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Texas A&M’s Jim Schlossnagle calls Texas jobs question after CWS loss unfair

Posted on by angelo
Texas A&M’s Jim Schlossnagle calls Texas jobs question after CWS loss unfair

OMAHA, Neb. — After leading Texas A&M to the College World Series final and falling short against Tennessee on Monday night, Texas A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle bristled at being linked to the rival’s vacant head coaching job Texas.

After the Aggies lost 6-5 at Charles Schwab Field in a decisive game that could have won the first national championship in program history, Schlossnagle was asked to address the Texas job that opened Monday and his future at College Station.

“I think it’s pretty selfish of you to ask me that question, to be honest with you,” Schlossnagle said. “I left my family to coach at Texas A&M. I took the job at Texas A&M only to never take another job again. And that hasn’t changed, in my mind. It’s unfair to talk about something like that. …I understand you have to ask the question, but I gave up a big part of my life to come take this job and I poured every ounce of my soul into this job and I gave this job everything I I could. give the. Write that down.

Texas fired coach David Pierce on Monday after the Longhorns went 36-24 this season and were eliminated from the NCAA tournament with two losses in the Bryan-College Station Regional, including a 4- 2 against the Aggies in 11 innings. The program went 295-162 in Pierce’s eight seasons and reached the College World Series in 2018, 2021 and 2022. Its best finish came in 2021 with a 50-win team that took one victory before the final of the CWS.

The Longhorns are the winningest program in college baseball with six national titles, but they play in a loaded SEC that has produced five straight national champions. Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a statement that he met with Pierce at the end of the season and they mutually agreed to make a change.

“I am very grateful to Coach Pierce and everything he has brought to our baseball program over the last eight years,” Del Conte said. “He is an incredible person and I really enjoyed my time working with him. I appreciate the passion, pride and unwavering commitment he had to coaching and working with our student-athletes and am grateful for all he has done for Texas Athletics and our entire university community as head coach. I wish Coach Pierce and his family the best for the future.

Texas hasn’t won a national championship since Augie Garrido took the program all the way in 2005. The legendary coach led the program for 20 years before retiring at the end of the 2016 season. Pierce was hired away from Tulane to replace him and twice earned Big 12 Coach of the Year honors.

Schlossnagle worked for Del Conte at TCU from 2009 to 2017, and they enjoyed a streak of four consecutive trips to the College World Series during their time together. He led the Aggies to Omaha twice in his three seasons, made the program’s first appearance in the CWS finals and has already won more CWS games than any coach in CWS history. school.

“It’s a tough decision to swallow,” Schlossnagle said. “When you get this far, everyone wants to win their last game. I couldn’t be more proud of our team and honored to be at Texas A&M and honored to be a part of the 12th man. It’s a very special experience every year.

Schlossnagle said he believes such a strong start to his tenure is possible at Texas A&M because it’s a “great place” that has what it takes to be a consistent playoff contender in the SEC. An $80 million renovation of Blue Bell Park has already been approved by A&M regents.

“It’s been a lot of work and we still have a lot of work to do,” Schlossnagle said. “The guys that are visiting this week, have to keep some kids in the draft, have to put together another good team. We are losing a lot of good players.

Tennessee’s Tony Vitello was not asked about the Texas job or his future after the Vols’ first national championship victory, although pitcher Zander Sechrist called on athletic director Danny White to extend a lifetime contract with his head coach during their post-match press conference. White expressed confidence in Vitello remaining in case schools pursue him.

“I don’t think I should even entertain this conversation,” White said. “Tony knows what he’s built here and it’s special. It’s a relationship between him and his players, the program he built and the fans, that you really can’t replace. Tennessee baseball is here to stay, and he’s the reason why.

(Photo: Eakin Howard/Getty Images)