Eric Hyman steps down as Texas A&M athletic director

Former South Carolina AD Eric Hyman is stepping down from his current position as Texas A&M’s athletics director, according to the school president.

Hyman’s experience at USC and in the SEC was a major reason he was hired by A&M in June of 2012. A&M was entering the SEC that year.

Hyman had recently given a vote of confidence to Texas A&M head football coach Kevin Sumlin, an unpopular move among some Aggie fans.

In a statement, Hyman said: “I appreciate my time here at Texas A&M University and I am proud of our student-athletes’ achievements both on the field and in the classroom. The best part of an AD’s job is forming wonderful relationships with student-athletes, colleagues, former students and Texas A&M has been no exception. I will always value my time here and the friendships I have made with Aggies. I wish Texas A&M University nothing but continued success.”

A report on Texags.com said that Hyman “he seemed to have a distant relationship with Aggie sports fans, who often complained he wasn’t approachable or visible. Fans on message boards and talk shows often wondered what he did to earn his seven-figure salary.”

This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 3:30 PM.