Texas A&M regent calls for Kevin Sumlin to be fired
After Texas A&M blew a 44-10 lead in a stunning 45-44 loss to UCLA, a member of the A&M System Board of Regents straight up called for head coach Kevin Sumlin to lose his job.
The regent, Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee, voiced his frustration with Sumlin in a Facebook post. Here it is in its entirety:
I’m sure I may be criticized for this post but I honestly don’t care. I’ve been on the Board of Regents for the A&M System for almost seven years. During that time, I’ve not once commented on Kevin Sumlin and his performance during his tenure at our school. I never said a word when he and his agent manipulated a much bigger and longer contract. I said nothing about his arrogance and his mishandling of multiple player controversies. I said nothing when we had multiple awesome recruiting classes, only to see key players leave our school or underperform.
But tonight I am very disappointed and I have to say this. Kevin Sumlin was out-coached tonight, which isn’t new. He recruits well, but can’t coach the big games, or the close games. Our players were better tonight. Our players were more talented tonight. But our coaches were dominated on national TV, yet again. I’m only one vote on the Board of Regents but when the time comes my vote will be that Kevin Sumlin needs to GO. In my view he should go now. We owe it to our school and our players. We can do better.
Share this as you see fit.
Buzbee doubled down on Twitter in his first tweet since Sept. 2016. He only has 43 tweets in all.
Sumlin has got to go… #firesumlin
— Tony Buzbee (@TonyBuzbee) September 4, 2017
This voice of opposition from Buzbee comes on the heels of A&M athletic director Scott Woodward saying Sumlin “knows he needs to win and win this year” over the summer.
[Sign up for Fantasy Football before it’s too late! Draft now for free]
“Last year was extremely disappointing,” Scott Woodward said in May. “We were as highly ranked as (No. 4) and got up there and played very well, hard competitive games and fell off like we’ve been doing. And we were very disappointed, very disappointed as a program both coach and I, and I just want to make darn sure we’re going to get it right. We’ve had a heck of a spring, recruiting is going well but coach knows he has to win and win this year and we have to do better than we’ve done in the past.”
Texas A&M AD Scott Woodward didn't mince words on Finebaum today. "Coach knows he has to win and he has to win this year." #12thMan pic.twitter.com/Qopj1oV1rB
— Colin Deaver (@KAGS_Colin) May 30, 2017
Texas A&M finished the 2016 season with an 8-5 record after losing the Texas Bowl to Kansas State. It was the third-straight 8-5 season for the Aggies under Sumlin.
Sumlin, now in his sixth year, has never replicated his first with the program when the Aggies went 11-2 and Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy.
After Sunday night’s loss, Sumlin has a 44-22 (21-19 SEC) record during his time at A&M.
– – – – – – –
Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
More from Yahoo Sports:
• ‘Ignorant’ Browns protest draws police union’s ire
• Pete Thamel: UCLA’s amazing, ridiculous comeback
• Falcons set the NFL bar high with gorgeous new stadium
• Jeff Passan: Giancarlo Stanton is worth every penny — and then some
