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Texas A&M Football

Passing on Jarrett Stidham, Sumlin looks to bolster Texas A&M's future

July 13, 2017
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HOOVER, Ala. — If Jarrett Stidham had been offered a football scholarship to Texas A&M, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn would not have been raving about him on Thursday at SEC Media Days.

“He’s a lot better athlete than people think,” Malzahn said. “He’s got a 35-36" vertical. He runs a 4.6. In our league, you have to escape. You have to have a quarterback that can escape pressure, keep his eyes down the field, know when to throw it, know when to run it and protect the football and make good decisions.”

Auburn has that in Stidham. Meanwhile, A&M has uncertainty at quarterback.

Thank A&M coach Kevin Sumlin for that. Seriously, thank him. By denying Stidham, Sumlin looked out for A&M’s long-term interests rather than looking out for himself.

Adding Stidham would have significantly changed A&M’s outlook for this season. They’d have a proven passer instead of likely crowning a starter — redshirt freshman Nick Starkel or true freshman Kellen Mond — who’s never taken a collegiate snap or starting a career backup in senior Jake Hubenak.

“There’s really not a front-runner now,” Sumlin said.

Ronnie Woodard Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin passed on Jarrett Stidham twice, believing in a long-term plan for his program.
There absolutely would be if Stidham was in College Station. He’d surely have been named the starter in the spring like Trevor Knight was last year.

“He’s going to be successful. It’s just a matter of when and what time,” Sumlin said of Stidham. “He brings a lot to the table as a guy that can move around a little bit, but a guy that’s highly accurate and can throw it.”


Stidham passed for 1,265 yards and 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions in three games at Baylor in 2015.

Go ahead and dismiss it. Say he just exploited lame Big 12 defenses.

Then remember that just last season Aggies celebrated a former backup Big 12 quarterback — Knight — who wasn’t the passer that Stidham is.

Everyone knows Sumlin’s job at A&M is in jeopardy after three consecutive 8-5 finishes. Athletic Director Scott Woodward has publicly said that’s not good enough.

So, who could blame Sumlin if he opted for the best chance of self-preservation and snapped up Stidham, a native Texan who reportedly never denied his desire to attend A&M. Stidham even paid for his own third-deck seat to attend A&M’s game against Tennessee last year.

Had Sumlin signed Stidham, he probably couldn’t have signed Mond, a four-star prospect out of the prestigious IMG Academy.  Without Mond A&M likely would not have gotten IMG receiver Jhamon Ausbon, IMG linebacker Santino Marchiol or Stafford receiver Hezekiah Jones — all four-star prospects.

And what if Stidham had a big year at A&M and then decided to enter the NFL draft? The Aggies could enter 2018 with the same uncertainty they have this year.

“We had to make decisions in recruiting at our place,” Sumlin said. “And we made some decisions.”

Detractors can say Sumlin should’ve signed Stidham in 2015 out of Stephenville High School. But that year he had to choose between Stidham and Kyler Murray, who’d led Allen High School to three consecutive state championships.

Sumlin was in a bind. Murray was a five-star prospect, who’d never lost a game he started.
Sumlin was in a bind. Murray was a five-star prospect, who’d never lost a game he started. His father, Kevin, was one of the greatest quarterbacks in A&M history.

Imagine the outcry from Aggies if Sumlin had not offered Murray. And what if Murray then went to a rival? And what if he was successful? Circumstances almost forced Sumlin to take Murray over Stidham.

Imagine the outcry on Nov. 4 if Stidham has a big day passing against the Aggies at Kyle Field.

Now imagine the impact that Mond, Ausbon, Marchiol and Jones could have at A&M. What if they become star players? What if the Aggies are better in the long run because of them? What if they play key roles in A&M emerging as a national power?

You could thank Sumlin for that.
Discussion from...

Passing on Jarrett Stidham, Sumlin looks to bolster Texas A&M's future

35,169 Views | 65 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by NickEZ08
technoviking
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except for trevor knight
ag_eet
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Trevor Knight couldn't hit the broad side of a barn and didn't know how to move into a pocket. He had the footwork of a high school player. Football maturity doesn't apply in any way to Trevor Knight.
technoviking
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ag_eet said:

Win and recruiting takes care of its self. We haven't had a mature QB since Sumlin arrived. No wonder we swoon in the latter part of the season.
i figured you meant mature QB as in a mentally mature QB. in terms of mechanics and such, kyle allen was probably the most "mature" we've had at the QB position since tannehill
SA68AG
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Passing on Stidham is the decision that will cost him his job.
ag_eet
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Kyle had the technical maturity while Knight had mental/leadership maturity. Both are needed in one person. Johnny was close but he left too soon. We could have had a Junior/Senior, technically mature QB with Stidham. I just want a year without any question marks on our QB. Johnny was a sure starter but his wild playmaking was good for the highlight reel but bad for team production and consistency.
technoviking
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i agree. kyle allen represented the best shot of the sumlin era to have a complete mature QB. the murray situation completely derided that.

maybe one of the three QBs we have this year will surprise. Maybe not. we'll see.

stidham is only playing one more college season if he has a successful season. that would leave a&m in pretty much the same situation next year as we are in this year, except that we probably wouldn't have Mond, Ausbon and maybe Marchiol on the squad. I say probably because who knows if Mond would have gone to a&m if Stidham came here. i'm pretty sure that wherever mond went, ausbon and to maybe a lesser extent Marchiol would have followed.

it would appear that not taking stidham guaranteed mond, and thus ausbon and maybe marchiol came here.

had sumlin's seat not been red hot entering the season, i'd say his choice was great. if sumlin survives this season, i think he made a great choice as well.
ashley
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You have to take Stidham. You win more games with him and that's what it's about.
Class of 65
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Mond to me is another Mike Davis. Runs like a deer but can't hit the side of a barn at 10 feet.
Class of 65
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ashley said:

You have to take Stidham. You win more games with him and that's what it's about.
Amen.
Emilio Fantastico
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EAD 65 said:

Mond to me is another Mike Davis. Runs like a deer but can't hit the side of a barn at 10 feet.

At least get the name right. It was Matt Davis.
jml2621
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EAD 65 said:

ashley said:

You have to take Stidham. You win more games with him and that's what it's about.
Amen.



Goodbye Mr. Sumlin.
ashley
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Stidham was in high demand. There has to be more to the story.
T-Shizzle
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EAD 65 said:

Mond to me is another Mike Davis. Runs like a deer but can't hit the side of a barn at 10 feet.







Made some nice throws downfield in the spring game. Made some nice throws over the middle in the under amour game!
StickTogetherAgs
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M.C. Swag
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Sup bot
JPK89
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ag_eet said:

Kyle had the technical maturity while Knight had mental/leadership maturity. Both are needed in one person. Johnny was close but he left too soon. We could have had a Junior/Senior, technically mature QB with Stidham. I just want a year without any question marks on our QB. Johnny was a sure starter but his wild playmaking was good for the highlight reel but bad for team production and consistency.
Dafuq??!! Maybe dumbest thing I've ever read on TexAgs.

Just my opinion....but I thought we were going to score each and every freaking time the offense went on the field with JFF.. More often than not we did.

How is that bad for production and consistency??!!
FCBlitz
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Kyle Allen was abused by the staff. They were upfront about their intentions with Murray who did not earn play time.

Maybe Sumlin learned a valuable lesson........and decided not to repeat the same mistake. I think he got this one right.
Class of 65
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Aggie95 said:

there is ZERO chance we sign Mond if Statham came here.
And a zero chance Sumlin lasts another year after this year. Sumlin gone and the four 18 year old recruits are gone anyhow.
Have you watched Monds games last year at IMG?
Heisenberg01
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How's this one looking right about now OB?
pinche gringo
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Just wait until Stidham evicerates us at Kyle.
Herne the Hunter
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pinche gringo said:

Just wait until Stidham evicerates us at Kyle.
and wins the SEC west.

There is so much fail with Sumlin's decision and posts.
Hamburger Dan
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Timely bump.
rocky the dog
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Wow.
chipotle
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LMAO
pv
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Boo
TheGroupGuy
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Long term Sumlin strategery
panhandlefarmer
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chipotle
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If Stidham had come here sumlin would have "developed" him. We'd probably be in the same mess we're in meow.
FishingAggie
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Lmao.

Everyone knew but the coach

Tonight he's making this even better
Olsen
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Stidham is 2-0 against us now. Mond sucks, Ausbon is injured, Jones isn't getting any catches, and Marchiol... well we know how he turned out.
NickEZ08
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