Texas A&M hires Mazzone as offensive coordinator

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) Texas A&M hired Noel Mazzone as offensive coordinator Friday.

The Aggies said the contract is pending approval by university President Michael K. Young and the Texas A&M system board of regents.

''I have known Noel for many years and he is a great addition to our coaching staff,'' Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said in a statement. ''His experience is outstanding and he will do an excellent job of coordinating our offense.''

The 58-year-old Mazzone spent the past four seasons as UCLA's offensive coordinator after two seasons at Arizona State. He was recently hospitalized for a blood clot in his lung and worked UCLA's Foster Farms Bowl loss to Nebraska from the press box instead of his usual spot on the field.

''I am excited about the opportunity to work with Coach Sumlin and the Aggie football team,'' Mazzone said in a statement. ''I am ready to get started.''

Mazzone replaced Jake Spavital at Texas A&M.

The Aggies have lost their top two quarterbacks since the end of the regular season, with sophomore Kyle Allen and freshman Kyler Murray both transferring. Allen has transferred to Houston, and Murray is going to Oklahoma. Spavital spent three seasons at Texas A&M, going there as co-offensive coordinator and quarterback coach after Kliff Kingsbury left Sumlin's staff to become head coach at Texas Tech.

Mazzone was the New York Jets' wide receivers coach from 2006-08 and spent the 2009 season as a personnel consultant for the franchise.

Mazzone also has coached at Mississippi, Auburn, North Carolina State, Oregon State, Minnesota, TCU and Colorado State and was a graduate assistant as his alma mater of New Mexico. He played quarterback for New Mexico and led the Lobos in passing in 1976 and 1977.