March 22Mar 22 Facing SEC air is a week in and week out grind. It's not for the faint of heart. It's line-of-scrimmage air.
March 22Mar 22 On 3/19/2025 at 8:43 PM, BurntEyes said: Da Elk keeps injury info tighter than the CiCi manager's asshole when Elk marches in for a sit down.
March 24Mar 24 On 3/22/2025 at 12:38 PM, RomaVicta said: Facing SEC air is a week in and week out grind. It's not for the faint of heart. It's line-of-scrimmage air. Ags probably still have to be able to convert a 4th down. CHIEF
March 24Mar 24 On 3/22/2025 at 8:47 AM, BurntEyes said: Well, man, they are absolutely stellar against air which clearly means SEC ready. Sad you don't know that fact. But was the air playing zone or man-to-molecule?
April 2Apr 2 Popular Post More practice reporting sadness from Carter Karels below in the spoiler. Highlights: -From reading the thread and some others, it actually sounds like they have to pass their notes through someone in the football office before they're allowed to publish anything. I find that disturbing and extraordinary. -They're putting Hicks in a starting slot during spring practice to prevent transfer concerns, but everyone and their mother knows that the Iowa State transfer was made starting promises to ink there in this last cycle. -The DE and LB positions look like absolute dogshit. I am not sure safety or CB are much better. -Bryce Anderson has made around $350k in his career at ATM. They've completely destroyed his NFL potential and he's just generally "in the mix" at safety. Congrats, buddy! Sorry Sarkisian hurt your mom's feelings once! -From what I can tell, this team doesn't have a gamebreaker at any position, on either side of the ball. Spoiler COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M football team held its sixth of 15 spring practices Tuesday on the two outdoor Coolidge Practice Fields. It marked the fourth practice GigEm247 and other media outlets could partially watch this spring. The reporters in attendance were permitted to observe, film video and take pictures for the first five periods (approximately 30 minutes) of practice before leaving. Reporters were not able to see the Aggies in any competitive settings like one-on-one drills, seven-on-seven work or 11-on-11 action. Given the limited and controlled viewing window, along with the restrictions on what the media can report, there were not a lot of significant takeaways from the practice. Still, there were a handful of notable observations that came from watching the first five periods. GigEm247 exclusively watched the defense, and here are some notes and takeaways from the viewing session. Injury reminder A&M coach Mike Elko previously ruled out eight injured players for the spring: linebacker Scooby Williams, cornerbacks Tyreek Chappell, Jayvon Thomas and Jamar Beal-Goines, offensive linemen Ar'maj Reed-Adams and Joshua Moses, and running backs Le'Veon Moss and Amari Daniels. What happened with the Aggie defense during the media-observed periods For the first two periods, A&M worked on special teams while its defensive linemen were on the side with assistant coaches Sean Spencer and Tony Jerod-Eddie. The Aggies spent the final three periods going through position drills. Top of the line Given how many practice restrictions there are for the Aggies, it can be hard to take much from each viewing session. With their position drills, though, how the players are organized can be insightful about the pecking order for that unit. For instance, multi-year starter Taurean York is almost always at the top of the line during linebacker position drills. On the flip side, walk-ons, inexperienced players and veterans buried on the unofficial depth chart will tend to be near the back of the line. While it is not an exact science, the way they line up is worth noting. So here is who I saw at the top of the line when watching their portion of position drills: • Defensive tackle: Albert Regis and DJ Hicks as the starters, and Tyler Onyedim and a combination of Dealyn Evans and Jadon Scarlett as the top backups were the order during a couple drills. Regis, an incumbent starter, is coming off the best season of his career and should be viewed as entrenched with the top group. Hicks is pushing for a starting spot and looks noticeably bigger this spring, gaining 10 pounds over the winter to bring him to 6-foot-5, 310. Still, Onyedim would be my bet to start next to Regis. • Defensive end: TJ Searcy, Cashius Howell, Marco Jones, Sam M'Pemba, Dayon Hayes, Rylan Kennedy, Kendall Jackson, Solomon Williams were the one-by-one order during one drill, and 12th Man Nana Boadi-Owusu worked with the top group. Searcy and Howell bring the most proven production among the group and were probably the projected defensive end starters entering this spring. But keep an eye on Jones, the early-enrolled freshman who continues to receive a lot of buzz. • Linebacker: Taurean York, Daymion Sanford, Jordan Lockhart and Kelvion Riggins were the one-by-one order during one drill, with Tristan Jernigan in the mix as well. York, an incumbent starter, should be considered cemented with the top group. Sanford is in the place of Williams, the incumbent starting will linebacker who is out for the spring. • Cornerback: Will Lee III and Dezz Ricks as the starters, Julian Humphrey and Jordan Pride as the backups, and Adonyss Currie and Cobey Sellers as the third pairing were the order during one drill. Coming off a second-team All-SEC campaign, Lee is established as a starter. Ricks and Humphrey similarly bring experience but struggled last season. Their battle for the second starting spot will be one to watch. • Safety: Dalton Brooks, Myles Davis, Jarred Kerr, Marcus Ratcliffe, Rashad "Tom Tom" Johnson Jr. and Bryce Anderson were the one-by-one order among scholarship players during one drill. Interestingly, Anderson came in at the back of the line when he is usually in the front. Davis will be the one to watch. The sophomore did not play many high-leverage snaps in his first season last fall, but he looks primed to make a second-year jump and is consistently near the top of the line during drills. Special teams more of a focus For the first two practices the media partially watched, A&M did not work on special teams during the viewing sessions. But the Aggies worked on special teams for one period during the third media-observed practice and two periods Tuesday. We have yet to see anything from punter Tyler White or kickers Randy Bond and Jared Zirkel. They are usually inside the Coolidge Football Performance Center throughout each viewing session. During the last two media-observed practices, though, the returners received some work outside. Only offensive players were on both return teams, so it might not have been a complete representation of who all A&M has there. Because I remained on the opposite side, I did not get a good look at the returner groups today. Here is who worked with them last Thursday. • Punt return: wide receivers Izaiah Williams, Mario Craver, KC Concepcion, Kelshaun Johnson and TK Norman, and running back Jamarion Morrow (Alex Miller of the Eagle said receivers Williams, Craver, Concepcion and Ashton Bethel-Roman, and Morrow were working with the group Tuesday). • Kickoff return: Running back Rueben Owens II and receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman were the primary kickoff returners. Miscellaneous note A&M defensive backs coach Ishmael Aristide and Sean Spencer continue to be the most entertaining assistants to watch during practice. Aristide tends to have a colorful way of letting players know when they did not complete a drill at a satisfactory level. I will not include the full quote, but after a young defensive back essentially nudged a sled, he said: "Better get in the weight room, baby boy! You just got beat up by a sled!" Spencer, nicknamed "coach Chaos," greeted his defensive tackles at the beginning of the second period by repeating: "Where's my running back? Where's my running back? Where's my running back?" Don't ask me what that meant, but it was amusing. Up next The Aggies will hold their weekly press conference Wednesday, featuring defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, offensive coordinator Collin Klein and safety Bryce Anderson. A&M will hold its seventh spring practice Thursday, which the media will be permitted to partially observe.
April 2Apr 2 22 minutes ago, closetojumping said: More practice reporting sadness from Carter Karels below in the spoiler. -Bryce Anderson has made around $350k in his career at ATM. They've completely destroyed his NFL potential and he's just generally "in the mix" at safety. Congrats, buddy! Sorry Sarkisian hurt your mom's feelings once! Reveal hidden contents COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M football team held its sixth of 15 spring practices Tuesday on the two outdoor Coolidge Practice Fields. It marked the fourth practice GigEm247 and other media outlets could partially watch this spring. The reporters in attendance were permitted to observe, film video and take pictures for the first five periods (approximately 30 minutes) of practice before leaving. Reporters were not able to see the Aggies in any competitive settings like one-on-one drills, seven-on-seven work or 11-on-11 action. Given the limited and controlled viewing window, along with the restrictions on what the media can report, there were not a lot of significant takeaways from the practice. Still, there were a handful of notable observations that came from watching the first five periods. GigEm247 exclusively watched the defense, and here are some notes and takeaways from the viewing session. Injury reminder A&M coach Mike Elko previously ruled out eight injured players for the spring: linebacker Scooby Williams, cornerbacks Tyreek Chappell, Jayvon Thomas and Jamar Beal-Goines, offensive linemen Ar'maj Reed-Adams and Joshua Moses, and running backs Le'Veon Moss and Amari Daniels. What happened with the Aggie defense during the media-observed periods For the first two periods, A&M worked on special teams while its defensive linemen were on the side with assistant coaches Sean Spencer and Tony Jerod-Eddie. The Aggies spent the final three periods going through position drills. Top of the line Given how many practice restrictions there are for the Aggies, it can be hard to take much from each viewing session. With their position drills, though, how the players are organized can be insightful about the pecking order for that unit. For instance, multi-year starter Taurean York is almost always at the top of the line during linebacker position drills. On the flip side, walk-ons, inexperienced players and veterans buried on the unofficial depth chart will tend to be near the back of the line. While it is not an exact science, the way they line up is worth noting. So here is who I saw at the top of the line when watching their portion of position drills: • Defensive tackle: Albert Regis and DJ Hicks as the starters, and Tyler Onyedim and a combination of Dealyn Evans and Jadon Scarlett as the top backups were the order during a couple drills. Regis, an incumbent starter, is coming off the best season of his career and should be viewed as entrenched with the top group. Hicks is pushing for a starting spot and looks noticeably bigger this spring, gaining 10 pounds over the winter to bring him to 6-foot-5, 310. Still, Onyedim would be my bet to start next to Regis. • Defensive end: TJ Searcy, Cashius Howell, Marco Jones, Sam M'Pemba, Dayon Hayes, Rylan Kennedy, Kendall Jackson, Solomon Williams were the one-by-one order during one drill, and 12th Man Nana Boadi-Owusu worked with the top group. Searcy and Howell bring the most proven production among the group and were probably the projected defensive end starters entering this spring. But keep an eye on Jones, the early-enrolled freshman who continues to receive a lot of buzz. • Linebacker: Taurean York, Daymion Sanford, Jordan Lockhart and Kelvion Riggins were the one-by-one order during one drill, with Tristan Jernigan in the mix as well. York, an incumbent starter, should be considered cemented with the top group. Sanford is in the place of Williams, the incumbent starting will linebacker who is out for the spring. • Cornerback: Will Lee III and Dezz Ricks as the starters, Julian Humphrey and Jordan Pride as the backups, and Adonyss Currie and Cobey Sellers as the third pairing were the order during one drill. Coming off a second-team All-SEC campaign, Lee is established as a starter. Ricks and Humphrey similarly bring experience but struggled last season. Their battle for the second starting spot will be one to watch. • Safety: Dalton Brooks, Myles Davis, Jarred Kerr, Marcus Ratcliffe, Rashad "Tom Tom" Johnson Jr. and Bryce Anderson were the one-by-one order among scholarship players during one drill. Interestingly, Anderson came in at the back of the line when he is usually in the front. Davis will be the one to watch. The sophomore did not play many high-leverage snaps in his first season last fall, but he looks primed to make a second-year jump and is consistently near the top of the line during drills. Special teams more of a focus For the first two practices the media partially watched, A&M did not work on special teams during the viewing sessions. But the Aggies worked on special teams for one period during the third media-observed practice and two periods Tuesday. We have yet to see anything from punter Tyler White or kickers Randy Bond and Jared Zirkel. They are usually inside the Coolidge Football Performance Center throughout each viewing session. During the last two media-observed practices, though, the returners received some work outside. Only offensive players were on both return teams, so it might not have been a complete representation of who all A&M has there. Because I remained on the opposite side, I did not get a good look at the returner groups today. Here is who worked with them last Thursday. • Punt return: wide receivers Izaiah Williams, Mario Craver, KC Concepcion, Kelshaun Johnson and TK Norman, and running back Jamarion Morrow (Alex Miller of the Eagle said receivers Williams, Craver, Concepcion and Ashton Bethel-Roman, and Morrow were working with the group Tuesday). • Kickoff return: Running back Rueben Owens II and receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman were the primary kickoff returners. Miscellaneous note A&M defensive backs coach Ishmael Aristide and Sean Spencer continue to be the most entertaining assistants to watch during practice. Aristide tends to have a colorful way of letting players know when they did not complete a drill at a satisfactory level. I will not include the full quote, but after a young defensive back essentially nudged a sled, he said: "Better get in the weight room, baby boy! You just got beat up by a sled!" Spencer, nicknamed "coach Chaos," greeted his defensive tackles at the beginning of the second period by repeating: "Where's my running back? Where's my running back? Where's my running back?" Don't ask me what that meant, but it was amusing. Up next The Aggies will hold their weekly press conference Wednesday, featuring defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, offensive coordinator Collin Klein and safety Bryce Anderson. A&M will hold its seventh spring practice Thursday, which the media will be permitted to partially observe. Can you expand on the bolded?
April 2Apr 2 7 minutes ago, MuellerHorn said: Can you expand on the bolded? Yes I would like to know more about that as well.. I know he was flirting on portaling here a couple years ago.. and didn't go through with it.. was that because of his mom??
April 2Apr 2 He was also a lean in his final spring as a high school recruit. From what I remember, there was criticism about Sark not pushing hard to close on several targets at that time and Jimbo was able to go in and get him committed while we were playing the long game (which Sark has turned into a pretty successful approach).
April 2Apr 2 33 minutes ago, MuellerHorn said: Can you expand on the bolded? He showed up at the in home with Loreal. Shit got awkward.
April 2Apr 2 58 minutes ago, closetojumping said: Given the limited and controlled viewing window, along with the restrictions on what the media can report, there were not a lot of significant takeaways from the practice. Still, there were a handful of notable observations that came from watching the first five periods. $9.95ing at its best.
April 2Apr 2 The only player on Aggie's roster that I can think of with an NFL career (2-3 years or maybe more as a backup for 7 seasons) is Le'Veon Moss. Kid can tote the rock.
April 2Apr 2 30 minutes ago, Horn Under a Bad Sign said: With that haircut and that face he's got Aggie written all over him. This is a smart PR move…. Looch can sell this to the sheep as aggy beating out Ohio State for a recruit. You have to remember with aggy, it’s about optics, not results.
April 2Apr 2 53 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said: They keep getting commits from OOS guys. If offered by Ohio St and Michigan and chooses aggy the guy is a born loser with terrible decision making skills.
April 3Apr 3 2 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said: They keep getting commits from OOS guys. If he sticks and actually plays (an unlikely combo), I’m going to love watching Sark scheme up RB Texas routes on his unathletic ass.
April 3Apr 3 2 hours ago, Funk Doctor Spock said: Storm Miller. Does he play Lacrosse? Yes. With Chase, Brayden and Hunter.
April 3Apr 3 I have spoilered Kurelic’s latest from Bucknuts. In reading that board and having a vague understanding of who’s who there, the impression I get is that he was a recruit OSU was keeping warm, but his offer wasn’t committable. One regular had him in a group a while back that was “not NIL relevant” or “ready”, can’t remember which. His older brother was offered and recruited by OSU and went to Clemson, which still pisses them off. Not sure who that was. They seem to think that ATM pulled the momentum play and paid him to commit. I can’t tell if that is bullshit or not, but LSU, USC and ATM are all allegedly doing that in this cycle. Other programs view that as desperate.
April 3Apr 3 14 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said: They keep getting commits from OOS guys. Any relation to Storm Duck?
April 3Apr 3 13 hours ago, Scholz said: Yes. With Chase, Brayden and Hunter. You forgot Trent, Holden, Tanner, and Tucker.
April 3Apr 3 7 hours ago, closetojumping said: They seem to think that ATM pulled the momentum play and paid him to commit. I can’t tell if that is bullshit or not, but LSU, USC and ATM are all allegedly doing that in this cycle. Other programs view that as desperate. "Pay" as in drop a bag (or an envelope), or some sort of actual binding contract? Because if someone gives me a bag of money to commit 8 months before I'm allowed to sign an LOI, I'd probably do that and then figure out where I really want to go.
April 3Apr 3 1 hour ago, Wiler77 said: "Pay" as in drop a bag (or an envelope), or some sort of actual binding contract? Because if someone gives me a bag of money to commit 8 months before I'm allowed to sign an LOI, I'd probably do that and then figure out where I really want to go. Would you do it if it retards the process and potentially leaves you without a spot at one of the more attractive schools? We're not talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars for a commitment. It's usually 4 digits, low 5's.
April 3Apr 3 I guess from my POV verbal commitments don't mean a whole hell of a lot these days. No one will stop recruiting you just because you are verbally committed. At least if they actually want you.
April 3Apr 3 15 minutes ago, closetojumping said: Would you do it if it retards the process and potentially leaves you without a spot at one of the more attractive schools? We're not talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars for a commitment. It's usually 4 digits, low 5's.
April 3Apr 3 43 minutes ago, closetojumping said: Would you do it if it retards the process and potentially leaves you without a spot at one of the more attractive schools? We're not talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars for a commitment. It's usually 4 digits, low 5's. For normal people, no. But for someone with the name Storm Miller, who probably has a brother named Adolf, and who looks like the fully grown banjo kid from Deliverance, well, you might just go ahead and take the money now. Edited April 3Apr 3 by SydneyCarton
April 9Apr 9 On 3/24/2025 at 3:16 PM, Elmer_Fudd said: Aggy gets a RB commit. Never seen this guy mentioned with Texas. He is pretty good if not very good. Pretty good size. Ran a 10.62 FAT 100m.
April 9Apr 9 14 hours ago, Hornius Emeritus said: He is pretty good if not very good. Pretty good size. Ran a 10.62 FAT 100m.
April 10Apr 10 23 hours ago, Hornius Emeritus said: He is pretty good if not very good. Pretty good size. Ran a 10.62 FAT 100m. This is who I want the staff to target if we miss out on Crowell. He and KJ Edwards would be a nice fit.
April 11Apr 11 Popular Post Another spring practice update from Carter Karels. At the end, I can sort of feel him trying to admit that having to go to these practices is spinning him towards slitting his veins in a bathtub. Highlights: -The QB play, against air, mind you, looks like Mike Elko's ass pressed firmly against a mirror. -One of the QBs almost literally knocked Holmon Wiggins the fuck out. -The WRs aren't big, but they're probably faster and quicker than last year, per Carter. By that, he uses Bussey as part of his theory and yet Bussey wasn't even working out due to hamstring issues. -They've had multiple jaggers return to practice. Daniels, who probably can't clear 5.0 in the 40. Chappell, who has a tire track tattoo on his torso as a reminder of how often he was torched before going down last season. Scooby Doo. Some CB I've never heard of as well. -After getting lubed up for Concepcion, Concepcion immediately collapses into rubble with a lower leg injury that caused him to stay out of the rest of the drills. Spoiler COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M football team held its 10th of 15 spring practices Thursday on the two outdoor Coolidge Practice Fields. It marked the sixth practice GigEm247 and other media outlets could partially watch this spring. The reporters in attendance were permitted to observe, film video and take pictures for the first five periods (approximately 30 minutes) of practice before leaving. Reporters were not able to see the Aggies in any competitive settings like one-on-one drills, seven-on-seven work or 11-on-11 action. So given the limited and controlled viewing window, along with the restrictions on what the media can report, there were not a lot of significant takeaways from the practice. Still, there were a handful of notable observations that came from watching the first five periods. GigEm247 exclusively watched the offense, and here are some notes and takeaways from the viewing session. Not the best showing from the QBs Let me preface this by repeating that you can't take a whole lot from non-competitive drills in any practice. It is difficult to take much from even an entire practice either, because it is a small sample size and a lot of guys can have good days and bad days. However, I did not love what I saw from the quarterbacks Thursday. When a solid college quarterback is throwing against air, they should be almost perfect. From mechanics to timing to accuracy, everything should be a clean, consistent operation. But in this practice, it felt like there were far too many off-target passes and late throws. At one point, a quarterback threw such a poor pass on a stop route that it hit a bystander, wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins, in the face (I can't recall who threw it). Starting quarterback Marcel Reed, who said earlier this spring he aims to complete 70% of his passes this fall, still needs work to accomplish that lofty ambition. His mechanics look cleaner and quicker, and he is consistently on target on short and intermediate throws in the flat and over the middle, though wide receiver Mario Craver dropped a pass from him on a slant route. With his deep ball, though, Reed has plenty of room for improvement. At one point, he threw a considerably late ball to running back Amari Daniels on a corner route of 15-20 yards. Redshirt freshman quarterback Miles O'Neill brings an impressive frame (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) and arm strength, but he underwhelmed. He overthrew an out route of about 10-15 by so much that Daniels did not even attempt to get a hand on it. He threw well behind receiver Izaiah Williams on a quick slant, leading to an incompletion. To his credit, though, O'Neill threw one of the better balls, completing a pass to running back Jamarion Morrow on a deep corner route. Texas transfer Amari Niblack and freshman RB Jamarion Morrow. pic.twitter.com/XN63npwDJh — Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) April 10, 2025 As an early-enrolled freshman, Brady Hart understandably is far from a finished product. Still, accuracy has been an issue for him at times. He overthrew a stop route of about 10 yards by so much that receiver KC Concepcion could not even get a hand on it. UAB transfer Jacob Zeno is known for his accuracy and has shown it throughout this spring. However, I did not get a long look at Zeno or early-enrolled freshman Eli Morcos during the viewing session Thursday. Something else that is worth noting: O'Neill stood next to Reed when the quarterbacks threw passes against air while Zeno and Hart rotated behind them. From my experience, you typically see the starting quarterback and backup at the top of the line during those drills. In previous practices, Zeno would throw next to Reed. Could this mean O'Neill is getting a look as the backup? QB Miles O’Neill ➡️ WR Ashton Bethel-Roman. pic.twitter.com/027ISMDS5Y — Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) April 10, 2025 Again, all of this is a small sample size and we have yet to see these quarterbacks in competitive situations this spring. A&M is getting healthier The Aggies have seemingly avoided any significant injuries this spring. They also are getting some of their injured players back earlier than expected. Four of the eight players A&M coach Mike Elko previously ruled out for the spring – Daniels, linebacker Scooby Williams, nickel Tyreek Chappell and early-enrolled freshman cornerback Jamar Beal-Goines – all participated in the media-observed portion of practice Thursday. None of them were in a no-contact yellow jersey, too. Texas A&M RB Amari Daniels, who Mike Elko previously ruled out for the spring with an injury, participated in practice today. pic.twitter.com/DUSh94qkiv — Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) April 10, 2025 Daniels (shoulder), Williams (torn meniscus in his knee) and Chappell (knee) were all coming off season-ending injuries from last fall. Elko said Beal-Goines underwent surgery over the offseason, though he did not disclose the nature of his injury. KC Concepcion comes up hobbled While running a 10-yard stop route against air, Concepcion suffered an apparent lower-body injury. He hobbled away from the action and did not participate in any drills for the remaining 10 minutes of practice I watched. However, it did not seem serious. Concepcion hovered around the receiver group for those final 10 minutes and never went to the ground. Here is the play where it happened: Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion came up a bit hobbled after running this route and did not participate in drills for the next 10-15 minutes of practice I watched. Didn’t seem serious, though. pic.twitter.com/cKSN777h3i — Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) April 10, 2025 In his first season with the Aggies this fall, Concepcion is expected to be their top receiver. The NC State transfer impressed over the last two seasons, catching 124 passes for 1,299 yards and 16 touchdowns while turning 60 carries into 356 yards and two scores over 25 games combined. Quicker, speedier receivers A&M lacks size at receiver, especially after losing 6-foot-6 Noah Thomas to Georgia and 6-4 Jahdae Walker to expired eligibility. But the Aggies look noticeably faster and quicker at the position compared to last season, which they badly needed. Concepcion seems cemented as the top option and probably looks the most fluid as a route runner. Craver is all about straight-line speed. I have heard sophomore Terry Bussey is dealing with a hamstring injury, but it did not sound overly serious. Redshirt freshmen Ashton Bethel-Roman and Williams are among the other young receivers who have garnered buzz, and they looked the part during position drills. Williams received a "Yes!" and a lot of praise from assistant receivers coach John Perry for his release on this stop route: Texas A&M WR Izaiah Williams gets a “Yes!” and a lot of praise from assistant WRs coach John Perry for his release here. pic.twitter.com/BKcih2sFT4 — Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) April 10, 2025 Thank you, Diphenhydramine OK, maybe I just wanted an excuse to include a word like "diphenhydramine" in one of my stories. Without it, though, I might not have survived practice. I rarely have allergy issues, but they were fierce Thursday. No A&M player seemed to be bothered, so either they all took their Claritin this morning or I am a weenie. Probably both. Also, I did not realize it is supposed to make you drowsy. I feel it big time. So if I have 900 grammatical errors in this story and wrote some sentences in Swahili, that is my bad. Up next The Aggies will hold their 11th spring practice Saturday, though it will be closed from the media and general public. Spoiler COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M football team held its 10th of 15 spring practices Thursday on the two outdoor Coolidge Practice Fields. It marked the sixth practice GigEm247 and other media outlets could partially watch this spring. The reporters in attendance were permitted to observe, film video and take pictures for the first five periods (approximately 30 minutes) of practice before leaving. Reporters were not able to see the Aggies in any competitive settings like one-on-one drills, seven-on-seven work or 11-on-11 action. So given the limited and controlled viewing window, along with the restrictions on what the media can report, there were not a lot of significant takeaways from the practice. Still, there were a handful of notable observations that came from watching the first five periods. GigEm247 exclusively watched the offense, and here are some notes and takeaways from the viewing session. Not the best showing from the QBs Let me preface this by repeating that you can't take a whole lot from non-competitive drills in any practice. It is difficult to take much from even an entire practice either, because it is a small sample size and a lot of guys can have good days and bad days. However, I did not love what I saw from the quarterbacks Thursday. When a solid college quarterback is throwing against air, they should be almost perfect. From mechanics to timing to accuracy, everything should be a clean, consistent operation. But in this practice, it felt like there were far too many off-target passes and late throws. At one point, a quarterback threw such a poor pass on a stop route that it hit a bystander, wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins, in the face (I can't recall who threw it). Starting quarterback Marcel Reed, who said earlier this spring he aims to complete 70% of his passes this fall, still needs work to accomplish that lofty ambition. His mechanics look cleaner and quicker, and he is consistently on target on short and intermediate throws in the flat and over the middle, though wide receiver Mario Craver dropped a pass from him on a slant route. With his deep ball, though, Reed has plenty of room for improvement. At one point, he threw a considerably late ball to running back Amari Daniels on a corner route of 15-20 yards. Redshirt freshman quarterback Miles O'Neill brings an impressive frame (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) and arm strength, but he underwhelmed. He overthrew an out route of about 10-15 by so much that Daniels did not even attempt to get a hand on it. He threw well behind receiver Izaiah Williams on a quick slant, leading to an incompletion. To his credit, though, O'Neill threw one of the better balls, completing a pass to running back Jamarion Morrow on a deep corner route. Texas transfer Amari Niblack and freshman RB Jamarion Morrow. pic.twitter.com/XN63npwDJh — Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) April 10, 2025 As an early-enrolled freshman, Brady Hart understandably is far from a finished product. Still, accuracy has been an issue for him at times. He overthrew a stop route of about 10 yards by so much that receiver KC Concepcion could not even get a hand on it. UAB transfer Jacob Zeno is known for his accuracy and has shown it throughout this spring. However, I did not get a long look at Zeno or early-enrolled freshman Eli Morcos during the viewing session Thursday. Something else that is worth noting: O'Neill stood next to Reed when the quarterbacks threw passes against air while Zeno and Hart rotated behind them. From my experience, you typically see the starting quarterback and backup at the top of the line during those drills. In previous practices, Zeno would throw next to Reed. Could this mean O'Neill is getting a look as the backup? QB Miles O’Neill ➡️ WR Ashton Bethel-Roman. pic.twitter.com/027ISMDS5Y — Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) April 10, 2025 Again, all of this is a small sample size and we have yet to see these quarterbacks in competitive situations this spring. A&M is getting healthier The Aggies have seemingly avoided any significant injuries this spring. They also are getting some of their injured players back earlier than expected. Four of the eight players A&M coach Mike Elko previously ruled out for the spring – Daniels, linebacker Scooby Williams, nickel Tyreek Chappell and early-enrolled freshman cornerback Jamar Beal-Goines – all participated in the media-observed portion of practice Thursday. None of them were in a no-contact yellow jersey, too. Texas A&M RB Amari Daniels, who Mike Elko previously ruled out for the spring with an injury, participated in practice today. pic.twitter.com/DUSh94qkiv — Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) April 10, 2025 Daniels (shoulder), Williams (torn meniscus in his knee) and Chappell (knee) were all coming off season-ending injuries from last fall. Elko said Beal-Goines underwent surgery over the offseason, though he did not disclose the nature of his injury. KC Concepcion comes up hobbled While running a 10-yard stop route against air, Concepcion suffered an apparent lower-body injury. He hobbled away from the action and did not participate in any drills for the remaining 10 minutes of practice I watched. However, it did not seem serious. Concepcion hovered around the receiver group for those final 10 minutes and never went to the ground. Here is the play where it happened: Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion came up a bit hobbled after running this route and did not participate in drills for the next 10-15 minutes of practice I watched. Didn’t seem serious, though. pic.twitter.com/cKSN777h3i — Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) April 10, 2025 In his first season with the Aggies this fall, Concepcion is expected to be their top receiver. The NC State transfer impressed over the last two seasons, catching 124 passes for 1,299 yards and 16 touchdowns while turning 60 carries into 356 yards and two scores over 25 games combined. Quicker, speedier receivers A&M lacks size at receiver, especially after losing 6-foot-6 Noah Thomas to Georgia and 6-4 Jahdae Walker to expired eligibility. But the Aggies look noticeably faster and quicker at the position compared to last season, which they badly needed. Concepcion seems cemented as the top option and probably looks the most fluid as a route runner. Craver is all about straight-line speed. I have heard sophomore Terry Bussey is dealing with a hamstring injury, but it did not sound overly serious. Redshirt freshmen Ashton Bethel-Roman and Williams are among the other young receivers who have garnered buzz, and they looked the part during position drills. Williams received a "Yes!" and a lot of praise from assistant receivers coach John Perry for his release on this stop route: Texas A&M WR Izaiah Williams gets a “Yes!” and a lot of praise from assistant WRs coach John Perry for his release here. pic.twitter.com/BKcih2sFT4 — Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) April 10, 2025 Thank you, Diphenhydramine OK, maybe I just wanted an excuse to include a word like "diphenhydramine" in one of my stories. Without it, though, I might not have survived practice. I rarely have allergy issues, but they were fierce Thursday. No A&M player seemed to be bothered, so either they all took their Claritin this morning or I am a weenie. Probably both. Also, I did not realize it is supposed to make you drowsy. I feel it big time. So if I have 900 grammatical errors in this story and wrote some sentences in Swahili, that is my bad. Up next The Aggies will hold their 11th spring practice Saturday, though it will be closed from the media and general public.
April 11Apr 11 Popular Post I remember making up the story about Princely Umanalamnanamanlyman spiking the volleyball into Jimbo's face at the pool party and then Umanalalymanly getting kicked out of the party. Seeing that come to real life with one of the QBs hitting Wiggins in the face is fucking hilarious.
April 11Apr 11 "OK, maybe I just wanted an excuse to include a word like "diphenhydramine" in one of my stories. Without it, though, I might not have survived practice. I rarely have allergy issues, but they were fierce Thursday. No A&M player seemed to be bothered, so either they all took their Claritin this morning or I am a weenie. Probably both. Also, I did not realize it is supposed to make you drowsy. I feel it big time. So if I have 900 grammatical errors in this story and wrote some sentences in Swahili, that is my bad." I like how this dumbass didn't know that Benadryl makes you drowsy.
April 11Apr 11 Looked up this Miles O'Neill character and this is what On 3 had to say about him. lmao. Miles O'Neill's strong arm, accuracy and measured movement in the pocket reminds us of Sam Bradford. He also reminds us some of Justin Herbert as a high school prospect, particularly as a passer.
April 11Apr 11 19 minutes ago, Foosters said: Looked up this Miles O'Neill character and this is what On 3 had to say about him. lmao. Miles O'Neill's strong arm, accuracy and measured movement in the pocket reminds us of Sam Bradford. He also reminds us some of Justin Herbert as a high school prospect, particularly as a passer. And he scans the field like Tom Brady, amirite?
April 11Apr 11 I think they're going to be significantly worse than last year? If I'm being extremely generous, the offense might be slightly improved with QB (who is bad), RB (tbd if Moss is the same) and OL coming back and second year with the OC. On defense, they took heavy losses on a pretty good DL and the only guy who jumps out as an above average SEC starter is Will Lee. Nonetheless, the schedule is an absolute cakewalk and the Elk should probably receive capital punishment if he doesn't hit 8-4.
April 17Apr 17 Here's Tarp putting lipstick on the pig that is the WR room at ATM heading into 2025. Lots of "work in progress" and "blue collar" types out there for old army. Terry Bussey seems to be headed quickly towards Bust City, USA, population: many other ATM and OU 5 stars as well. Spoiler 1. There has been much written about Texas A&M's attempts to remake its receiver rooms (both wideouts and tight ends) over the course of the off season. I've discussed the tight ends here and now I'm going to move onto the wideouts. I'm hitting the high points here and will go in depth on them more after spring ball. 2. I think the least discussed aspect of the addition of transfers Mario Craver and KC Concepcion is that they can be positionless players to an extent…in other words, you can line them up all over the field. They can both play the slot or the Z. While they might not theoretically have the size to play the X, they can still do some of the things that you want out of a boundary receiver. 3. Craver is probably faster and better pure athlete than Concepcion. That's not a knock on Concepcion as much as it is a recognition of what kind of athlete that Craver is. He is elusive (and underrated aspect of his game) in addition to having top end speed and so you can throw him screens and hitches no matter where he goes. He starts fast and gets off of the line really well. There is a lot of bend to his game that should come in handy versus physical coverage. 4. Concepcion is technically more advanced because he is a blue collar guy and businesslike about his development. He is going to use his hands a little better to free himself up when an opponent wants to hand fight him whereas Craver is just going to try to beat them laterally and not let someone muscle him. Concepcion can sink his hips and then will flatten his routes out better out of his breaks than others as well. He will fight for contested catches too. He is a very quarterback friendly guy. 5. Second year player Ashton Bethel-Roman has the type of feet and hips that should enable him to stay under control throughout his route. He is going to have to learn to set up defenders more for a change of direction within his routes and change his route depending on how a defender is playing him. He looks the ball in very well and his cuts can be very quick. 6. Second year player Izaiah Williams is quick off the line and makes cuts without losing much of his initial burst. He is going to be able to drive defenders off of him which will help him create separation on a variety of routes. He can really sink his hips when he stems the route which helps him get open and work back to the quarterback. 7. Second year man Terry Bussey remains a work in progress. You can tell he is a good athlete who plays a little high coming off of the line and on his breaks. He kind of negates his speed to an extent doing these things. 8. Among the freshmen, TK Norman is a really good athlete who is a work in progress in terms of the nuances of the position…for example, coming off of the line with his feet underneath his pads so he can gather himself faster in his route. 9. Kelshaun Johnson can sink his hips when he comes off the ball which should help him versus physical coverage, and he doesn't pop back up too fast when he comes out of his cuts.
April 17Apr 17 Popular Post Here's Carter Karels talking about the spring portal and examining aggie roster needs. I've spoilered it, but here are the highlights: -Karels acknowledges that ATM is likely to suffer losses within this portal cycle. They have 88 guys on scholarship right now and they're planning on signing more guys from the portal. So, they need to run off 5+ guys. They're also hinting at some likely losses that they'd prefer not to experience. -I wonder if it's true that often times, before someone does the unthinkable to themselves, that there are these brief bursts of optimism? I sense that in this write-up from Carter. He ultimately claims that there are 7 position groups that are not in need of taking guys from the portal: QB, IOL, OT, DE, RB, P, K. Now read who they have returning at these spots. We would be pleading for Sarkisian and staff to go out and find help at almost all of these slots, given who they return. Marcel Reed is not a good QB. If you're all good with Chase Bisontis, you're fucked from the jump. Crownover and Fatheree means you're all set at OT? Okay, then. Moss, Owens and Daniels means you're all set at RB and don't need to sweat injuries. DE returns a random who picked up 4 sacks in garbage time and a bunch of young guys who haven't really played. -They have dogshit at TE, but they added a lot more of it to the pile. They still really need that elusive badass that no one else can find, and then they need to convince him that Klein's offense will actually use him. Good luck. -They're tiny at WR. What they casually need is a tall, fast WR that can play outside, catch most of the 50-50 balls, block well, and not need too many targets due to the Klein offense. -They need a true mauler at DT. Luckily, that's not a coveted thing in the portal. -While they think York and Scooby Williams are the stuff of legend, they also want another experienced LB to show up and sit the bench behind them. Spoiler Earlier this offseason, the Texas A&M football team filled most of its roster holes through the transfer portal. A&M picked up 14 scholarship players during the 20-day winter portal window, though one of them, former Texas Tech wide receiver Micah Hudson, lasted less than a month on campus and left the team. The Aggies lack as many glaring position needs going into the 10-day spring transfer portal window, which opens Wednesday. They also are more crunched on scholarship space now. Still, there should be plenty of value in the portal to keep A&M active. During the spring portal window last year, the Aggies mostly bolstered their depth. A&M landed four players who began last season as backups: center Kolinu'u Faaiu (Utah), receiver Jacob Bostick (Iowa), tight end Shane Calhoun (East Carolina) and linebacker Solomon DeShields (Pittsburgh). Faaiu served as a backup until starter Mark Nabou Jr. suffered a season-ending injury in the opener vs. Notre Dame. The other three were in reserve roles all season. 00:14 02:08 Read More Whether the Aggies will add more difference makers this time – or lose significant players to the portal – remains to be seen. However, each portal period tends to be full of surprises. The latest proof is Nico Iamaleava, the former Tennessee quarterback who is headed to the portal after being involved in an NIL dispute. Before the fun officially begins, here are the position groups A&M should prioritize. Note: The Aggies have a projected unofficial scholarship count of 88 for the 2025 season, which is three more than the SEC-mandated limit. However, there should be roster attrition through the spring portal window and potential medical retirements. A&M also does not need to meet the scholarship limit until the first day of its fall semester, which is Aug. 25. 1. Heavier, space-eating DT (Photo: Jack Gorman, Getty) Defensive tackle position inventory: DJ Hicks, Tyler Onyedim, Albert Regis, Jadon Scarlett, Dealyn Evans, Chace Sims, DJ Sanders, Landon Rink. Analysis: Departures from last season left A&M thin on proven defensive tackles. One of the two starters for the Aggies last season, Shemar Turner, and top backup Rodas Getachew-Johnson ran out of eligibility. Their depth took a hit as well. Reserves Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (South Carolina) and Samu Taumanupepe (Baylor) both departed through the portal. Onyedim, the lone defensive tackle transfer A&M plucked from the winter portal window, brings significant experience and proven production. But the Aggies probably need at least one more seasoned transfer at the position. Beyond Onyedim, Regis and Hicks are their only defensive tackles with high-leverage experience. It would be ideal, too, if A&M added a defensive tackle with the size and strength to clog up space and take on double teams. Regis and Sanders are the only defensive tackles for the Aggies listed at heavier than 310 pounds, and they are both at 315. Onyedim is a bit of a tweener as well, coming in at 6-4, 295. 2. Taller, physical WR with proven production KC Concepcion (Photo: Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports) Receiver position inventory: Izaiah Williams, Mario Craver, Terry Bussey, Ashton Bethel-Roman, KC Concepcion, Kelshaun Johnson, TK Norman, Ernest Campbell, Jonah Wilson, Jerome Myles. Analysis: In the winter portal window, the Aggies hammered the receiver position. A&M landed three beyond the departed Hudson: Concepcion, Craver and Wilson. Still, the group for the Aggies remains far from perfect and is one spot thinner than expected after Hudson left. A&M certainly could use another proven receiver. Following last season, the Aggies lost the vast majority of their receiver production: 85.1% of receptions, 85.3% of receiving yards and 81.3% of receiving touchdowns. Now, Concepcion is their only one to record at least 400 receiving yards in a season. From a skillset standpoint, A&M could benefit from landing a taller, physical receiver who can block, come down with 50-50 balls and threaten in the red zone. The Aggies are mostly full of receivers who are known more for their speed and quickness than size and physicality. Only two of them are listed taller than 6-foot-1: Wilson (6-3, 215) and Myles (6-3, 220). It also remains a question whether Wilson and Myles could be key contributors immediately. In two seasons at the University of Houston combined, Wilson recorded only 11 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. Myles received a five-star rating as a recruit but will not join A&M until June and suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his knee last August. 3. Best DB available (Photo: Maria Lysaker, USA TODAY Sports) Cornerback/nickel position inventory: Dezz Ricks, Will Lee III, Julian Humphrey, Tyreek Chappell, Jordan Shaw, Deyjhon Pettaway, Jayvon Thomas, Jamar Beal-Goines, Bravion Rogers, Adonyss Currie, Cobey Sellers, Jordan Pride. Safety position inventory: Bryce Anderson, Marcus Ratcliffe, Rashad "Tom Tom" Johnson Jr., Dalton Brooks, Myles Davis, Jarred Kerr. Analysis: Compared to receiver and defensive tackle, no other position group for the Aggies is nearly as much of a need. But if a solid defensive back transfer becomes available, A&M should pursue him. The Aggies could be better at safety. Their top three players at the position last season – Anderson, Ratcliffe and Brooks – collectively underwhelmed and were liabilities as tacklers. They combined for 39 missed tackles, per Pro Football Focus. The cornerback unit might be worth addressing, too. Coming off a second-team All-SEC campaign, Lee should be one of the better A&M players again this fall. The cornerback who will secure the other starting spot, though, remains unclear. Rick, Humphrey and Thomas all figure to be in the mix and bring starting experience. However, none of them have done enough to be viewed as a cemented first-team option. Should a better cornerback be on the market, the Aggies need to consider him. 4. LB depth, but not a pressing need (Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty) Linebacker position inventory: Scooby Williams, Taurean York, Noah Mikhail, Daymion Sanford, Kelvion Riggins, Tristan Jernigan, Jordan Lockhart. Analysis: The top three linebackers for the Aggies – York, Williams and Sanford – make for a solid trio. York and Williams held their own as a starting duo last season. Sanford established himself as a respectable backup to Williams at will linebacker. So A&M is not in desperate need of another starter-caliber linebacker. However, the Aggies could benefit from adding another veteran player to the group, especially at middle linebacker. None of their other linebackers hold high-leverage experience. Lockhart, the projected backup to York, could develop into a quality player but remains unproven. His career defensive snap total comes to only 64. 5. Best TE available, but not a pressing need (Photo: Alex Slitz, Getty) Tight end position inventory: Theo Melin Öhrström, Kiotti Armstrong, Eric Karner, Amari Niblack, Nate Boerkircher, Micah Riley. Analysis: At the beginning of this offseason, tight end ranked among the biggest position needs for the Aggies. The unit left a lot to be desired with their blocking and overall production last season. Only Melin Öhrström returned to A&M, too. So the Aggies were aggressive at tight end, adding Niblack, Boerkircher and Riley through the portal while signing Armstrong and Karner (grayshirt) out of high school. Still, if an impressive tight end transfer becomes available, A&M would be wise to recruit him. The Aggies still lack high-level production at the position. None of their current options have at least 400 career receiving yards. 6. Definitely not a need: QB, IOL, OT, RB, DE, K, P (Photo: Tim Warner, Getty) Quarterback position inventory: Jacob Zeno, Marcel Reed, Brady Hart, Eli Morcos, Miles O'Neill. Offensive line position inventory: Isendre Ahfua, Blake Ivy, Mark Nabou Jr., Ar'maj Reed-Adams, Nelson McGuire, Trey Zuhn III, Kolinu'u Faaiu, Marcus Garcia, Robert Bourdon, Chase Bisontis, Joshua Moses, Ashton Funk, Jonte Newman, Reuben Fatheree II, Tyler Thomas, Dametrious Crownover, Lamont Rogers. Running back position inventory: Rueben Owens II, Amari Daniels, Le'Veon Moss, EJ Smith, Jamarion Morrow, Deondrae "Tiger" Riden Jr. Defensive end position inventory: Cashius Howell, Marco Jones, Rylan Kennedy, T.J. Searcy, Solomon Williams, Kendall Jackson, Dayon Hayes, Sam M'Pemba. Kicker inventory: Randy Bond, Jared Zirkel. Punter inventory: Tyler White. Analysis: The Aggies should always look to add "best available" players at all positions. But seven of their units – quarterback, interior offensive line, offensive tackle, running back, defensive end, kicker and punter – should not be viewed as glaring needs. At quarterback, Reed remains widely thought to be the cemented starter. A&M plucked Zeno from the portal over the winter, giving Reed a respected, veteran backup. With three other scholarship players at the position, the Aggies have one of their largest quarterback rooms in recent memory. On the offensive line, A&M returned all seven of its key contributors from last season: Zuhn at left tackle, Bisontis at left guard, Nabou and Faaiu at center, Reed-Adams at right guard, and Crownover and Fatheree at right tackle. They bring significant experience, combining to appear in 226 games with 156 starts in their careers. The Aggie running back group has a nice blend of star power, quality depth and younger players with high upside. Coming off a second-team All-SEC season, Moss should lead the group again this fall. Daniels and Owens are strong backups, Smith is capable in a reserve role, and Morrow and Riden seem to bring plenty of potential as freshmen. Among these seven position groups, the defensive end unit probably has the most questions. The group lost both starters, Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart, to the NFL Draft and a pair of reserves, Enai White and Malick Sylla, to the portal. However, A&M bolstered the unit with three transfer additions over the winter: Searcy, Hayes and M'Pemba. Howell seems poised for a solid season as well. He totaled four sacks as a backup last fall. The special teams units for the Aggies look to be in good shape. Bond did not have the best 2023 campaign but inspired confidence last season, making him more trustworthy as the top kicker option. As a redshirt freshman last fall, White enjoyed a breakout season. Spoiler Earlier this offseason, the Texas A&M football team filled most of its roster holes through the transfer portal. A&M picked up 14 scholarship players during the 20-day winter portal window, though one of them, former Texas Tech wide receiver Micah Hudson, lasted less than a month on campus and left the team. The Aggies lack as many glaring position needs going into the 10-day spring transfer portal window, which opens Wednesday. They also are more crunched on scholarship space now. Still, there should be plenty of value in the portal to keep A&M active. During the spring portal window last year, the Aggies mostly bolstered their depth. A&M landed four players who began last season as backups: center Kolinu'u Faaiu (Utah), receiver Jacob Bostick (Iowa), tight end Shane Calhoun (East Carolina) and linebacker Solomon DeShields (Pittsburgh). Faaiu served as a backup until starter Mark Nabou Jr. suffered a season-ending injury in the opener vs. Notre Dame. The other three were in reserve roles all season. 00:14 02:08 Read More Whether the Aggies will add more difference makers this time – or lose significant players to the portal – remains to be seen. However, each portal period tends to be full of surprises. The latest proof is Nico Iamaleava, the former Tennessee quarterback who is headed to the portal after being involved in an NIL dispute. Before the fun officially begins, here are the position groups A&M should prioritize. Note: The Aggies have a projected unofficial scholarship count of 88 for the 2025 season, which is three more than the SEC-mandated limit. However, there should be roster attrition through the spring portal window and potential medical retirements. A&M also does not need to meet the scholarship limit until the first day of its fall semester, which is Aug. 25. 1. Heavier, space-eating DT (Photo: Jack Gorman, Getty) Defensive tackle position inventory: DJ Hicks, Tyler Onyedim, Albert Regis, Jadon Scarlett, Dealyn Evans, Chace Sims, DJ Sanders, Landon Rink. Analysis: Departures from last season left A&M thin on proven defensive tackles. One of the two starters for the Aggies last season, Shemar Turner, and top backup Rodas Getachew-Johnson ran out of eligibility. Their depth took a hit as well. Reserves Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (South Carolina) and Samu Taumanupepe (Baylor) both departed through the portal. Onyedim, the lone defensive tackle transfer A&M plucked from the winter portal window, brings significant experience and proven production. But the Aggies probably need at least one more seasoned transfer at the position. Beyond Onyedim, Regis and Hicks are their only defensive tackles with high-leverage experience. It would be ideal, too, if A&M added a defensive tackle with the size and strength to clog up space and take on double teams. Regis and Sanders are the only defensive tackles for the Aggies listed at heavier than 310 pounds, and they are both at 315. Onyedim is a bit of a tweener as well, coming in at 6-4, 295. 2. Taller, physical WR with proven production KC Concepcion (Photo: Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports) Receiver position inventory: Izaiah Williams, Mario Craver, Terry Bussey, Ashton Bethel-Roman, KC Concepcion, Kelshaun Johnson, TK Norman, Ernest Campbell, Jonah Wilson, Jerome Myles. Analysis: In the winter portal window, the Aggies hammered the receiver position. A&M landed three beyond the departed Hudson: Concepcion, Craver and Wilson. Still, the group for the Aggies remains far from perfect and is one spot thinner than expected after Hudson left. A&M certainly could use another proven receiver. Following last season, the Aggies lost the vast majority of their receiver production: 85.1% of receptions, 85.3% of receiving yards and 81.3% of receiving touchdowns. Now, Concepcion is their only one to record at least 400 receiving yards in a season. From a skillset standpoint, A&M could benefit from landing a taller, physical receiver who can block, come down with 50-50 balls and threaten in the red zone. The Aggies are mostly full of receivers who are known more for their speed and quickness than size and physicality. Only two of them are listed taller than 6-foot-1: Wilson (6-3, 215) and Myles (6-3, 220). It also remains a question whether Wilson and Myles could be key contributors immediately. In two seasons at the University of Houston combined, Wilson recorded only 11 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. Myles received a five-star rating as a recruit but will not join A&M until June and suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his knee last August. 3. Best DB available (Photo: Maria Lysaker, USA TODAY Sports) Cornerback/nickel position inventory: Dezz Ricks, Will Lee III, Julian Humphrey, Tyreek Chappell, Jordan Shaw, Deyjhon Pettaway, Jayvon Thomas, Jamar Beal-Goines, Bravion Rogers, Adonyss Currie, Cobey Sellers, Jordan Pride. Safety position inventory: Bryce Anderson, Marcus Ratcliffe, Rashad "Tom Tom" Johnson Jr., Dalton Brooks, Myles Davis, Jarred Kerr. Analysis: Compared to receiver and defensive tackle, no other position group for the Aggies is nearly as much of a need. But if a solid defensive back transfer becomes available, A&M should pursue him. The Aggies could be better at safety. Their top three players at the position last season – Anderson, Ratcliffe and Brooks – collectively underwhelmed and were liabilities as tacklers. They combined for 39 missed tackles, per Pro Football Focus. The cornerback unit might be worth addressing, too. Coming off a second-team All-SEC campaign, Lee should be one of the better A&M players again this fall. The cornerback who will secure the other starting spot, though, remains unclear. Rick, Humphrey and Thomas all figure to be in the mix and bring starting experience. However, none of them have done enough to be viewed as a cemented first-team option. Should a better cornerback be on the market, the Aggies need to consider him. 4. LB depth, but not a pressing need (Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty) Linebacker position inventory: Scooby Williams, Taurean York, Noah Mikhail, Daymion Sanford, Kelvion Riggins, Tristan Jernigan, Jordan Lockhart. Analysis: The top three linebackers for the Aggies – York, Williams and Sanford – make for a solid trio. York and Williams held their own as a starting duo last season. Sanford established himself as a respectable backup to Williams at will linebacker. So A&M is not in desperate need of another starter-caliber linebacker. However, the Aggies could benefit from adding another veteran player to the group, especially at middle linebacker. None of their other linebackers hold high-leverage experience. Lockhart, the projected backup to York, could develop into a quality player but remains unproven. His career defensive snap total comes to only 64. 5. Best TE available, but not a pressing need (Photo: Alex Slitz, Getty) Tight end position inventory: Theo Melin Öhrström, Kiotti Armstrong, Eric Karner, Amari Niblack, Nate Boerkircher, Micah Riley. Analysis: At the beginning of this offseason, tight end ranked among the biggest position needs for the Aggies. The unit left a lot to be desired with their blocking and overall production last season. Only Melin Öhrström returned to A&M, too. So the Aggies were aggressive at tight end, adding Niblack, Boerkircher and Riley through the portal while signing Armstrong and Karner (grayshirt) out of high school. Still, if an impressive tight end transfer becomes available, A&M would be wise to recruit him. The Aggies still lack high-level production at the position. None of their current options have at least 400 career receiving yards. 6. Definitely not a need: QB, IOL, OT, RB, DE, K, P (Photo: Tim Warner, Getty) Quarterback position inventory: Jacob Zeno, Marcel Reed, Brady Hart, Eli Morcos, Miles O'Neill. Offensive line position inventory: Isendre Ahfua, Blake Ivy, Mark Nabou Jr., Ar'maj Reed-Adams, Nelson McGuire, Trey Zuhn III, Kolinu'u Faaiu, Marcus Garcia, Robert Bourdon, Chase Bisontis, Joshua Moses, Ashton Funk, Jonte Newman, Reuben Fatheree II, Tyler Thomas, Dametrious Crownover, Lamont Rogers. Running back position inventory: Rueben Owens II, Amari Daniels, Le'Veon Moss, EJ Smith, Jamarion Morrow, Deondrae "Tiger" Riden Jr. Defensive end position inventory: Cashius Howell, Marco Jones, Rylan Kennedy, T.J. Searcy, Solomon Williams, Kendall Jackson, Dayon Hayes, Sam M'Pemba. Kicker inventory: Randy Bond, Jared Zirkel. Punter inventory: Tyler White. Analysis: The Aggies should always look to add "best available" players at all positions. But seven of their units – quarterback, interior offensive line, offensive tackle, running back, defensive end, kicker and punter – should not be viewed as glaring needs. At quarterback, Reed remains widely thought to be the cemented starter. A&M plucked Zeno from the portal over the winter, giving Reed a respected, veteran backup. With three other scholarship players at the position, the Aggies have one of their largest quarterback rooms in recent memory. On the offensive line, A&M returned all seven of its key contributors from last season: Zuhn at left tackle, Bisontis at left guard, Nabou and Faaiu at center, Reed-Adams at right guard, and Crownover and Fatheree at right tackle. They bring significant experience, combining to appear in 226 games with 156 starts in their careers. The Aggie running back group has a nice blend of star power, quality depth and younger players with high upside. Coming off a second-team All-SEC season, Moss should lead the group again this fall. Daniels and Owens are strong backups, Smith is capable in a reserve role, and Morrow and Riden seem to bring plenty of potential as freshmen. Among these seven position groups, the defensive end unit probably has the most questions. The group lost both starters, Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart, to the NFL Draft and a pair of reserves, Enai White and Malick Sylla, to the portal. However, A&M bolstered the unit with three transfer additions over the winter: Searcy, Hayes and M'Pemba. Howell seems poised for a solid season as well. He totaled four sacks as a backup last fall. The special teams units for the Aggies look to be in good shape. Bond did not have the best 2023 campaign but inspired confidence last season, making him more trustworthy as the top kicker option. As a redshirt freshman last fall, White enjoyed a breakout season. Edited April 17Apr 17 by closetojumping
April 17Apr 17 25 minutes ago, closetojumping said: plays a little high That's been a problem before.
April 17Apr 17 On 4/11/2025 at 10:51 AM, closetojumping said: I remember making up the story about Princely Umanalamnanamanlyman spiking the volleyball into Jimbo's face at the pool party and then Umanalalymanly getting kicked out of the party. Seeing that come to real life with one of the QBs hitting Wiggins in the face is fucking hilarious. I've finally found my reason to claim NIL is destroying my love of college football. "Because of NIL" these tapes aren't released to the public any longer. As such, I have been denied an epic meme worthy video from the aggie offense prowess. This aggression not stand. Also, thanks again for the cliff notes saving me from reading all that drivel.
April 18Apr 18 On 4/17/2025 at 11:12 AM, closetojumping said: Hide contents when an opponent wants to hand fight him Did Looch infiltrate and slip this nugget in? Edited April 18Apr 18 by Funk Doctor Spock
April 20Apr 20 They also landed a high 4* ATH from Georgia in the 27' class. Still a bit mind boggling they continue to land a bunch of 4* recruits from OOS.
April 21Apr 21 9 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said: They also landed a high 4* ATH from Georgia in the 27' class. Still a bit mind boggling they continue to land a bunch of 4* recruits from OOS. Have they landed them, though?
April 21Apr 21 14 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said: They also landed a high 4* ATH from Georgia in the 27' class. Still a bit mind boggling they continue to land a bunch of 4* recruits from OOS. 4 hours ago, SL Xpress said: Have they landed them, though?
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