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Lobwedgephil

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    Offense

    Quarterback (1): A
    For the second straight year, Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies got their man in state. This time around, it was the signal-caller that the Aggie head coach had targeted as the No. 1 Texas gunslinger from the very beginning of the process. Truth be told, A&M could have landed just about anyone from a pretty deep Texas crop of QBs in 2021, passing on the likes of Jalen Milroe‍ (Alabama) and Dematrius Davis‍ (Auburn) in favor of the 6-4, 220-pound dual-threat from Denton, Eli Stowers‍.

    Stowers was actually already an Aggie when I wrote this article for the 2020 class a year ago. Since then, Eli's journey has been an interesting one. As a junior, he led Guyer to the 6A state title game and amassed over 4,000 yards of total offense while throwing for 36 TDs (and 47 total scores) against just 4 picks. Unfortunately, Stowers suffered a knee injury early in the championship game loss and missed the entire off-season. Finally healthy, Stowers and Guyer are still alive in the playoffs despite losing most of the 2019 offense and navigating a head coaching change.

    TexAgs

    Stowers was A&M’s priority at QB from the outset.

    Jimbo and Darrell Dickey were attracted to Eli in the early going and never looked back. As for the why, he's a really big, really fast and ridiculously athletic quarterback who possesses all of the tools to be an excellent passer (and runner) in Fisher's pro-style system. Stowers is also a competitor and a winner who has starred on the gridiron, the hardwood and in track and field (he won the 6A state high jump title as a sophomore) during his time at Guyer.

    Few can evaluate the position as well as Jimbo, and he was able to see all of the state's best in the camp setting last summer. He zeroed in on Eli early, thanks in large part to a lot of uncoachable physical traits, immense upside and the same type of football IQ the head coach saw last year in Haynes King. Again, if you're getting who you want in the state of Texas and have a reputation as one of the best QB developers in the country, you're doing alright. That's where Fisher and the Aggies are today, thanks to adding Stowers' signature on Wednesday.

    Looking ahead to '22: The Ags may very well end up continuing the in-state trend in what looks like a solid year at the position, but they're also likely to take the '22 search coast to coast. The nation's No. 1-ranked signal-caller is already off the board, with Southlake's Quinn Ewers‍ choosing Ohio State over the Ags after decommitting from Texas. Fisher and Dickey both have a standing relationship with Tennessee product and another five-star in Ty Simpson‍ and should have some staying power in that very high-profile recruitment (the Ags recently made Simpson's top-10). Closer to home, Bridgeland two-sport star Conner Weigman‍ (baseball) and Austin Westlake's Cade Klubnik‍ are the two QBs in Texas who are drawing the most attention from power programs as the 2020 season winds down. A&M has yet to offer, but it wouldn't come as a major shock to see the Ags fully engage and eventually land one of the two as their '22 centerpiece.

    Running Back (1): INC
    The Ags are pretty excited about Miami product Amari Daniels‍, who comes from the same high school program as Hurricane legend Willis McGahee and a pair of backs who starred under Jimbo Fisher at Florida State in Devonta Smith and Dalvin Cook. Fisher has been familiar with Daniels dating all the way back to his final season at Florida State and offered the 5-8, 200-pound bowling ball following a stellar camp performance in College Station during the summer of '19.

    There are several reasons Fisher, Tommie Robinson and the Aggies targeted Amari from wire to wire. First and foremost, he's a natural playmaker who is a threat to score from anywhere on the field. Averaging nearly 10 yards per carry in his varsity career, Daniels is an intense competitor who has consistently risen to the occasion in big games, running for over 700 yards in Central's run to the 2019 state title and ripping perennial power Northwestern for around 150 yards earlier this fall in the biggest game of the year in Miami. The dude is grossly underrated by the services, to the point that this one reminds me a little bit of how I felt when A&M ever-so-briefly held a commit from a three-star playmaker out of Louisiana by the name of Travis Etienne.

    Walker Lott, TexAgs

    A&M coaches are working hard to add LJ Johnson to the 2021 haul.

    The reason for the 'Incomplete' grade, of course, has to do with the fact that the Aggies' dogged pursuit of Cy-Fair's LJ Johnson Jr‍ will extend into the new year. Johnson decided to sign in February, where he's still looking like a good bet to wear Maroon & White or Burnt Orange. The five-star tailback is tough to get a read on and seems to have waffled back and forth between the state's two biggest programs, but if I had to give the Aggies or Longhorns the edge entering the holidays, I think I'd call the coveted runner a slight A&M lean.

    Now that LJ has made the decision to let things play out (barring a stunning surprise later today), there's a lot of recruiting left to do here. If Fisher, Robinson and the Ags win out, we're talking about an A+ haul at the position and Johnson and Daniels plus the sensational five-man OL haul would be as good as any 'run game class' in the country. It goes without saying that landing Johnson is pretty important for the Ags, who have swung and missed on a couple of five-star backs in recent seasons (nevermind the fact that they may have the SEC's best back Isaiah Spiller and one of the league's most exciting true freshmen in Devon Achane). Beyond LJ, the only back worth keeping an eye in January could be San Diego four-star Byron Cardwell‍, the nation's No. 11-ranked ball-carrier.

    Looking ahead to '22: It's still early in the process, but there may not be a whole lot of high-end, SEC-caliber talent in the Lone Star State in the '22 class. Klein Cain's Jaydon Blue‍ will be pursued by pretty much every program in America, but next year feels like one in which the Ags will scour the national landscape to add a runner or two (depending on whether or not Johnson ultimately joins the '21 fold).

    Offensive Line (5): A+
    If we've learned anything this year, it's that Jimbo Fisher will figure out a way to move the ball and score points on just about anyone if he's working with a quality offensive line. For the first time since their first two seasons in the SEC, Texas A&M finally fielded an elite-level o-line. The result? With the Maroon Goons setting the tone, the Aggies are perhaps one win away from earning the program's first-ever CFP berth. That's the good news. The great news? The Ags' dominance in the Southeastern Conference trenches should extend well beyond 2020, thanks to elite-level recruiting by Fisher, Josh Henson and Company.

    I realize what Jake Matthews, Luke Joeckel and Ced Ogbuehi went on to become, but the fact of the matter is the five-man 2021 haul that A&M assembled on Wednesday can fairly be compared to the class signed ten years ago that many refer to as the best in Aggie history. For starters, the Ags landed arguably the two blockers who were at the top of their 'Big Board' from the outset — Katy Taylor five-star Bryce Foster‍ and Richmond Foster's Reuben Fatheree‍. Henson also added two very versatile pieces in Fort Bend Christian's Remington Strickland‍ and Magnolia's Matthew Wykoff‍ and a grossly underrated out of state tackle in Trey Zuhn‍. Interestingly enough, three of the five signees (Strickland, Zuhn and Foster) had at least one Aggie parent, and Fisher and Henson were able to see four of the five signees in person at camp. Preparation and some good fortune on the family tree front never hurt, right (just don't ask Tom Herman and the Longhorns how that went with the Brockermeyer twins). If we're being perfectly honest, the Aggies signed four of their five top OL targets in the state, with longtime Ohio State lock Donovan Jackson‍ being the only one that got away. That's a remarkable in-state 'hit rate' at any position.

    In Fatheree and Foster, the Aggies may have secured the signatures of franchise additions at both left tackle and on the interior at guard. Both have NFL first round potential and what can best be described as 'rare' physical gifts. Fatheree is a towering 6-8 bookend blessed with incredible flexibility and length and Foster with the type of size, power (and even speed) combination that many NFL linemen wish they possessed. Bryce — who also has national champion/Olympic medalist potential as a shot putter — is so far advanced physically that he could push for immediate playing time at guard or center, depending on how many starters Henson is looking to replace. Because he was such an accomplished basketball player, Fatheree only recently spent his first full off-season in the weight room and the results were pretty remarkable. Give 'Deuce' (who chose the Ags over LSU and OU) a full off-season with Jerry Schmidt and we're likely talking about a 6-8, 320-pound left tackle with a Jonathan Ogden-like skill set. As good as I've seen the Ags sign at the top of an OL class since Matthews and Joeckel more than ten years ago.

    I realize what Jake Matthews, Luke Joeckel and Ced Ogbuehi went on to become, but the five-man 2021 haul can fairly be compared to the class signed ten years ago that many refer to as the best in Aggie history.

    Trey Zuhn is the guy in this class who doesn't get nearly enough run and it's because he committed so early in the process and never once waffled. An Aggie legacy and the No. 1-ranked prospect in the state of Colorado, Zuhn camped in College Station prior to his junior season and was offered right about the time he walked through the Bright Complex doors. The same thing happened when the 6-5, 300-pound tackle camped at Notre Dame, OU, Michigan and Ohio State. He's an extremely impressive athlete at that size and is pretty ahead of the curve from a technique standpoint. 

    The same can be said about Matthew Wykoff. The Magnolia product has slowly but surely added size over the past year and now checks in at 6-5 and over 305 evenly distributed pounds. He's versatile enough to play anything from right tackle to guard or even center and possesses eye-catching polish for an incoming freshman. A pleasant surprise at the time of his commit, Wykoff picked the Ags over Penn State, Auburn, USC and Texas, among others.

    The Ags moved on Remington Strickland a few weeks ago, but Henson had been recruiting the Houston-area lineman for quite some time. Built like a block of granite, the 6-5, 290-pounder moves so well for his size and packs such impressive pop and power that he'd likely have loaded up on offers last spring or throughout the summer camp circuit had he been able to do so. As it stood, Remington earned his recruiting attention the old-fashioned way...by putting together a stellar senior season. Texas, Michigan, OU and the Aggies all offered in fairly rapid succession, but he grew up an A&M fan and playing at Kyle Field and in the SEC won out for a lineman who could easily play guard, tackle or center.

    Speaking of Henson's recent run on the recruiting trail and the Aggies going head-to-head with Oklahoma for o-line prospects, how about this interesting count: Since arriving at A&M during the 2020 cycle, Henson has landed and signed Akinola Oguynbiyi, Chris Morris, Zuhn, Wykoff, Fatheree, Strickland and Foster. That's SEC-championship level recruiting in the trenches and winning battles against the best of the best in college football to make it happen. As for OU, Lincoln Riley, Bill Bedenbaugh and the Sooners have an A&M/Josh Henson problem on their hands because they did everything they could to land Foster, Fatheree, Ogunbiyi and Strickland and also were prepared to take Morris and Zuhn at the time of their commits.

    Looking ahead to '22: Entering the current cycle, most longtime observers would agree that the offensive line crop in Texas was the deepest and most talent-laden group in recent memory. The Ags took full advantage. Expect more of the same in 2022...on both fronts. The Lone Star State is once again loaded with coveted, high-end Power 5 and nationally-ranked blockers. A&M has already extended offers to ten o-linemen in state and have garnered early interest from targets from Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Sitting at the top of the board are names like longtime priority Kameron Dewberry‍ of Atascocita (Kenyon Green's former HS teammate) and Summer Creek's Kelvin Banks‍. Both are in the five-star conversation and have the potential to be next year's Fatheree/Foster for Henson and the Aggies. Another SEC-ready target is Allen guard Neto Umeozulu‍, who has held the Ags in high regard since he began playing football. Other names to watch as the Ags look to get an early jump next spring include Dickinson's PJ Williams‍, C.C. Flour Bluff's Johnny Dickson‍, Frisco tackle Cole Hutson‍, WO-S interior OL Demetrius Hunter‍, Arlington OT Devon Campbell‍ and Jaylen Early‍ of Duncanville. Expect another four- or five-man haul in the offensive trenches, as the Maroon Goon takeover continues.

    Tight End (2): C
    With Baylor Cupp and Blake Smith still having not taken a snap in Aggieland, tight end isn't the greatest need in this class. There certainly weren't a lot of high-level options in state, but James Coley and the Aggies will welcome a high-level, polished blocker with good hands and will eventually welcome a down-the-road project with NFL size and unlimited upside.

    Fernando Garza‍ comes from a Katy program that, like A&M, loves to pound the football. Because of that, Garza is probably the best in-line blocker at the position in the state. At 6-5 and 245 pounds, Fernando can also make plays in the passing game thanks to his outstanding frame, good hands and route-running ability. Like Blake Smith a year ago, Garza is going to be one of those three-star signees no one talks about but who has a chance to impress early and develop within Fisher's tight end-friendly offense. His season ended with a knee injury, so Garza will rehab and enroll a year from now as a grayshirt.

    Dametrious Crownover‍ is expected to join his older brother on the Aggie roster prior to the 2021 season. The 6-6, 260-pounder could very well end up growing into an offensive tackle, but his preference is tight end, and I'm sure the idea of lining up the big man next to the tackle with his hand in the dirt would appeal to a head coach/play-caller who loves putting more than one TE on the field at a time. If Crownover leans up and simply redistributes his weight, he could eventually step onto Kyle Field as an exceptionally-athletic and gigantic threat in the passing game, as well. He catches the ball pretty effortlessly and, if he manages to keep his weight down, could be a difficult coverage assignment for (much) smaller DBs and LBs. Again, we're talking about a developmental prospect here but one with an extremely high upside.

    Not the strongest year in state, but if there was one that got away, it was probably Elijah Arroyo‍ of Frisco Independence. James Coley got a very late start after coming over from Georgia for a player who committed too early in the process. The Miami native's family plans to move back to South Florida from the Dallas-area, which kept the Ags from having much of a shot at the state's best in 2021. A&M could have ripped Atascocita's Landen King‍ away from Auburn in the final days before NSD but decided to stand pat and gear up for a big run at a certain Houston-area junior...

    Looking ahead to '22: For the Aggies and everyone else recruiting Texas, Dickinson's Donovan Green‍ is the prize. Green is as good as there is in the country (including this year's seniors) and it's no secret that the Ags' pitch will include the chance to follow fellow Gator Jalen Wydermyer's All-SEC and eventual NFL footsteps. The need will certainly be a pressing one for an A&M offense that features the position as well as anyone in college football.

    Wide Receiver (2): B

    This was a tricky grade for me. Why? Because Shadrach Banks‍ is a top-10 'football player' in Texas and Yulkeith Brown‍ is a straight-up playmaker and one of the most respected and competitive prep prospects in Miami. Off of raw talent alone, this is an 'A' level haul. What makes me knock the grade down a little (for now, more on that in a moment) is that both Shad and Yulkeith are so versatile that either could wind up being used in any number of roles.

    Jamie Maury, TexAgs

    Banks is a versatile player likely to see the field in a variety of ways.

    Both Brown and Banks have that 'Ainias Smith tool kit' in that they could easily end up lining up in the backfield, splitting time in the slot and tailback or, if needed, could even eventually play on defense. Both could — and probably will — factor in as special teams weapons at some point, as well. At 6-1, 220 pounds, Banks could really be used at WR, RB, h-back or fullback on offense and could probably even make a pretty damn good linebacker for Mike Elko. Yulkeith, meanwhile, has shown on the field that he can be both a shutdown corner (I think he could excel covering the slot) and a difference-maker at tailback (he ran for over 1,400 yards as a sophomore).

    With all of that said, Banks and Brown are signing with the Ags as receivers and not 'athletes.' They'll both be in Dameyune Craig's meeting room from day one, and the plan is to have them catching passes, likely from a variety of spots in the formation. Shad's combination of size and vision and his ability to set up tacklers makes him very difficult to bring down after the catch, and he plays with a very high football IQ. He doesn't have Ryan Swope's downfield speed, but with the ball in his hands there are some real similarities...especially near the line of scrimmage. Brown is on the small side at 5-9 and around 180, but he's incredibly explosive and catches anything thrown his way. Both are legitimate matchup problems and playmakers in their own way, and I can tell you right now, they're going to be tough to keep off the field.

    Where this grade skyrockets, however, is if Fisher and Craig are able to add a borderline five-star pass-catcher to the haul in early February. Longtime target Brian Thomas‍ is exactly what the Aggies need at the position — a game-breaker on the outside who has the kind of size and speed the Ags have seen the past few seasons when facing the likes of LSU and Bama. The Louisiana product feels like a slight lean to Alabama, and LSU is making a furious push. A&M is squarely in the mix and has been in this one for the long haul, and landing him would quickly turn this group into a solid A while also adding a dynamic skill talent who would rate as one of the top signees in the class.

    Landing Thomas or LJ Johnson feels very important because the Ags need a big-time, five-star type of win at one of the skill spots, and recruiting at either position hasn't been great, particularly in state. That could change in a hurry and almost did on Wednesday, when the Ags almost had a shocking Signing Day steal when longtime LSU commit JoJo Earle‍ was set to decommit and sign with someone in February. The Ags were beginning to be rumored as the team to beat and had several productive conversations, but then the one guy no one wants to see enter picture late entered the picture late. Alabama and Nick Saban came calling, presented the pitch to join former Aledo teammate Jace McLellan on the Tide roster and 'become the next Jaylen Waddle' and Earle was signed, sealed and delivered by Wednesday afternoon. Aledo's last four top-shelf recruits have chosen Bama (x3) and LSU. So much for Texas high schools keeping the best in state, right?

    Again, Banks and Brown give the Ags two very dynamic and versatile pass-catching weapons. Add in Thomas and you're talking about a rock-solid 'A' haul, and I'd also expect A&M to find other possibilities around the state and country who decided against signing early. Still a need for a pure outside receiver with height and length, IMO. Either that or perhaps scour the transfer portal in January.

    Looking ahead to '22: Obviously, a lot of the Ags' need in the next cycle will depend on how they close things out in February, but the wish list will probably include wanting at least three signees on the outside in '22. Regardless of how things turn out, the A&M offense is going to need to add some dynamic weapons on the outside, and that's especially so (perhaps the biggest need on offense) if Thomas ends up in Tuscaloosa. Size and speed will be priorities, and the good news is that the state of Texas features plenty of both in the junior ranks.

    While Ohio State is becoming a bit of an early problem thanks to the Ewers commitment (the Buckeyes have already landed state No. 1 Caleb Burton‍ and are in the driver's seat for coveted Aggie target Armani Winfield‍, as well) and OU has already nabbed one of the best in Garland's Jordan Hudson‍, there are still several potential impact receivers on the in-state open market. For starters, Winfield has yet to cast his lot with the Buckeyes, though the Lewisville receiver is leaning heavily their way. Frisco LIberty's Evan Stewart‍ is a legit game-changer who is still wide open in his recruitment, as well. He's a top-ten talent in Texas and a shoo-in for a top-100 ranking nationally, if not top-50 when all is said and done. 

    Two pass-catchers who the Aggies appear to have a very good early shot with are 10.2 sprinter Brenen Thompson‍ of Spearman and Chris Marshall‍ of Fort Bend Marshall‍, Devon Achane's alma mater. Thompson might be the fastest receiver prospect in the country and is also a tough, versatile dude, while Marshall is a basketball player-turned-receiver whose upside is off the charts. It wouldn't be shocking to see the Ags eventually win out here and go out of state for more help in what could end up being a four-man class in 2022.

    Defense

    Defensive Line (6): A+
    This is an A+ class that's an Elijah Jeudy‍ addition (he's announcing between A&M and Georgia on January 2) away from earning just the second "A++" (that's 'A PLUS plus') grade I've ever handed out.

    Texas A&M has set the bar pretty high since Jimbo Fisher arrived with six weeks to go in the 2018 cycle. Since that time, the Ags have headlined each class with a five-star or borderline five-star signee — Bobby Brown ('18), DeMarvin Leal ('19) and McKinnley Jackson ('20). This time around, the Ags took it one step further, landing not one but two five stars. On top of that, Elko, Terry Price and Elijah Robinson signed a four-star pass rusher from the Northeast (and are the favorite to sign another) and stayed in state to beat OU and Texas in separate head-to-heads for a pair of athletic 280-pound interior defenders. All told, the current five-man haul is as strong as any I've seen the Ags sign in roughly a quarter century of covering Texas A&M recruiting. Add Jeudy and the group is as good as any d-line class in the country.

    The current five-man d-line haul is as strong as any I've seen the Ags sign in roughly a quarter century of covering Texas A&M recruiting. Add Jeudy and the group is as good as any d-line class in the country.

    While landing the players sitting atop the big board in Bright is all that really matters to Fisher, Elko and the A&M staff, the battles won en route to sewing up the 2020 defensive line haul paint a pretty clear picture of how well the Ags recruited along the d-line this cycle. The Ags outlasted Bama, LSU, Georgia and Texas for Shemar Turner‍, Florida and Bama for Tunmise Adeleye‍, potentially Georgia for Jeudy, won a head-to-head with Texas for Albert Regis‍ and took down OU in the race for Marcus Burris‍.

    As far as what the Ags are actually adding to what has quickly become a d-line stable as deep and loaded with top-end talent as any in the SEC (yes, the Aggies are now on par with the Bamas, Georgias and LSUs of the world), let's just say part of what makes this group so special is that it features a little of everything. 

    Let's start with two guys who stand out as class headliners, DeSoto's Shemar Turner and former Katy Tompkins star Tunmise Adeleye, two of the ten best defensive end prospects in the entire country and a pair of guys who are going to bring All-SEC and high-round NFL potential with them to College Station. Both could have signed with anyone in the country but chose to jump on board with what is looking more and more like a 'Wrecking Crew Reboot' under Mike Elko. 

    Turner is an SEC West defensive lineman if ever there was one. He's cut from the same mold as some of the Ags' recent signees up front. He is big, strong, physical, athletic and flat-out nasty. At 6-4 and 280 very lean pounds, Turner is an explosive front four defender who plays with a violent burst out of his stance, routinely exploding through blockers and into opposing backfields. Shemar uses his hands exceptionally well and is dominant against the run and particularly disruptive when pursuing the quarterback. Watching the DeSoto star in action and seeing him in person, it's tough not to make the Ty Warren comparison here. Not sure he shouldn't be considered the No. 1 prospect in Texas because I think the two OLs I have ranked ahead of him wouldn't be able to block Shemar.

    Landing Tunmise Adeleye seemed like a pipe dream throughout much of the process. He originally committed to Ohio State and, even after he opened things up, Florida appeared poised to land the five-star who starred as a sophomore at Katy Tompkins and last season at IMG Academy. Fisher, Elko and especially Terry Price hung in and continued to chip away, making sure Adeleye knew how badly the Ags wanted to keep the Houston-area standout at home. The persistence paid off, as A&M ultimately won out over the Gators and Alabama to land a player who most still consider a national top-100 DE and a state top-15 talent despite the fact that he missed his senior season. We're talking about an easy state top-10 talent here and a potential impact member of A&M's front four as early as next fall, just like we've seen from recent five-star caliber additions like Brown, Leal and Jackson. The long-armed, 6-3, 245-pounder is a gifted athlete whose frame is going to carry a lot more weight than it does today. He'll be a lean 280 in no time and have the ability to set the edge versus the run and generate pressure from the edge and as an interior guy when Elko wants to mix things up.

    Both Adeleye and Turner fit the recent trend of Elko finding guys who can play up and down the LOS, following in the footsteps of Kingsley Keke, Justin Madubuike and Leal. Ideal fits and two-year recruitments that paid off big-time on NSD 2020.

    Justin Schoenemann

    Burris missed his senior year but was a monster the two seasons prior.

    Marcus Burris would have likely been considered a state top-15 talent were it not for an Achilles' injury that cost him his senior season. The good news is that Burris is ahead of schedule in his recovery. Better news? The reason the Ags and Sooners fought for Marcus' commitment despite the injury had to do with how good he was on the field as a sophomore and junior and his upside on the defensive interior. Burris' background and his game remind me a lot of former A&M star and longtime NFL DT Red Bryant. He's a 6-5, 280-pounder with a basketball background, a ridiculous wingspan, outlandish strength and that small-town work ethic that typically separates great from good. By the time he takes the field in College Station, Marcus will be a 6-5, 315-pounder in Elijah Robinson's rotation, and I'm also not sure the dude couldn't become an All-Conference offensive tackle one day (same thing I said about Bryant before he went on to make millions on defense). 

    As far as Albert Regis goes, he's got to rank as one of the most intriguing signees in the Ags' Class of 2021. Prior to his junior season, he more than held his own with several nationally-ranked OLs at A&M's camp, landed on the radar, chose Minnesota early, saw his stock soar as he grew from 6-0, 250 to 6-2, 285 and then chose the Ags over Texas earlier this fall. Regis is still adjusting to the added size (and has actually slimmed back down to around 280) but the fact of the matter is, when you pop in the film, you see a guy well north of 250 doing things like snag end zone fades with one hand, catch deep balls as a wide receiver, line up at tight end, h-back, running back as well as DT and DE. Let Robinson and Jerry Schmidt mold Albert for a year and let's see what the Ags have in the defensive trenches. He's a unique piece who I could even see participating in some offensive packages down the road.

    Looking for pure pass-rushers? Jahzion Harris‍ might be the most underrated player in the entire class. The top-ranked prospect in the state of New York, Harris is a long, twitchy and explosive edge defender with off-the-charts potential. The 6-4, 220-pounder boasted offers from the likes of Ohio State, LSU, Michigan, Penn State, Miami and OU at the time of commitment and never once wavered. The lack of a senior season kept the Brooklyn native's ranking from soaring, but it did nothing to temper the excitement in Bright for a guy who is the type of naturally-gifted corner-bender the Aggies badly needed.

    The Ags are also in an excellent position to eventually put the cherry on top by adding Philadelphia (PA) Northeast DE Elijah Jeudy. A teammate of early signee Tyreek Chappell‍, Jeudy is a little bigger than Harris at 6-3, 245 but equally effective when it comes to getting to the quarterback. He's more of your prototypical weakside end. An instinctive end, Elijah is going to have the size to stand in against the run and is also a talented pass-rusher who blends the kind of power, size and quickness that have both Jimbo and Kirby Smart doing everything possible to add his skill-set to their roster.

    If the Ags close things out by adding Jeudy, go ahead and pick any metric you want, this was an A+ class and as good as you're going to see Texas A&M recruit at any position. An absolute clinic, from Houston to Dallas and from East Texas all the way up to the Northeast. In each of Fisher's first four recruiting cycles in College Station, the Ags' haul in the defensive trenches has gotten better, a pretty remarkable accomplishment.

    Looking ahead to '22: We know Elko and his two aces (Price and Robinson) are going to attempt to stockpile talent up front in every class, and the '22 haul could end up being a four-man group, depending on attrition between now and then. Two guys in state stand out head and shoulders above the rest in the early going : Five-star defensive end Malick Sylla‍ and Denton Ryan 300-pounder Big Bear Alexander‍. The Aggies are right in the middle of both recruitments and will almost certainly have a seat at the table when decision time rolls around. A couple of other in-state names to watch include Arlington Martin DE RJ Cooper and Omari Abor‍ of Duncanville. And if there's one position where you can take it to the bank that the Ags will find one or two guys from elsewhere around the country, it's the defensive line, where A&M has inked players from Florida, Tennessee, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Mississippi since Fisher's arrival.

    Linebacker (0): Incomplete
    I'm leaving it as an 'incomplete' for now, though I believe signing at least one linebacker could have easily been justified. The Ags let Kaci Seegars‍ walk late and really only pursued one additional linebacker (Alabama signee Kendrick Blackshire‍) since late spring. Obviously, Mike Elko and Tyler Santucci were content with who's on campus and who is out there in '22 to not sign a linebacker this cycle. Additionally, I'm also not sure 6-4, 195-pound safety Kendal Daniels‍ won't grow into a LB/S hybrid cut from the same mold as former Clemson star Isaiah Simmons. The Oklahoma product could end up starring in the box if he grows out of being a deep safety, which would alter this grade significantly.

    The A&M staff clearly didn't feel the need to add numbers at LB this year, perhaps because both Antonio Doyle and Edgerrin Cooper are very promising first-year 'backers who will get their freshman seasons back, Chris Russell and Andre White are still young and there's a legitimate chance that Aaron Hansford could return for one more season in Maroon & White. So, with that being the case...

    Looking ahead to '22: Another reason the Aggies were content to sign just Seegars at the position this go-round had to do with the fact that the state of Texas is pretty loaded at the position in the junior ranks. A&M is in very good early shape with The Woodlands Martrell Harris‍, and the Ags are squarely in the mix for one of the nation's best in five-star Harold Perkins‍ of Cy-Park. Perkins is the ultimate prize in '22, but there are plenty of SEC West caliber 'backers in-state, including Katy's Ty Kana‍, Manvel's Justin Medlock‍ and Owen Pewee‍, who happens to be Harold's teammate at Cy-Park. I'd expect the Ags to try and land their two most coveted in-state guys and probably look out of state and inside the SEC footprint to close out a three-man haul next December.

    Defensive Back (4): A-
    On Wednesday, Mike Elko and T.J. Rushing celebrated four signings in the defensive backfield, a group that jumps off the page when it comes to the caliber of athlete the Ags added on the back end. The quartet includes the No. 1 cover corner in Texas, a national top-60 prospect at safety who also happens to be the No. 1-ranked recruit in Oklahoma, the No. 1-ranked recruit in Arkansas and a corner from the Northeast who Fisher, Elko and Co. considered elite from day one. The Aggies were probably one addition away from this one earning an A or even an A+ grade and could add the final piece of the puzzle in January, so stay tuned.

    TexAgs

    Kendal Daniels has a unique skill set to become an impact defender for A&M.

    Headlining the Ags' list of signees in the secondary is safety Kendal Daniels‍. The product of Beggs, Oklahoma is considered the top-ranked prospect in the Sooner State and, needless to say, A&M convincing the impact defender to play south of the Red River came as quite the shock to Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch in Norman. Daniels chose the Ags over OU, Clemson and LSU — three of last year's four playoff teams — and it's easy to see why he's considered one of the top safety prospects in the country.

    A uniquely-talented defender, the kind of safety that isn't available in every recruiting cycle and someone with All-SEC potential and beyond. Standing nearly 6-4 and 190 pounds, Daniels is a thin, rangy safety who covers an incredible amount of ground on the back end of the defense. When you watch the four-star defensive back on tape, you see a field general who is essentially 'patrolling' the entire secondary. He's drawn comparisons to former Clemson phenom and 2020 NFL first-rounder Isaiah Simmons. One can only imagine what a creative defensive mind like Elko will be able to do with a chess piece like Daniels — someone who, like Simmons, can line up virtually anywhere in the back seven on a given snap.

    The Aggies entered the 2021 cycle with cornerback standing out as one of the most pressing areas of need. There just aren't enough on the current roster and, outside of Jaylon Jones, there isn't a proven commodity set to return at the position. So what did Mike Elko, T.J. Rushing and the Aggies do? They went out and signed a trio of cover men, each bringing a slightly different skill-set and/or background to the table — three corners the Ags are pretty excited about when it comes to upgrading the position in fairly short order.

    Don't listen to what the spin-doctors in Austin or the national networks try to tell you. Go watch the tape, watch the candidates in person and ask around to those in the know in the Dallas area. There wasn't a better cover man in the state of Texas this year than Denton Guyer's Deuce Harmon‍. An explosive athlete who plays an extremely physical brand of ball on the island, Harmon is a winner, a leader and a straight-up ballhawk. One of the Ags' early commits and a longtime priority of the A&M staff, Harmon chose the Maroon & White over former Big 12 rivals Texas and OU and never looked back. Because of his mental makeup and the ability to line up at corner or nickel in Elko's scheme, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see Harmon become one of the earliest impact guys in this class.

    The home-state Razorbacks and Missouri Tigers pushed very hard late, but the Ags inked the top-ranked prospect in Arkansas in Dreyden Norwood‍. He's more projection at this point, but we're talking about a top-shelf athlete who has excelled when he's lined up in the secondary. Norwood is simply the best athlete on his Fort Smith Northside team, so his primary position in high school was under center, where he reminded me of former Wrecking Crew great Derrick Frazier. As a cover man, Dreyden's 6-0 frame, outstanding hips, footwork and ability to find the football and his QB background makes for a very 'heady' cornerback when it comes to understanding coverage. The Ags won out here over offers from Arkansas, Mizzou, Auburn, Miami and Notre Dame, among others.

    Jimbo Fisher and Mike Elko were elated that Tyreek stayed under the radar. He has a chance to be this year's Ainias Smith, an absolute steal who quickly emerges as one of the most buzzworthy members of the 2021 class.

    In my opinion, Tyreek Chappell‍ is the most fascinating player the Aggies signed on Wednesday. At the time of his commitment, Michigan, Tennessee and Penn State were all hanging on the Philadelphia playmaker's decision, and his stock would likely have soared had he been able to participate in camps and actually play football as a senior. Chappell's tape is absolutely filthy — at both wide receiver and corner. We're talking about elite ball skills and the kind of speed and raw athletic ability that would have certainly earned him four stars and a spot in the national top-250 if he played in Texas or anywhere in the South. Folks, I can assure you that Jimbo Fisher and Mike Elko were elated that Tyreek stayed under the radar. He has a chance to be this year's Ainias Smith, an absolute steal who quickly emerges as one of the most buzzworthy members of the 2021 class once this group gets on campus.

    The Ags were disappointed that they were unable to land Pennsylvania four-star Donovan McMillon‍ (Florida) and Mississippi corner MJ Daniels‍ (Ole Miss) late, but the cherry on top of a strong class in the secondary is still out there if the Maroon & White are able to pull either Baton Rouge University Lab safety Jardin Gilbert‍ or Tallahassee standout Terrion Arnold‍. A&M is in the best position and lead for Gilbert, and if the Ags outlast Alabama and LSU and add a DB who many believe played his way into top-5 status in Louisiana, a very good class becomes great. Jardin is exactly what Mike Elko loves at safety; he's fast, rangy and fluid, is a two-sport standout (basketball) and has a pretty impressive highlight reel at receiver, as well. But it's at safety where GIlbert's athletic ability and extremely high football IQ and instincts made him a longtime (even if relatively under-the-radar) priority for Elko and the Aggies. The DC hand picks his safeties, and landing a couple from a group of three or four that has always included Jardin and signee Kendal Daniels has always been considered a non-negotiable must in this class. I like the Ags' chances to win out here, but we won't know the verdict until his announcement the day after New Year's.

    Looking ahead to '22: Watch what Elko and Rushing do in the secondary in 2022. Between a very deep year in the Lone Star State and what the Aggies have shown they're capable of doing from coast to coast, it's safe to expect an even more impressive haul for Texas A&M in the defensive backfield a year from now.

    A couple of big-time targets worth keeping a close eye on as early as the start of the new year are Katy cover man Bobby Taylor‍ and Beaumont Westbrook safety and current LSU commit Bryce Anderson‍. Two top targets who many believe will be Aggies when the dust settles. Other in-state targets who have already earned offers include North Shore five-star cornerback Denver Harris‍, Garland S Chace Biddle‍, John Paul II corner and Wrecking Crew legacy Terrance Brooks‍, Clear Lake CB Julian Humphrey‍ and Lexington S Jarred Kerr‍.

    Overall: A-

    This group certainly feels like it's trending up. In the past week alone, the Aggies added Strickland, Turner, Adeleye and Foster to surge from somewhere around 15 and well into the top 10. The Ags could still add a pair of four-star defenders in Juedy and Gilbert, which would push that class grade to an A and probably as high as No. 6 or 7 in the national rankings. If the Ags capped things off with either Johnson at tailback or Thomas at receiver, you're talking about four five-star worthy and national top-100 additions to close things out. Land both of the skill-position stars plus Jeudy and Gilbert and the Aggies would threaten to crack the top-5 for the second time in three cycles. Right now, this is an A+ haul in the trenches, but the skill spots could use a difference-maker (or two) in order to push this thing from excellent to elite, which is where Fisher and the Aggies have elevated the bar.

     

  2. 19 minutes ago, elguapo said:

    I may be wrong but I don’t think CDC is an idiot. He knows reporters are trying to clarify if he meant that Herman will be back coaching the 2021 season, and he hasn’t come out and said that - would be super easy to clarify this and remove all confusion.

    Herman may get lucky if CDC can’t land the right candidate, but I still think Herman is most likely gone.

    He has clarified this to the Statesman unfortunately. CDC and Tom need to be fired. 

  3. Spoiler


    Liucci

    2:40p 

    Staff

    AG

    -For starters, a quick scheduling update:

    Last night, Tennessee AD Phil Fulmer said the A&M game would be played on December 19, to close out the regular-season on championship weekend.

    I'd heard the same (it's all tentative and subject to change, of course) and also heard that the Ags' most likely three-game close to the regular-season would be at Auburn next weekend, Ole Miss at Kyle Field on 12/12 and then the trip to Rocky Top. 

    Again, not set in stone, but that's what it's sounding like and it's really the only way to go. If there's any change at all, it would be Auburn and Ole Miss flipping (which I'm not expecting) because that Tennessee game kind of has to be locked in on 12/19. The Ags can't play Ole Miss on the 19th because LSU has to have Bama and Florida on the first two Saturdays of December (before championship weekend) and then still has Ole Miss (which will be on 12/19). That also means that LSU plays Florida on 12/12 after facing Bama on 12/5. Florida hosting LSU that weekend leaves only next weekend for UF to take on their division rivals from Knoxville, hence 12/19 being the only Saturday that fits for both A&M and UT. 

    If you'd like to try and dissect that season-ending scenario, I'd say it's the best you could hope for if you're the Aggies. Take on Auburn a week after the Iron Bowl and draw Tennessee at season's end, when the Vols will likely be playing out a bitterly disappointing season at 3-6 (assuming they don't lose to Vandy on 12/12). Ole Miss in the middle is probably the perfect spot for what should be a confident bunch led by Lane Kiffin. Fortunately, that one will be played in College Station and not Oxford.

    -So LSU followed by Auburn, Ole Miss and Tennessee, you say? I know a couple of those big names are down, Auburn isn't elite this season and Ole Miss is still sporting a losing record but that's still a pretty daunting four-game stretch to close things out for the Aggies. It's not the Murderer's Row those opponents stacked in four straight weeks we thought it would be prior to the season and especially not what you'd get if you drew those four in certain recent seasons but I'd still go so far as to say the close-out for Jimbo Fisher's squad is tougher than anything any of the other contenders have to face the rest of the way. Tougher than what Bama, Clemson, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Florida, Cincy and Northwestern all have in front of them between now and championship weekend but where the Aggies catch a potential break is that every one of those aforementioned teams is going to have to play a conference championship game, with three of those pitting two teams from the group against one another. Again, it's a 'potential' break for the Aggies and we'll get into that in a moment.

    LSU and Tennessee both still have a ton of talent, probably every bit as much as the Aggies do. Problem for the Bayou Bengals and Vols, however, is that they don't have the senior leadership, the quarterback play, the defense or 'team football' that Fisher's squad brings to the table. Auburn is a good and definitely dangerous team, one that was good enough to beat LSU every bit as bad as the Ags beat South Carolina a few weeks ago. Problem is, War Eagle also lost to that same Gamecock squad and the Tigers were on the right side of game-changing blown calls in Houdini-like escapes versus Arkansas and Ole Miss. Bo Nix is very good when he's on, the Tiger receiving corps is as good as any the Ags will face and Tank Bigsby is a powerful, productive runner but Gus Malzahn's bunch hasn't been nearly as consistent as the Ags have been so far this season and not nearly as good. As for Ole Miss? Kiffin's offense is scary good but, again, the Rebels weren't world-beaters in losing to Arkansas and Auburn and the last time we saw them they were in a four-quarter shootout with the same team A&M had beaten 48-3 a week prior, giving up around 230 rushing yards to the same guy the Ags held to 50.  

    -Here's something to consider about this A&M team and what they're putting on the field every weekend.

    The Aggies probably rank in the top-3 in the SEC in all of the following areas:

    One of the three best quarterbacks.
    One of the three best running backs.
    One of the top three tight ends.
    One of the three best 'all purpose' backs.
    One of the three best offensive lines.
    One of the top three defensive lines.
    No. 1-ranked defense.
    No. 2 in the SEC versus the run.

    So while the remaining schedule is anything but easy, there's a reason why your Aggies will be favored each of the next four Saturdays and there's a reason that they're a legitimate top-5 football team as we enter the season's final month..  

    -News came out this week that the CDC may soon shorten the length of time a person must self-quarantines following potential exposure to Co-Vid. I'm not sure anything happens between now and the end of the college football season but perhaps it's something that could factor in by the time bowl season rolls around. As any college football fan has become painfully aware, it's oftentimes the players missing due to contact tracing more than it is positive tests within the program. For example, the Aggies were essentially put on ice for two weeks - while playing their best football of the season (in years, actually) - because of two positive player tests. Heck, several days prior to what was supposed to be a home date with Ole Miss last weekend, the Ags didn't have a single player positive within the program, yet couldn't play because more than a dozen players and more than half of the coaching staff were wiped out due to contact tracing. Members of that group tested negative seven times during the 14-day stretch yet were sidelined due to CDC guidelines that somehow seem archaic. Soon enough, we'll see college football employ something close to what the NFL has or at least be able to have players 'test out' of quarantine in 5-7 days or so. Unfortunately, we're not there yet, which is why we're seeing games postponed across the country each and every Saturday and why there's still no telling how many of the Ags' final four contests are actually played. I'm hopeful, and getting LSU to College Station on Friday would be a huge step towards that goal. Credit teams like Mississippi State, Arkansas, Missouri and Kentucky for getting out there and playing when the numbers are working against them, but the contact tracing is strange in that it's typically the road teams that find out upon returning (Sunday's test) that they traveled positive players that take the hardest quarantine hit. See Florida and A&M for proof of that.

    -Speaking of Florida- and LSU, for that matter - those are two teams that seemed to take advantage of the unexpected two game (and three weeks between contests) break. It's also the elephant in the room heading into this weekend. We know A&M has been the better team over the course of six games so far this season and we know the Ags were rolling and playing their best ball prior to hitting the unexpected pause. What we don't know is how long it will take for the Ags to shake any rust off after not playing for what will be three full weeks between games. The weather (rain and cold) is also going to be a factor. Two complete wildcards that certainly make this one nerve-racking but I keep coming back to the fact that each team has played six games this year and the Ags have looked like a legitimate top-5 team while LSU is struggling to figure things out, even during a win last Saturday in Fayetteville.

    -As far as the game itself goes, I'll have plenty more in this week's 'Key Matchups' feature but how about some quick thoughts:

    A&M is close to a two-touchdown favorite in this one, which is pretty remarkable in and of itself. LSU has had an exceedingly difficult time replacing so many All-SEC, All-American and award-winning, NFL players off of last year's championship squad. I said it throughout the off-season: Never before has a team lost so much in a single off-season - First-Rounders, the Heisman Trophy winner, both coordinators, the Thorpe and Biletnifkoff Award winners - you name it, and LSU lost it off of the 2019 squad. And then LSU lost starting QB Myles Brennan.  

    Of course, the Tigers lost to Mississippi State in the season-opener with Brennan and still haven't figured things out on the back end of what is still a very talented defense. Bo Pelini has been a disaster in Baton Rouge thus far and the offense has been inconsistent at best with so much attrition.  

    Bottom line, the team that barely escaped a Co-Vid ravaged Arkansas team last Saturday and was rolled by Auburn to the tune of 48-11 a few weeks ago is one that the Aggies should beat. However, history between the two programs, LSU's overall talent level and the unknown created by the long Aggie layoff makes this one a more dangerous hurdle than the records would indicate.

    Two things stand out in the concern department for me. First, LSU has some big-time players, including future First-Round picks at receiver (Terrace Marshall) and cornerback (Derek Stingley and possibly true freshman Elias Ricks) and a tight end who will probably join Jalen Wydermyer as the league's two best in 2021. LSU is also particularly impressive up front. The Tiger defensive line is likely to give the Ags more problems than any unit since Alabama. They've been leaky in terms of setting the edge against the run but Pelini's front four can get after an opposing o-line and they do it by simply lining up and playing right through the blockers. In other words, they're fine playing heads-up football and have the talent to do so. This will be a legit test for A&M's improved offensive line and the powerful Aggie ground game.

    On the flip side, the folks in Baton Rouge believe the Tigers may have found something in T.J. Finley, an improved defense and a ground game last weekend against Arkansas. I'm skeptical, for several reasons. First off, Arkansas was without six of the top seven defensive linemen on the team due to Co-Vid contact tracing. The Hogs were also without the services of Rakeem Boyd, a 1,000-yard rusher last year who topped the century mark against his old A&M teammates a few weeks ago. The lack of able-bodied d-linemen is a big part of the reason why LSU was able to run the ball with so much success, allow their true freshman quarterback to stay ahead of the chains and control more than 40 minutes of game clock. The Hogs also only rushed three most of the game, allowing Finley to sit back and not deal with much pressure, an odd approach when trying to make things tough on a guy who was starting just his third game. Things should be different on Saturday, considering the fact that the Ags lead the SEC in total defense, rank second against the run and have done a nice job of pressuring the quarterback of late. A&M with Isaiah Spiller, Devon Achane and Ainias Smith and running behind that offensive line is also a little different than what Arkansas brought to the table sans Boyd and with a below-average collection of blockers.

    -For many reasons, this is the most important A&M-LSU game since the Aggies have joined the conference. Such a wild swing in either direction for the winner and loser. That's particularly true for the Aggies, as above all else a win would leave Jimbo's bunch three games away from a possible playoff berth.

    Of course, there are other reasons an Aggie victory would resonate well beyond this season. First and foremost, LSU ran up the score on the Aggies last year en route to clinching an unbeaten regular-season on Senior Night at Tiger Stadium. Ed O, Joe Burrow and the rest of the Bayou Bengals spent the entire off-season crying about the 7OT game being 'stolen' from them and, to their credit, went out and exacted what they felt was revenge a year later (nevermind the fact that the brainchild leading the LSU charge still can't seem to understand that they were in no way robbed of a win). Now it's A&M's turn. Don't get me wrong, the Ags just want to get a win and it's clear that they're focused on a bigger prize than 'payback.' However, pride is a very real thing in athletic competition and I think you're kidding yourself if you think this is just another game for the men in Maroon & White.

    A win would also hit a division rival and it's loudmouth head coach where it really hurts. In addition to keeping the Ags in the top-5 and in playoff contention, a loss would be pretty devastating for the Tigers. LSU would fall to 3-4, with games left against Alabama, Florida and Ole Miss. A year after a perfect 15-0 run to the title, LSU would stand a very real chance of finishing an embarassing 3-7. An Aggie win would also leave A&M 2-1 against LSU under Jimbo Fisher's watch. That two out of three for the head coach who most in Purple and Gold considered 'the one that got away' prior to last season. Win Saturday night at Kyle Field and Fisher will leave Tiger fans feeling that way again.

    The Ags are playing in what is absolutely a 'kick them while they're down' conference and the Ags have the chance to not only keep legitimate playoff hopes alive this weekend but also finally level the playing field (or better) with what is fast-becoming a legitimate rival whether the Tigers admit it or not. LSU has a lot going on right now, between on-field struggles, NCAA clouds hovering over both football and basketball and a possible cover-up scandal reported recently by USA Today. Bama and an SEC championship is the goal for the Aggies, but LSU is absolutely the one program that Fisher and A&M must catch before they emerge as the biggest year-in, year-out threat to Nick Saban and the Tide. They can take a huge step towards that end with a win on Saturday...and I didn't even mention the potential recruiting ramifications in Texas and over into the Bayou State.

    -And in case you're curious, for a rivalry that has been fairly one-sided, there has been quite a bit of theater in this series since the Ags joined the SEC. Think about it: In year one, Johnny Manziel and the Ags came up just short and it turned out to be their last loss of the season. A win would have meant an SEC West title and possibly a natty. There was also the 'Les Miles farewell' game in Death Valley, when the Jimbo deal allegedly fell apart at halftime of the Tiger win. Ed O may have won his way out of 'interim' status with a win at Kyle Field in 2016. Last year's blowout win was a magical night for Joe Burrow and the Bengals at Tiger Stadium for Senior Night and the 2018 7 OT classic will always rate as the most thrilling Aggie victory in school history.

    Still, as far as the Aggies go, this one looms larger than each of the previous eight SEC meetings.

     

    Liucci

    9:05p 

    Staff

    AG

    -Okay, so we know the Aggies have to win out beginning Saturday in order to remain relevant in the playoff discussion. What we didn't know prior to Tuesday night's unveiling, however, was how much respect the Ags' 5-1 start would garner from the committee. Nothing but good news on that front, as the Aggies came in at No. 5, behind only Bama, ND, Clemson and Ohio State.

    Here's the short version as it pertains to the Aggies: The way things started out, I don't see any way an A&M team that finishes 9-1 doesn't end up ranked worse than fourth or fifth in the final playoff rankings. That's all you can ask for, right? 

    Of course, there's a world of difference between finishing fourth and fifth, so let's take a quick look at how things need to shake out.  

    The simplest, most likely scenario involves Bama and Ohio State winning out and it all coming down to what happens when Notre Dame and Clemson square off for a second time in the ACC title game. An Irish win and a 9-1 A&M team would absolutely be in. The same with a blowout win by Clemson, and contrary to what some know-it-all troglodytes in the national media continue to trumpet, a convincing, 'game control' type of win from Dabo, Trevor and Co. could very well do the trick, as well (that might depend on how impressive the Ags are the rest of the way).

    And don't spend too much time worrying about the what ifs in regards to an unbeaten, B1G champion Northwestern. They'd most likely force their way in but it would also come at the expense of Ohio State so they'd essentially flip flop. Where things would get interesting would be if the Buckeyes didn't get enough games in to qualify for the conference title game, allowing the Wildcats to run the table AND OSU to go unbeaten at 6-0. Even if that unlikely scenario played out, that conference isn't getting two in barring a rash of upsets. 

    Obviously, Florida beating Bama would push the Gators past the Ags and Bama would be the second SEC team in. That's understandable if Mullen, Trask and Co. can pull it off. It's also why where UF and A&M initially ranked really didn't matter. The biggest thing was the simple fact that A&M coming in at 5 and UF at 6 showed how much respect the committee had for the Ags' head to head win and body of work to date.

    Speaking of that body of work, I know LSU and Tennessee are down and Ole Miss isn't ranked, but if A&M were able to win four more games and push their win streak to eight entering the final rankings with wins over a big-name programs like those down the stretch (including two on the road), I think folks in the national media are underestimating how much positive momentum the Ags will have in the eyes of the committee at that point. It could weigh very heavily if you're comparing the Ags to a one-loss Notre Dame, an unbeaten Pac 12 champ or a two-loss Big 12 pretender.

    Credit the playoff committee here because it's tough work and it's never been tougher to rank these teams than it is this season. The committee got the initial top four right, IMO. They also did a great job with the all-important 5-8 rankings, as well. There are some things to nitpick after that, but that will never change and it's an impossible, thankless task when you get down past that 8-10 range.

    -So Cincinnati needs a whole heck of a lot of magic to get a look (it's possible but unlikely) and BYU is clearly going to be on the outside looking in, and rightfully so with that ghastly schedule. What I do think Cincy and BYU missing the cut but both likely to remain undefeated will do is create some very interesting NY6 bowl games. The Bearcats and Cougars will be playing in the post-season with everything to prove, which should make for real interest in some of the matchups against big name P5 programs. You can go ahead and throw Coastal Carolina, Marshall, Liberty and SMU and a couple of others in there, as well. This is going to be 'put up or shut up (forever)' SZN for the Group of Five.

    -Here's a VERY interesting note about BYU: So much was made this week about the Cougars unwillingness to schedule Washington for this Saturday on short notice but the reality one such game - even a win - would have meant that Kalani Sitake's team still played only one P5 team all season (and one from the worst major conference in football at that). As the rankings showed, it wouldn't have been close to enough. What is wild, however, is how close the Cougars were in September to hammering out a schedule that included a couple of SEC powers. Before Greg Sankey and Co. decided to go with a conference-only, 10-game slate, BYU opened up with Alabama looked like it was happening. What didn't get as much run was how close the Aggies were to replacing Colorado with BYU a couple of weeks into the schedule. Yes, that was a real thing, which I mentioned once it fell through when the SEC went in-house only. So BYU could have played two of the three best teams in the Southeastern Conference. How much difference would that have made in the playoff discussion? Probably not much, considering the fact that the Cougars would have probably been a competitive 0-2 in said games, both on the road.

    --If you want to know what a good job Jimbo Fisher and his staff have done with this football team in 2020, look no further than some of the big name programs around the country and especially at the B1G.  

    LSU has struggled mightily this year (let's hope that trend continues for the defending champs), Oklahoma dropped two ugly games early on back-to-back weekends and is only hanging around because that league is disgracefully bad, Tennessee has dropped five straight and the Vols are staring L #6 in the face (Florida is up next), Georgia couldn't figure things out at QB and the Dawgs were lapped in losses to Bama and UF. What I'm having a hard time understanding is how terrible the big-name programs in the B1G (excluding Nebraska, who at this point is big-time in name only and it's been that way for longer than even the Longhorns have been irrelevant) have been this season. Penn State and Michigan and absolutely horrendous, Wisconsin looked pretty pedestrian the first time they were challenged in three games and Minnesota has been one of the more disappointing teams coming off of a rousing 2019 season capped off with a bowl win over Auburn. Look, I think P.J. Fleck, Paul Chryst and James Franklin are all very good coaches but coaching in 2020 has been the most unique challenge most college football bosses have ever faced and many a good leader has failed to adjust accordingly. That's what makes what folks like Fisher, Mullen and Brian Kelly have done so far even more impressive.

    As for the Pac-12, that league may as well not be playing football this season. Oregon and USC have both looked very underwhelming and, three games in, are literally halfway done with their regular-season schedules. Because they were the last to join the party, the league's six-game plus one championship weekend set-up is a virtual lock to ensure no one from the conference has much of a shot at crashing the playoff chase and, due to the late start, there's very little chance we're see more than half of the teams even reach the six-game mark. About the only thing I'll credit the league for is its willingness to allow teams to add non-conference games and to adjust the schedule on very short notice in order to just squeeze as many games in as they can. Too little, too late, unfortunately, and the most irrelevant Power 5 conference is so far behind the others at this point that, outside of Oregon and USC, it'll be tough for everyone else in the conference to recover anytime soon.

    -So two weekends with the Aggies sitting it out on the sidelines and I'm not sure more than one or two of the teams I preferred to see win actually walked off of the field with a W. Oh well, if nothing else the last two weekends pushed a pair of pretenders out of the mix, with Wisconsin and Oklahoma State being exposed as frauds. Indiana also exited stage left, though the Hoosiers certainly proved themselves as a very good team in rallying to take Ohio State to a final possession at The Horseshoe. 

    Did I say rally? That's what the national media is doing again. Doing all they can to dig the Big 12 - and Oklahoma, in particular - out of a hole and drop them directly into the playoff discussion. It's not going to work this time, folks. The reason why? The league is out of the conversation no matter how hard the media tries to convince us that "Oklahoma is playing as well as anyone in the country." Ummm, no they're not. They fattened up on TCU, Tech, Kansas and a laughably overrated Oklahoma State squad that barely outlasted Tulsa and lost at home to Texas.

    So when I hear certain drum-bangers start doing this around this same time every year - and this year, the biggest jackass of them all happens to be none other than Tom Herman himself - I actually believe it demonstrates a lack of football intellect or insane 'anti-SEC' bias for anyone to even consider Oklahoma worthy of being in the playoff discussion barring a rash of upsets during the final 3-4 weeks of the season. It's the most ridiculous thing I've heard in all of my years of covering this sport. It really is. And the thing is, there is ZERO chance that the committee would allow a team with those two losses to move up because, while these talking heads make points like "two close losses versus being blown out 52-24" the fact of the matter is one is a single loss AT No. 1 Alabama (by definition, the toughest SOS game you can play), while the other is TWO losses - one to a team that was dragged at home by the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns and has two losses and another that lost to Arkansas freaking State. It's comical at this point.

    Every single year. Big 12 is humiliated during non-conference play, a couple of teams start out 3-0 or 4-1 in conference play to they sneak back up into the top-15, a 'quality' win or two happen in league play as a result and the next thing you know, OU is in the playoff and getting humiliated by an SEC foe in the semis. Not this year, thank goodness.

    -Of course, the SEC team the Sooners could very well draw in the 2020 postseason is none other than your Fightin' Texas Aggies. A 9-1 A&M team that misses the playoffs or an 8-2 Aggie squad would end up in a New Year's Six bowl game. The Orange gets the first at-large crack this year and would probably love to gobble up (it is Thanksgiving after all) an A&M squad ranked No. 5, pitting the Ags against either Clemson, Notre Dame or Miami. However, I've also heard that the bowls will do as much as they can to limit travel (for the teams but especially for fans) as much as possible this time around, which is why I believe we'll see as many 'regional' bowls matchups as possible. That doesn't mean the Orange would pass on matching up, say the No. 5 Ags against No. 6 Notre Dame or Clemson (in this instance, Florida would beat Bama and the loser of the ACC title game would be the odd team out, along with TAMU) but it could mean that an A&M-Miami matchup wouldn't be quite as convenient for all parties as going with The U v Gators in Miami, which would leave the Cotton to set up A&M against a former Big 12 rival like OU or, gasp, even the Texas Longhorns (or Iowa State...whoever wins the Big 12 title). Yep, I know what you're thinking. Just win out and hopefully play your way out of a fifth Big 12 bowl meeting in nine years in the SEC.

    -Another week, another article trying to explain the, wait...what's worse than a dumpster fire? Well, let's just call whatever is going on in Tallahassee something so bad it would make a dumpster fire look so inviting you'd want to roast marshmallows over it. Andrea Adelson's story for ESPN was perhaps the first article from a member of the national football media that wasn't a hit piece on Jimbo Fisher and actually finally really dug into everything that was wrong at Florida State and the things that ultimately played a big role in the national championship-winning head coach leaving for Texas A&M. While that was a nice change of pace, do you know what's been incredibly consistent every time the tired subject comes up following another humiliating FSU defeat? Jimbo Fisher doesn't say a word. In fact, the former Seminole head coach and assistant only speaks favorably of his longtime home. He doesn't have time to worry about his old job because he's so focused on the current task at hand to worry about what anyone has to say. He also knows the truth because he lived it and just isn't wired that way. Fisher has taken the high road at every opportunity since leaving Tallahassee, and I think it's long overdue that someone in the national media pulls their head out of their own ass long enough to recognize that fact the next time they're talking about FSU losing to Pitt, Louisville or NC State while Fisher is in Maroon & White while still taking down the Florida Gators.

    Jimbo Fisher, Dan Mullen and Mario Christobal have probably been the three best hires in college football over the past three seasons, and Jimbo being part of the group is something some of these national types have been embarrassingly slow to catch on to. And if we're really wanting to talk about coaches around the country who actually are doing an absolutely terrible job either this season or at their current stop in general, then Jim Harbaugh, James Franklin, Jeremy Pruitt, Scott Frost and Tom Herman should be absolutely eviscerated for how miserably they've underperformed at their respective spots. Franklin this season (along with Mr. Row Your Boat over at Minnesota) and the rest of that group of 'home run hires' who have been underachieving long enough now that each of their seats is getting warmer with each passing Saturday.

    -If the season ended today, the Ags could add Kyle Trask's name to the list of Heisman Trophy winners that couldn't get past Texas A&M. Granted, Trask threw for over 300 yards and 4 TDs at the stadium he was named after (didn't know if you'd heard) but he and the Gators were outgunned by Kellen Mond and the Aggies on that glorious October afternoon. Anyway, if the Manvel product wins it, he'll continue a pretty amazing trend of 'out of nowhere' winners at quarterback.

    Cam, RGIII, Johnny, Jameis, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow. That's 8 of the last nine QB winners (Marcus Mariota was considered a front-runner entering his junior season) and soon to be nine of ten (if Trask pulls it off) who essentially came out of nowhere to win the award. I'm taking slight liberties with Mayfield but he gets special mention for having been a walk-on who certainly was an afterthought when he showed up at Tech and even before wrestling the job away from our own Trevor Knight in Norman. Anyway, just something wild to think about next summer when you want to wager $100 or so on the 2021 Heisman winner.

    -How about some recruiting quick-hitters? Consider this your pumpkin pie after that Scattershooting football feast.

    When trying to figure out the close out to this year's class, much of the fan debate has centered around how things will shake out along the defensive line, where the Ags still have several nationally-ranked options. I've stated many times now that I believe the Ags' best bets are with DeSoto's Shemar Turner and Philly standout Elijah Jeudy but let me really simplify things and say this: I feel very good about A&M ultimately inking two members of a four-man group that also includes five star Tunmise Adeleye and borderline five Tywone Malone, the No. 1-ranked player in New Jersey. And there's an outside but legitimate shot that the Ags could sign three members of that star-studded quartet.

    -I said this a couple of weeks ago about Florida playmaker Yulkeith Brown about a week or so before he became an Aggie but don't discount Baton Rouge defensive back Jardin Gilbert as a legitimate possibility for the Aggies in the 2020 class. A&M is still all-in on the talented cover man and the Ags have been for a while now. A&M and Bama looked like the two favorites but a recent LSU offer could shake things up. The Ags have real staying power here, however. Beating LSU on Saturday and sending the Tigers' season into a freefall couldn't hurt and if I'm Fisher or Mike Elko, I'm also asking the homegrown Louisiana talent if he's at all familiar with how the Bayou Bengals did another Red Stick safety dirty a year ago at this time. I'm talking about Major Burns, who LSU waited on, flipped from A&M and then cut loose just a week or so before NSD, sending him scrambling to grab one of the final spots in Georgia's class. One thing's for sure, the Ags clearly covet Gilbert as someone who could help push this year's DB haul over the top.

    -Offensive linemen Bryce Foster or Katy Taylor and Fort Bend Christian's Remington Strickland are two coveted Houston-area offensive linemen who are near certainties to choose between A&M and Oklahoma. Because of the Ags' needs up front (not to mention how much time the Ags have invested in the Foster recruitment and the fact he's a lay down difference-maker in the trenches), both recruitments are of particular importance for Jimbo Fisher and Josh Henson. What makes these two even more important (and interesting) is the fact that, if the Ags can pull it off and keep two Texans in their home state, Henson and the Ags would have won five, count 'em, FIVE high-profile recruiting battles against the Sooners over the last two cycles. Foster and Strickland would join Reuben Fatheree, Chris Morris and Akinola Ogunbiyi in College Station, not to mention Trey Zuhn, who also held a committable Sooner offer when he chose A&M. Would send quite the message north of the Red River to Dryfit Lincoln.

    -Winning on Saturday would go a long way towards making this statement ring even more true than it feels today, but don't be surprised to see this year's most high-profile and competitive A&M-Alabama head-to-head end up being the race for New Orleans WR Brian Thomas' signature. The Ags are quietly in probably a greater need to add an impact, pure wide receiver in this class and there are few better in the country than Thomas. As was the case with McKinnley Jackson last year (and Donell Harris out of Florida), the Aggies have done a great job in an out-of-state recruitment, hanging in early and emerging as a much bigger factor late than most on the national landscape seem to realize. Stay tuned.

    -I love this week's offers from the Ags in the Class of '22. Moving on Fort Bend Marshall WR Chris Marshall is really getting ahead of the curve on a very fast and supremely athletic wideout who has terrific size and a basketball background that makes him a very difficult coverage assignment. A&M should be in the thick of things here thanks to Davon Achane no matter how much Marshall's stock soars (which it will). The other offer that I'd love to see end up in Maroon & White down the road is Allen OL Neto Umeozulu. The 6-4, 300-plus pound guard has recently picked up offers from the likes of A&M, Bama and OU. He's actually quite familiar with and fond of the Ags and has been for a while now. He's going to be recruited by everyone but, again, this is a race in which the Ags should have some real staying power. How good to I think Neto is? In another loaded year in the offensive trenches, I think he's in the discussion (and my personal early choice) for No. 1 interior OL in Texas in 2022.

     

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