re: Is Kyler Murray the best Aggie player ever? Is Woodward their best AD ever?

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In fairness to Ags, can you imagine John Football against Big 12 defenses like Murray faced?

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We got to see that in the Cotton Bowl. He set the Cotton Bowl record for total offense. It was the only time Manziel rushed for over 200 yards in a game while at A&M.

This was Manziel's line the one time he faced a Big 12 defense.

Passing: 22-34-1 for 287 yards and 2 TD
Rushing: 17 carries for 229 yards and 2 TD

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Is Woodward their best AD ever?

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That's a pretty easy yes. He's the only AD for A&M, at least in my lifetime, that hired a game changer at football and basketball.

Scott Woodward (2016-2019)

Football: Fired Kevin Sumlin, Hired Jimbo Fisher
Basketball: Fired Billy Kennedy, Hired Buzz Williams
Volleyball: Fired Lauri Corbelli (who had been at A&M for 25 years and no AD dared to confront), hired Laura Kuhn (who took Kansas to the Final Four)

Eric Hyman (2012-2016)

Didn't hire a single coach
Didn't fire a single coach
Lobbied against his employer in the NCAA Baseball selection committee
Was a do-nothing piece of shite for almost 4 years

Bill Byrne (2002-2012)

Football: Hired/Fired Dennis Franchione, Hired/Fired Mike Sherman, Hired Kevin Sumlin
Basketball: Fired Melvin Watkins, Hired Billy Gillispie, Hired Mark Turgeon, Hired Billy Kennedy
Baseball: Fired Mark Johnson, Hired Rob Childress
Track and Field: Hired Pat Henry
Vocally opposed the SEC Move

Wally Groff (1975-2002)

Football: Hired/Fired Jackie Sherrill, Hired/Fired R.C. Slocum
Men's Basketball: Fired Shelby Metcalf, Hired/Fired Kermit Davis, Hired/Fired Tony Barone, Hired Melvin Watkins
Women's Basketball: Hired Gary Blair
Baseball: Hired Mark Johnson
Softball: Hired Jo Evans
Volleyball: Hired Lauri Corbelli
Soccer: Hired G. Guerreri
Famously said that it didn't matter what the football team's record was as long as the stands were full

If I had to rank them, it would be:

1 - Scott Woodward
2 - Bill Byrne

(SIZEABLE GAP)

3 - Wally Groff

(Gap the size of the difference between Earth and Neptune)

4 - Eric Hyman

Let me put it another way.

Groff was a glorified bean counter who wouldn't know what a championship program looked like, Byrne overpaid for minor sports and dumpster dove for football and basketball coaches, Hyman was actually less effective than an empty chair and Woodward is one of the top 5 ADs in College Athletics.