Former Texas A&M football coach R.C. Slocum will serve as the university’s interim director of athletics, President Mark A. Welsh III announced on Monday, Jan. 22. Slocum takes over the role after athletic director Ross Bjork’s departure for the same role at Ohio State.

Slocum’s position will officially begin on Thursday, Feb. 1, Welsh announced. The 79-year-old Slocum previously served as A&M’s interim athletic director in the summer of 2019 when athletic director Scott Woodward took over the LSU athletic department.

“Coach Slocum has been a champion for Texas A&M on and off the field for more than 50 years,” Welsh said. “His passion for this university, knowledge of Aggie athletics and commitment to the success of our student-athletes are second to none, and I’m grateful for his willingness to once again step into this interim role.”

Slocum is the Aggies’ winningest football coach in program history after 14 seasons at the helm of the team from 1989 to 2002. With no losing seasons, he amassed a record of 123-47-2 with four conference championships. His 1998 Big 12 title is the Maroon and White’s most recent conference crown.

“I am honored to be asked to serve as the interim athletics director at Texas A&M, a university close to my heart,” Slocum said. “I have great respect for President Welsh and will do my best to make him, Texas A&M and, most importantly, our coaches and student-athletes, proud.”

Slocum served as an assistant coach at A&M from 1972 to 1980 and 1982 to 1988. A member of the College Football Playoff selection committee, Slocum was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. He has also been inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

An A&M press release said the search committee for the department’s next athletic director is expected to be announced soon.