A&M’s Sumlin heads into another season with questions about job security

If Kevin Sumlin can guide Texas A&M to eight wins after an unsolved quarterback situation, the loss of a No. 1 NFL draft pick and a schedule that features UCLA, Arkansas, Florida and LSU away from home, he should be applauded.

Yet if the Aggies finish with eight wins in 2017 after winning the same number in each of the past three years, Sumlin may only get a pink slip.

A&M athletics director Scott Woodward made it very clear during the SEC spring meetings that Sumlin has to win. He didn’t say a number of games or any specific opponents the Aggies should not lose to.

What he indicated is 8-5 has been done too many times lately, and it better not happen again, especially the way it has happened. All three 8-5 seasons have come when the Aggies started 5-0.

“The pressure I’m feeling is the same pressure I feel all of the time,” Sumlin said at SEC Media Days. “And so nobody puts more pressure on me than me.”

Woodward won’t say anything during the season unless it absolutely bottoms out, so Sumlin will be put to the test. Simply, the Aggies are going to need a strong start because Alabama sits smack in the middle of the schedule.

It’s the same pitfall of the past three seasons. Alabama is followed by a game at Florida, meaning the Aggies could again start 5-0 – although it’s very difficult, playing at UCLA and against the Razorbacks in Arlington – but could find out how realistic their SEC title chances are after those two mid-season games.

There is room to rebound if they need to, with three straight home games after Florida and an open week before winding up at Ole Miss and at LSU. It could come down to LSU to win that ninth game that could silence the baying wolves, but the Aggies have yet to beat the Tigers since joining the SEC.

A&M will have to decide on a quarterback – look for true freshman Kellen Mond to claim it – but whoever does has the elite Christian Kirk to throw to. Trayveon Williams is back to tote the rock after a 1,000-yard season but outside of those two, the Aggies are looking for playmakers.

On defense, they lost Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall but are solid between the defensive ends. They need to limit the nearly 200 rushing yards per game they gave up last year but if they can, they’re very confident in their secondary.

It all comes back to the win total. Again, eight wins considering all the Aggies lost and have to replace while playing a very tough schedule is marvelous. It’s only when looking at the last three eight-win seasons and Woodward’s ominous comments that the heat gets turned up.

“Nothing is going change the way I approach life, and nothing is going to change the way I approach my job,” Sumlin said. “I’ve known what’s at stake ever since I got into this.”

A loss at UCLA in Week 1 and stakes will be driven into Sumlin’s front yard.

The kind with “For Sale” signs attached.

This story was originally published July 18, 2017 at 3:15 PM with the headline "A&M’s Sumlin heads into another season with questions about job security."