Scott Woodward Hired as Texas A&M Athletic Director

Scott Woodward was the athletic director for the University of Washington from 2008-15, but he will assume the role for Texas A&M, the school announced.

Chip Brown of Scout.com first reported the move on Wednesday, and Olin Buchanan of TexAgs.com confirmed it.

According to SportsDayDFW.com, Woodward will take over for Eric Hyman. Hyman announced that he was stepping down from the position Tuesday.

The SportsDayDFW.com report also pointed out “the move to grab Woodward shouldn’t come as a huge shock. ... Texas A&M president Michael K. Young took office on May 1 after serving as Washington's president for four years. A&M announced that Young would ‘be directly involved’ in the hire of the new athletic director."

The connection between Young and Woodward is clear, and if the reports turn out to be true, the new athletic director will now join a department that watched its football team finish a mediocre 8-5 with a Music City Bowl loss to Louisville. Perhaps more importantly for the future, quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray both transferred near the end of the disappointing campaign.    

Woodward made his mark felt on Washington football when he fired head coach Tyrone Willingham after an 0-12 season in 2008 and hired Steve Sarkisian.

Sarkisian led the team to four straight bowl appearances but eventually took the USC job, which prompted Woodward to hire Chris Petersen from Boise State.

Buchanan pointed out Woodward also “led a drive for a $285 million renovation of Husky Stadium” during his tenure and that Washington “was ranked second in the Pac-12 in athlete graduation rates” under the athletic director last year.