Texas exposes Jim Schlossnagle, who then apologizes

AUSTIN, Texas — Jim Schlossnagle was introduced as Texas baseball coach Wednesday, a day after he stunned Texas A&M by leaving for their rivals as they returned from the Men’s College World Series in Omaha.

The quick solution marked the end of an insane battle. It started when Schlossnagle was defiant at his post-game news conference Monday night after a 6-5 loss in Game 3 of the championship series when asked about any interest in the Texas job. News had just broken that the Longhorns had parted ways with coach David Pierce.

“I took the job at Texas A&M never to take another job again, and that hasn’t changed in my mind,” Schlossnagle said. “That’s unfair to talk about something like that. … I gave up a big part of my life to take this job, and I poured all my soul into this job. And I gave this job every day.” an ounce I could possibly give it. So write that down.”

The exchange was replayed at length Tuesday after Schlossnagle traded his maroon color for burnt orange. On Wednesday, Schlossnagle said he wanted to apologize to the reporter, Richard Zane of TexAgs.com.

“He asked a question that was obvious,” Schlossnagle said. “I wish I could have answered that better. But at that moment, thirty minutes after the last ball, all I could think about was our players. And I really wasn’t in the mood to talk about myself for the future.”

Schlossnagle was introduced by athletic director Chris Del Conte, Schlossnagle’s old boss at TCU. Schlossnagle called their relationship the biggest differentiator in the Aggies’ and Longhorns’ jobs.

He thanked “my man CDC” in his remarks, calling them “friends for life,” and said he regretted that things moved so quickly after a season in which he led the Aggies to a record No. 1 ranking 53-15. tied for second-most wins in program history) and the school’s first appearance in the championship series. Coaches have rarely made the leap from one side of the rivalry to the other, and on this occasion the departure was particularly painful for the Aggies given the timing.

“I want to thank Texas A&M,” Schlossnagle said. “This was not clearly a transfer from one school to another. This is a great rivalry. And I couldn’t be more grateful and humbled by the support I got there from some great players, staff and administration… In some ways this was a very easy decision because of my relationship with Chris and my past and my belief in him and his wife, Robin. But it was obviously very difficult. There are many decisions in life that you cannot choose the timing. You can’t meet your team like you would like. And I’m sorry for that.”

Both Schlossnagle and Del Conte said their long-discussed friendship was in jeopardy as Schlossnagle attempted to win his first-ever national title in nine trips to the MCWS (one as an assistant, eight as head coach). He said he and Del Conte “talk all the time, but Texas had a baseball coach.”

Schlossnagle said Del Conte came to visit him after he returned from Omaha and that he made the decision to go.

“I put every ounce of myself into helping A&M have the very best baseball program we could have, and that investment lasted until the final pitch of the national championship game,” Schlossnagle said. ‘It never wavered, not for a second. I don’t care what anyone says.’

Del Conte, meanwhile, said he headed straight to College Station to meet Schlossnagle on Tuesday, hoping to reach him and “take the air out of the room” during a face-to-face meeting to convince him to make the jump. Del Conte said he hid for about four or five hours in a cemetery in Snook, Texas, about 20 minutes outside College Station, to avoid being spotted.

“With Jim, our eggs were in one basket,” Del Conte said. ‘I was counting on my relationship with him to reach a deal. I was really nervous, to tell you the truth. … When I was at the cemetery (and then on my way) to their house, it was just No matter how crazy it sounds. I played every scenario in my head.

“I drove to his house, had a long, long discussion, put him in the car and we drove away,” Del Conte said, adding that they came straight to Austin and finalized a contract Tuesday night around 7:45 p.m.

Schlossnagle called the experience “miserable” and said he understood the passion of the same fans he courted while at Texas A&M.

“We have jobs and try to run a business based on the passion of others,” Schlossnagle said. “If I had left Texas A&M for another school in another part of the country, the interesting texts and messages I got yesterday probably wouldn’t have happened. But I understand. You can’t ask your fan base to support you and be passionate like the 12th Man has always been. This year our crowd has been great — amazing — at every game, so you can’t ask for that, like I did and our staff, and then expect it from everyone I think It’s fine for a coach to leave for the rival school, I understand that.”

In 23 seasons as a coach at UNLV, TCU and Texas A&M, Schlossnagle has a career record of 945-451, with seven appearances in the MCWS. He has a 59-36 record in NCAA tournament games and was named Baseball America National Coach of the Year in 2016. He takes over the winningest program in college baseball history, with three different coaches who have each won two national championships in Bibb Falk. Cliff Gustafson and Augie Garrido, and six more second-place finishes at the MCWS, along with 80 conference championships out of 16 conference tournament championships.

Schlossnagle spoke of his admiration for Gustafson, whom he has never met, and Pierce, whom he considers a friend. But he was most moved by Garrido, who he said gave him advice about coaching in Texas.

“One thing he said to me one day is this: If you ever decide to come to Texas, this will never be your program,” Schlossnagle said. “I’ve never felt that before – TCU, UNLV, Texas A&M, whatever my program is… My program is Elon in North Carolina, and that’s my school. My job is to manage and oversee this program on this program and continue to grow this program to get to championship level on a daily basis.”

Texas will pay Texas A&M a $2.7 million buyout as part of the lease, which Schlossnagle characterized as “a specific buyout specifically for the University of Texas, because of my relationship with Chris.” Schlossnagle’s buyout amounted to $1.35 million for every other out-of-state job.

Now that he’s signed on to play in Austin instead of College Station, he’s adding fuel to the fire of a rivalry that doesn’t need any more fuel, especially now that Texas joined the SEC on July 1 and will once again team up with the Aggies as conference rivals.

“(The rivalry is) already great,” Schlossnagle said. “The midweek games we got to play this year? Awesome. The regionals? Phenomenal. I can’t even imagine what a three-game SEC series will be like.”