What Jim Schlossnagle Said About Heated Expectations vs. Texas A&M

“I took the job at Texas A&M to never take a job again.”

Just one day after his proclamation following the Aggies loss in the College World Series, Jim Schlossnagle became one of the most hated men in all of College Station, accepting the head coaching job at the university just 107 miles west.

It naturally came as a shock to many to see a head coach dart over to a school’s primary rival, as Schlossnagle did with the move from Texas A&M to Texas.

While it's been almost two years, the undying passion of the 12th Man has not wavered for a single moment — and now, the Aggies will get a chance to welcome their former head coach at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park for the first time this weekend.

Schlossnagle knows the kind of vitriol he’ll receive once he’s in the opposing team's dugout, now in the most hated colors in Aggieland — burnt orange.

“I can't control the fans. The 12th man is awesome. I've said that ever since I had a chance to experience it,” Schlossnalge said. “They're awesome. They're passionate for their team, and they're super consistent, very, very loyal, and I don't expect anything less than that over the course of the weekend.”

It’s Just a Baseball Game For The Longhorns

A&M Schlossnagl — Jun 8, 2024; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle looks on from the dugout prior to the game against the Oregon at Olsen Field, Blue Bell Park Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Similar to last season, while it was still fresh on the minds of the fans, the Longhorns players made sure not to feed too much into the outside circumstances of this already passionate rivalry.

But the dynamics of this year’s series, playing the game on the road, have not changed the mindset, even for the new guys who weren’t here to experience the atmosphere.

“It's just outside the game at the end of the day,” catcher Carson Tinney said. “He's exceptional at what he does, and we play the game for him. We're not playing this series for him. We're not doing anything other than playing our game.”

The Longhorns and Schlossnagle were able to skip a date with the Aggies in College Station last season, playing the series at “The Disch.” Despite Texas A&M's down year, it was a close series with all three games decided by just a single run.

This iteration of the Aggies is a far scarier team, and with the 12th man behind them, along with a few remaining players from Schlossnagle’s time —- somehow there is never enough fuel for the fire.

It’s going to be an environment unlike any other, especially for younger players getting their introduction to the Lone Star Showdown.

“We've just talked about kind of expecting the expected, you're going to face a lot of adversity, and you're going to face the adrenaline and your emotions are going to be high,” pitcher Luke Harrison said. “We know that we just stay within yourself and play your game, it really doesn't matter too much — It's just baseball.”

To add to the pageantry of the series, it also falls on Aggie Ring Day and Chilifest, two of the biggest events for students and families at Texas A&M.

Texas has already dealt with these tough atmospheres for the past two years. Against Auburn, Texas played in front of record-setting crowds at Plainsman Park, and Schlossnagle noted that during the series, beer was dumped on them.

“They're certainly going to be put to the test,” Schlossnagle said. “This will be, this will be the loudest place we play, at least in the regular season all year, for sure, and so it is a great opportunity for us, and it's a great opportunity for their team as well.”

In this age-old rivalry of the two biggest brands in the state, somehow, the lore of the Lone Star Showdown never seems to run out of pages — this weekend will be another eventful chapter in its history.

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