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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Texas A&M Recruiting 2025: The Land of Melk & No Money
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Liucci 12/29/24 Okay if this wasn't the travel day from hell. As if USC's last second, come-from-way-behind win wasn't enough, how about two hours on the runway in Vegas plus another hour waiting for a gate at IAH followed by a 45-minute wait at baggage claim then a nice drive to College Station in the fog. On second thought, maybe that fog was just me dealing with the lingering effects of the game. Either way, had some time to answer questions and will hit a lot more tomorrow in addition to some kind of video content. Enjoy. And forgive me for any typos, as this was written on the plane and with a faulty 'r' button on my keyboard! Just wanted to post it tonight as a normal thread rather than wait until the content crew could get it up tomorrow. Do you expect any changes to the coaching staff? Two things at work here. First one is that head coaches typically shy away from making changes following year one. That's especially true when the assistants essentially inherit their room. Times and circumstances are different now, however. We're in the portal era and the Aggies just dropped their last four games against Power 5 opposition and, for different reasons, each loss revealed real issues. Elko is not the type (at all) to sit back and accept what we saw down the stretch this fall so he's not likely to be bound by the "well this was year one and we're a new staff looking to turn things over" mantra others I've covered have been. Haven't heard of any specifics but I have been doing this a long time. I'd expect at least a slight degree of attrition whether it would a change from within or someone finding an opportunity elsewhere thus freeing up a spot. We'll know soon enough but I'm confident Elko will take a very honest look at how his staff performed in 2024 and have an uncomfortable conversation if he has to. And that's true for at any point during his tenure here. What are your general thoughts and feelings right now both short and long term? Long term I believe the guy coaching at Texas A&M is going to figure it out. I actually would like to sit down with him at TA more often this off-season so folks could learn a little more about the way he's running and building the program, day to day and big picture. It's part of why I'm confident he's the dude to get this thing going how it needs (and deserves) to be. But he has to get there, and doing so requires winning in the short-term. The Ags were doing that at a very impressive clip following Notre Dame but fell hard in November. So we're all adults here and understand that a lot of potential 'in the moment' momentum was lost by not winning a game or two more (winnable ones, at that) and shocking the country by appearing in Atlanta. I even think last night was a chance to score tangible momentum entering the off-season and the Ags didn't do that (in pretty embarrassing and discouraging fashion, no less). My short-term concern is this coming season because time waits for no coach or program in the SEC and the Ags are in need of a strong close to the portal season because there are real holes to fill (beyond just one more playmaking receiver and shoring up the d-line in a big way) and the schedule is much more unforgiving in 2025. Elko and Co. need to attack this second half of the early portal window in a big way. Coaching changes? Thanks I'll hang up and listen. See above. Feel like I'll be saying that a lot here. What are the odds Bateman gets fired? No idea on odds of such things but the head coach and DC clearly have a lot to figure out when you look at how the Ags played on that side of the ball for halves and/or full games all too often this season. And, injuries aside, the head-scratcher for me is the fact that Elko openly stated this off-season on more than one occasion how excited he was about this year's defense even compared to past A&M units he's coached. Definitely something the head man has to be very disappointed in when he looks back on this past season. Outlook for next season? See above. Concerned but also far from deflated or panicking. There really should be a noticeable year one to year two jump for a program under a new regime and also for a ton of individuals who will play key roles next fall. However, help also needs to arrive and if I'm Elko right now, I'm taking a hard look at every position. I know the Ags were without a lot of key figures on defense last night (three starting DL, two corners including your best and your best linebacker) but you also had guys you're planning to depend on next year on both sides playing who struggled mightily to make winning plays. Why do you think the team collapsed after the LSU win? Tough one to answer. I think first and foremost, they took a couple of big hits at South Carolina, not the least of which was their confidence and I believe they weren't the same team physically after that night. Losing Le'Veon Moss proved to a real killer and the Ags had also lost Bisontis a week prior. The interior ground game took such a big hit there and that was so important in terms of sustaining drives and even down near the goal line but also helping Marcel Reed along in his development as a passer. I'm just talking about keeping him out of bad situations. Scooby Williams missing time and being hut was also a big deal because he's the most active dude in that font seven and was beginning to look like a difference-maker. However, I also think it's fair to say that the book was out on the Ags by the time November rolled around. Make Reed and the A&M passing game beat you down the field, sit on early-down runs and run right at the Aggie defense. South Carolina, Auburn and Texas did so with alarming degrees of success. The fact that Elko volunteered last night what was pretty obvious down the stretch was telling, as well. The inability to have the confidence to run very much zone is tough to overcome when playing against offenses with pass-catchers like the Ags saw versus Auburn and Texas in particular. Who is on the next HC short list? Look, I'm as disappointed as all of you are about the way things went after the LSU win but let's be productive with the conversations and stop acting like kids or like this is social media. I don't have the time or patience for it today and I'd also like to see less of this type of **** around here, not more. Can Bateman be gone? I guess this will be the last Bateman one I'll respond to. See above and unless the future ones include something other than "is he or will he be fired" I'll move on to some of the other stuff. Realistically: How many staff changes (specifically) defense are we talking? It's too early to tell. Like I said, I expect Elko to take a brutally honest look at how the season wrapped up. I'm not expecting some sort of overhaul on that side if that's what you're asking. Did the offensive performance tonight help or hurt potential portal additions jumping in the boat going forward? It probably didn't move the needle much either way. The Ags did move the ball and put up points (not enough) but I thought Reed showed nice progress in the passing game and the reality is A&M was a completely unnecessary INT and a short FG miss from putting up 41 points. Missed opportunities in the first half and a dry spell (a couple of ill-timed three and outs) in the second half definitely played a huge role in A&M not winning last night but the offense did produce. It was more like the Auburn game to me, where there was plenty to dissect and second-guess but the end result should have been more than enough points to win. regardless, the Ags need more firepower at the skill spots and need to continue to address that via the portal. Thank you for all y'all do as staff. Appreciate that. The goons like the ones who were run off last night will never win. After the last 4 meaningful games, do you really see much of a culture change? Still had same sloppy penalties/missed tackles/drops etc and seemed to regress as the season went, especially on defense. I did see penalties and missed tackles as ongoing issues but that's more playing clean football than it is culture. I really haven't seen anything at all to make me question the culture Elko has quickly instilled into his program. In a perfect world, with that hurdle cleared this season, the next step is playing cleaner, better football in all phases of the game. It's not guaranteed but we've learned this program isn't getting there without guys doing it the right way in terms of not cheating the work and not buying in. Losing close games doesn't tell you where the culture is, it's more about a team learning what it takes to win by playing winning football with the game on the line. It's part of it for sure, but I think this group and program have a lot further to go in the learning to win department than culture. Serious look at the coaching staff: Which coordinators or other staff do you keep or kick to the curb. They're paid millions of dollars to coach a team to win. Grace period is over. Agree on the paid handsomely and paid to win part of it. I also don't really think they had a grace period with Coach Elko. I don't speculate on who or how many but I do see a lot Klein-related stuff here and on social media and think he did a better job (better, not saying it was elite) than most give him credit for. He has to take the next step next year and will have to bring his talented but still-learning QB with him but the offense has a real chance to make a sizeable jump. Any chance Elko spends some time with Dan Campbell this offseason? His first season in Detroit was obviously much rougher but did have a few similarities as far as not being able to get over the hump… I think you're probably referencing Dan's second year in Detroit. Interestingly enough, I've floated the idea to both coaches and would love to facilitate the two sitting down during the off-season. Any idea why we continue to run into a loaded box? Or for a broader question, what's with the offensive play calling running so hot/cold it seemed. That's a question I really can't answer. Not sure how much of that is straight play-calling or the reason why behind it or how much is freedom given to Reed and the Aggie QBs at the LOS. It's definitely a question worth asking in an honest off-season conversation. Will we ever become a top notch program? Doesn't feel like it at the moment It's felt like it only two or three times since R.C. left, right? And yes, I do think it gets there. Support is at an all-time high in terms of resources and the NIL climate still favors A&M a great deal. And no one wants to hear it but it's year one. Rough ending and some real questions that need to be answered after the way the team finished but that was a solid first season and not only that folks should walk away feeling hopeless after watching. Are you surprised by the end of season collapse and struggling defense? On some levels, no. I was pretty nervous about the road matchups with South Carolina and Auburn because you knew the Ags still weren't operating with much of a margin for error. Obviously Texas was a monster coming into Kyle Field. But, yes, I was surprised by how the defense played during the thee-game SEC skid. I hated seeing that unit flounder last night after giving up seven fist half points but the reality is that was a unit consisting of half of your 2s. It's the other three that surprised me. Was Elko talking directly to Bateman with his post-game comments? I don't think that's his style really. He and Jay have a good relationship and he doesn't have to air him out in the media to get a point across. I think that was a frustrated head coach who hasn't liked what he's seen from the Aggie pass defense most of this season and I'm sure it's parts his assistant coaches, parts his players and also frustration in that he was unable to fix it. USC offense all in the portal. Defense can't come through. Send Bateman packing? Look, that A&M defense was depleted missing three NFL-bound defensive linemen, the most disruptive linebacker in Scooby Williams and then two corners including the team's best cover man (Will Lee). So I went into the game expecting to see the Aggies give ups some plays and, quite possibly north of 30 points. The issue last night wasn't the point total, it was how USC got there. Seven points at the half before we saw a completely inexperienced quarterback who was NOT playing good football and an offense hit very hard by attrition suddenly cut through the Ags like a hot knife through butter. To the tune of 28 second half points and 21 in the fourth quarter, including moving straight down the field with alarming ease for the game-winning score. It wasn't that I expected a lot out of a pretty depleted defense, it's the fact that the Ags were so bad when it mattered most with some important 2025 pieces and several starters out there letting it happen. Somehow, someway, the players needed to step up and get those second-half and certainly the final-drive stop and it's also up to the coaches to figure out how to make that happen. And I know no one wants to hear it but the NFL opt outs and injuries were a big reason for last night's struggles. The problem as I see it is that the Ags struggled mightily in one way or another in each of their last four games down the stretch. South Carolina put up 44 because the Ags couldn't tackle, Auburn's offense produced a season-high in regulation points and marched the field to force OT and Texas ran wild at Kyle Field and controlled the action via the ground and pound.- 2541 replies
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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OU Recruiting 2025: Truck Balls and Broken Dreams
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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2024 Axis of Evil (OU, ARK, aggy) Gameday Thread
Longhornfrenzy replied to satyanash's topic in Football
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OU Recruiting 2025: Truck Balls and Broken Dreams
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OU Recruiting 2025: Truck Balls and Broken Dreams
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OU Recruiting 2025: Truck Balls and Broken Dreams
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Texas A&M Recruiting 2025: The Land of Melk & No Money
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Liucci Segment 1 (00:00:00 - 19:36:28) I was right behind the storms. It was a three-hour delay. There were a bunch of good Aggies on the plane. I had a lowkey night and a good dinner in Las Vegas last night. If you lose tonight, it would be four out of your last four. New Mexico State doesn't count. Coaches will be outraged at me saying that. Mike Elko is spot on in saying winning would be massive for the program and the vibe of the fanbase and kids in your locker room. I said the same when Jimbo Fisher went 9-4 in year one, and A&M beat the crap out of NC State in the Gator Bowl to end that season. If Elko wins nine games and beats USC, LSU and top-10 Missouri at the time, that would be a good first year in the league. Certainly, going 9-4 doesn't check every box. Auburn stings, but it is a hell of a start and a hell of a first year. USC took some big hits. They have one starting offensive lineman back, or they would have been down three starters. Here is what I like about what the Aggies are playing with: You look at the defensive line and see Cashius Howell, DJ Hicks, Rylan Kennedy and Albert Regis. You have three guys who have played a ton of football. That is a starting defensive line in a lot of Power 5 places. There will be a ton of competition once Elko and his staff are done in the portal. If these guys want to prove to their coaches that they are ready to step in and take over next year, tonight is the night to do it. I love what they are playing with in the trenches and on the offensive line. They will probably have four starters out there in Trey Zuhn III, Koliu’u Faaiu and Dametrious Crownover. Everyone saw Ar'maj Reed-Adams in the sling. I know Reuben Fatheree II has been practicing at guard. They are down TJ Shanahan and Kam Dewberry in terms of depth. You have guys with starting experience. Between that and what you are playing with in the secondary — that should be a full component — those are some good advantages for the Aggies. The X-factors tonight will be Marcel Reed and, even though Elko said he's not all the way back, Rueben Owens. Reed, Owens and Amari Daniels need to have big games tonight, in my opinion. It's maybe not a track meet because I think there will be inconsistencies in the passing game for both teams, but not for A&M because of blocking. If those three are productive, I think A&M wins the football game. This is the situation with USC: I would rather play them than a team like Oklahoma State last year, who had fewer opt-outs. USC is dealing with the portal, opt-outs and NFL Draft picks. Lincoln Riley needs to win a game. Elko stands to gain a lot more than Riley. USC fans will not be off Riley's ass if they just beat A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl. It won't help him much. He could go into exile for a couple of weeks. For A&M and Elko, anytime it's year one, you don't want to lose your last four that matter. I think the portal will be way more important to next year's win-loss column than this year's game. There is a culture Elko is trying to build. There is a feel-good element. He has them understanding what matters. Look at the guys that are playing and not sitting out. A couple of guys had the end-of-season surgeries to get ahead on the rehab, but the guys missing are those who have left your program and NFL-bound players. The amount of guys A&M has on the field speaks volumes. Noah Thomas was dealing with an injury between the Texas game and now. We will see about him. This is a pretty full contingent of who is available. I don't think Ellko had to twist many arms. It's not the playoffs, but it is Vegas. It will be played in a badass stadium. What a cool deal for an Aggie, Dan Tinker, and his company to be the title sponsor of the bowl game. Why would Vegas not host a playoff game? As long as they keep Big Ten vs. USC, this should be high-profile every year. Outside of the playoffs, this game has to be near the top. It will be a great matchup for fans to watch. It will be late in Texas. It's primetime here in Vegas. USC is a modern-day bloodblood. Notre Dame is. Texas, people will get pissed off, but I think you need more than one title in 50 years. I would not fight someone that said the Longhorns are a blue-blood. This year, you have played four games against the biggest-name college football programs today. I would love to see A&M at 2-2. Segment 2 (19:36:29 - 24:25:21) I want to some of these freshman defensive linemen. Solomon Williams, Dealyn Evans... These guys have turned heads. A few of those offensive line names come up. At receiver, Moose Muhammad III announced he is submitting his name to the NFL Draft, and I wish him the best of luck, but a guy who has a ton of talent is Ashton Bethel-Roman. He is someone to watch. He has speed you can't coach. Bethel-Roman needs to add some weight, but he can flat-out go. He is a young guy they are really excited about. He has true take-the-top-off speed. Bethel-Roman is a guy I would like to see get several touches. Segment 3 (24:25:22 - 36:16:22) Offensively, you are starting four of your five starters. Your fifth guy has been a starter but just playing out of position. I want to see them run the damn ball. I want to see big plays in the run game by Daniels and Rueben Owens. Talk about guys to be excited about. With Le'Veon Moss coming back next year, plant that seed in our head of what this offense could look like with both of them. Make Reed's life easier. Get it going in the designed run game again. I want to go into the offseason confident in the running and passing game. I want to see Reed put up nice numbers through the air like he did in last year's bowl game. With his progression as a passer, I think they need a little more in terms of numbers and a lot more with an instant-impact guy in there, which might be Micah Hudson or Mario Craver. The receiving corps already looks like it will be significantly improved. I want Reed to give us a glimpse of what it could look like next year. You are talking about a really intelligent young quarterback in Reed. He is athletically gifted, a leader and a winner. It would be big to see him walk off the field as a winner and throw the ball well. That doesn't happen if it's like the Texas game or the second half of the South Carolina game where you couldn't run the football successfully. There is no reason they shouldn't tonight. Loosen it up with the running game. One guy I haven't mentioned that I would love to see is Terry Bussey. I’d like to see him have a big game on the big stage tonight. Reed's ceiling is incredible. It's unfair to expect him to consistently be near that ceiling in year one. Three of four losses were without a running game and Moss and what he meant to the offense. Chase Bisontis was injured. For a young QB, that's a killer. I think Jabre Barber showed quite a bit at times. I think Thomas is ready to emerge as he and Reed evolve and develop together. We talk about the portal, but Thomas and Bussey would be a hell of a 1-2. Add in Craver. You could get the Hudson that everyone in the country wanted. This group could be really good. You have Bethel-Roman and the speed. You have Izaiah Williams, who we don't talk much about, but in camp, I thought he was a guy that would play right away. Reed, Bussey, Owens, Moss, Hudson and Craver is a lot of really talented, potentially game-breaking skill and speed. I would love to see that flash tonight. USC has a weird defense. They are bringing back a linebacker who was their star but got hurt with concussions. They are bringing him back, and he wreaks havoc. D'Anton Lynn is an up-and-comer. He is really young to be defensive coordinator. He still has talent on that side of the ball. Former Aggie Anthony Lucas is out for the year. Bear Alexander is in the portal for the 17th time, so you want to see him. This will be a legitimate test, but I still think it's a defense you should score a lot of points on in the bowl setting. The other key thing is to tackle. Make tackles in space. The in-season USC offense would have given A&M a lot of problems. They still have the athletes that if the Aggies are not playing how they are supposed to play and missing tackles, it could become a little bit of a track meet. Get pressure. I want to see Kennedy and Howell get after the QB. I think Howell was A&M's best pass rusher this year -
Negative Recruiting Your Own School: The aggy Screenshot Megathread
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