Kevin Sumlin and Texas A&M agreed to a new contract recently, and the terms of the deal will make it extremely expensive for another program to poach him.
The Texas A&M Board of Regents on Thursday unanimously approved the extension for Sumlin. The contract calls for him to be paid $5 million annually through 2019. The interesting part about the contract — aside from the pay that will put him in the realm of Nick Saban and Mack Brown in terms of average annual value — is the buyout clause.
If Sumlin wants to leave in the next three years, his buyout will be $5 million. However, there is no buyout after 2016.
The huge buyout doesn’t preclude Sumlin from leaving A&M in the next few years, but it would make such a move very costly and therefore unlikely. At a time when he is one of the hottest coaching names in the business — he was believed to be at the top of USC’s wishlist and even a potential candidate for the Houston Texans — the Aggies made a huge move to ensure he stays with the program.
They may be losing Johnny Manziel, but at least they should be keeping their coach, which will be key as Kyle Field undergoes renovations and the program raises expectations.
