Texas A&M Aggies have a massive hole to fill after suffering a major loss this week without even playing
Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein is leaving to take a job with a former Big 12 rival
The Texas A&M Aggies have been dealt a fairly significant long-term blow ahead of their push for a national championship. Already reeling after a disappointing and fairly uncompetitive loss to the Texas Longhorns to end their season, the Aggies have faced another loss without even playing a game this week.
Kansas State head coach Chris Kleiman has suddenly retired, and the Wildcats are naming Aggies’ offensive coordinator Collin Klein as their replacement. Klein, a former Heisman finalist with the Wildcats, will return home to his alma mater as soon as A&M’s postseason run ends. A&M will launch a search for an offensive coordinator, and their talent pool and resources will make it a coveted position.
Replacing Collin Klein will be a tall task
Offensive coordinator Collin Klein has helped guide the Aggies to their best offensive season in years, crushing numerous offensive records along the way to an 11-1 season and bid in the College Football Playoff. He will stay on throughout A&M’s run in the College Football Playoff before departing to take the job at Kansas State. Where does this leave the Aggies?
Mike Elko has numerous connections throughout the college football world, and has worked with several promising options. Tommy Rees coached alongside Elko at Notre Dame, and has had success as an offensive coordinator in college. Dave Clawson, an excellent offensive innovator, worked in tandem with Elko at Bowling Green and Wake Forest, and he could be a really intriguing hire given his success on that side of the ball with the Demon Deacons. Luke Huard worked with Elko under Jimbo Fisher as well and currently serves as the OC for the USC Trojans, but doesn’t call plays. Getting that opportunity with A&M could be an intriguing possibility to lure him back to the Aggies.
Of course, Klein wasn’t connected to A&M or Elko and that didn’t stop the Aggies from pursuing him. I’d be intrigued by the additions of a coach like North Texas’s Jordan Davis, a promising young star who has been a hot riser across the country. Oregon’s Ra’Shaad Samples is well connected throughout Texas and has been a part of some of the best offenses throughout the country in his career. Mack Leftwich has guided some of college football’s best offenses at Texas State and has Texas Tech on the verge of a College Football Playoff appearance as well.
Regardless of how the process plays out, A&M is a very attractive job across the college football landscape. I’d trust Elko and company to be able to find the right coach for the job.
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