Latest news with #Aggies
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Where does Marcel Reed land on The Athletic's rankings of all 136 starting quarterbacks?
Texas A&M's success on offense won't entirely depend on redshirt sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed, primarily due to the program's deep running back room, veteran offensive line, and experienced defense that should prevent opponents from scoring 30 or more points throughout the season. Still, even the best rosters need solid quarterback play to win key games on the road and defend homefield against sneaky opponents that pose a threat, which, this season, includes the Florida Gators and South Carolina, which could easily come down to quarterback play on both sides. After throwing for 1,864 yards and 15 touchdowns after trading starts with Conner Weigman, Reed has spent the majority of the offseason working on his throw game, looking to improve his accuracy, velocity, and touch to pair with his already elite ability as a runner. With all this work, playing in OC Collin Klein's system, which was built for a player of Reed's skill set, the sky is truly the limit with new wide receiver KC Concepcion (NC State) and Mario Craver (Mississippi State), who will join Terry Bussey, Ashton Bethel-Roman, and Izaiah Williams in a rotation that is much faster, quicker, and built to separate against tight coverage. However, not everyone in the national media believes in Reed's true dual-threat ability, as The Athletic's recent rankings of 136 college quarterbacks placed Reed at No. 26 overall and in the third tier. Here's what authors Sam Khan Jr. and Antonio Morales had to say about his placement: "Reed, a late take in A&M's 2023 recruiting class, filled in for the injured Conner Weigman, then took over as the starter in the final month of the season after a breakout performance in a win against LSU. He showed enough that the Aggies didn't take a QB to compete with him for the starting job in the portal after Weigman left." While this is simply a fact, it was smart to point out that head coach Mike Elko did not bring in another veteran arm, outside of backup Jacob Zeno, to compete with Reed for the starting spot, solidifying his full belief that the Tennessee native is more than capable of leading the Aggies to a Playoff spot. But both authors still believe that Reed has a lot to prove from the pocket. "He need to develop more as a passer, but he has good arm strength and fluid motion, and he's a good fit for Collin Klein's offense, which utilizes heavy doses of the quarterback run game." Collin Klein's scheme possesses enough "easy buttons" for Reed in the passing game, which his offseason strength training should provide a bigger cushion during designed runs and making plays with his legs. This ranking is fair, for now, but if Reed can get the job done early and prove his worth as a reliable thrower, expect scouts to take notice. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
Fox Sports
7 hours ago
- General
- Fox Sports
Texas A&M's Collie Mascot Reveille X Has Eye Removed After Glaucoma Diagnosis
Reveille X, Texas A&M's border collie mascot, had her right eye surgically removed after veterinarians diagnosed her with glaucoma, the university's president said Wednesday. The collie — also known as the "First Lady of Aggieland" — was diagnosed with glaucoma after experiencing discomfort and cloudiness in her right eye, President Mark A Welsh III said in a message on the school's website. The veterinary team removed the eye out of an abundance of caution after discovering signs of abnormal tissue, he said. "I'm grateful to report that Miss Rev has come through the surgery successfully, has been discharged and is resting comfortably," Welsh said. Texas A&M's Reveille mascot dates back to 1931, when a group of cadets found an injured dog and sneaked her on to campus. The dog barked when buglers played morning reveille, earning her the Reveille name. Reveille X took over as the latest iteration of the mascot in 2021. A souped-up golf cart known as "Rev Force One" helps transport the collie across campus. Welsh said Reveille will take a brief hiatus from engagements as she recovers. "According to her veterinary team, we can expect Miss Rev to be back to enjoying all her favorite activities — cruising on Rev Force One, attending classes, cheering on the Aggies and keeping our campus squirrels in line — this fall," he said. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
USA Today
18 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texas A&M is a finalist to land elite 2026 4-star SF out of Corpus Christi (TX)
Texas A&M's basketball program is under new management, as the 2025-2026 season will feature head coach Bucky McMillan leading the Aggies. This marks a drastic change from the last three seasons under Buzz Williams, as the program's all-time leading scorer, Wade Taylor IV, has also departed. However, change was needed after six seasons with Williams at the helm, who, while producing three consecutive NCAA Tournament teams, never advanced past the Round of 32. In contrast, Texas A&M has never advanced past the Sweet 16 throughout the NCAA Tournament's existence. This offseason, returning just one player in redshirt freshman forward Chris McDermott, McMillan added 12 players from the transfer portal, including veteran guard Pop Isaacs and former Indiana forward Mackenzie Mgbako. While McMillan is looking to add two more players to reach the 15-player threshold, this roster is talented enough to compete for a postseason bid. On the recruiting trail, McMillan has yet to land a 2026 commit, but is now a finalist for one of the top small forward prospects in the cycle, as four-star Billy White III, who also included Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Kansas, TCU, Stanford, Maryland, LSU, Virginia, and SMU in his top 10 program list. During his 2024-2025 junior season at Veterans Memorial in Corpus Christi (TX), White averaged 18.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, while leading his team to a 39-1 record. His shooting ability, combined with impressive defense and rebounding makes him a borderline five-star prospect with an extremely high ceiling. While he has official visits lined up with six of his ten finalists, it's a positive development that Texas A&M is still on his radar heading into the fall. According to 247Sports, White is currently positioned as the 33rd-ranked prospect in the cycle, the 14th-ranked small forward, and the 4th-ranked prospect in Texas. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Everything Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko said during Coach's Night in San Antonio
For his sixth stop on the Coach's Night tour, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko previewed the upcoming season for the Aggies at the San Antonio A&M Club on Monday night. Elko's appearance at Coach's Night marked the first time behind the podium for the second-year head coach since the Southeastern Conference's media days last week. The Aggies are set to kick off the 2025 campaign against UTSA on Saturday, Aug. 30, at Kyle Field. With a new season of college football in Bryan-College Station, Texas, set to begin in just 39 days, "talking season" is nearing the end. When it comes to football in the SEC, the talking never stops, however. Heading into his second season leading the Aggies, that testament is something Elko has come to learn. As he continues to travel around the state to speak in front of Texas A&M alumni, the spirit and passion from the Aggie faithful are unlike anything Elko has ever seen. Here is everything Elko had to say at Coach's Night in front of the San Antonio A&M Club on Monday, according to TexAgs: Elko credits passionate display from A&M alumni "I want to say thank you to you all. Every time I go to these Coach's Nights, I'm blown away by the Aggie Spirit. I've been at a lot of universities, and there is nothing like this." Elko praises support from fans at Kyle Field "Last year we averaged over 102,000 people at our home games. We were 101% filled in Kyle Field. That number is larger than any other SEC stadium. We have support at an unbelivable level, and now we'll build the program to match it." Elko talks team's willingness to serve community "We've become extremely active in the Bryan-College Station area to give back with the Big Event and with schools. That's really important for young people to give back to keep them grounded, humble and away from entitlement." Elko expresses excitement about Aggie retention "Look at who goes in and who goes out of a program. We've been able to keep so many key players. We were able to retain about 99% of the players we wanted to return to our program, so we're really excited about that." Elko speaks on Marcel Reed's freshman season "Now he understands what it's like to be QB1 in the SEC. What he had to go through last year is not how you'd write the script for a first-time starter bring in and out. What gets lost is the growth he had last year." Elko on Aggie RB room "We returned all of our ball-carriers. Le'Veon Moss will be ready to go. We're excited to have Rueben Owens back. We're glad we got Amari Daniels back. E.J. Smith dealt with a lot of injuries last year, but he's healthy now." Elko excited about offensive line return "It's great to bring back all seven of our top offensive linemen. The last time we were this old at this position, we ended our season playing in the Orange Bowl. It's a really strong starting point to have a group like that." Elko talks WR reform "We had to reform the wide receiver position. Kevin Concepcion has been everything we hoped he could be. He's elevated the level of the entire wide receiver room. Mario Craver continues to develop. We're excited about the development of Ashton Bethel-Roman and Terry Bussey." Elko's defensive standard at A&M "It is not lost on me the standard we have for defense at Texas A&M. Getting Will Lee III back to anchor the corner position was huge. We believe we've elevated the safety position. Taurean York is the rock of that defense." Elko on filling gaps from departing players "We have had more NFL Draft picks on the defensive line since I got here in 2018 than any other team in the SEC. We're comfortable replacing great players. DJ Hicks, Albert Regis, Rylan Kennedy and Cashius Howell will step up." Elko talks program's future "We have 15 starters back. We have all of our specialists back. We're excited about where this program is going. We have to build a program you are all proud of. Let's be proud of who we are and where we're going." Elko dismisses Bussey playing both ways "He will not. His story has to start at wide receiver. That's not to take away of what he can do or that he won't ever be a two-way player, but we need him to impact the game on offense." Elko says Shemar Stewart will not return "Absolutely not. Some people live in this fairytale land of social media where you can create false narratives. I see him every day in our weight room, but he's a Cincinnati Bengal." Elko describes the most difficult challenge in football "The biggest puzzle of modern college football is maintaining chemistry and culture in an era where money has become involved in it. Who you bring into your program is crticial. We have to be intentional about how we bring this team together." Elko praises Regis "It's really exciting to have a player as talented as Albert Regis. He's a grown man. He's a great leader and a phenomenal player. Anchors like that matter." Elko on putting more players in the NFL "We have to have more NFL players across the board. If you look at teams that win the SEC, they're getting 20 players drafted over a two-year period. We will comfortably have 10 kids get their name called at the end of this season." Elko stresses importance of protecting Reed "I'm going to knock on wood one more time. Obviously that's something that has to change. It's not lost on us that keeping our quarterback protected and healthy is a critical piece of our success." Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texas A&M to Big Leagues: Former Aggie southpaw called up to Seattle Mariners
After months of impressive outings in MiLB, a former Texas A&M pitcher earned a call-up to Major League Baseball on Monday. Southpaw reliever Brandyn Garcia was bumped up from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers to the Seattle Mariners. He was selected by the Mariners in the 11th round of the 2023 MLB Draft, following his senior season with the Aggies. In his first season with the High-A Everett AquaSox and Double-A Arkansas Travelers, Garcia recorded a 2.25 ERA with 134 strikeouts in 116.0 innings pitched. His performances on the bump earned him the organization's co-minor league pitcher of the year in 2024. With Garcia being just one of two left-handed relievers and the Mariners bullpen suffering from burnout, the well-earned call-up to the Major Leagues could prove to be beneficial for both parties. The 25-year-old's first appearance on the bump for the Mariners will be his MLB debut. According to MLB Pipeline, Garcia ranks as the top left-handed prospect in the organization and the No. 4 pitching prospect in the system, while also being the No. 13 overall prospect. Through 68 career minor league appearances, he has secured an 11-7 record with seven saves and a 2.49 ERA. Garcia has also struck out 184 hitters and walked just 67, which is good for 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings. Now, he will aim to continue that success at the highest level in baseball with the Mariners organization. Before he put on the Maroon and White uniform for the Aggies, Garcia led Quinnipiac in strikeouts and wins in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022. Before transferring to Texas A&M, the lefty posted a 7.15 ERA with 12 starts in 61.2 innings pitched during his time with the Bobcats. Garcia's numbers improved tremendously with the Aggies in 2023, as he secured a 5.56 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 43.2 innings pitched and one save. His 3-3 overall in 27 appearances helped aid Texas A&M to an NCAA Regional appearance, which the program eventually fell flat against the Stanford Cardinal. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Granby, Connecticut, native translated that improvement on the mound during his senior season to the MiLB. With much need for arms in the starting rotation and a relief role, the Mariners organization could place Garcia on the mound in either fashion sooner rather than later. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.
