Mark Snyder was fired as Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator on Friday, putting to end several weeks of speculation that he would be replaced.
Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin made the announcement in a statement released by Texas A&M Athletics.
“Mark is an outstanding coach and an even better person, but he understands the production needed to be better on the defensive side of the football,” Sumlin said. “We wish he and his family the best moving forward.”
Second-year linebackers coach
Mark Hagen will serve as the interim defensive coordinator as the Aggies prepare for their upcoming bowl game.
Many high-profile defensive coaches could surface as candidates to be Snyder’s replacement, including outgoing Florida coach
Will Muschamp.
Thomas Campbell
The defense sputtered to the finish and its same problems lingered, one year after ranking among the nation's worst.
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Snyder had previously had success as a defensive coordinator at Ohio State in 2004 and South Florida in 2010 and 2011. All of those teams ranked among the nation’s top 40 in total defense.
But in the last two seasons of his three-year tenure in College Station the Aggie defense was among the worst in the country, particularly against the run. In 2013, A&M ranked 110th in the nation in run defense. The Aggies made no real improvement this year.
A&M entered the Thanksgiving game against LSU ranked 105th in the nation in run defense. The Aggies may drop down to 110th after surrendering 384 rushing yards in a 23-17 loss to the Tigers.
That was LSU’s highest rushing output against a Southeastern Conference opponent in 17 years.
Unfortunately, allowing huge rushing totals had become commonplace for the once proud A&M defense.
The Aggies allowed more than 400 total yards in eight games this season and at least 285 rushing yards in six of their last seven conference games. In the last three games the Aggies allowed 363 rushing yards to Auburn, 335 to Ole Miss and then 383 to LSU. However, they had also allowed 285 to Arkansas, 289 to Mississippi State and 298 to Alabama.
A&M was 2-4 in games against those teams.
Further, four opposing backs rushed for career-high yardage in the last three games. Auburn’s Cameron Artis-Payne posted a career-best 221 yards against A&M, while Missouri’s Russell Hansbrough had a career-high 199.
LSU running back Leonard Fournette and quarterback Anthony Jennings both had career-best days against the Aggies. Fournette rushed for 146 yards and Jennings had 119.
To be fair, Snyder had a run of bad luck.
Brandon Jones, TexAgs
Despite the all-too-real defensive personnel issues, it became apparent near the end that a change was simply needed in College Station.
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After the 2012 season All-American defensive end Damonte Moore opted for early entry into the NFL Draft. Then, three potential starters — nose guard Isaiah Golden, linebacker Darian Claiborne and safety Kam Miles — were all dismissed from the team for various off-field issues and a fourth, defensive end Gavin Stansbury, transferred before this season started.
This year starting linebacker
A.J. Hillard was lost for the season in the first half of the season-opening win over South Carolina. Linebacker
Josh Walker was lost for the season in the loss to Missouri.
But even with those issues, more was expected from A&M’s defense which allowed 48 points to Mississippi State, 59 to Alabama, 38 to Auburn and 35 to Missouri.
