Upon hearing the news, the Texas A&M Aggies were conflicted.
They’d just lost their head coach to the Texas Longhorns less than 24 hours after falling short in the College World Series Final to the Tennessee Volunteers, and with it, seemingly their momentum.
“I had an idea that it would be nuclear, but I didn’t know it would be apocalyptic,” Schlossnagle harshly suggested of the state of the Aggies following his departure. “But that just shows you the passion of The 12th Man, to be honest with you. … When something negative happens, or a change, then there’s going to be a reaction to that.”
Not soon after he left, however, Michael Earley emerged as a top candidate to replace Jim Schlossnagle in College Station. He interviewed for the position, got the job soon after and immediately, hope was restored. The ‘apocalypse’ was over.
Earley was a players’ coach, and fit the needs of an Aggie baseball program searching for consistency, so his hire made sense. What came after his hire, though?
A lack of sleep, for one. That, and a whole lot of preparation.
“It has been a lot,” Earley admitted in an interview with TexAgs. “but I have loved every second of it. I’m getting to know everyone in the community, and I have a ton of unread text messages to return. I’ve been getting to know my players, and we’ve been grinding all morning and all night until we get this thing done.”
As quickly as his hire became official, Earley became a celebrity among Texas A&M’s fanbase. He earned the unwavering support of the Aggies’ former players who made it to Omaha with him on staff back in 2022, a few transfer portal withdrawals, and a warm welcome from university executives.
For the first-year head coach, it was a dream.
“That 2022 team, I love them to death,” he explained. “I would do anything for them way more than just baseball. Things like that are why I do this job.”
“I’m living a dream,” he added of becoming the Aggies’ 21st baseball head coach. “It’s a lot of a dream right now, but I’m enjoying every second. I haven’t gotten stressed once. No anxiety. I’m tying up loose ends and doing my job.
“I know exactly what I signed up for, and I promise you, I am built for it.”
Jun 23, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies catcher Hank Bard (48) and outfielder Braden Montgomery (6) before game 2 of the College Baseball World Series against the Tennessee Volunteers at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
While the Aggies now gear up for another run at the College World Series, they’ll have to find a way to keep their momentum throughout the season. With a first-year coach, that could prove to be difficult, but the culture that the players created — and leaned on amid Schlossnagle’s departure — will allow them to find a sense of familiarity, especially with Earley knowing the Aggies.
“I have been a part of this program and have seen what it takes to be successful,” the coach said. “Texas A&M baseball has never been in a better spot. The momentum we have, I want to keep that going. I have had a front-row seat.”
A front-row seat to what, exactly? Well, another season of college baseball. Of contention.
From Earley’s vantage point, the Aggies are in a good spot. He’s happy, the players are happy with him and all seems to be shaping up much better than originally expected when they were dealt a big blow to their program.
“The player support publicly means everything to me,” Earley said. “They know that I love them. I care about them way more than the baseball. I am so invested in the relationships. I’m not their friend, but I’m friends with them when they’re done. I was never going to pry and push my way in, but the players opened the door for me. I ran through it.”
Now, Earley is looking to continue that sprint into the offseason. He’ll continue building his staff that already features Washington’s Jason Kelly and soon-to-be assistant Caleb Longley, and he’ll work the transfer portal to either retain players or land new ones.
And when the season starts, he and Texas A&M will be ready. They’ll have Schlossnagle in their rearview, Omaha in their eye, and winning on their mind.
“I probably never will get over (losing to Tennessee,” Earley said. “In (Texas A&M) reaching out, I told them everything about where my vision for this program and team are headed, and I think they loved that. … Everything will be great. I’m super excited. I cannot tell you how excited I am just to do this.
“It’s going to be sweet.”
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