Noel Mazzone Makes Shocking Move from UCLA OC to Texas A&M

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

Some offseason coaching moves make sense and can be easily explained away, the other 50 percent of moves are head scratchers leaving fan bases wondering what said coach was thinking. News of one of the head scratchers broke on Thursday when Noel Mazzone reportedly accepted an offer to become the new offensive coordinator at Texas A&M.

On the surface, the move from UCLA to Texas A&M is easily explained away; less taxes, better perceived college football conference, and a three-year deal. The trouble is Mazzone may only get one year’s worth of work in on that reported three-year deal with all of the troubles in College Station centered on head coach Kevin Sumlin.

Sumlin has lost three starting quarterbacks over the past two seasons due to transfer; Kenny Hill at the end of the 2014 season to TCU, Kyle Allen to Houston and Kyler Murray to Oklahoma both at the end of the 2015 season. Just two days ago Sumlin and former offensive coordinator Jake Spavital mutually “parted ways” raising more red flags.

Another big red flag that could have Sumlin’s days numbered is the change at the athletic director position. Right after Spavital left his post with the Aggies, Eric Hyman announced he was stepping down after three years on the job. Scott Woodward left his post at University of Washington to take over the AD role in College Station.

When a new athletic director comes in, changes are soon to follow. The new AD seemingly always wants to get his hire in and live or die off those decisions with in the department.

Sumlin took over the Aggies program for the 2012 season winning 11 games and produced a Heisman Trophy Award winner in quarterback Johnny Manziel, perhaps the worst thing Sumlin could have done for himself. The immediate success brings big expectations. After winning 11, the Aggies have slowly trended in the wrong direction with nine wins in 2013, eight in 2014, and eight again in 2015. Warning signs have Sumlin on a make or break season in 2016.

As for Mazzone, UCLA is in the process of a transformation under head coach Jim Mora and, until Thursday, Mazzone. The Bruins won six games in 2011 then hired Mora seeing an immediate change in the win-loss column. UCLA won nine games in 2012, and then posted back-to-back 10-win seasons with Brett Hundley leading the way at quarterback. Mazzone started true freshman Josh Rosen under center in 2015 with the team falling slightly below expectations going 8-5, 5-4.

A lot of the losses can be explained away due to injury but the future looks really bright in Westwood. From a pure pocket passing standpoint, Rosen exceeded all expectations passing for 3,670 yards with 23 touchdowns against 11 interceptions finishing fourth in passing in the Pac-12 against some of the more prolific throwing quarterbacks in FBS. Rosen is not the runner Hundley was in college, but with Paul Perkins rushing for 1,343 yards, why expose Rosen to heavy hits?

For a fourth time five seasons, the Aggies will have a new offensive coordinator in place starting from scratch all over again. For the fourth time in four seasons, the Aggies will have a new starting quarterback in the huddle when the 2016 schedule kicks off. The likely new starter for A&M is sophomore Jake Hubenak. Hubenak had a prolific high school career winning Class 4A Player of the Year honors in 2012 out of Georgetown High School (Georgetown, TX). The 6’3”, 195 pound, gunslinger was a walk-on at Oklahoma State in 2013 and then transferred to Blinn Junior College leading the NJCAA with over 4,000 yards passing.

The Aggies do not have a quarterback committed to the 2016 recruiting class but might receive depth help with incoming transfer Trevor Knight from Oklahoma.

Mazzone’s move makes some sense if he is wanting to prove his worth as an offensive coordinator in a tough conference should he have hopes of taking over his own program one day. But, on the surface leaving a program on solid ground in the Pac-12 in UCLA with a quarterback who could be a Heisman Trophy contender at any point over the next three years with Josh Rosen knowing that Sumlin is in a precarious position in College Station leaves this move as a head scratcher.

If Sumlin can keep everything in place through the 2018 season, the staff he has with John Chavis as his defensive coordinator and Mazzone as his offensive coordinator is as solid as any staff out there… but that is a big if.

Photo credit: gojoebruin.com; Noel Mazzone on the UCLA sidelines.