until we actually do something instead of just talking about doing something, I can't put a&m in front of either of those programs.

jml2621 said:

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aggiedent said:

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Fran was a splash hire. We got him away from Alabama.

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Patterson made Fran at TCU.

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That doesn't change his point. Stealing Fran was one of the biggest coaching coups ever.

tanner_croom said:

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texancanuck11 said:

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Bob15 said:

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A&M is maybe a top 25 job. Not a top 10 job. We just think we are. We should be based off our resources. But, we aren't.

Alabama
Ohio State
Clemson
USC
Florida
LSU
Georgia
Florida State
Auburn
Michigan
Texas

Are all bigger jobs than Texas A&M. What do they have in common? They've won something in the last 10-15 years. Current recruits weren't born the last time Texas A&M was relavent on the national scene on a consistent basis. Hell, many of our fans weren't either (or they were kids).

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Well that just isn't true. We've been ranked 5 of the last 6 years. We hit #4 last year. We've hosted college gameday the last few years. We have a ton of guys in the NFL who played for us.

A coach would go to A&M because we have the recipe to be a winning program: money, access to recruits, conference, etc. We just haven't had the right chef. That's the pitch that Woodward has to give potential coaches.

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Don't get me wrong, I love A&M football as much as the next Aggie on these boards, but as a current high school senior, I'll admit that A&M has technically been nationally relevant, but not consistently throughout entire seasons since 2012 and 2013, and by the end of recent seasons, we're pretty well-known for our annual Aggie November Collapse's. People know A&M can be good, but for the most part, my generation has seen Texas A&M as a mediocre program that has had a few short moments in the (positive) spotlight.

I'm excited to see what comes next for A&M. A new coach, alongside a team loaded with potential, could really make waves next year, so long as Woodward and Co. don't screw up this next hire.

I think A&M could be a top-10 job in due time, but we need some wins (especially conference wins at home) to show for it. Definitely top-25 though

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Good post, Tanner. Keep'm coming!

Bayside Tiger Ag said:

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jml2621 said:

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aggiedent said:

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Fran was a splash hire. We got him away from Alabama.

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Patterson made Fran at TCU.

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That doesn't change his point. Stealing Fran was one of the biggest coaching coups ever.

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And Alabama having a 2 year bowl ban and 21 scholarship reductions doesn't lessen that at all?

Somewhat but it would have passed and Fran still would have come here. He also passed up Notre Dame for us.

Fran was a huge hire

Sherman / sumlin were not

Bayside Tiger Ag said:

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Somewhat but it would have passed and Fran still would have come here. He also passed up Notre Dame for us.

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That's the part I don't remember the details of, what if any schools he turned down offers from to come to A&M...but him wanting out of Alabama isn't a surprise looking back on where their program was at during that time

gigemtrev said:

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BigBaller_Ag said:

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Is the OP serious??? To be honest it's kind of sad how some of you look at old A&M and somehow think we are just the same old ehhh program. It's like the current reality you live in doesn't even matter because in your opinion nothing can change in the college football landscape. NEWSFLASH!!! We joined the flipping SEC, have more $$$ than God himself, and have potentially the nicest stadium and facilities in the country.

Stop feeling bad for yourself and realize that this ain't your daddy's Texas A&M anymore and the sooner some of your get that in your thick battered Aggie syndrome plagued skulls the faster us new army can get us to winning!!!

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Daddy's A&M usually finished in the top 10 and played in HUGE games that meant something.

New Army Ags don't know how to finish and haven't won a conference home game in two years.

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We literally beat South Carolina at home last month! Are you that ****ing dumb, serious question? I've always thought you were a twat of a poster, this just further drives that notion.

ironmanag said:

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Revisionist history is fun.

Fran was a huge get. The whole country laughed when we said we landed him. Then when we did they declared A&M was going to win the MNC.

Sherman was a meh.

Sumlin was a huge name. He was going to land at a power five job and we beat out several suitors.

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I believe the statement on Fran by the national media was, "Recruits like Mack and coaches like Stoops."

Or maybe it was out coaches Stoops because he lost a game against loaded OU team with depleted Bama team and had beaten Saint Nick at LSU 35-7.

Here4Beer said:

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gigemtrev said:

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BigBaller_Ag said:

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Is the OP serious??? To be honest it's kind of sad how some of you look at old A&M and somehow think we are just the same old ehhh program. It's like the current reality you live in doesn't even matter because in your opinion nothing can change in the college football landscape. NEWSFLASH!!! We joined the flipping SEC, have more $$$ than God himself, and have potentially the nicest stadium and facilities in the country.

Stop feeling bad for yourself and realize that this ain't your daddy's Texas A&M anymore and the sooner some of your get that in your thick battered Aggie syndrome plagued skulls the faster us new army can get us to winning!!!

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Daddy's A&M usually finished in the top 10 and played in HUGE games that meant something.

New Army Ags don't know how to finish and haven't won a conference home game in two years.

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We literally beat South Carolina at home last month! Are you that ****ing dumb, serious question? I've always thought you were a twat of a poster, this just further drives that notion.

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You obviously know he meant home conference division game in two years, which is accurate

I challenge anyone who thinks TAMU is not an elite coaching job to take a tour of the college stadiums, venues and facilities, not to mention funding. You will not find another stadium like it in the SEC including AL.
There are maybe 10 places that have similar attendance, and perhaps 12 schools with similar payrolls.

There are only 32 NFL teams and 20 programs that pay what is paid at TAMU.
That's 52 jobs of which 5-6 are open on any given year in college, there loads of coaches who would die to come.

When people bring up Fran or Sherman it's kind of silly, the new stadium and the SEC changed the it.
BTW Mike Sherman was coached the Green Bay packers and recruited the class that Sumlin had his best season with.

OP- you're either real young or you werent paying attention to college football during those hires.