Texas A&M Football: Kevin Sumlin Hits a Home Run with DL Coach Hire

Texas A&M football coach Kevin Sumlin wasted little time in replacing departed defensive line coach Terrell Williams. Sumlin tapped Texas Tech defensive line coach Terry Price to become the Aggies' new DL coach. 

Price is no stranger to Aggieland, having starred on the defensive line for A&M in the late 80s. Price was an honorable mention All-American for the Aggies in 1989 and a 10th-round draft pick by the Chicago Bears in 1990. He spent two years in the NFL with the Bears and Dolphins before going into coaching.

Price brings a wealth of experience in the SEC to the Aggies' staff after spending the past 17 seasons coaching in the conference. Price's stint in the SEC started in 1995 when he was hired by Tommy Tuberville to coach the defensive ends at Ole Miss.

Price followed Tuberville to Auburn in 1999 and coached the defensive line there until 2008. In 2009, he went back to Ole Miss to coach the defensive line under Houston Nutt. When Nutt was fired this offseason, Price was hired by Tuberville to coach the defensive line at Texas Tech. He was in Lubbock for a little less than two months before Sumlin came calling.

This is a great hire on many levels. Price played at A&M when the "Wrecking Crew" defensive tradition was started under Jackie Sherrill and R.C. Slocum, so he knows what it is like to be a player at A&M and in the NFL. 

Plus, Price has as much knowledge of the SEC as any coach in the country. He should be able to help Sumlin and the rest of the staff adjust to the new league.

He is a solid recruiter and coach, having brought standouts such as Cadillac Williams and Karlos Dansby to Auburn. Price has also coached multiple NFL players on the defensive line; at Auburn, he helped the Tigers finish in the top 10 in the nation in scoring defense on multiple occasions.

Price is originally from Atlanta, and has a myriad of recruiting contacts in Georgia and Florida. Williams recruited Florida well while at Purdue and at A&M. Price can step right in and fill that void.

With the Aggies hosting some of the top junior recruits in the country for a junior day this weekend, it was critical that Sumlin quickly address this need.

He went out and found a great defensive line coach who happens to be an Aggie and also has extensive coaching experience in the Aggies' new conference. Sumlin also did it in time to get the new coach on campus to help out during a big recruiting weekend.

Price is a great hire that should pay dividends for years to come.