Texas Football: Three Things to Know About New Texas Defensive Line Coach Mark Hagen
He has Texas ties
Though he has spent most of his life either playing or coaching in the Hoosier state, Texas' new defensive line coach has proven in the past he can both play and recruit in the state of Texas.
Hagen was at Texas A&M from 2013-15, during which time the Aggies pulled in two national top 10 recruiting classes.
“I’ve been able to recruit the state of Texas, and there’s no greater state for recruiting than Texas high school football,” Hagen said. “You learn really quickly the tradition and pageantry and just the love of the game as you go around the state, so I can’t wait to reconnect with those prior relationships. Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program and is going to be very important for Texas Football to continue on the path it’s on, and continue on that for years to come. I’m really excited about getting back there, working with the staff and diving into spring practice.”
He has coached a variety of positions
In his 28 years of coaching Hagen has worked with several different position groups. He was Indiana's special teams coordinator from 2011-12 and served as the team's recruiting coordinator as well in 2012. He coached linebackers for two years at Texas A&M and the defensive line in his final season there. He even served as the Aggies' interim defensive coordinator for the 2014 Liberty Bowl.
He has ties to the current staff
Not only did Hagen develop a working relationship with defensive coordinator Chris Ash as the two faced off against each other in the Big 10, but he also worked on the same staff with tight ends and special teams coach Jay Boulware at Northern Illinois.
"He (Boulware) was always talking about how great of a place Austin was and how proud he was to be a UT alum," Hagen said. "I know he’s really excited about being back there, so I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with him.”
