Jackie Sherrill talks realignment, what adding Texas, OU means for A&M

Key notes from Jackie Sherrill interview

• You have to go all the way back. In January of 1989, I did a TV show in Houston. I drew four conferences on the map of the US and said then we'd wind up with 16 or 20 teams each. When you really look at this, it's about money and the footprint of every region of college football. That's why they're struggling in the Pac-12 because there is a small percentage of college football fans in their footprint. They only get 14-17 percent in that region.
   
• The top five cities for college football are Birmingham (85 percent), Atlanta (41), Tampa Bay/St. Pete (39), Houston and Dallas are 35-39 percent. Those fans watch, go to games and support the sport. If I was an advertiser, where would I put my money to get more penetration?
   
• Texas realizes where they are and understands that college football is changing. When DeLoss Dodds and ESPN signed that contract to create the Longhorn Network for 20 years, that was under the understanding that they'd take Texas, A&M, Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to the Pac to create a Pac-16. In a board meeting, Gene Stallings said that Texas A&M is not anybody's little brother or tag along. That started conversations with the SEC, and the conference wanted A&M more than A&M wanted the SEC because it's the largest school in the state and an AAU member. There are only four out of 14 AAU members in the SEC, and that's big in the academic world and among the presidents of the universities. That's why the Pac-12 and Big Ten have said they only want AAU members.
   
• ESPN, which has the contract for Texas and still owes them ten years, has been trying to work it out. If Texas and Oklahoma have to go to the SEC, they have to buy out the Longhorn Network, but who pays out? I think ESPN has said they'll pay the buyout. They'll save about $70-100 million on the deal and get those two schools into the SEC. All of the money that advertisers put in to get to the college football fans will have to put their money into ESPN.
   
• At first, I thought it would be a long road to get Texas into the SEC, and it still is because you have state legislators who vote every year on the budget to get money to different universities in the state of Texas. If the legislators are upset, they're not going to vote to give Texas an equal share. It's a far-reaching issue. Texas has the largest endowment of any public school, so they can afford a hiccup.
   
• We are no longer anybody's little brother. There are so many things that go into dominating on the playing field. You have to have an administration willing to build the facilities that can give you a chance. A&M's administration has done that in all sports. Two, it takes a great faculty. They have done a great job of graduating players at Texas A&M. Three, former students have to donate money. Then you have to have the players, the coaches and the student body, which A&M has stronger than anybody. You also have to have to media, and Jimbo and the administration have done a great job of getting the media on their side. That helps in recruiting and people feeling good about their school. Everything is in line for Texas A&M.
   
• This season depends on one position, but that position needs help. If you look at the people around the quarterback, he has plenty of help. The next question is the offensive line, and if they perform like they did last year, this team will be very good. The defense has proved they'll be good and allow A&M to be contenders. You also have to have a kicking game to help you win a championship.
   
• Deciding a quarterback is a gut feeling. I'll go back to Bucky Richardson. We had Monday Night Football, which was just a scrimmage between all of the freshmen. Bucky kept making play after play after play. I put him in against Southern Miss for the last few minutes, and on the first play, he went 86 yards to win the game. Jimbo Fisher has a feel. Both of those guys have the talent, or else they wouldn't be there.