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Former Texas A&M head baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle has become the talk of the college baseball world as the sport enters its offseason. Less than 24 hours after his team’s season ended in crushing fashion at the College World Series, he accepted a new job.
That gig just so happens to be with the Aggies‘ most hated rival, Texas, sparking a firestorm of reaction from both fans and media. A timeline has since surfaced regarding his negotiations with the Longhorns, and they paint an even shadier picture!
Schlossnagle had been at the helm for three seasons in College Station, leading the Ags to a pair of CWS trips, including this most recent national title appearance. One of the most accomplished coaches in the Lone Star State, he also led TCU on five trips to Omaha while becoming the Horned Frogs’ all-time wins leader.
His AD for part of that tenure in Fort Worth? Texas’s Chris Del Conte.
The pair’s relationship was well-noted, and it was the reason he was immediately connected to the opening when the ‘Horns fired David Pierce on Monday (as the Aggies were gearing up for Game 3 of the championship series).
Jim Schlossnagle was later asked about those ties, as well as his interest in the Texas gig just moments after his team’s season ended. He responded with an emphatic “no,” claiming that Texas A&M was the place he intended to stay.
“I think it’s pretty selfish of you to ask me that question. I left my family to be the coach at Texas A&M. I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again. That hasn’t changed my mind.”
-Jim Schlossnagle on Texas interest
Less than a day later, he was on his way to Austin.
Schloss wasted NO TIME. pic.twitter.com/jsEulsJK2a
— SEC Unfiltered (@SECUnfiltered) June 26, 2024
Jim Schlossnagle talked to Texas before the postseason, per reports.
Kendall Rogers of D1 Baseball says that the Longhorns first made contact sometime between the Aggies’ regular season series with Georgia and the start of the Regional round of the NCAA Tournament.
That would mean he’s potentially been in talks with Texas for months.
“One interesting note is that I was told by multiple sources today that this deal — at least at the highest level — was done between A&M’s series with Georgia and before the Regional round. It’s truly a fascinating search/hire to unpack. I’ll have more.”
-Kendall Rogers / D1 Baseball / X: @KendallRogers
Aggie Nation grows more outraged as the story continues to unfold, but a look back to the not-so-distant past shows that Schlossnagle has moved in this manner at least once before!
A similar storyline played out in the head coach’s final days at TCU prior to his move to College Station.
“I have no interest in any other job,” Schlossnagle told the Star-Telegram just before taking over with A&M.
History repeats itself!
Schlossnagle apologized to the reporter he berated at the CWS.
The coach has seen expected blowback from the way the situation was handled, from his denial of interest in Texas to the reported timeline of the negotiations.
He recognized some of the negative attention brought about by his actions while speaking at his University of Texas intro presser, apologizing to the reporter he ripped just hours before he bailed for Austin.
Jim Schlossnagle apologies to @RichardZane32 of @TexAgs for his response to Zane’s question following the Aggies game three loss in the CWS Finals.
BUY or SELL Schlossnagle’s apology? pic.twitter.com/nlIxkD7skb
— SEC Unfiltered (@SECUnfiltered) June 26, 2024
“I want to publicly apologize to Richard Zane from TexAgs,” Schlossnagle said in that press conference. “He’s a young reporter. He asked a question that was an obvious question. I wish I could’ve answered that better.”
The apologies won’t do much for Texas A&M baseball fans, who believe they’ve been intentionally misled by the man who just led the program to its most historic season.
The move will, however, spice things up when the Aggies and Lonhorns face off in SEC play next season!