Sherman Fired as Aggie Football Coach
Sherman Fired as Aggie Football Coach
Sherman Fired as Aggie Football Coach : Fan Reaction
6PM UPDATE: Sherman Fired as Aggie Football Coach
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Texas A&M has fired its head football coach after four seasons.
Mike Sherman was terminated Thursday, one week after a loss to the Texas Longhorns that dropped his team's record to 6-6 this season, and Sherman's record overall at A&M to 25-25 with no bowl victories.
According to Athletic Director Bill Byrne, an interim coach will be chosen to lead the team in its bowl game, which should be announced next week.
“I appreciate Coach Sherman’s selfless service to Texas A&M as our head football coach and his tireless efforts in building leaders of character," Byrne said in a statement Thursday. "He is truly one of the great offensive minds in football, both collegiate and professional, and I know that he has much to offer the game of football in the future."
In 2007, Sherman was brought in to replace Dennis Franchione, signing a seven-year deal worth $1.8 million. After finishing 4-8 and 6-7 in his first two seasons, he led the Ags to a 9-4 record in 2010 and a Cotton Bowl berth. After that season, a contract extension of one year was approved, as was a salary increase to $2.2 million.
After starting the 2011 season ranked in the top ten nationally and winning their first two games, the Aggies dropped two straight games in which they had double-digit leads. After rebounding with three straight victories, A&M lost four of their last five, including overtime losses to Missouri and Kansas State, as well as one last lost lead to arch-rival Texas in the last Lone Star Showdown for the foreseeable future.
"I would like to thank Mike Sherman for personifying Texas A&M’s core values and instilling them within our student-athletes," said A&M President R. Bowen Loftin in a statement Thursday. "Coach Sherman has created a solid foundation for Texas A&M to build upon in the future."
The Aggies are wrapping up their last football season in the Big 12 Conference before jumping to the Southeastern Conference next season.
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Statement from Texas A&M Athletic Director Bill Byrne:
COLLEGE STATION, TX -- Texas A&M University Athletic Director Bill Byrne confirmed Thursday evening that head football coach Mike Sherman will not be retained for the 2012 football season. Byrne released the following statement:
“Mike Sherman has operated our football program with the highest levels of character and integrity over the past four seasons and has served as a great ambassador for Texas A&M University. Mike has always put the welfare of the student-athlete and Texas A&M first.
“I appreciate Coach Sherman’s selfless service to Texas A&M as our head football coach and his tireless efforts in building leaders of character. He is truly one of the great offensive minds in football, both collegiate and professional, and I know that he has much to offer the game of football in the future.
“After discussions with our coaches, we will decide who will be the interim coach of the Aggies in our upcoming bowl game. We will meet with the team and assistant coaches as soon as possible, probably tomorrow.”
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Statement from Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin:
“Decisions of this nature are never easy, and I appreciate the patience of Aggies everywhere as we carefully evaluated the current state of our football program and the prospects for the future. I would like to thank Mike Sherman for personifying Texas A&M’s core values and instilling them within our student-athletes. Coach Sherman has created a solid foundation for Texas A&M to build upon in the future. For this, we are extremely appreciative, and wish him well in his next coaching assignment.”
