Watch out Mack
Former UT "coach-in-waiting" Will Muschamp is pumped to have Texas A&M (andTexas recruiting) in the SEC
Florida's coach Will MuschampPhoto via National Football Authority
Coach Steve Spurrier of South CarolinaPhoto by C. Aluka Berry/The State Media Company
Texas A&M formally announced Wednesday that it intends to leave the Big 12 (and that dastardly Longhorn Network) effective June 30, 2012. Which leaves the university — and all those SEC Secession Day-partying Aggie fans — in the same place everyone was two weeks ago: Waiting for the haughty SEC to get around to acknowledging that it's welcoming Texas A&M as a member.
That will happen as soon as the lawyers are sure it's safe, but there is still real news from this anti-climactic day (if you didn't know Texas A&M was leaving for the SEC before Wednesday, you're as in touch with current events as Michele Bachmann). SEC coaches are suddenly reacting to the impending Aggies partnership in some interesting ways though.
Yes, it's Texas recruiting fever in the SEC! How do you think UT coach Mack Brown's sleeping these days?
Including Florida coach Will Muschamp. You know, the defensive wiz who was the "coach in waiting" until he got tired of waiting for Mack Brown to leave and bolted Austin for The Swamp that Urban Meyer rebuilt.
The first-year head coach tried to be diplomatic when asked about the Aggies being SEC bound in a media conference call, but he couldn't completely help himself. Muschamp made it more than clear he's excited to have yet another inroad (as if his UT time wasn't enough) into Texas' talent-filled recruiting ground.
"From a recruiting standpoint we're going to recruit the state of Florida and we certainly recruit nationally," Muschamp said. "We're going to recruit the best players in the country and some of those are in Texas. So be it.
"It's a a great state of high school football and the high school coaches are outstanding in the state of Texas."
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier was even more giddy about the Aggies impending arrival.
"If it comes to fruition that A&M joins the SEC, we'll certainly welcome them," Spurrier said on the call. "I'm sure they'll be in the Western division so we probably won't play them but once every three or four years (South Carolina is in the SEC East). But, they're a big-time institution with an excellent athletic department — all their sports are very good.
"I think their girls basketball team won the national championship last year. They will be a huge addition to the SEC and to get into Texas really increases the SEC's TV markets."
Yes, it's Texas fever in the SEC! How do you think Mack Brown's sleeping these days?
For the reasons why this is a great move for Texas A&M and local college football fans without a UT allegiance, check out this CultureMap column.
