We’ve often accused the areas around Kyle Field as being over-statued, but Texas A&M is adding one more that is very much deserved. At 2 p.m. on Sept. 4 (the day before the Aggies’ season-opener), a statue of longtime A&M head coach R.C. Slocum will be unveiled in the north plaza outside of Kyle Field. This news began circulating on social media this week and has been confirmed with sources close to the situation.
The statue was reportedly sculpted by Steven Whyte, who also scupled the statue of John David Crow unveiled outside Kyle Field in 2010.
Slocum spent 30 years coaching at Texas A&M, starting in 1972 as an assistant under Emory Bellard, being promoted to Defensive Coordinator under Tom Wilson (and again under Jackie Sherrill) before finally taking the reins as the head coach in 1989.
In his 14 seasons leading the Aggies, they had a 123–47–2 record, losing only 12 home games in that span. That run also included five 10-win seasons, four conference titles (three SWC, one Big 12) and ten ranked finishes. Slocum is both the longest-tenured and winningest coach in A&M history. He has also twice served as A&M’s interim athletic director (in 2019 and 2024), and is a member of the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.
There are tons of statues around Kyle Field recognizing various traditions, including the War Hymn Monument and statues honoring the Yell Leaders, Reveille, the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, the Corps of Cadets and the A&M Core Values. But Slocum will be the only coach honored with a statue, and joins just two former players with statues in Aggieland (original 12th Man E. King Gill and Heisman Trophy Winner John David Crow.
An extremely well-deserved honor for one of Aggieland’s greatest ambassadors.
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