SAN ANTONIO ? In hopes of jump-starting the No. 24 Texas A&M offense, coach R.C. Slocum has taken play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Dino Babers and given them to assistant head coach Kevin Sumlin, the San Antonio Express-News reported on its Web site Tuesday.

Aggies coach R.C. Slocum was planning on releasing a statement following practice Tuesday evening, team spokesman Alan Cannon said.

Babers’ offense ranked No. 106 in the nation last season and after three games this season the Aggies (2-1) are in the same spot, averaging 287 yards per game. They were especially woeful in a 13-3 loss to Virginia Tech at home last Saturday.

Slocum said Monday he would’ve thrown more than 11 times in the first half. At the same news conference, he said solving the offensive problems is “the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced.”

“It’s the most disappointing thing, in terms of coaching,” he said.

Babers was the offensive coordinator at Arizona from 1998-2000. His 1999 squad set a Pac-10 record by averaging 472 yards per game.

Sumlin was Purdue’s wide receivers coach before coming to A&M last season as Slocum’s top assistant and as receivers coach.