The latest domino has fallen in the ongoing drama between the Texas and Texas A&M baseball programs.
Only two years ago, the Longhorns and Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte poached the Aggies' head coach Jim Schlossnagle out from under their noses. Since then, the back and forth between the two teams has been nearly impossible to keep up with.
Over the weekend, it was announced that Nolan Cain would be leaving the Texas Longhorns to return to the Texas A&M Aggies, initially following Schlossnagle to the 40 Acres from College Station in 2024.
Cain, who was an integral piece of the Horns' 90-29 overall record and appearance in the 2026 College World Series over the last two years, joined Schlossnagle in Austin just days after he was announced as Texas's head coach.
Fellow former Texas A&M assistant Michael Earley did the same, but Earley decided to return to the Aggies just days later, after receiving an offer to become the next head coach at Texas A&M.
Not to mention, the ongoing back-and-forth between the two teams has also involved players jumping from one program to the other, and the in-conference rivalry that was renewed when Texas joined the SEC in 2024.
Texas-Texas A&M baseball drama continues with another coaching move
Now, Cain is headed back to his old stomping grounds, reportedly taking a similar role with the Aggies as he held under Schlossnagle for the Horns, having helped coach up the Texas batting order over the last two seasons.
Before coming to Texas with Schlossnagle, Cain spent three years with the Aggies after starting his coaching career with eight years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for his alma mater, the LSU Tigers.
No matter the sport, the Lone Star Showdown is one of the top rivalries in all of college athletics, if not in the entirety of sports across the globe. When Del Conte hired Schlossnagle away from the Aggies in 2024, that rivalry was increased to the nth degree for the two baseball teams.
Since Schlossnagle took over in Austin, the Horns have gone 3-2 against the Aggies, not exactly the dominant head-to-head that Texas fans had hoped for. However, the Longhorns made it to the College World Series this season, and the Aggies were eliminated in their home Regional.
So, while the direct matchup against their rivals hasn't been up to snuff for the Horns, the overall results have been nearly picture-perfect for Schlossnagle (actually winning the CWS would be the cherry on top).
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This season, Texas dropped both games on the road to Texas A&M, and the third game of the regular-season series was canceled due to inclement weather.
Next year, Schlossnagle and the Longhorns will host the Aggies as one of their annual opponents, on the 40 Acres, in a chance to get back on track against their rivals, even with their former assistant coach standing in the other dugout.
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