Texas A&M baseball is looking to possibly make a change at their top position before long. With the disappointing end to the season that the baseball team had, their uneven play throughout the year, and recent comments by the AD forecasting some cloudy skies ahead for Michael Earley, many are all but assured that the Aggies will be moving on from their first-year head man.
The question on everyone's mind, then, is who could replace Earley as the head man in Aggieland. We've tossed out a few names that could be the choice when all is said and done— some luminaries that would definitely qualify as "big swings," and no-doubt upgrades over the first-year Earley.
However, there's one name we have not yet mentioned— for good reason. This would be the longest of long shots, but with economic factors reportedly not a concern for the Aggies, they may go back to the well once more. Dream with me for a moment: what if Texas A&M were able to land Tony Vitello this time?
Texas A&M baseball can and should make run at Tennessee HC Tony Vitello to catapult program to new heights
I promise, I'm not just naming a huge name just to do so. Immediately in the wake of Schlossnagle leaving A&M for Texas, the Aggies were left reeling, and they reportedly made a serious run at Vitello— one that was seriously considered.
“You’re either a Vol or not through thick and thin.”
— Vol Report (@AllVolReport) June 30, 2024
It got reported today that Tony Vitello turned down the Texas A&M job despite being offered a ton of $$$ pic.twitter.com/Xts4MRb8Xd
You could look at this and say, well, he turned them down once— why wouldn't he do so a second time? That's a sensible question, and the sentiment has merit.
But let me offer a different perspective: if the Vols don't win a national championship this year— the odds of which are far lower than they were last year, relatively speaking— this is a much better time for Vitello to make the jump than it would have been directly after winning the championship in 2024. It sounds like, to some, getting to the CWS final and jumping ship is not considered a classy move.
Let me be clear, here: this is the longest of long shots, and I wouldn't put great odds on this manifesting. What I am saying is that the Aggies should circle back on this one, and be willing to make him the highest-paid coach in the sport.
Think of how much energy this would inject right back into the program. It doesn't hurt that Vitello has all but owned Schlossnagle whenever he has met him on the field, either.
Again, this is far from likely. But in the situation that the Aggies are in right now, it's an option that they have to do their best to pursue.