Texas A&M Recruiting 2025: The Land of Melk & No Money

UncleSonny · April 9

7 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

The strength of their team is the bottomless depth on the DL and this is what they’re expending their resources on.

It’s crazy they still have bottomless depth at DL considering their portal losses.

Jimbo came to do two things, recruit defensive lineman and cash Aggie checks. And he ran out of Aggie checks.

MuellerHorn · April 9

9 minutes ago, UncleSonny said:

It’s crazy they still have bottomless depth at DL considering their portal losses.

Jimbo came to do two things, recruit defensive lineman and cash Aggie checks. And he ran out of Aggie checks.

Psshh, he’s not running out of Aggie checks for a while.

Bill Lumbergh · April 9

10 hours ago, closetojumping said:

The strength of their team is the bottomless depth on the DL and this is what they’re expending their resources on.

That's what I was thinking. I read one of their spring practice updates and DE was the position mentioned where they felt loaded. Naturally they went out and used a portal spot on another DE.

closetojumping · April 9

There's some pretty funny stuff happening on the aggie sites, as expected.

Posters have fully committed to the premise that 5 stars are bad. Not all posters, but many, and that's spilling into arguments among the posters about recruiting quality. The value in taking the position that 5 stars are bad is that, with Elko's recruiting approach, poster expectations are aligning with the mediocrity of what Elko is bringing in.

Tom Loy showed up with a post stating that things are looking very promising for this guy:

https://247sports.com/player/marcus-garcia-46144270/

The competition for this guy is limited to P4 also-rans similar to ATM and then there's the faded blue blood, Nebraska.

I don't give a shit if a guy is a 3 star or a 5 star, provided the evaluators are people I trust. We've all lived the experience of this kind of shit, however. 3 star that no top 10 team is in on, taking them early, needing to add 30+ pounds to have a prayer of being effective in college, etc. I wouldn't want to go back to that for all of the rice in China.

Anyway, here are some of the more enjoyable comments:

analytical

"ruxin said... (original post) A mid 3 star? I would hope we like our chances…

-

Come on. Stars are a Jimbo Fisher evaluation. We have a smarter staff who do their own evals. Look at the kid's measurables and film. And then remind yourself that actual professional coaches know a lot that we don't.

Stars ain't the best yardstick. We get 5* busts and 3* breakthroughs. Ainias was a 3*. Speedy Noil was a 5*.

Touting stars makes a person look like they are a tshirt fan.

9 upvotes"

313Aggie

"Rgibson04 said... (original post) If your competitors are getting 4-5 stars, then we should at least match that

-

Michigan was ranked 14 in talent composit, Washington was 26th. The game has changed."

MacIdaho

"ruxin said... (original post) Yes, seriously.Is Denver Harris a bust? Maybe, but he was good enough as a freshman that he got picked up by LSU. His problem isn't talent. Same ...

-

Aggigeboy86 2 posts below your response to me hit the nail on the head. Most of them didn’t do good here. I don’t care if they had off the field issues or not. They weren’t near as productive as many other 5 star players have been in the past few years for other teams. That was the point I was trying to make. If they go somewhere else and do good they still didn’t do it here, which is what is important to me. Advani80 also understood exactly what I was trying to convey as well."

dichotomic

"2008 recruiting vibes. Great footwork, ankle flexibility, nice forearms"

catorano

"Can't have enough Garcias. They practically built Kyle."

BigHorn'13 · April 9

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

"Can't have enough Garcias. They practically built Kyle."

BurntOrangeCrush · April 9

3 hours ago, closetojumping said:

There's some pretty funny stuff happening on the aggie sites, as expected.

Posters have fully committed to the premise that 5 stars are bad. Not all posters, but many, and that's spilling into arguments among the posters about recruiting quality. The value in taking the position that 5 stars are bad is that, with Elko's recruiting approach, poster expectations are aligning with the mediocrity of what Elko is bringing in.

Tom Loy showed up with a post stating that things are looking very promising for this guy:

https://247sports.com/player/marcus-garcia-46144270/

The competition for this guy is limited to P4 also-rans similar to ATM and then there's the faded blue blood, Nebraska.

I don't give a shit if a guy is a 3 star or a 5 star, provided the evaluators are people I trust. We've all lived the experience of this kind of shit, however. 3 star that no top 10 team is in on, taking them early, needing to add 30+ pounds to have a prayer of being effective in college, etc. I wouldn't want to go back to that for all of the rice in China.

Anyway, here are some of the more enjoyable comments:

analytical

"ruxin said... (original post) A mid 3 star? I would hope we like our chances…

-

Come on. Stars are a Jimbo Fisher evaluation. We have a smarter staff who do their own evals. Look at the kid's measurables and film. And then remind yourself that actual professional coaches know a lot that we don't.

Stars ain't the best yardstick. We get 5* busts and 3* breakthroughs. Ainias was a 3*. Speedy Noil was a 5*.

Touting stars makes a person look like they are a tshirt fan.

9 upvotes"

313Aggie

"Rgibson04 said... (original post) If your competitors are getting 4-5 stars, then we should at least match that

-

Michigan was ranked 14 in talent composit, Washington was 26th. The game has changed."

MacIdaho

"ruxin said... (original post) Yes, seriously.Is Denver Harris a bust? Maybe, but he was good enough as a freshman that he got picked up by LSU. His problem isn't talent. Same ...

-

Aggigeboy86 2 posts below your response to me hit the nail on the head. Most of them didn’t do good here. I don’t care if they had off the field issues or not. They weren’t near as productive as many other 5 star players have been in the past few years for other teams. That was the point I was trying to make. If they go somewhere else and do good they still didn’t do it here, which is what is important to me. Advani80 also understood exactly what I was trying to convey as well."

dichotomic

"2008 recruiting vibes. Great footwork, ankle flexibility, nice forearms"

catorano

"Can't have enough Garcias. They practically built Kyle."

"Watch.the.tape"

closetojumping · April 9

The 247 mods just posted a write-up about the DTs this spring. They had to do so using the guidelines that The Elk requires for any personnel write-up, so, if you read them often enough, you can see where they're skirting subject matter.

What does that mean?

1) No mention of GBD until a poster asked about him. Full write-up with no mention. Tarp comes back and says "Elko says that he's injured" or something to that effect. They've done everything they can to avoid discussing the guy this spring.

2) The SR Wisconsin transfer, Johnson, is physically overwhelmed for the position but he plays better then his physical attributes should allow. Because they're fucked at this position, he may actually be in the rotation.

3) The gigantic fat guy of Pacific Islander descent has lost weight without picking up any quickness or strength advantages, apparently. If he doesn't just lodge himself into the center of a play like a buttplug and stay stuck, he's a huge liability.

4) Albert Regis is their best hope to fill in for McKinley Jackson and Raikes. He can't stay healthy or display the ability to stay on the field for an entire drive, but he needs to really get some advanced shit done this season and play bigger than his size.

5) Jadon Scarlett is a wasted scholarship.

6) DJ Hicks looks terrific and is living up to his highly rated billing.

7) Shemar Turner may be forced to play inside this year, where he should have been all along. They will have to hope for better production than his dogshit numbers over the first 2 seasons. That's if he doesn't transfer.

8 ) They might be proper fucked at NT if they can't find a massive NT in the portal that they can outbid everyone for, which Tarp thinks to be unlikely. There's no one on the roster currently to match the quality that they've had for the last 6 seasons. They lost the wrong guys to portal.

I honestly think that last bit might be too much, even though he's trying to be subtle, for Tarp to get away with on The Elk Pravda front. I won't be surprised if he gets thrown into the aggie media gulag for a few weeks. That's where they put reporters, naked, into a pillory and then flog him or her with a horsewhip while forcefeeding them giant cans of store-bought spaghetti until they either die of gluttony and shame, Elko-style, or confess the profound remorse and promise to never cross The Elk again.

Vertigo · April 9

6 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

3) The gigantic fat guy of Pacific Islander descent has lost weight without picking up any quickness or strength advantages, apparently. If he doesn't just lodge himself into the center of a play like a buttplug and stay stuck, he's a huge liability.

Fuck. made me spit take.

ousux · April 9

Oof.. depth is more important than ever before with a 12 team playoff, don't think aggy has any.

The Elk may manage to cobble together a decent starting lineup on both sides of the ball, but they're just a few key injuries away from a late Jimbo-like disaster season.

NoName · April 9

7 minutes ago, ousux said:

Oof.. depth is more important than ever before with a 12 team playoff, don't think aggy has any.

The Elk may manage to cobble together a decent starting lineup on both sides of the ball, but they're just a few key injuries away from a late Jimbo-like disaster season.

they are a few (any?) OL injuries away from being one of the worst offensive teams in the SEC. they have like two actual good OL on the team 1 of them plays inside.

on defense they only have holes at Edge, DT, NT, LB and CB. they think they have even bigger holes at Edge if they are bringing in guys like Josh Celiscar at EDGE (he and Rylan Kennedy make up 40% of their EDGE players on campus right now)

did i mention they also have 3 kickers on scholarship?

and that they have an OC coaching his second year outside of the KSU bubble who hired 0 of the existing position coaches/has never worked with any of the already hired offensive coaches?

next year is truly going to be a disaster for them.

the OL alone means it's going to be a multiple year rebuild for them to be even decent.

Edited April 9 by NoName

Fondren & Main · April 9

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

The 247 mods just posted a write-up about the DTs this spring. They had to do so using the guidelines that The Elk requires for any personnel write-up, so, if you read them often enough, you can see where they're skirting subject matter.

What does that mean?

1) No mention of GBD until a poster asked about him. Full write-up with no mention. Tarp comes back and says "Elko says that he's injured" or something to that effect. They've done everything they can to avoid discussing the guy this spring.

2) The SR Wisconsin transfer, Johnson, is physically overwhelmed for the position but he plays better then his physical attributes should allow. Because they're fucked at this position, he may actually be in the rotation.

3) The gigantic fat guy of Pacific Islander descent has lost weight without picking up any quickness or strength advantages, apparently. If he doesn't just lodge himself into the center of a play like a buttplug and stay stuck, he's a huge liability.

4) Albert Regis is their best hope to fill in for McKinley Jackson and Raikes. He can't stay healthy or display the ability to stay on the field for an entire drive, but he needs to really get some advanced shit done this season and play bigger than his size.

5) Jadon Scarlett is a wasted scholarship.

6) DJ Hicks looks terrific and is living up to his highly rated billing.

7) Shemar Turner may be forced to play inside this year, where he should have been all along. They will have to hope for better production than his dogshit numbers over the first 2 seasons. That's if he doesn't transfer.

8 ) They might be proper fucked at NT if they can't find a massive NT in the portal that they can outbid everyone for, which Tarp thinks to be unlikely. There's no one on the roster currently to match the quality that they've had for the last 6 seasons. They lost the wrong guys to portal.

I honestly think that last bit might be too much, even though he's trying to be subtle, for Tarp to get away with on The Elk Pravda front. I won't be surprised if he gets thrown into the aggie media gulag for a few weeks. That's where they put reporters, naked, into a pillory and then flog him or her with a horsewhip while forcefeeding them giant cans of store-bought spaghetti until they either die of gluttony and shame, Elko-style, or confess the profound remorse and promise to never cross The Elk again.

I got a mental image of Elko's face on Jabba's fat slug ass as he proceeds to feed Tarp to the Rancor. I can't un-see it now. Can someone paint the masterpiece with photoshop?

Edited April 9 by Fondren & Main

RomaVicta · April 9

21 hours ago, closetojumping said:

The strength of their team is the bottomless depth on the DL and this is what they’re expending their resources on.

Every play, opponents will lose yardage either to sacks or other TFLs. All A&M will need is one safety to win their games.

billfromlaketravis · April 9

I’ll give Jimbo and DC’s some credit for prioritizing DL. The NFL game is moving towards overwhelming offenses with superior DL play and skirting by with cheap/young pieces in the secondary.

DL are playing longer and getting paid more while corner is becoming the new RB. Don’t give them a second contract because they might be out of the league at 30.

texifornia · April 10

1 hour ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I’ll give Jimbo and DC’s some credit for prioritizing DL. The NFL game is moving towards overwhelming offenses with superior DL play and skirting by with cheap/young pieces in the secondary.

DL are playing longer and getting paid more while corner is becoming the new RB. Don’t give them a second contract because they might be out of the league at 30.

And that's relevant to college football success... how?

billfromlaketravis · April 10

2 minutes ago, texifornia said:

And that's relevant to college football success... how?

Good DL play sets the floor of the defense and usually takes away the run. It allowed the aggy program to tread water. Shitty ROI, but it got Pate and TexAgs excited every offseason.

Funk Doctor Spock · April 10

9 hours ago, closetojumping said:

.I honestly think that last bit might be too much, even though he's trying to be subtle, for Tarp to get away with on The Elk Pravda front. I won't be surprised if he gets thrown into the aggie media gulag for a few weeks. That's where they put reporters, naked, into a pillory and then flog him or her with a horsewhip while forcefeeding them giant cans of store-bought spaghetti until they either die of gluttony and shame, Elko-style, or confess the profound remorse and promise to never cross The Elk again.

I'm fucking dead. Holy shit lmaooooo

closetojumping · April 12

I also posted this on the aggie thread in the football forum, but recognizing that some of you elitists don't visit there:

The Elk has confessed to his audience, after the first aggie scrimmage, that things are ... not so great right now.

https://247sports.com/college/texas-am/longformarticle/texas-a-m-football-notebook-aggie-coach-mike-elko-says-team-remains-a-work-in-progress-230249778/#2404181

"I am a coach, so I do not know how to sugarcoat all of this stuff," Elko said. "It is not great right now, because they are not comfortable in it yet. That is part of spring. It is just learning how the system works, taking more and more reps of it.

"The challenge that we will have coming out of spring ball is understanding where we are and having a phenomenal summer so that when we get back to fall camp, practice one, we are 100 days better and not taking any steps back."

Spoilered the full article in case the link is subscriber only:

Spoiler

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko covered a variety of topics in his mid-spring press conference Wednesday. Here are five highlights from what he discussed with the media.

The Aggies are still a 'work in progress'

A&M is beyond the halfway point of spring football, completing nine of its 15 practices so far. The Aggies also held their first spring scrimmage Tuesday. But in his three spring football press conferences, Elko has seemingly refrained from giving many revealing takeaways.

Elko does not appear to be playing coy with his answers. He has simply suggested that his Aggie team remains far from a finished product, describing them as a "work in progress." With a new coaching staff and 30 scholarship newcomers this spring, A&M certainly has a learning curve.

"Every time our kids are going out on the field, they are doing something for the first time," Elko said. "I think that is always a challenge, and that is what makes the first spring so challenging. Very happy with our guys in terms of their mindset, how hard they are working, the things that they are doing to try to get this thing in the right direction.

"We have managed to stay relatively healthy, which is huge, and getting a lot of guys out there and getting a lot of reps and a lot of work."

With six practices remaining, the Aggies should only continue to progress and have a better understanding of the scheme and depth chart. They are expected to have two more scrimmages this spring – one next Tuesday and the other for the Maroon and White Game in Kyle Field next Saturday.

"I am a coach, so I do not know how to sugarcoat all of this stuff," Elko said. "It is not great right now, because they are not comfortable in it yet. That is part of spring. It is just learning how the system works, taking more and more reps of it.

"The challenge that we will have coming out of spring ball is understanding where we are and having a phenomenal summer so that when we get back to fall camp, practice one, we are 100 days better and not taking any steps back."

QB Conner Weigman is not exactly cemented as the starter

Going into the spring, Elko named redshirt sophomore Conner Weigman as his starting quarterback. However, that label should not be considered permanent. If quarterbacks Jaylen Henderson or Marcel Reed outperform Weigman in practice, they could conceivably leapfrog him on the depth chart. At least, that is how Elko seemed to describe the situation.

"Just because you go in the spring as the number one (quarterback), that does not really mean anything other than your number one going in the spring," Elko said. "Conner had earned that right, we felt like from how he had performed. But like every kid in our program, competition is there. So Conner knows there is a level of play that he needs to reach in order to continue to be number one and be number one when we play Notre Dame."

Weigman began last season as the top option and impressed in his four starts. He completed 68.9% (82 of 119) of his passes for 979 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions while turning 12 carries into 63 yards and two scores.

However, Weigman remains limited from the season-ending left foot/ankle injury that he suffered against Auburn last September. He has been practicing with restrictions throughout this spring.

"He is not 100%," said Elko of Weigman. "He is not going to be 100% coming out of spring. He is still recovering from the ankle. So he is able to go. He is a tough kid, and it is a testament to him that he understands how important it is to get these reps."

After what they showed last season, Henderson and Reed appear to have the talent to push Weigman in the coming months.

Henderson started the last four games last season, though he permanently exited the TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. Oklahoma State early after going down with a right arm/elbow injury. In his three full starts combined, Henderson completed 67.5% (52 of 77) of his passes for six touchdowns with two interceptions while turning 40 carries into 97 yards and two scores.

As a true freshman last season, Reed initially served as the fourth-team quarterback. But he replaced Henderson in the bowl game and shined, completing 20 of 33 passes for 361 yards with an interception. He also rushed for 29 yards and a score on 10 carries.

"Jaylen Henderson is getting a little bit more and more comfortable functioning within the system," Elko said. "He is obviously extremely athletic. He does have the ability to throw the football well. Just seeing the game and getting the game to slow down for him a little bit so it can be a little bit more consistent, the way he delivers the football, I think would help.

"Then Marcel Reed as a young kid – and you saw it in the bowl game. I think he has really high potential. It is very similar, though. It is, can we get it to be out there every single play? A little less peaks and valleys and a little bit more consistent execution and operation is what we need to get."

New transfers who have stood out this spring

A&M has landed 24 scholarship players from the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason, and only three of them are not on campus yet. After fielding a question about who has stood out among the new transfers, Elko initially dodged it with a quip.

"I could reword that question," Elko said. "'Hey, coach, you brought in 24 guys. Are there 22 you would like to really get upset by singling out only two?' I am trying to figure out how to word it without doing that."

Elko eventually named defensive end Nic Scourton (Purdue), offensive lineman Ar'maj Reed-Adams (Kansas) and tight end Tre Watson (Fresno State) as three transfers who have made a solid first impression this spring. He added that Watson has been dealing with a shoulder injury, though, and did not participate in the scrimmage Tuesday.

Scourton impressing is no surprise. He led the Big Ten in sacks last season with 10 and received second-team all-conference honors. Reed-Adams and Watson emerging are the more interesting developments.

The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Reed-Adams brings versatility and significant experience. In four seasons with the Jayhawks, he appeared in 31 games with 14 starts. Reed-Adams started his first eight games of the 2023 season at left guard before lining up at right tackle for the final three. His other three career starts came as a true freshman in 2020 and were all at right guard. Reed-Adams will likely compete for one of the two starting spots at offensive guard for the Aggies.

A&M lacks a cemented starter at tight end, and Watson has the talent to be in consideration. He is seen as more of a receiving tight end but had a productive 2023 season with the Bulldogs, catching 38 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns. Watson and Henderson were teammates at Fresno State in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Elko also named most of the eight new transfers in the secondary as standout performers. Safety Trey Jones III (Central Michigan) and cornerback Dezz Ricks (Alabama) have been dealing with injuries. Safety De'Rickey Wright (Vanderbilt) is not set to join the Aggies until June.

"From Marcus Ratcliffe to Will Lee to Donovan Saunders to BJ Mayes … every one of those kids has flashed at times," Elko said. "They are going to add a lot of value back there."

Bryce Anderson affirmatively moving to safety, other DB tidbits

As a sophomore, Bryce Anderson entered last season with lofty expectations. He stepped into a starting role at nickel cornerback and looked ready to fill the void that the previous starter, Antonio Johnson, left. But while Anderson had his moments, he mostly produced mixed results.

Perhaps because he played out of position.

"Bryce is a safety. We recruited Bryce to play safety," said Elko, who as the former A&M defensive coordinator helped pursue Anderson out of the 2022 recruiting class. "I have always envisioned him being a safety in this defense. He is not playing nickel. I do not think he is a nickel."

Anderson seems like a lock to secure one of the two starting safety jobs. Which player will claim the other starting spot remains unclear. Jones and Wright bring the most starting experience, but one has not been 100% healthy and the other is not with the team yet.

Elko noticeably raved about Dalton Brooks, who played a lot of high-leverage reps as a true freshman last season.

"Dalton Brooks has taken a huge step forward this spring and been really happy with him," Elko said. "He is an elite run-and-hit safety. He still has a little bit of a gap to close in terms of processing and understanding everything that we are doing, which he is doing every day. But I do think he has got some really elite traits, and we are excited about that one."

With Anderson permanently leaving the nickel unit, that position group will be worth monitoring as well.

Going into the spring, Florida transfer Jaydon Hill seemed like the favorite to win the starting nickel job. He started 11 games at nickel for the Gators last season. However, Elko mentioned that incumbent starting cornerback Tyreek Chappell has been cross training on the outside and at nickel. He said cornerback Bravion Rogers has seen action at nickel, too.

"Nickel is probably a little bit harder than corner," Elko said. "You are a little bit closer to the ball. There is a little bit more going on. From a scheme standpoint, the more reps you can get at nickel, it probably benefits you than always needing them to be out at corner."

The next step for running back Rueben Owens II

In an interview with the media last week, A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein opined that the days of a workhorse running back are "probably not there anymore." The Aggies using a committee approach in 2024 would certainly make sense. Running backs Amari Daniels, Le'Veon Moss and Rueben Owens II shared an equal workload last season, and they all produced similar numbers.

Still, Owens will be worth monitoring as someone who could emerge from the group this offseason. He has the recruiting pedigree, receiving a five-star rating in the 2023 class. And despite being a true freshman last season, Owens played about as well as Daniels and Moss.

To reach another level as a player, though, Owens will probably need to improve his pass protection and ability to gain yards after contact. Pro Football Focus gave Owens a 16.8 pass-blocking grade last season. Among the 119 FBS running backs who played at least 50 pass-blocking snaps, that grade came in last. His 2.53 yards after contact per attempt ranked 143rd out of 157 FBS running backs (minimum 100 attempts).

"He has had a really good spring in terms of doing the things he needs to do to take his game to the next level," Elko said. "He is extremely athletic. He does a really good job catching the ball out of the backfield.

"He needs to just learn how to be a running back in the SEC and how to get four and five yards sometimes. He does a really good job of getting the 30 and 35 yards. That is his natural athleticism. We have to get him to be a little bit cleaner at the four and five yards, and that is what he is working on. I think he is getting really good at it."

For the tl/dr crowd, Weigman isn't working out as much as Elko thinks he needs to, so Elko is hinting that he might not be QB1 after the spring; Reuben Owens is a pussy who still can't pass protect and goes down immediately on contact; Bryce Anderson is a safety and they don't know who the other safety will be, nor do they have a clue who the corner will be; outside of Nick Scourton and a guard from Kansas, they are in deep shit regarding transfer talent.

hook me · April 12

On 4/9/2024 at 3:08 PM, ousux said:

Oof.. depth is more important than ever before with a 12 team playoff, don't think aggy has any.

The Elk may manage to cobble together a decent starting lineup on both sides of the ball, but they're just a few key injuries away from a late Jimbo-like disaster season.

Vertigo · April 12

29 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I also posted this on the aggie thread in the football forum, but recognizing that some of you elitists don't visit there:

The Elk has confessed to his audience, after the first aggie scrimmage, that things are ... not so great right now.

https://247sports.com/college/texas-am/longformarticle/texas-a-m-football-notebook-aggie-coach-mike-elko-says-team-remains-a-work-in-progress-230249778/#2404181

"I am a coach, so I do not know how to sugarcoat all of this stuff," Elko said. "It is not great right now, because they are not comfortable in it yet. That is part of spring. It is just learning how the system works, taking more and more reps of it.

"The challenge that we will have coming out of spring ball is understanding where we are and having a phenomenal summer so that when we get back to fall camp, practice one, we are 100 days better and not taking any steps back."

Spoilered the full article in case the link is subscriber only:

Reveal hidden contents

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko covered a variety of topics in his mid-spring press conference Wednesday. Here are five highlights from what he discussed with the media.

The Aggies are still a 'work in progress'

A&M is beyond the halfway point of spring football, completing nine of its 15 practices so far. The Aggies also held their first spring scrimmage Tuesday. But in his three spring football press conferences, Elko has seemingly refrained from giving many revealing takeaways.

Elko does not appear to be playing coy with his answers. He has simply suggested that his Aggie team remains far from a finished product, describing them as a "work in progress." With a new coaching staff and 30 scholarship newcomers this spring, A&M certainly has a learning curve.

"Every time our kids are going out on the field, they are doing something for the first time," Elko said. "I think that is always a challenge, and that is what makes the first spring so challenging. Very happy with our guys in terms of their mindset, how hard they are working, the things that they are doing to try to get this thing in the right direction.

"We have managed to stay relatively healthy, which is huge, and getting a lot of guys out there and getting a lot of reps and a lot of work."

With six practices remaining, the Aggies should only continue to progress and have a better understanding of the scheme and depth chart. They are expected to have two more scrimmages this spring – one next Tuesday and the other for the Maroon and White Game in Kyle Field next Saturday.

"I am a coach, so I do not know how to sugarcoat all of this stuff," Elko said. "It is not great right now, because they are not comfortable in it yet. That is part of spring. It is just learning how the system works, taking more and more reps of it.

"The challenge that we will have coming out of spring ball is understanding where we are and having a phenomenal summer so that when we get back to fall camp, practice one, we are 100 days better and not taking any steps back."

QB Conner Weigman is not exactly cemented as the starter

Going into the spring, Elko named redshirt sophomore Conner Weigman as his starting quarterback. However, that label should not be considered permanent. If quarterbacks Jaylen Henderson or Marcel Reed outperform Weigman in practice, they could conceivably leapfrog him on the depth chart. At least, that is how Elko seemed to describe the situation.

"Just because you go in the spring as the number one (quarterback), that does not really mean anything other than your number one going in the spring," Elko said. "Conner had earned that right, we felt like from how he had performed. But like every kid in our program, competition is there. So Conner knows there is a level of play that he needs to reach in order to continue to be number one and be number one when we play Notre Dame."

Weigman began last season as the top option and impressed in his four starts. He completed 68.9% (82 of 119) of his passes for 979 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions while turning 12 carries into 63 yards and two scores.

However, Weigman remains limited from the season-ending left foot/ankle injury that he suffered against Auburn last September. He has been practicing with restrictions throughout this spring.

"He is not 100%," said Elko of Weigman. "He is not going to be 100% coming out of spring. He is still recovering from the ankle. So he is able to go. He is a tough kid, and it is a testament to him that he understands how important it is to get these reps."

After what they showed last season, Henderson and Reed appear to have the talent to push Weigman in the coming months.

Henderson started the last four games last season, though he permanently exited the TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. Oklahoma State early after going down with a right arm/elbow injury. In his three full starts combined, Henderson completed 67.5% (52 of 77) of his passes for six touchdowns with two interceptions while turning 40 carries into 97 yards and two scores.

As a true freshman last season, Reed initially served as the fourth-team quarterback. But he replaced Henderson in the bowl game and shined, completing 20 of 33 passes for 361 yards with an interception. He also rushed for 29 yards and a score on 10 carries.

"Jaylen Henderson is getting a little bit more and more comfortable functioning within the system," Elko said. "He is obviously extremely athletic. He does have the ability to throw the football well. Just seeing the game and getting the game to slow down for him a little bit so it can be a little bit more consistent, the way he delivers the football, I think would help.

"Then Marcel Reed as a young kid – and you saw it in the bowl game. I think he has really high potential. It is very similar, though. It is, can we get it to be out there every single play? A little less peaks and valleys and a little bit more consistent execution and operation is what we need to get."

New transfers who have stood out this spring

A&M has landed 24 scholarship players from the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason, and only three of them are not on campus yet. After fielding a question about who has stood out among the new transfers, Elko initially dodged it with a quip.

"I could reword that question," Elko said. "'Hey, coach, you brought in 24 guys. Are there 22 you would like to really get upset by singling out only two?' I am trying to figure out how to word it without doing that."

Elko eventually named defensive end Nic Scourton (Purdue), offensive lineman Ar'maj Reed-Adams (Kansas) and tight end Tre Watson (Fresno State) as three transfers who have made a solid first impression this spring. He added that Watson has been dealing with a shoulder injury, though, and did not participate in the scrimmage Tuesday.

Scourton impressing is no surprise. He led the Big Ten in sacks last season with 10 and received second-team all-conference honors. Reed-Adams and Watson emerging are the more interesting developments.

The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Reed-Adams brings versatility and significant experience. In four seasons with the Jayhawks, he appeared in 31 games with 14 starts. Reed-Adams started his first eight games of the 2023 season at left guard before lining up at right tackle for the final three. His other three career starts came as a true freshman in 2020 and were all at right guard. Reed-Adams will likely compete for one of the two starting spots at offensive guard for the Aggies.

A&M lacks a cemented starter at tight end, and Watson has the talent to be in consideration. He is seen as more of a receiving tight end but had a productive 2023 season with the Bulldogs, catching 38 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns. Watson and Henderson were teammates at Fresno State in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Elko also named most of the eight new transfers in the secondary as standout performers. Safety Trey Jones III (Central Michigan) and cornerback Dezz Ricks (Alabama) have been dealing with injuries. Safety De'Rickey Wright (Vanderbilt) is not set to join the Aggies until June.

"From Marcus Ratcliffe to Will Lee to Donovan Saunders to BJ Mayes … every one of those kids has flashed at times," Elko said. "They are going to add a lot of value back there."

Bryce Anderson affirmatively moving to safety, other DB tidbits

As a sophomore, Bryce Anderson entered last season with lofty expectations. He stepped into a starting role at nickel cornerback and looked ready to fill the void that the previous starter, Antonio Johnson, left. But while Anderson had his moments, he mostly produced mixed results.

Perhaps because he played out of position.

"Bryce is a safety. We recruited Bryce to play safety," said Elko, who as the former A&M defensive coordinator helped pursue Anderson out of the 2022 recruiting class. "I have always envisioned him being a safety in this defense. He is not playing nickel. I do not think he is a nickel."

Anderson seems like a lock to secure one of the two starting safety jobs. Which player will claim the other starting spot remains unclear. Jones and Wright bring the most starting experience, but one has not been 100% healthy and the other is not with the team yet.

Elko noticeably raved about Dalton Brooks, who played a lot of high-leverage reps as a true freshman last season.

"Dalton Brooks has taken a huge step forward this spring and been really happy with him," Elko said. "He is an elite run-and-hit safety. He still has a little bit of a gap to close in terms of processing and understanding everything that we are doing, which he is doing every day. But I do think he has got some really elite traits, and we are excited about that one."

With Anderson permanently leaving the nickel unit, that position group will be worth monitoring as well.

Going into the spring, Florida transfer Jaydon Hill seemed like the favorite to win the starting nickel job. He started 11 games at nickel for the Gators last season. However, Elko mentioned that incumbent starting cornerback Tyreek Chappell has been cross training on the outside and at nickel. He said cornerback Bravion Rogers has seen action at nickel, too.

"Nickel is probably a little bit harder than corner," Elko said. "You are a little bit closer to the ball. There is a little bit more going on. From a scheme standpoint, the more reps you can get at nickel, it probably benefits you than always needing them to be out at corner."

The next step for running back Rueben Owens II

In an interview with the media last week, A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein opined that the days of a workhorse running back are "probably not there anymore." The Aggies using a committee approach in 2024 would certainly make sense. Running backs Amari Daniels, Le'Veon Moss and Rueben Owens II shared an equal workload last season, and they all produced similar numbers.

Still, Owens will be worth monitoring as someone who could emerge from the group this offseason. He has the recruiting pedigree, receiving a five-star rating in the 2023 class. And despite being a true freshman last season, Owens played about as well as Daniels and Moss.

To reach another level as a player, though, Owens will probably need to improve his pass protection and ability to gain yards after contact. Pro Football Focus gave Owens a 16.8 pass-blocking grade last season. Among the 119 FBS running backs who played at least 50 pass-blocking snaps, that grade came in last. His 2.53 yards after contact per attempt ranked 143rd out of 157 FBS running backs (minimum 100 attempts).

"He has had a really good spring in terms of doing the things he needs to do to take his game to the next level," Elko said. "He is extremely athletic. He does a really good job catching the ball out of the backfield.

"He needs to just learn how to be a running back in the SEC and how to get four and five yards sometimes. He does a really good job of getting the 30 and 35 yards. That is his natural athleticism. We have to get him to be a little bit cleaner at the four and five yards, and that is what he is working on. I think he is getting really good at it."

For the tl/dr crowd, Weigman isn't working out as much as Elko thinks he needs to, so Elko is hinting that he might not be QB1 after the spring; Reuben Owens is a pussy who still can't pass protect and goes down immediately on contact; Bryce Anderson is a safety and they don't know who the other safety will be, nor do they have a clue who the corner will be; outside of Nick Scourton and a guard from Kansas, they are in deep shit regarding transfer talent.

Do you think they are in a position to be big portal shoppers in the second window? I have heard that this one is going to be very active with some quality guys out there. Hell, guys like Austin Jordan and Tapp would be huge lifts for them.

Post Oak · April 12

It sure would be funny if Wiegman decided to portal

hook me · April 12

8 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

Do you think they are in a position to be big portal shoppers in the second window? I have heard that this one is going to be very active with some quality guys out there. Hell, guys like Austin Jordan and Tapp would be huge lifts for them.

The SEC transfer rules will be enforced with UT & OU included this year, so they would have to sit a year unless they manage to get an NCAA exemption.

ousux · April 12

They are convinced with a 12 team playoff they can be the 3rd team from the SEC to sneak in. Tbh with their Charmin soft schedule (and a lot of luck) they do have an outside shot at it. Personally I think even Mizz or BloU have a better chance than aggy, but don't tell them that.

closetojumping · April 12

25 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

Do you think they are in a position to be big portal shoppers in the second window? I have heard that this one is going to be very active with some quality guys out there. Hell, guys like Austin Jordan and Tapp would be huge lifts for them.

I don't think they actually want to be big portal shoppers, but we'll see. I know fatigue is a thing over there right now and Elko is telling the money exactly what they want to hear right now, and he may well believe it.

Apparently, the Junction Boys spirit is alive and well in aggieland. Due to the notion of culture rot, Elko is being forced to tear the whole thing down to the studs so that he can replenish the program with "his guys" and the kind of blue collar work ethic that oh so many aggies fantasize about seeing others exhibit. That's going to lead to some pain over a few cycles of the portal and recruiting, but they'll be playing for SEC titles after that.

Right.

closetojumping · April 12

Just now, ousux said:

37 minutes ago, hook me said:

They are convinced with a 12 team playoff they can be the 3rd team from the SEC to sneak in. Tbh with their Charmin soft schedule (and a lot of luck) they do have an outside shot at it. Personally I think even Mizz or BloU have a better chance than aggy, but don't tell them that.

They don't have a vague shot at the CFP. If you feel better than that about it, we should place a bet. I will take all comers for any bet size that Texas A&M isn't making the fucking playoffs in the 2024 season. Window's open.

Also, the SEC will get 4 or 5 teams into this cycle and most others.

ousux · April 12

They don't have a vague shot at the CFP. If you feel better than that about it, we should place a bet. I will take all comers for any bet size that Texas A&M isn't making the fucking playoffs in the 2024 season. Window's open.
Also, the SEC will get 4 or 5 teams into this cycle and most others.

You quoted before I edited, I think Mizzery or OU have a better chance than aggy. Even if something crazy happens and they do get in, the no depth thing will bite them in the ass.

hook me · April 12

25 minutes ago, ousux said:

27 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

They don't have a vague shot at the CFP. If you feel better than that about it, we should place a bet. I will take all comers for any bet size that Texas A&M isn't making the fucking playoffs in the 2024 season. Window's open.
Also, the SEC will get 4 or 5 teams into this cycle and most others.

You quoted before I edited, I think Mizzery or OU have a better chance than aggy. Even if something crazy happens and they do get in, the no depth thing will bite them in the ass.

Mizzou with a chance for sure given what they return on offense & what looks like an absolutely cake walk of a schedule complete with Umass, Murray St., BC, Vandy, & Buffalo. Their SEC schedule looks pretty weak as well so, if they can split @Bama & vs. OU they should be in. They may get in even if they lose both of those games and finish 10-2 depending on what else happens. OU would be shocking given their schedule & my complete lack of faith in their roster & coaches. I will bet any amount of @closetojumping 's money that a&m isn't in the playoff conversation & are as likely to start 3-3 & finish struggling to make a bowl game as they are finishing with 8+ wins.

Fud · April 12

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

I don't think they actually want to be big portal shoppers, but we'll see. I know fatigue is a thing over there right now and Elko is telling the money exactly what they want to hear right now, and he may well believe it.

Apparently, the Junction Boys spirit is alive and well in aggieland. Due to the notion of culture rot, Elko is being forced to tear the whole thing down to the studs so that he can replenish the program with "his guys" and the kind of blue collar work ethic that oh so many aggies fantasize about seeing others exhibit. That's going to lead to some pain over a few cycles of the portal and recruiting, but they'll be playing for SEC titles after that.

Right.

This sentiment will be short lived after Texas’s success this upcoming season, imo

They’ll be back to impatient and irrational Auburn west in no time

Ricky's one-hitter · April 12

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

the kind of blue collar work ethic that oh so many aggies fantasize about seeing others exhibit.

This is perfect.

closetojumping · April 12

12 minutes ago, Fud said:

This sentiment will be short lived after Texas’s success this upcoming season, imo

They’ll be back to impatient and irrational Auburn west in no time

Auburn West is pretty good.

If Texas is playing in the CFP, or playing for the NT, or, God forbid, winning the NT, I agree that they will be absolutely shitting themselves in panic. These guys involved in and around the top over there are trending towards Euro football hoodlum type of fanaticism. Particularly if they have the season I think they're going to have, notwithstanding surprising and crazy shit in this portal window that somehow benefits them.

campcrunk · April 13

10 hours ago, closetojumping said:

I also posted this on the aggie thread in the football forum, but recognizing that some of you elitists don't visit there:

The Elk has confessed to his audience, after the first aggie scrimmage, that things are ... not so great right now.

https://247sports.com/college/texas-am/longformarticle/texas-a-m-football-notebook-aggie-coach-mike-elko-says-team-remains-a-work-in-progress-230249778/#2404181

"I am a coach, so I do not know how to sugarcoat all of this stuff," Elko said. "It is not great right now, because they are not comfortable in it yet. That is part of spring. It is just learning how the system works, taking more and more reps of it.

"The challenge that we will have coming out of spring ball is understanding where we are and having a phenomenal summer so that when we get back to fall camp, practice one, we are 100 days better and not taking any steps back."

Spoilered the full article in case the link is subscriber only:

Hide contents

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko covered a variety of topics in his mid-spring press conference Wednesday. Here are five highlights from what he discussed with the media.

The Aggies are still a 'work in progress'

A&M is beyond the halfway point of spring football, completing nine of its 15 practices so far. The Aggies also held their first spring scrimmage Tuesday. But in his three spring football press conferences, Elko has seemingly refrained from giving many revealing takeaways.

Elko does not appear to be playing coy with his answers. He has simply suggested that his Aggie team remains far from a finished product, describing them as a "work in progress." With a new coaching staff and 30 scholarship newcomers this spring, A&M certainly has a learning curve.

"Every time our kids are going out on the field, they are doing something for the first time," Elko said. "I think that is always a challenge, and that is what makes the first spring so challenging. Very happy with our guys in terms of their mindset, how hard they are working, the things that they are doing to try to get this thing in the right direction.

"We have managed to stay relatively healthy, which is huge, and getting a lot of guys out there and getting a lot of reps and a lot of work."

With six practices remaining, the Aggies should only continue to progress and have a better understanding of the scheme and depth chart. They are expected to have two more scrimmages this spring – one next Tuesday and the other for the Maroon and White Game in Kyle Field next Saturday.

"I am a coach, so I do not know how to sugarcoat all of this stuff," Elko said. "It is not great right now, because they are not comfortable in it yet. That is part of spring. It is just learning how the system works, taking more and more reps of it.

"The challenge that we will have coming out of spring ball is understanding where we are and having a phenomenal summer so that when we get back to fall camp, practice one, we are 100 days better and not taking any steps back."

QB Conner Weigman is not exactly cemented as the starter

Going into the spring, Elko named redshirt sophomore Conner Weigman as his starting quarterback. However, that label should not be considered permanent. If quarterbacks Jaylen Henderson or Marcel Reed outperform Weigman in practice, they could conceivably leapfrog him on the depth chart. At least, that is how Elko seemed to describe the situation.

"Just because you go in the spring as the number one (quarterback), that does not really mean anything other than your number one going in the spring," Elko said. "Conner had earned that right, we felt like from how he had performed. But like every kid in our program, competition is there. So Conner knows there is a level of play that he needs to reach in order to continue to be number one and be number one when we play Notre Dame."

Weigman began last season as the top option and impressed in his four starts. He completed 68.9% (82 of 119) of his passes for 979 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions while turning 12 carries into 63 yards and two scores.

However, Weigman remains limited from the season-ending left foot/ankle injury that he suffered against Auburn last September. He has been practicing with restrictions throughout this spring.

"He is not 100%," said Elko of Weigman. "He is not going to be 100% coming out of spring. He is still recovering from the ankle. So he is able to go. He is a tough kid, and it is a testament to him that he understands how important it is to get these reps."

After what they showed last season, Henderson and Reed appear to have the talent to push Weigman in the coming months.

Henderson started the last four games last season, though he permanently exited the TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. Oklahoma State early after going down with a right arm/elbow injury. In his three full starts combined, Henderson completed 67.5% (52 of 77) of his passes for six touchdowns with two interceptions while turning 40 carries into 97 yards and two scores.

As a true freshman last season, Reed initially served as the fourth-team quarterback. But he replaced Henderson in the bowl game and shined, completing 20 of 33 passes for 361 yards with an interception. He also rushed for 29 yards and a score on 10 carries.

"Jaylen Henderson is getting a little bit more and more comfortable functioning within the system," Elko said. "He is obviously extremely athletic. He does have the ability to throw the football well. Just seeing the game and getting the game to slow down for him a little bit so it can be a little bit more consistent, the way he delivers the football, I think would help.

"Then Marcel Reed as a young kid – and you saw it in the bowl game. I think he has really high potential. It is very similar, though. It is, can we get it to be out there every single play? A little less peaks and valleys and a little bit more consistent execution and operation is what we need to get."

New transfers who have stood out this spring

A&M has landed 24 scholarship players from the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason, and only three of them are not on campus yet. After fielding a question about who has stood out among the new transfers, Elko initially dodged it with a quip.

"I could reword that question," Elko said. "'Hey, coach, you brought in 24 guys. Are there 22 you would like to really get upset by singling out only two?' I am trying to figure out how to word it without doing that."

Elko eventually named defensive end Nic Scourton (Purdue), offensive lineman Ar'maj Reed-Adams (Kansas) and tight end Tre Watson (Fresno State) as three transfers who have made a solid first impression this spring. He added that Watson has been dealing with a shoulder injury, though, and did not participate in the scrimmage Tuesday.

Scourton impressing is no surprise. He led the Big Ten in sacks last season with 10 and received second-team all-conference honors. Reed-Adams and Watson emerging are the more interesting developments.

The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Reed-Adams brings versatility and significant experience. In four seasons with the Jayhawks, he appeared in 31 games with 14 starts. Reed-Adams started his first eight games of the 2023 season at left guard before lining up at right tackle for the final three. His other three career starts came as a true freshman in 2020 and were all at right guard. Reed-Adams will likely compete for one of the two starting spots at offensive guard for the Aggies.

A&M lacks a cemented starter at tight end, and Watson has the talent to be in consideration. He is seen as more of a receiving tight end but had a productive 2023 season with the Bulldogs, catching 38 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns. Watson and Henderson were teammates at Fresno State in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Elko also named most of the eight new transfers in the secondary as standout performers. Safety Trey Jones III (Central Michigan) and cornerback Dezz Ricks (Alabama) have been dealing with injuries. Safety De'Rickey Wright (Vanderbilt) is not set to join the Aggies until June.

"From Marcus Ratcliffe to Will Lee to Donovan Saunders to BJ Mayes … every one of those kids has flashed at times," Elko said. "They are going to add a lot of value back there."

Bryce Anderson affirmatively moving to safety, other DB tidbits

As a sophomore, Bryce Anderson entered last season with lofty expectations. He stepped into a starting role at nickel cornerback and looked ready to fill the void that the previous starter, Antonio Johnson, left. But while Anderson had his moments, he mostly produced mixed results.

Perhaps because he played out of position.

"Bryce is a safety. We recruited Bryce to play safety," said Elko, who as the former A&M defensive coordinator helped pursue Anderson out of the 2022 recruiting class. "I have always envisioned him being a safety in this defense. He is not playing nickel. I do not think he is a nickel."

Anderson seems like a lock to secure one of the two starting safety jobs. Which player will claim the other starting spot remains unclear. Jones and Wright bring the most starting experience, but one has not been 100% healthy and the other is not with the team yet.

Elko noticeably raved about Dalton Brooks, who played a lot of high-leverage reps as a true freshman last season.

"Dalton Brooks has taken a huge step forward this spring and been really happy with him," Elko said. "He is an elite run-and-hit safety. He still has a little bit of a gap to close in terms of processing and understanding everything that we are doing, which he is doing every day. But I do think he has got some really elite traits, and we are excited about that one."

With Anderson permanently leaving the nickel unit, that position group will be worth monitoring as well.

Going into the spring, Florida transfer Jaydon Hill seemed like the favorite to win the starting nickel job. He started 11 games at nickel for the Gators last season. However, Elko mentioned that incumbent starting cornerback Tyreek Chappell has been cross training on the outside and at nickel. He said cornerback Bravion Rogers has seen action at nickel, too.

"Nickel is probably a little bit harder than corner," Elko said. "You are a little bit closer to the ball. There is a little bit more going on. From a scheme standpoint, the more reps you can get at nickel, it probably benefits you than always needing them to be out at corner."

The next step for running back Rueben Owens II

In an interview with the media last week, A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein opined that the days of a workhorse running back are "probably not there anymore." The Aggies using a committee approach in 2024 would certainly make sense. Running backs Amari Daniels, Le'Veon Moss and Rueben Owens II shared an equal workload last season, and they all produced similar numbers.

Still, Owens will be worth monitoring as someone who could emerge from the group this offseason. He has the recruiting pedigree, receiving a five-star rating in the 2023 class. And despite being a true freshman last season, Owens played about as well as Daniels and Moss.

To reach another level as a player, though, Owens will probably need to improve his pass protection and ability to gain yards after contact. Pro Football Focus gave Owens a 16.8 pass-blocking grade last season. Among the 119 FBS running backs who played at least 50 pass-blocking snaps, that grade came in last. His 2.53 yards after contact per attempt ranked 143rd out of 157 FBS running backs (minimum 100 attempts).

"He has had a really good spring in terms of doing the things he needs to do to take his game to the next level," Elko said. "He is extremely athletic. He does a really good job catching the ball out of the backfield.

"He needs to just learn how to be a running back in the SEC and how to get four and five yards sometimes. He does a really good job of getting the 30 and 35 yards. That is his natural athleticism. We have to get him to be a little bit cleaner at the four and five yards, and that is what he is working on. I think he is getting really good at it."

For the tl/dr crowd, Weigman isn't working out as much as Elko thinks he needs to, so Elko is hinting that he might not be QB1 after the spring; Reuben Owens is a pussy who still can't pass protect and goes down immediately on contact; Bryce Anderson is a safety and they don't know who the other safety will be, nor do they have a clue who the corner will be; outside of Nick Scourton and a guard from Kansas, they are in deep shit regarding transfer talent.

Ok. this is amazing.

No one knows THE DEFENSE??? Shouldn't like AT LEAST 55% to 60% of these guys already know this system inside and out since, you know, THEY PLAYED UNDER IT? Some of them for several years. How is the D being unfamiliar with Elko's system even remotely possible?

The offense, I sort of get. The K-State O is not terribly complicated but it's at least new and like nothing any of these players have ever seen. And that's with the objective fact that they don't have more than 3 or 4 (if that) of the type of players they ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE to run it properly. Their OL is a walking woodchipper for A&M QBs and RBs. Klein might actually get Weigman killed on the field this season. Moss and Owens seem... unstable/unbalanced and HIGHLY likely to average like 2.5 ypc behind that shitshow OL. When that starts to happen, a transfer or two would not shock me in the least (unless they have to bring out MORE huge money to keep one or both of them).

I'm also kind of hoping for a LOT of QB power calls - 6-12 per game - behind that absolutely putrid OL. It's not that I WANT to see Weigman get hurt. I just know that him being seriously injured in that offense is basically inevitable and it's going to drag the Aggies down into the deepest depths of despair since the Kyle/Kyler/Kylest incident and our SEC announcement. So let's just get it out of the way early so we can enjoy the misery as long as possible. You could also call it morbid curiousity about how many hard hits he can take running that play. I've got the over under at 5.5.

Then again, maybe it isn't impossible at all for the players to know about either system thus far, Elko. Maybe, just maybe, the team you've inherited (the 53% or so that didn't transfer as fast and as far as they could when you got there, anyway) and then "rebuilt" using second, third, and even fourth rate castoffs... excuse me! I meant to say "highly touted transfers from low end P5 teams, G5 universities, and DII schools." Anyway, maybe this team that you've put all your time, effort, and "talent" into building just sucks complete ass. Maybe they won't ever be ready to compete with anyone decent in their current form no matter what system you employ.

In fact, maybe it would be better to just nut up and let Moose Muhammad run the wishbone as QB with Moss and Owens as the backs, Amari Daniels as the FB, an Donovan Green and Noah Thomas as X and Y/the TEs/the WRs/whatever you want to call them. It still wouldn't work but at least Weigman would get to live to see 32 and it might be kind of fun to watch. Plus, it kind of worked for Georgia Tech and you all have SUCH AMAZING, INCREDIBLE TOP 4 5 6 talent, you're guaranteed to pull it off. If nothing else, I'd at least tune in to watch someone run the bone again, just like I used to with GT and some of the service academies.

Edited April 13 by campcrunk

Tex Pete · April 13

39 minutes ago, campcrunk said:

I just know that him being seriously injured in that offense is basically inevitable and it's going to drag the Aggies down into the deepest depths of despair since the Kyle/Kyler/Kylest incident and our SEC announcement.

What a time that was to be alive!

AP101S · April 13

9 hours ago, campcrunk said:

No one knows THE DEFENSE??? Shouldn't like AT LEAST 55% to 60% of these guys already know this system inside and out since, you know, THEY PLAYED UNDER IT? Some of them for several years. How is the D being unfamiliar with Elko's system even remotely possible?

Elko coached at A&M for the 2018 - 2021 seasons. 63 players that were on the roster during those years transferred, were expelled, or took a medical retirement. 29 of those 63 were on defense. There are only 3 defensive players currently on the roster from Elko's time: Shemar Turner, Albert Regis, and Tyreek Chappell. They were all freshman in 2021.

You can see what happened to every signee since 2017 in the Aggie by Class tab https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TzoBTIvCXfZIk7Sz3C9txMg0yPvrXyVM/edit#gid=1912575733. There's also a Texas by Class tab.

Bevo14 · April 13

21 hours ago, closetojumping said:

I also posted this on the aggie thread in the football forum, but recognizing that some of you elitists don't visit there:

The Elk has confessed to his audience, after the first aggie scrimmage, that things are ... not so great right now.

https://247sports.com/college/texas-am/longformarticle/texas-a-m-football-notebook-aggie-coach-mike-elko-says-team-remains-a-work-in-progress-230249778/#2404181

"I am a coach, so I do not know how to sugarcoat all of this stuff," Elko said. "It is not great right now, because they are not comfortable in it yet. That is part of spring. It is just learning how the system works, taking more and more reps of it.

"The challenge that we will have coming out of spring ball is understanding where we are and having a phenomenal summer so that when we get back to fall camp, practice one, we are 100 days better and not taking any steps back."

Spoilered the full article in case the link is subscriber only:

Reveal hidden contents

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko covered a variety of topics in his mid-spring press conference Wednesday. Here are five highlights from what he discussed with the media.

The Aggies are still a 'work in progress'

A&M is beyond the halfway point of spring football, completing nine of its 15 practices so far. The Aggies also held their first spring scrimmage Tuesday. But in his three spring football press conferences, Elko has seemingly refrained from giving many revealing takeaways.

Elko does not appear to be playing coy with his answers. He has simply suggested that his Aggie team remains far from a finished product, describing them as a "work in progress." With a new coaching staff and 30 scholarship newcomers this spring, A&M certainly has a learning curve.

"Every time our kids are going out on the field, they are doing something for the first time," Elko said. "I think that is always a challenge, and that is what makes the first spring so challenging. Very happy with our guys in terms of their mindset, how hard they are working, the things that they are doing to try to get this thing in the right direction.

"We have managed to stay relatively healthy, which is huge, and getting a lot of guys out there and getting a lot of reps and a lot of work."

With six practices remaining, the Aggies should only continue to progress and have a better understanding of the scheme and depth chart. They are expected to have two more scrimmages this spring – one next Tuesday and the other for the Maroon and White Game in Kyle Field next Saturday.

"I am a coach, so I do not know how to sugarcoat all of this stuff," Elko said. "It is not great right now, because they are not comfortable in it yet. That is part of spring. It is just learning how the system works, taking more and more reps of it.

"The challenge that we will have coming out of spring ball is understanding where we are and having a phenomenal summer so that when we get back to fall camp, practice one, we are 100 days better and not taking any steps back."

QB Conner Weigman is not exactly cemented as the starter

Going into the spring, Elko named redshirt sophomore Conner Weigman as his starting quarterback. However, that label should not be considered permanent. If quarterbacks Jaylen Henderson or Marcel Reed outperform Weigman in practice, they could conceivably leapfrog him on the depth chart. At least, that is how Elko seemed to describe the situation.

"Just because you go in the spring as the number one (quarterback), that does not really mean anything other than your number one going in the spring," Elko said. "Conner had earned that right, we felt like from how he had performed. But like every kid in our program, competition is there. So Conner knows there is a level of play that he needs to reach in order to continue to be number one and be number one when we play Notre Dame."

Weigman began last season as the top option and impressed in his four starts. He completed 68.9% (82 of 119) of his passes for 979 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions while turning 12 carries into 63 yards and two scores.

However, Weigman remains limited from the season-ending left foot/ankle injury that he suffered against Auburn last September. He has been practicing with restrictions throughout this spring.

"He is not 100%," said Elko of Weigman. "He is not going to be 100% coming out of spring. He is still recovering from the ankle. So he is able to go. He is a tough kid, and it is a testament to him that he understands how important it is to get these reps."

After what they showed last season, Henderson and Reed appear to have the talent to push Weigman in the coming months.

Henderson started the last four games last season, though he permanently exited the TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. Oklahoma State early after going down with a right arm/elbow injury. In his three full starts combined, Henderson completed 67.5% (52 of 77) of his passes for six touchdowns with two interceptions while turning 40 carries into 97 yards and two scores.

As a true freshman last season, Reed initially served as the fourth-team quarterback. But he replaced Henderson in the bowl game and shined, completing 20 of 33 passes for 361 yards with an interception. He also rushed for 29 yards and a score on 10 carries.

"Jaylen Henderson is getting a little bit more and more comfortable functioning within the system," Elko said. "He is obviously extremely athletic. He does have the ability to throw the football well. Just seeing the game and getting the game to slow down for him a little bit so it can be a little bit more consistent, the way he delivers the football, I think would help.

"Then Marcel Reed as a young kid – and you saw it in the bowl game. I think he has really high potential. It is very similar, though. It is, can we get it to be out there every single play? A little less peaks and valleys and a little bit more consistent execution and operation is what we need to get."

New transfers who have stood out this spring

A&M has landed 24 scholarship players from the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason, and only three of them are not on campus yet. After fielding a question about who has stood out among the new transfers, Elko initially dodged it with a quip.

"I could reword that question," Elko said. "'Hey, coach, you brought in 24 guys. Are there 22 you would like to really get upset by singling out only two?' I am trying to figure out how to word it without doing that."

Elko eventually named defensive end Nic Scourton (Purdue), offensive lineman Ar'maj Reed-Adams (Kansas) and tight end Tre Watson (Fresno State) as three transfers who have made a solid first impression this spring. He added that Watson has been dealing with a shoulder injury, though, and did not participate in the scrimmage Tuesday.

Scourton impressing is no surprise. He led the Big Ten in sacks last season with 10 and received second-team all-conference honors. Reed-Adams and Watson emerging are the more interesting developments.

The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Reed-Adams brings versatility and significant experience. In four seasons with the Jayhawks, he appeared in 31 games with 14 starts. Reed-Adams started his first eight games of the 2023 season at left guard before lining up at right tackle for the final three. His other three career starts came as a true freshman in 2020 and were all at right guard. Reed-Adams will likely compete for one of the two starting spots at offensive guard for the Aggies.

A&M lacks a cemented starter at tight end, and Watson has the talent to be in consideration. He is seen as more of a receiving tight end but had a productive 2023 season with the Bulldogs, catching 38 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns. Watson and Henderson were teammates at Fresno State in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Elko also named most of the eight new transfers in the secondary as standout performers. Safety Trey Jones III (Central Michigan) and cornerback Dezz Ricks (Alabama) have been dealing with injuries. Safety De'Rickey Wright (Vanderbilt) is not set to join the Aggies until June.

"From Marcus Ratcliffe to Will Lee to Donovan Saunders to BJ Mayes … every one of those kids has flashed at times," Elko said. "They are going to add a lot of value back there."

Bryce Anderson affirmatively moving to safety, other DB tidbits

As a sophomore, Bryce Anderson entered last season with lofty expectations. He stepped into a starting role at nickel cornerback and looked ready to fill the void that the previous starter, Antonio Johnson, left. But while Anderson had his moments, he mostly produced mixed results.

Perhaps because he played out of position.

"Bryce is a safety. We recruited Bryce to play safety," said Elko, who as the former A&M defensive coordinator helped pursue Anderson out of the 2022 recruiting class. "I have always envisioned him being a safety in this defense. He is not playing nickel. I do not think he is a nickel."

Anderson seems like a lock to secure one of the two starting safety jobs. Which player will claim the other starting spot remains unclear. Jones and Wright bring the most starting experience, but one has not been 100% healthy and the other is not with the team yet.

Elko noticeably raved about Dalton Brooks, who played a lot of high-leverage reps as a true freshman last season.

"Dalton Brooks has taken a huge step forward this spring and been really happy with him," Elko said. "He is an elite run-and-hit safety. He still has a little bit of a gap to close in terms of processing and understanding everything that we are doing, which he is doing every day. But I do think he has got some really elite traits, and we are excited about that one."

With Anderson permanently leaving the nickel unit, that position group will be worth monitoring as well.

Going into the spring, Florida transfer Jaydon Hill seemed like the favorite to win the starting nickel job. He started 11 games at nickel for the Gators last season. However, Elko mentioned that incumbent starting cornerback Tyreek Chappell has been cross training on the outside and at nickel. He said cornerback Bravion Rogers has seen action at nickel, too.

"Nickel is probably a little bit harder than corner," Elko said. "You are a little bit closer to the ball. There is a little bit more going on. From a scheme standpoint, the more reps you can get at nickel, it probably benefits you than always needing them to be out at corner."

The next step for running back Rueben Owens II

In an interview with the media last week, A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein opined that the days of a workhorse running back are "probably not there anymore." The Aggies using a committee approach in 2024 would certainly make sense. Running backs Amari Daniels, Le'Veon Moss and Rueben Owens II shared an equal workload last season, and they all produced similar numbers.

Still, Owens will be worth monitoring as someone who could emerge from the group this offseason. He has the recruiting pedigree, receiving a five-star rating in the 2023 class. And despite being a true freshman last season, Owens played about as well as Daniels and Moss.

To reach another level as a player, though, Owens will probably need to improve his pass protection and ability to gain yards after contact. Pro Football Focus gave Owens a 16.8 pass-blocking grade last season. Among the 119 FBS running backs who played at least 50 pass-blocking snaps, that grade came in last. His 2.53 yards after contact per attempt ranked 143rd out of 157 FBS running backs (minimum 100 attempts).

"He has had a really good spring in terms of doing the things he needs to do to take his game to the next level," Elko said. "He is extremely athletic. He does a really good job catching the ball out of the backfield.

"He needs to just learn how to be a running back in the SEC and how to get four and five yards sometimes. He does a really good job of getting the 30 and 35 yards. That is his natural athleticism. We have to get him to be a little bit cleaner at the four and five yards, and that is what he is working on. I think he is getting really good at it."

For the tl/dr crowd, Weigman isn't working out as much as Elko thinks he needs to, so Elko is hinting that he might not be QB1 after the spring; Reuben Owens is a pussy who still can't pass protect and goes down immediately on contact; Bryce Anderson is a safety and they don't know who the other safety will be, nor do they have a clue who the corner will be; outside of Nick Scourton and a guard from Kansas, they are in deep shit regarding transfer talent.

Not sure Weigman can work out hard enough to be ready for that offense. If he starts bathing in roids maybe he'll make it to the midpoint of the season.

Their schedule is about as easy as ours but they're probably headed for 5-7. The funny part is it's only comparable SOS because we raise the difficulty of their schedule and they bring ours down.

Edited April 13 by Bevo14

Tylerocks · April 13

18 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Auburn West is pretty good.

If Texas is playing in the CFP, or playing for the NT, or, God forbid, winning the NT, I agree that they will be absolutely shitting themselves in panic. These guys involved in and around the top over there are trending towards Euro football hoodlum type of fanaticism. Particularly if they have the season I think they're going to have, notwithstanding surprising and crazy shit in this portal window that somehow benefits them.

What's your O/U for wins for them? 6.5/7?

billfromlaketravis · April 13

aggy wishes they were Auburn West. Auburn occasionally cheats themselves into a national championship a couple times a century.

closetojumping · April 13

1 hour ago, Tylerocks said:

What's your O/U for wins for them? 6.5/7?

I’m abstaining from seriously considering records until the portal is closed. Right now I’d say that’s about right but who the hell knows what is about to happen? The aggie roster, because of circumstances regarding staff transition and so on, has as much risk on it as any out there.

There continue to be rumblings of upheaval in some name programs this next week. I don’t know how much of that is media bullshit from the likes of Pate versus true.

Elmer_Fudd · April 14

On 4/9/2024 at 9:57 AM, closetojumping said:

Tom Loy showed up with a post stating that things are looking very promising for this guy:

https://247sports.com/player/marcus-garcia-46144270/

The competition for this guy is limited to P4 also-rans similar to ATM and then there's the faded blue blood, Nebraska.

I don't give a shit if a guy is a 3 star or a 5 star, provided the evaluators are people I trust. We've all lived the experience of this kind of shit, however. 3 star that no top 10 team is in on, taking them early, needing to add 30+ pounds to have a prayer of being effective in college, etc. I wouldn't want to go back to that for all of the rice in China.

This guy is committing today. Also a QB they are predicted to land.

RomaVicta · April 14

Garcia seems like a pretty good get. I hope he's ready to play the day he arrives.

closetojumping · April 14

3 minutes ago, RomaVicta said:

Garcia seems like a pretty good get. I hope he's ready to play the day he arrives.

I think he’s a middling guy and wouldn’t want him on UT’s roster, but I love him in theirs.

Hornius Emeritus · April 14

11 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I think he’s a middling guy and wouldn’t want him on UT’s roster, but I love him in theirs.

He's apparently an exceptional discus thrower.

Frank Drebin · April 14

1 hour ago, RomaVicta said:

Garcia seems like a pretty good get. I hope he's ready to play the day he arrives.

He’s top-5 in state according to @Helobious

Teryor · April 14

Got their QB and the jaggy OL

Vermin · April 14

Huston Street is a great pickup for them.

Elmer_Fudd · April 14

SimkinsMan · April 14

Not just anyone can pull an offensive lineman from Tech.

Tex Pete · April 15

6 hours ago, Vermin said:

Huston Street is a great pickup for them.

This is the Great Value version. Huston Street Husan Longstreet.

nnm · April 15

9 hours ago, Tex Pete said:

This is the Great Value version. Huston Street Husan Longstreet.

Stoopid sip. It’s an upgrade. Whorn Huston was only a Street. Husan is a LONGstreet

Advantage Aggie.

Edited April 15 by nnm

closetojumping · April 15

16 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Nothing says SEC OL play like a guy measuring 6'5", 270. The Adam Ulatoski/Tristan Nicholson School of Physical Development churns out another future star.

closetojumping · April 15

From Aggie 247 and my thoughts:

Carter Karels continues to attempt subtle messages to his aggie readers that their roster is dogshit and they're going to need to do a lot of work in the portal. He's also hinting at soon to be exits as well. I'm not sure if any of it is getting through.

Here's an article in which he talks about the offense and their portal needs. Spoilered so the folks that just come to this thread to crack the ever-hilarious sheepfucking jokes don't have too long of a scroll:

Spoiler

Earlier this offseason, Texas A&M hammered the NCAA Transfer Portal to fill several holes on its roster. Look for the Aggies to remain active during the spring window for the transfer portal, which begins Tuesday and ends April 30.

During the winter transfer portal window (Dec. 4, 2023-Jan. 2, 2024), A&M lost 18 scholarship players. 247Sports previously reported that two other scholarship players, safety Jacoby Mathews and Sam McCall, are expected to transfer out of the program during the spring portal window.

The Aggies have replaced those departures with 24 scholarship transfers so far: four cornerbacks, three safeties, three defensive ends, three offensive linemen, two linebackers, one defensive tackle, two wide receivers, two tight ends, one nickel cornerback, one running back, one punter and a kicker. Their 24-player transfer class ranks second nationally, per 247Sports.

Those subtractions and additions have brought them to a projected scholarship count of 90 players for the fall. Per NCAA rules, A&M will not need to satisfy the 85-scholarship limit until the first day of its fall semester.

Ahead of the upcoming transfer window, here is the start of a two-part series assessing which positions the Aggies should address through the portal. Every unit will be examined by their level of need, receiving a grade of very low, low, medium, high or very high.

Here is a look at the offense.

QUARTERBACK

Position inventory: Redshirt junior Jaylen Henderson, redshirt sophomore Conner Weigman, redshirt freshman Marcel Reed and true freshman Miles O'Neill.

How big of a need: Very low.

Analysis: With NIL and the portal, a solid backup quarterback can be tough to keep. Following last season, A&M managed to retain two backup quarterbacks – Henderson and Reed – who impressed in game settings. O'Neill will join the Aggies in June as well.

Now, if Henderson or Reed enters the portal this month, A&M will certainly need to improve its depth at quarterback. But if they stay, the Aggies would have to feel good about their quarterback group going into the 2024 season.

RUNNING BACK/FULLBACK

Position inventory: Sixth-year senior Jerry Johnson II, fifth-year senior EJ Smith, redshirt junior Amari Daniels, junior Le'Veon Moss and sophomore Rueben Owens II.

How big of a need: Medium.

Analysis: All four A&M running backs bring experience and have proven themselves to be at least serviceable. Whether any of them could flourish in a featured role this season, though, remains to be seen. None of them have reached 600 rushing yards in a season.

If the Aggies continue to use a committee approach, Smith, Daniels, Moss and Owens should form a nice group. But if a stellar 1,000-yard rusher suddenly became available, A&M would be foolish to pass on him.

WIDE RECEIVER

Position inventory: Fifth-year seniors Moose Muhammad III and Jabre Barber, senior Jahdae Walker, juniors Noah Thomas and Cyrus Allen, sophomore Micah Tease, and true freshmen Izaiah Williams, Ernest Campbell and Ashton Bethel-Roman.

How big of a need: High.

Analysis: Like their running back unit, the Aggies have a solid group of receivers but might lack a true No. 1 option. No A&M receiver has produced a 1,000-yard season in college. None of the four returning receivers for the Aggies have reached 700 receiving yards in a season.

Additionally, A&M is somewhat thin on numbers with its receiver group. Per source, Barber recently underwent surgery on a foot injury and could miss the beginning of the 2024 season (his injury timetable remains fluid). Without him, the Aggies would have only four receivers who have played a significant number of high-leverage reps in college.

TIGHT END

Position inventory: Sixth-year senior Garrett Miller, senior Tre Watson, redshirt sophomores Donovan Green and Theo Melin Öhrström, redshirt freshman Jaden Platt and true freshman Eric Karner.

How big of a need: Low.

Analysis: The Aggie tight end group, like their running back and receiver units, lacks a player with proven elite production. None of their tight ends have reached 400 receiving yards in a season, and only Watson has surpassed 250. However, lacking an elite tight end is not nearly as tough to overcome as not having a true No. 1 running back or receiver.

And even if none of its tight ends produce at an elite level, A&M should still receive plenty of meaningful contributions from the unit. Before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in practice last August, Green showed a lot of promise. The two transfer additions for the Aggies, Miller and Watson, should be impactful as well. Miller is thought to be more of a blocking tight end, while Watson has impressed as a receiving threat.

INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE

Position inventory: Sixth-year senior Dorian Hinton, fifth-year seniors Aki Ogunbiyi and Ar'maj Reed-Adams, redshirt junior Bryce Foster, junior Kam Dewberry, redshirt sophomore Mark Nabou Jr., sophomore Chase Bisontis, redshirt freshman TJ Shanahan and true freshman Isendre Ahfua.

How big of a need: Medium.

Analysis: This unit is loaded with depth and experience. Of the nine players listed above, seven of them have started multiple games in college. The two exceptions, Shanahan and Ahfua, were both four-star recruits.

Should a quality center enter the portal, though, A&M might be interested. Foster, the incumbent starter for the Aggies, left a lot to be desired with his play last season. He also has spent this spring with the track and field team, missing all 11 football practices so far. Perhaps Nabou will ultimately surpass Foster on the depth chart and show improvement. Either way, A&M could use an upgrade at center.

OFFENSIVE TACKLE

Position inventory: Fifth-year senior Derrick Graham, redshirt juniors Trey Zuhn III, Reuben Fatheree II and Dametrious Crownover, redshirt sophomore Hunter Erb, redshirt freshman Colton Thomasson, and true freshman Blake Ivy, Ashton Funk and Robert Bourdon.

How big of a need: Low.

Analysis: Do not be surprised if the Aggies add an offensive tackle transfer during the spring window. From what we have heard, they will be looking. However, an argument could be made that this group does not need a transfer addition.

Zuhn is coming off the best season of his career and seems like a lock to start at left tackle. Fatheree, who started at right tackle for the Aggies in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, is finally healthy again. He missed most of last fall with a lower-body injury.

A&M has adequate depth at offensive tackle, too. Crownover could push for the starting right tackle job and has the versatility to play left tackle. Bisontis started at right tackle last season and could slide to the position again if needed. Graham started 24 games at Troy and spent time at both offensive tackle positions.

So it appears that they're planning on losing a QB.

The staff isn't happy at OT and will be in the portal fishing for one of those ever present starting OTs who can start on day one.

They think they're losing at least one TB. They also don't think they have RB1 on campus so, again, they'll be all over one of those awesome starting TBs that no one else is bidding for to step right in the lineup.

They just lost a WR to foot surgery who had transferred in from Troy and was an immediate starter. He won't be back for the first part of the season, if any of it. They also lack a WR1 on campus and need one of those to magically drop in for them as well.

They don't think they need help at TE but the staff also doesn't see a TE1 on the roster.

They don't have a functioning C and will be begging someone to join them at that spot, otherwise they're reliant on a completely disengaged Bryce Foster or someone worse. They're "loaded" with guys on the IOL, but Karels seems to be unaware that quantity is completely irrelevant if quality is non-existent.

closetojumping · April 15

I've got more good stuff coming from those idiots that I'm going to post here as well.

Here's a tidbit about that awesome 5 star TJ Shanahan that shocked me:

Tarp

"Mr_Pibb said... (original post) How is TJ looking?"

Shorter than I expected in person.

There's guys who are out right now like Dewberry that you would normally expect to make a run at a starting job. Foster is also in track.

He might still be a year away.

----

To translate: He's not a player we should expect to see out there and he probably won't ever be any better than that. If you doubt my interpretation, here's another comment from Tarp about the way he feels he has to write on that site from the same thread:

Tarp

"WesleyTXAg said... (original post) Agreed, but I am also referring to your narrative. So unless you're saying your narrative is A&M's narrative, I think it is worth ..."

I'm just telling you what I see and hear.

However, you're always going to get push back with this fan base if things aren't what the narrative is, like when I posted the other day that they're probably further behind in talent compared to programs like Georgia and Ohio State or that they're still trying to figure things out due to the number of newcomers.

There are other considerations such as the fact that they're more experienced and disciplined than what they were under the previous regime.

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