COLLEGE STATION, Texas — It's been just one week since the news that Ross Bjork had accepted the same job at Ohio State dropped, and Texas A&M has spent little time unprepared to keep moving forward.
On Monday, former head football coach R.C. Slocum was named as the organization's interim director of athletics until a new AD is made official. This won't be the first time Slocum has been asked to serve in the role, as he temporarily stepped in as interim director of athletics in 2019 prior to Ross Bjork's arrival in Aggieland following the departure of former athletic director Scott Woodard to LSU.
"Coach Slocum has been a champion for Texas A&M on and off the field for more than 50 years," said Texas A&M President Mark A. Welsh III. "His passion for this university, knowledge of Aggie athletics and commitment to the success of our student-athletes are second to none, and I'm grateful for his willingness to once again step into this interim role."
The change will be effective on Feb. 1, according to the university.
For those familiar with Aggie athletics--particularly in the 90's and early 2000's--Slocum is a major figure in the more recent history of the A&M football team. In his 14 seasons as a coach, he never had a losing season, winning four conference championships, and is the winningest coach in Texas Aggie football history.
In 2012, Slocum was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach, and is even a member of the College Football Playoff selection committee and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.
"I am honored to be asked to serve as the interim athletics director at Texas A&M, a university very close to my heart," Slocum said. "I have great respect for president Welsh and will do my best to make him, Texas A&M, and most importantly, our coaches and student-athletes, proud."
According to the university, the search committee for the new director of athletics is expected to be announced soon.
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