SEC Coaches Say Texas A&M Job Not Among Top 5

According to an anonymous poll of coaches, the Texas A&M job ranks outside the top five in SEC men’s basketball.

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Bucky McMillan gestures on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second half at the Petersen Events Center. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Historically, Texas A&M men’s basketball has not been among the elite programs. Between 1980 and 2006, the Aggies made just one March Madness appearance. However, the reputation picked up after Billy Gillespie and Mark Turgeon led the team to six straight appearances from 2006 to 2011.

In recent seasons, the Aggies have built a reputation that redeems their previous struggles. Texas A&M has made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances and is looking for a fourth in Bucky McMillan’s first season.

McMillan signed with the Aggies after Buzz Williams left for the Maryland Terrapins, but how coveted was the opening at Texas A&M? According to a recent poll of coaches, it is better than it used to be, but not yet among the top five in the SEC.

Texas A&M Job Short of Top 5 in SEC

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Bucky McMillan looks on during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Reed Arena. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

According to an anonymous poll of veteran SEC coaches by The Field of 68, Texas A&M ranks sixth in the conference by how desirable the position is. Jeff Goodman consulted both head coaches and assistants, and the Texas A&M job fell below theoretical openings in Kentucky, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Florida, in that order.

However, this is still an upgrade over the past. In 2018, Goodman conducted a similar study, in which Texas A&M finished seventh. The Aggies have since jumped LSU and Missouri — 10th and eighth, respectively, as of 2026 — while falling behind Texas, which joined the SEC in 2024.

With the advent of the NIL era, college athletics have changed. This is acknowledged by both Goodman and the polled coaches, and it is reflected in the rankings. Regarding Texas’s second-place ranking, one anonymous coach told Goodman, “Money. I know it’s not a basketball school, but they still have the money to go get dudes.”

The Aggies have had a similar reputation in the past — "not a basketball school" — and have had a top-five SEC recruiting class just twice in the last decade. However, recent postseason success and aggression in the transfer portal have somewhat changed that narrative.

Texas A&M Aggies forward Rashaun Agee (12) dunks against Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope (0) during the first half at Moody Center. | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

The Aggies have added several impact players in the transfer portal over the last five seasons, including Zhuric Phelps, Dexter Dennis, Andersson Garcia, Tyrece Radford, and Henry Coleman. After the team reshuffled following Williams’ departure for Maryland, Texas A&M added four of its five starters in the transfer portal.

Despite being one of the last head coaches hired in the cycle and being predicted to finish 13th in thepreseason SEC media poll, McMillan and the Aggies have competed with the biggest programs in the conference. Texas A&M is 51-22 in SEC play since the start of the 2022–23 season and has three top-four finishes in the SEC Tournament.

Against the top five teams in the poll, the Aggies have also competed favorably. Texas A&M is 2–2 against Kentucky, 2–2 against Texas, 2–3 against Tennessee, 3–3 against Arkansas and 3–2 against Florida.

Texas A&M and McMillan have punched above their weight this season, currently leading the SEC with a 17–4 (7–1) record. The Aggies aim to continue to be one of the top men’s basketball programs in the conference and maintain their March Madness streak.