A&M's Sumlin Lobbied Hard For USC Job?

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"As soon as Lane Kiffin was fired in late September, Sumlin’s representatives were contacted and told their client was on a list of potential candidates to be his replacement. Sumlin then sent word through back-channels that he wanted the job and his wife in particular was excited about the prospect of moving to Los Angeles.

Originally Sumlin’s representatives sent the message to USC athletic director Pat Haden (again, through back-channels, which is how this stuff happens) that their client would only take the job if he was the only target. He did not want to risk looking like he was aiming for the job, then lose out to someone else. That would have made for an awkward situation at Texas A&M and would have made recruiting far more difficult.


USC made it clear to Sumlin and his people that he was on a list of about five candidates (the targets shifted over time based on how this season has played out and interviews conducted) and that he would not have the chance to separate himself until he interviewed for the position. Sumlin was hesitant to interview during the season because he was worried someone might find out or it might leak to the press. So the two sides agreed to meet in a neutral location (not College Station or Los Angeles) the Sunday after the regular season was over.

The USC delegation was scheduled to fly to a pre-determined neutral location to interview Sumlin on December 1 (today), but would also be meeting with two other candidates on the same day. We have been told repeatedly by USC sources and have had it confirmed over and over again throughout the coaching search Sumlin was not the favorite for the job because no favorite has emerged. Haden has insisted on interviewing all the candidates before deciding on a leader or a top target. Any reports to the contrary are completely false."

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"UPDATE: Sources close to the Texas A&M football program have confirmed for us that Sumlin was considering leaving as recently as a few weeks ago. They also said his ultimate goal is an NFL head coaching gig."

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