the below klatt piece is dated 4 august same day as start of this thread
i went back and scanned first 3 pages / 3 days of this thread to confirm the klatt article was not posted here
i think the majority of us like and respect klatt foro actually dong homework, watches games, etc.
sooooo.........
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https://sports.yahoo.com/article/joel-klatt-explains-why-texas-172409213.html
Joel Klatt explains why Texas A&M is a sleeping giant in college football
Grant Grubbs
Joel Klatt ranked Texas A&M No. 16 in his official preseason college football rankings. On Monday, the FOX Sports analyst explained why he has high hopes for the Aggies in 2025.
βI believe in their head coach. I think that this fan base deserves it because theyβve supported this program at a top-10 level, and have not gotten top-10 results from their team,β Klatt said. βTheyβve got the right guy now, and he can bring this thing to fruition. Iβm talking about Texas A&M.
βTexas A&M is a sleeping giant, folks. Theyβre absolutely a sleeping giant. And the more that I looked at A&M over the offseason, the more that I liked them.β
Head coach Mike Elko and Texas A&M burst out of the starting gates last season, beginning the 2024 campaign with a 7-1 record. However, the team stumbled in the home stretch, losing four of its final five games of the season.
Nonetheless, the Aggies finished the year with an 8-5 record, the programβs best since 2021. Moreover, players began to step up for Texas A&M and carve out a role for the future. Klatt believes those standouts will play significant roles in the Aggiesβ success this fall.
βThe offense has a lot coming back,β Klatt said. βMarcel Reed took over during last year and showed, I think, heβs a dynamic athlete. They bring back their entire offensive line. Theyβve got running backs back, including LeβVeon Moss, after he missed the last month of last season.
ββ¦ I believe Elko will get the defense going. Thatβs his history. The schedule then becomes the difficult part,β Klatt said. ββ¦ Iβm a huge, huge bet on the future guy with A&M. I think Elko is going to turn it around. I think that Texas A&M, again, is a bit of a sleeping giant. I think they can, and will, be a top 10 team here in the next couple of seasons.β
Texas A&M is returning a jaw-dropping 15 combined starters on offense and defense. Most notably, quarterback Marcel Reed is back in College Station after stepping into a starting role last season. Reed showed flashes of greatness last season, but will need to be consistent this year for the Aggies to make a run at the College Football Playoff.
Texas A&Mβs returning players arenβt the only notable names on the roster. The team also reeled in several key transfers, including former NC State wide receiver KC Concepcion.