By ROBERT CESSNATexas A&M head football coach Mike Sherman completed his coaching staff Saturday with three additions headlined by former All-American Dat Nguyen returning to Aggieland as inside linebackers coach.
Former A&M offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe, who was fired after three seasons as Louisville's head coach, was hired as wide receivers coach. Sherman's other addition is The Citadel's Nick Toth, who will coach outside linebackers.
Sherman officially had only one opening on his staff after offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Nolan Cromwell was hired by the NFL's St. Louis Rams on Wednesday. However, an A&M official confirmed that defensive backs coach Van Malone is no longer on the staff. The Tulsa World reported earlier in the week that Malone had been hired as Tulsa's safeties coach. A source close to the A&M program said that tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Kirk Doll will be leaving.
Sherman is expected to be his own offensive coordinator, which he hinted to when Cromwell left.
"It is not easy being an offensive coordinator under an offensive head coach," Sherman said.
It also seemed a no-brainer for Sherman to hire Nguyen, an Aggie icon. Nguyen recently ended a three-year stint as an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys, who drafted him in 1999. Nguyen said he wanted to do more coaching and would prefer to return to the college ranks.
"The fact that Dat was a great player for the Texas Aggies and the Dallas Cowboys had considerably less to do with his hiring," Sherman said. "It was the fact that he thoroughly impressed me in two separate interviews, one in Dallas on Wednesday of last week and one in College Station on Thursday. His intelligence, knowledge and passion for the game are what impressed me most."
The personable Kragthorpe was A&M's offensive coordinator from 1998-2000. He also worked with the wide receivers in 1997-98 before coaching the quarterbacks in 1999-2000. He reportedly received a $2.2 million buyout at Louisville.
"In my research of different coaches once learning of Nolan Cromwell's imminent departure, I could find few potential candidates who offered what Steve did -- strong affection and appreciation for his time at Texas A&M, as well as a high degree of knowledge and experience in coaching offensive football in the current climate of college football."
Newly hired defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter, who replaced the retired Joe Kines, had a hand in the defensive hires. A&M, which will run a 3-4 defensive alignment, opted to divide the linebacker coaching duties. Toth was The Citadel's defensive backs and special teams coach in 2009.
"He has a history with Coach DeRuyter in the 3-4 scheme, both as a player and as a coach," Sherman said. "His understanding of all the nuances of the outside linebacker position, and how it is to be taught put him over the top and this should facilitate the players in the learning process."
Sherman changed five of his assistants. Defensive line coach Terrell Williams replaced Buddy Wyatt, who went to Kansas.
The coaches who remain for Sherman, who is entering his third season, are Randy Jordan (running backs), Charles McMillian (defensive backs), Tom Rossley (senior assistant/quarterbacks) and Jim Turner (offensive line).
The contracts for the assistants still have to be approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.
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