The details are still being knocked out, but we finally got our man. 

Tim DeRuyter will be named Texas A&M’s new Defensive Coordinator pending a livestock physical at the Veterinary School and the obligatory hazing swirly in Fish Pond from the Corps.

Contrary to the requisite Internet Pollyanna’s spouting, “OMG why the delay in the announcement?!  We are going to lose all our 2010 recruits!” and the enjoyable “We were snubbed by <insert DC no one ever heard of> from Boise State!” Sherm got his man.

The significance of this hire cannot be understated.  Sherman’s legacy and long-term job prospects hinge largely on DeRuyter.  Fran had a similar opportunity after canning Torbush.  The prospect of hiring a hungry, piss-and-vinegar defensive mind was there.  Instead, Fran looked up his old backgammon counterpart – Gary Darnell – to revive the Wrecked Crew.  Darnell brought a 4-2-5 defensive scheme hinged around the philosophies of applying no pressure on the quarterback, letting spread offenses rip off nine yard gains with regularity (but no big plays!), and the aggressiveness of a PETA member on a boar hunting trip.

The defense – and the hire itself – was an utter failure save one inspired 2006 performance in Austin that can largely be attributed to Greg Davis eating paste in the booth for most of the game.  The following year, Darnell continued to chip in to make sure Fran got pink-slipped.  In short, the hire was one of Fran’s biggest mistakes – tantamount to forgetting to recruit offensive and defensive linemen for a two year span.

This brings us to this week’s hire.  By all accounts, DeRuyter is a shrewd defensive mind with serious head coaching potential down the road.  I prefer this to hiring a career coordinator who is content getting fat and giggly without the same pressures of a head coach.  DeRuyter fashioned a formidable defense for the Zoomies comprised of undersized Caucasian hustlers whose hobbies include model airplanes and Space Camp.  Imagine what he could do with a couple pissed off kids from Lufkin.  We still have the Lufkin pipeline right?  We don’t?  Dammit Fran.

“ColoradoAg!  DeRoooter isn’t from a BCS program!”  Stop.  This man led the 11^th ranked defense in a league that is currently in better shape than the ACC and Big East.  It is also hard to ignore the work the Air Force D did against Case Keenum and Cougar High in their bowl game.  I hadn’t seen a cougar thwarting like that since a chardonnay-soaked Kirstie Alley tried to bump and grind her way into The Palms.

It will be interesting to see who DeRuyter surrounds himself with.  I think he needs to do everything in his power to keep Van Malone on the staff.  Malone might be our best recruiter along with Randy Jordan.

Time will tell if Sherman got the right guy.  The Aggie masses are still withholding judgment on Shermy.  You can’t neglect the impact he has had on our offense.  The man put together an explosive unit of young skill players protected by a below average O-line.  Sherm has not fallen victim to the temptation of ramming an NFL playbook down the throats of 18 year old college students (Weis and Callahan, we hardly knew thee).  Now is the time for strides on the defensive side of the ball – the side of the ball that gives Aggies of yesteryear wet dreams.  Here is to DeRuyter being the guy.  It’s January – I need to be optimistic about something.

“We want to have guys that are chomping at the bit to go rip someone’s head off.” – Coach DeRuyter