Texas A&M Football: 5 reasons Kevin Sumlin should be on the hot seat

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Nov 24, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Speedy Noil (2) is unable to make a catch as LSU Tigers defensive back Donte Jackson (1) defends during the second quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Higher expectations

With Tom Herman already talking about building championship teams at Texas, the pressure for Texas A&M to perform at a high level increased. This will be addressed further in a later point.

However, when looking at the Texas coaching staff, the names are all high-profile. Of course, there is Herman at the top with Tim Beck as his new offensive coordinator, Stan Drayton as his run game coordinator and associate head coach and Todd Orlando. All four coaches had success at Ohio State and its clear Herman and his staff are trying to emulate the championship pedigree honed during their time in Columbus.

Part of what is so mind-boggling for Aggies fans is the last three years the team has raced to a promising start and then fizzled at the conclusion.

In 2014, the Aggies started the season 5-0 before losing three straight SEC games and losing hope on a once-promising season. In 2015, the team once again started 5-0 before losing 3-of-4 SEC games. Last season, the team began the season 6-0. Few truly believed they would beat top-ranked Alabama, but it was the ensuing SEC opponents that sank the season with losses to both SEC schools in Mississippi by a combined eight points.

Not to say the losses can definitively be pinned on Sumlin, but close games magnify a coach’s decisions and the outcome of the game is attributed more closely to the coach rather than a talent disparity.