Report: Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin is USC’s top target
Lost in the shuffle of what was an unusually busy Thursday night in college football, a report from the Los Angeles Daily News’ Scott Wolf emerged stating that Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin is USC’s top target to be its next head coach.
The search is still in an early stage, but USC hopes to hire its next coach in December, the report said.
Sumlin has won 30 games in the past two and a half seasons at Houston and Texas A&M and is one of the most talked about names in coaching. He is making $3.1 million this season, and Wolf suggests “he could probably double his salary at USC.”
Beyond Sumlin’s success, one of Wolf’s sources said Sumlin is an attractive candidate because “he is viewed as a charismatic coach.”
Sumlin was one of the first names to be linked to the job after the firing of Lane Kiffin in late September and was asked about being mentioned as a candidate.
“It means you’re winning and doing things the right way,” Sumlin said at the time.
Sumlin is 18-4 since taking over at A&M and has helped the Aggies quickly become a top team in the vaunted SEC after its move from the Big 12.
Other candidates include former NFL coach and current ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, Boise State coach Chris Petersen, Vanderbilt coach James Franklin and Denver Broncos interim coach Jack Del Rio. Current Trojans coach Ed Orgeron, who took over after the firing of Lane Kiffin, will also be considered, the report said.
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