After six seasons, Texas A&M has fired head coach Kevin Sumlin. Sumlin's career in College Station featured highs of a No. 5 final ranking in his first season and a Heisman Trophy winner in Johnny Manziel. It also featured low moments on the field where the Aggies lost four or more games every season after 2012.
Here's a look at Sumlin's tenure in Aggieland:
Dec. 10, 2011: Texas A&M hires Sumlin from Houston, where he went 35-17, including 12-1 in his final season. His contract spans five years and pays him $2 million annually
July 1, 2012: Texas A&M officially joins the Southeastern Conference.
Aug. 16, 2012: Sumlin names redshirt freshman Johnny Manziel as the Aggies' starting quarterback for their season opener.
Sept. 6, 2012: Aggies coaches debut the Swagcopter. Sumlin rides in a helicopter to Sealy, Texas, to recruit wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones. Early on, Sumlin and A&M became a hot team for recruits. Sumlin's first three classes ranked 15, 8 and 4 in the ESPN class rankings.
Sept. 8, 2012: After the season-opener against Louisiana Tech is postponed due to Hurricane Isaac, the Aggies fall 20-17 to No. 24 Florida in Sumlin's first game as Texas A&M's head coach.
Nov. 10, 2012: Texas A&M upsets No. 1 Alabama 29-24. Manziel puts on a magical performance, and the Aggies' offense races to a 20-0 lead before hanging on to the victory late.
Dec. 12, 2012: Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who came to A&M with Sumlin from Houston, leaves for the head coaching job at Texas Tech, his alma mater. A month later, Sumlin promotes running backs coach Clarence McKinney to offensive coordinator.
Jan. 4, 2013: The Aggies blow out Oklahoma 41-13 in the Cotton Bowl. They finish 11-2 on the season and No. 5 in the national rankings, the highest such finish for the program since 1956.
Jan. 19, 2013: Texas A&M announces a contract extension and raise for Sumlin. He gets an extra year and his salary goes up to $3.1 million annually.
Aug. 4, 2013: After an eventful summer, and on the eve of preseason training camp, news breaks that Manziel is under NCAA investigation for profiting from autographs. The next day, Sumlin says he found out about the investigation when the news broke, and that Manziel will continue to get first-team practice reps until there's a reason he shouldn't.
Aug. 28, 2013: The investigation only reveals an "inadvertent violation" of rules and A&M and the NCAA agree to suspend Manziel for the first half of the Aggies' season opener against Rice.
Sept. 14, 2013: In a rematch of their memorable 2012 game, Alabama and Texas A&M slug it out before a standing-room-only crowd at Kyle Field, a game that Alabama wins 49-42.
Oct. 18, 2013: Sumlin lands a commitment from Arlington (Texas) Martin High defensive end Myles Garrett, a five-star prospect who is ranked as the No. 4 overall player in the ESPN 300. Garrett is the highest-ranked prospect Sumlin lands in his time at Texas A&M.
Nov. 30, 2013: Hours before the Aggies play Missouri in their regular-season finale, Texas A&M announces a second contract extension for Sumlin. The extension makes the entirety of his deal run for six years (through the 2019 season) and will pay him $30 million. It includes a large buyout for Sumlin if he leaves prior to the end of the 2016 season, an important clause because of reported interest Sumlin received from USC and NFL teams, and the school owes him the remainder of the contract within 60 days if it fires him without cause.
Dec. 19, 2013: Sumlin makes a change at offensive coordinator, promoting quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital -- who was hired after Kingsbury left -- in place of McKinney, who returns to running backs coach duties.
Dec. 31, 2013: In Manziel's final game, the Aggies come back from a 38-17 halftime deficit to beat Duke 52-48 in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. It caps Sumlin's second season at 9-4 and his two-year start in Aggieland at 20-6. In January, Manziel declares for the NFL draft.
Feb. 5, 2014: Headlined by Garrett, Sumlin signs a 22-member recruiting class that ranks as the fourth-best class in the nation. Five-star prospect Speedy Noil and Kyle Allen, the No. 1-ranked pocket passer in the country, are also headliners in the class.
Aug. 28, 2014: Behind new starting quarterback Kenny Hill, Texas A&M blows out South Carolina, then the No. 9 team in the country, 52-28. Sumlin, confident in the postgame press conference says, in passing reference to Manziel's departure: "What we did tonight kind of shows that we're not a one-trick pony. We're not anywhere near where we want to be, but we're not going anywhere any time soon." The Aggies go on to start the season 5-0 and reach No. 6 in the polls.
Oct. 18, 2014: Alabama dominates Texas A&M, 59-0, giving the Aggies their third straight loss since the 5-0 start. The Aggies' listless performance raises questions about the state of the program under Sumlin, despite his early success in Aggieland.
Nov. 1, 2014: Hill, once a Heisman candidate, is benched and suspended for two games and Allen gets his first start at quarterback, a 21-16 win over Louisiana-Monroe.
Nov. 8, 2014: Two weeks after the debacle in Tuscaloosa, the Aggies bounce back with an upset of then-No. 3 Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Nov. 28, 2014: The day after a regular season-ending loss to LSU that leaves the Aggies at 7-5, Sumlin fires defensive coordinator Mark Snyder, who was hired on his original A&M staff in 2012.
Dec. 19, 2014: Mesquite (Texas) Poteet High linebacker Malik Jefferson, the No. 1 linebacker in the state of Texas, commits to the Texas Longhorns over Texas A&M. It is the first big recruiting win for new Texas coach Charlie Strong over Sumlin, even though Jefferson seemed to have strong feelings for the Aggies in the final months of his recruitment.
Dec. 31, 2014: Sumlin makes a splash, hiring LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis to the Aggies' vacant position.
Jan. 29, 2015: Kyler Murray, the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback recruit in the country, affirms his commitment to Texas A&M after a brief flirtation with Texas. It is the second consecutive top-ranked quarterback Sumlin signs after bringing in Allen in the 2014 class. Murray headlines a class that includes another five-star prospect, defensive tackle Daylon Mack, and four-star receiver Christian Kirk.
Oct. 3, 2015: The Aggies beat No. 21 Mississippi State, giving them a 5-0 start for the second consecutive season.
Oct. 17, 2015: Allen throws three interceptions, all returned for touchdowns, and is benched briefly for Murray in the Aggies' 41-23 loss to Alabama.
Oct. 24, 2015: Allen, suffering from what would a month later be discovered as a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder that occurred during the Alabama loss, goes 12 for 34 passing for 88 yards, and the Aggies fall to Ole Miss 23-3. Murray doesn't play as discipline for yelling at Spavital on the sideline the week before.
Oct. 31, 2015: After Sumlin named Murray the starter in place of Allen, the Aggies beat South Carolina 35-28. Murray throws for 228 yards and rushes for 156 in the win.
Nov. 21, 2015: After throwing five interceptions in two games, Murray is benched and Allen returns to the starting lineup and leads the Aggies to a 25-0 win over Vanderbilt. Murray doesn't play in the game or in the following week's 19-7 loss to LSU in which Allen and junior college transfer quarterback Jake Hubenak play.
Dec. 10, 2015: Allen transfers from Texas A&M. It is the second consecutive year that Sumlin's opening day starter has left at season's end.
Dec. 17, 2015: A week after Allen leaves, Murray transfers. The Aggies are left with Hubenak as the only scholarship quarterback on the roster for their bowl game against Louisville. The three, high-profile transfers begin raising questions about the program under Sumlin and his job security.
Dec. 30, 2015: With Hubenak starting, the Aggies lose to Louisville in the Music City Bowl behind a magnificent performance by a true freshman quarterback named Lamar Jackson, who throws for 227 yards and runs for 226 while accounting for four touchdowns.
Jan. 3, 2016: Texas A&M and offensive coordinator Spavital "mutually part ways" after two seasons of Spavital running the offense.
Jan. 4, 2016: Texas A&M athletic director Eric Hyman gives Sumlin a vote of confidence in an interview with the Dallas Morning News. He says at "no time have we ever thought about (firing Sumlin after the 2015 season)." He calls Sumlin "the captain of our ship and the future looks good."
On the same day, quarterback Trevor Knight, a graduate transfer from Oklahoma, signs with A&M, giving the position some needed depth.
Jan. 5, 2016: A day after his comments, Hyman surprisingly steps down as athletic director.
Jan. 8, 2016: Sumlin hires Noel Mazzone, formerly UCLA's offensive coordinator, to run the Aggies' offense. Sumlin and Mazzone's relationship goes back 20-plus years.
Scott Woodward becomes the Aggies' new athletic director after a stint in the same position at Washington.
May 5, 2016: After Texas A&M loses a commitment from quarterback recruit Tate Martell, receivers coach Aaron Moorhead fires off a series of tweets about "loyalty," prompting backlash from other recruits. The Aggies lose a commitment later that night from receiver prospect Mannie Netherly, who cites Moorhead's actions as a reason for the decision. Moorhead later apologizes and Sumlin, days after the incident, announces that Moorhead has been disciplined for his actions.
Aug. 1, 2016: Sumlin suspends offensive line coach Jim Turner and special teams coach Jeff Banks for "degrading comments toward women" that were part of a slideshow shown in the program's annual "Chalk Talk for Women," event. Banks and Turner are suspended for two weeks without pay.
Aug. 25, 2016: Woodward, in an interview with Sirius XM, says "8-5 isn't good enough" at Texas A&M. The Aggies finished 8-5 the two previous seasons.
Oct. 8, 2016: The Aggies beat then-No. 9 Tennessee 45-38 in double overtime. A&M sits at 6-0, a notch above the two previous seasons, when it started 5-0.
Nov. 1, 2016: After losing to Alabama, the Aggies are 7-1 and land at No. 4 in the first 2016 College Football Playoff rankings, the highest the program has ever been ranked in the brief playoff era.
Nov. 5, 2016: The Aggies come out flat and get upset 35-28 by Mississippi State. Knight leaves the game in the second quarter with an injury and doesn't return.
Nov. 12, 2016: Despite holding a 21-6 lead in the fourth quarter, the Aggies fall to Ole Miss, who is without starting quarterback Chad Kelly. True freshman Shea Patterson makes a memorable debut in a 29-28 win.
Nov. 24, 2016: Derrius Guice runs for a school-record 285 yards as LSU defeats Texas A&M 54-39 at Kyle Field. After entering the month in the playoff hunt, the Aggies finish 1-3 and Sumlin's November record against SEC teams is 3-9 since 2013.
Dec. 14, 2016: Former Baylor quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who showed interest in Texas A&M both as a high school recruit and as a transfer, signs with Auburn. The Aggies have IMG Academy's Kellen Mond, the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback recruit in the 2017 class, already committed.
Dec. 28, 2016: Aggies lose 33-28 to Kansas State in the Texas Bowl and finish 8-5 for the third consecutive season. Shortly thereafter, Sumlin fires strength coach Larry Jackson, who has served in that role for Sumlin dating back to 2008, when Sumlin was head coach at Houston.
April 27, 2017: Garrett is selected No. 1 overall in the NFL draft. He is the sixth Sumlin player to be taken in the first round.
May 30, 2017: While appearing as a guest on the Paul Finebaum Show while at the annual SEC coaches meetings in Destin, Florida, Woodward lays out the expectations for Sumlin. "Coach Sumlin knows he has to win," he said. "He has to win this year. He has to do better than he has done in the past."
Sept. 3, 2017: In the season opener, Texas A&M sprints out to a 44-10 lead but fails to hold on to it, blowing a 34-point lead to lose to UCLA 45-44. Starting QB Nick Starkel gets hurt in the game and Mond takes over. The two split time later in the season when Starkel returns from injury. It's the third straight season that Sumlin has used multiple starting quarterbacks.
That night, Tony Buzbee -- a Houston attorney who is on the school's board of regents -- posts on Facebook that when the time comes, he will vote for Sumlin to be fired. The post, which accuses Sumlin of being arrogant, mishandling multiple player controversies and being outcoached, goes viral. "In my view, he should go now," Buzbee said.
Sept. 7, 2017: Charlene Sumlin, wife of Kevin, posts a photo of a racist and threatening letter that the family received at their home. A few days later, Kevin Sumlin says "I get criticism, which is part of the job. I get suggestions, and that's part of the job," he said. "In this situation, for that [letter] to come to my home and for her to open it and read that, that is completely different. My wife and kids have never called a play. My wife and kids have never done anything footballwise that led to us losing a game or winning a game. The racial [aspect] is one part of it, but the open-ended threat at the end, [sent] to my house ... I've got to draw the line there."
Oct. 14, 2017: The Aggies beat Florida 19-17 and start 5-2, showing an impressive recovery from their season-opening setback at UCLA.
Oct. 28, 2017: Aggies fall to Mississippi State 35-14 at home, and familiar criticism of Sumlin surfaces again.
Nov. 4, 2017: Aggies fall to a Stidham-led Auburn squad 42-27. Texas A&M hasn't beaten an SEC West team at Kyle Field since 2015, a streak of seven games. Sumlin's November record against SEC teams since 2013 falls to 3-10.
November 25, 2017: Aggies lose to LSU, 45-21, in Baton Rouge. Finish the season 7-5
November 26, 2017: Texas A&M fires Kevin Sumlin after six seasons. Sumlin finishes 51-26 at A&M and with a 25-23 record in the SEC.