Kevin Sumlin hired by Maryland as co-offensive coordinator

Kevin Sumlin is back in American football.

Sumlin, a former head coach at Texas A&M, Arizona, and Houston, was promoted to assistant coach at Maryland. Sumlin will be the assistant coach, joint offensive coordinator and tight ends coach on Mike Loxley’s team. This is his first college football job since he was fired from Arizona after the 2020 season.

“Kevin brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our staff and I am thrilled to have him join our program,” Loxley said. “I have been in a relationship with Kevin for over 25 years. He has an amazing football mind as well as a proven track record of player development and winning at the highest level. I am delighted to welcome him and his family to College Park.”

Sumlin, 58, worked as a college assistant for nearly 20 years before taking over as Houston’s head coach in 2008. previously worked as an assistant for two years.

At A&M, Sumlin oversaw the program’s transition to the SEC and went 11–2 in his first season. During that season, the Aggies beat No. 1 Alabama at Tuscaloosa and Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl when quarterback Johnny Manzel burst onto the scene and won the Heisman Trophy. That season, A&M was ranked 5th in the AP Poll. However, Aggie was never able to match the success of Sumlin’s first season.

In 2013, A&M went 9–4 and then lost five games in each of Sumlin’s last four seasons with the program. He had a 51–26 (25–23 SEC) record in A&M but was fired after the 2017 season.

After his time at College Station came to an end, Sumlin got a job as head coach in Arizona. It didn’t go well. The Wildcats went 5–7 in his first season, 4–8 in his second season before losing in a shortened 2020 campaign. That season ended in an ugly 70-0 loss to Arizona State. Shortly thereafter, Sumlin, who has a 95-63 record as a head coach, was fired.

Since then, Sumlin has not participated in college football, although he returned to coaching in 2022 as head coach and general manager of the USFL’s Houston Gamblers. Now he is working with the college program again.

Maryland is 8-5 in 2022. The Turps have steadily improved in Locksley’s four years in charge and have an overall record of 15-11 (7-11 Big Ten) over the past two seasons with two cup victories.