Among the myriad of memorabilia that R.C. Slocum accumulated over a lifetime in coaching is a photo that shows three men.
Of course, Slocum — the former Texas A&M football coach — is one of them.
Another is legendary Auburn coach Pat Dye.
The third is a gentle giant who had once played for Slocum.
That man was Terry Price, an affable Aggie who has coached Texas A&M defensive linemen since 2012.
Price, just 55, passed away on Friday.
Slocum remembers Dye pointing at Price and in a slow, southern drawl saying, “That boy who played for you is one hell of a football coach.”
Terry Price was indeed a great football coach. He was a great recruiter. He was a great mentor to the players he recruited. He was an amazing pitmaster, who created spectacular barbecue dinners for those players.
He was a loving husband to his wife, Kenya. He was a devoted father to sons Alexander and Devin. He was just a genuinely wonderful guy who referred to almost everyone as “baby.”
“Coach Price was known as an outstanding defensive line coach and recruiter, but to everyone that had the pleasure of knowing him, his football resume was secondary,” TexAgs’ co-owner and executive editor Billy Liucci said. “Just one of the absolute best people you’ll ever meet. Always a kind word. Always a laugh. Always put everyone else first.
“He was truly an all-time A&M football legend. He’s going to be missed so dearly and remembered so fondly by countless teammates, players, coaches and friends, not only in Aggieland but throughout the Southeastern Conference.”
The news of his passing left so many Price befriended, coached, mentored, fed and loved stunned and heartbroken.
“It’s a tragic, sad loss,” Slocum said. “I’ve known him since he was 17 years old in high school. He’s like one of my kids.”
Price played defensive tackle for A&M from 1986-89. He earned All-Southwest Conference acclaim and helped the Aggies win two conference championships.
Yet, Slocum remembers him just as much for the process of recruiting him out of Plano High School.
Slocum, then defensive coordinator, was personally recruiting Price, but Price’s father wanted to make sure his son fully enjoyed his senior season at Plano.
Therefore, recruiters were told not to contact him until after the season. Those that did would be eliminated from consideration.
After the season, the Price family decided on five universities Terry would visit.
A&M got the last visit.
“I thought was positive,” Slocum said. “And he ended up coming here.”
After Terry’s playing career ended, Slocum brought Price home as a graduate assistant. That’s when he met Tommy Tuberville, who was Slocum’s defensive coordinator in 1994.
Following that season, Tuberville was named head coach at Ole Miss. He was so impressed with Price that Tuberville hired Price for his staff in Oxford.
Three years later, Tuberville went to Auburn and took Price with him.
Price eventually returned to A&M in 2012 as a defensive line coach on Kevin Sumlin’s coaching staff. He immediately built on a stellar career. He was often rated among the nation’s top recruiters and was credited for coaxing five-star prospects Myles Garrett, Daylon Mack and Justin Madubuike to College Station.
Although he excelled as a coach and recruiter, some say he might have been better on the grill. The barbecue dinners he produced were legendary. Five-star prospects might have been tempted to attend A&M just to eat Price’s food.
He provided the food for A&M’s 2019 pool party, which was instrumental in the Aggies’ leading the No. 6 ranked recruiting class of 2020.
That day Price tweeted a video of him getting up early to get the grill going.
“It’s 4:30 a.m. If you’re sleeping, you ain’t cooking,” he said in the video. “Texas A&M pool party, baby. Barbecue style. Let’s get it. Gig ‘Em.”
That was the essence of Terry Price.
“He loved to cook,” Slocum said. “He created a family atmosphere with players. He extended beyond his position (as a coach) with all those kids. He was really respected and liked.
“Everything he did was positive. Just an exceptional guy.”
brandontyler said:
Anyone know what caused his death?
