Kevin Sumlin to Texas A&M: Will His Houston Offense Hold Up in the SEC?

Texas A&M snagged one of the hottest college football coaching candidates to fill the vacancy left by Mike Sherman. The Aggies reeled in Houston’s Kevin Sumlin to be the team’s next head coach.

Over the past few weeks, Sumlin received overtures from a few different schools, including UCLA and Arizona State, but ultimately he wound up staying in the state of Texas and taking on the challenge of leading the Aggies as they prepare for their move to the SEC next season.

Sumlin really made a name for himself this year. He led the Cougars as they rocketed up the rankings and ended up at No. 6 in the country, just before a disastrous loss to Southern Miss in the Conference-USA championship game killed their BCS bowl dreams.

Still, the type of offense that we saw at Houston this year has to get A&M fans excited, as the Cougars ranked first in the country in both scoring offense and total offense, averaging 51 points and 599 yards per game in 2011.

It remains to be seen, though, if Sumlin’s pass-heavy offensive system will work against the tough and talented defenses that are found in the SEC.

Obviously, adaptations will have to be made to fit into the style of the new conference, but Sumlin—who had offensive coordinator duties at A&M back in 2001 and 2002, as well as Oklahoma back in 2006 and 2007—is a heady coach who should be able to make the proper adjustments.

It won’t be an easy transition season for Sumlin or his team in 2012, though. The Aggies are set to lose three key offensive pieces—QB Ryan Tannehill, RB Cyrus Gray and WR Jeff Fuller.

The cupboard isn’t entirely bare, however: Sumlin’s predecessor Mike Sherman was able to recruit well and stock up on talent over the last few years. One of the most interesting developments to watch this offseason will be who ultimately ends up taking over for Ryan Tannehill at quarterback. Freshman Jameill Showers is talented and has a ton of potential, but he only threw five passes this season.

Current Aggie commit Matt Davis, one of the top quarterback prospects of the 2012 recruiting class, also should have a shot at the job if Sumlin can convince him to still come to College Station.

Davis is perfectly built to succeed in Sumlin’s offense, and he has the type of talent to make a big impact early on in his career.

All in all, Sumlin’s going to have some key decisions to make right from the get go, and he’s definitely going to have his fair share of challenges to overcome early on.

Texas A&M’s move to the SEC is going to be one of the most intriguing storylines of the 2012 season, and it’s the type of transition that certainly won’t be easy.

We’ll see if Sumlin’s offense can hold up against top-notch competition, but don't be surprised if it takes at least a little while for the Aggies to get their feet under them next season.