A day after providing his head football coach with a public vote of confidence, Texas A&M University athletic director Eric Hyman announced he would step down.
In a statement posted to the school's official athletics website, Hyman did not provide a specific timeline for when he would leave his office and will stay on until his replacement is named. TAMU President Michael K. Young will be "directly involved" in the hiring.
"I appreciate my time here at Texas A&M University and I am proud of our student-athletes' achievements both on the field and in the classroom," Hyman said in the release. "The best part of an AD's job is forming wonderful relationships with student-athletes, colleagues, former students and Texas A&M has been no exception. I will always value my time here and the friendships I have made with Aggies. I wish Texas A&M University nothing but continued success."
It is unclear what this means for Kevin Sumlin, TAMU's head football coach, who has recently watched two quarterbacks and his offensive coordinator leave College Station. Citing unnamed sources, NFL Media's Michael Silver reported Sumlin is "trying hard" to land a coaching job in the NFL.
Two college coaches who, sources say, are trying hard to get to the NFL: UCLA's Jim Mora and Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin...
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) January 3, 2016
Hyman told SportsDay on Monday that he was behind Sumlin and profusely defended him when faced with questions about the football team's recent troubles.
All things considered, Texas A&M is 36-16 in four seasons since moving from the Big 12 to the SEC, a transition Hyman was brought in to oversee. Hyman also oversaw the school's $485 million renovation of Kyle Field, which included significant facility and capacity upgrades, USA Today reported.
"I want to thank Eric for the service he has provided Texas A&M during his time as athletic director," Young said in the release. "He has shown a high level of integrity and professionalism in his role as AD and improved both our student-athlete academic and athletic performance through facility improvements, nutritional enhancement through the RC Slocum Nutritional center and preparation for life after college through upgrading the Life Skills program. His relationships and insights within the Southeastern Conference have been extraordinarily helpful to Texas A&M Athletics along with his five-year strategic plan. I fully expect Eric to make a positive impact in whatever endeavor he pursues next."
