Legendary R.C. Slocum set a positive example for players through faith

While playing in the 2025 Aggieland FCA Golf Classic, legendary Texas A&M football coach R.C. Slocum stopped by the TexAgs Live set to discuss the positive impact his faith has had on his life, both on and off the football field.

Key notes from R.C. Slocum interview

• Setting a great example is the most important thing to me. All the championships, the rings, all that stuff is good, but the most meaningful thing to me is those young men I coached and how they turned out as people. I am very proud of them. Not a day goes by that I don't hear from one of them. That is why I coached.
   
• I was the first in my family to go to college on scholarship. Now I see guys like Richmond Webb and Ty Warren, who got to be the first in their families to go to college. Last December, their daughters were getting their Aggie rings. There is now a second generation. That is very meaningful to me.
   
• When I was sick, every day I would get calls from former players. It really was encouraging. It kept me positive, and I'm here today.
   
• I try to stay very active. As you age, I don't want to be one of those people who is waiting for the train to come pick me up. I used to tell players, if you are in the game, "Play hard." I am still in the game, so I'm playing hard. Life has been good. I tell people I am in overtime now. The good Lord has provided me with overtime, and I am trying to make the best of it. I stay busy.
   
• The first I heard of FCA I was Kansas State. We had the early days of FCA there. Coach Vince Gibson was in Sunday school class with Bobby Bowden. It has grown. It is such a positive thing, now more than ever.
   
• After church, I see a thousand kids out there playing soccer. When I was growing up, that wouldn't have been the case. All those kids would have been in church. Those values help young kids. As a society, we have gone away from that. I stuck to it when I coached. I was not going to be the reason you don't go to church. We would meet at 1 p.m. When I see the big Man someday, I don't want Him to say, "I gave you that job, and you didn't let your guys go to church on Sunday morning because you needed to look at football film." He is not going to say that to me.
   
• In my career as a coach, I coached in the A&M vs. Texas game 30 times, more than anybody else. I am proud to say I walked off the field 16 times on the winning side. We are a great school. We have a great program and coaches. You want your guys to play hard. When I watch us play, it looks like they play really hard. Sometimes, you win. Sometimes, you don't. You go play the next day.