AggieYell Mailbag

It’s another Thursday, so you know what that means — time for another AY Mailbag!

Q: When does spring football training start and when is the game? (SuperAg1000)

The spring schedule was announced yesterday, and it’s here:

https://x.com/AggieFootball/status/2016678861455417707?s=20

I haven’t heard anything about a spring game and I don’t think they’re going to have one.

Q: What do you think is the next BIG renovation on the athletic facilities will be excluding the ones that are announced? (RetiredAirForce)

A: Interesting question. The track facilities just got upgraded, baseball facility upgrades are underway and more will follow. I can think of two things immediately: an indoor tennis facility and upgrades to Reed Arena. Maybe something for soccer too.

Q: Which road game would be the best trip this fall and why? (elicrow)

A: Personally, I love the trip to South Carolina if you have a day or two to spend in Charleston. That would be my pick. I’ve never been to OU, but I’ve driven through Norman and it doesn’t do anything for me. Missouri is a rather bland trip. LSU is LSU. The other one I’d consider would be Alabama.

Q: What do you think will be our 3 most difficult home football games to win next year? (RacerRod)

A: May as well start with Texas immediately. They’re the big obstacle at home, for sure. I’m not overly worried about Tennessee at first glance because they lost a lot of talent (and their QB), but they’re second. Kentucky’s third.

Q: everyone wants to figure out Indiana’s secret sauce. It seems like it’s a combination of a lot of things. How does 2026 potentially compare to 2025 Indiana? We’re going to have a ton of SRs and RS SRs starting next year, but I’m thinking of more than just that.

A: The similarities become a lot closer if Marcel Reed becomes a serious Heisman candidate. But, in looking at their depth chart, Indiana is losing nine starters on offense — seven of them are redshirt seniors. There’s one regular season and one redshirt junior. So you’re talking about guys who have at least four years of collegiate experience. Here’s A&M’s possible starters for 2026:

QB: Marcel Reed (RS-Jr.)

RB: Rueben Owens (RS-Jr.)

TE: Houston Thomas (RS-Sr.)

WR: Ashton Bethel-Roman (RS-So.)

SLOT: Mario Craver (Jr.)

WR: Isaiah Horton (RS-Sr.)

LT: Tyree Adams (RS-Jr.)

LG: Coen Echols (RS-So.)

C: Mark Nabou (RS-Sr.)

RG: Trovon Baugh (Sr.)

RT: Wilkin Formby (RS-Jr.)
The Aggies have eight projected starters with four years of college experience and two fifth year players. So they’ve got a good bit of experience as well, though not as much as IU.

On defense, Indiana loses six starters, and five of the six are redshirt seniors. The other is a redshirt junior. Now, here’s what A&M is looking at:

DE: Marco Jones (So.)

DT: DJ Hicks (Sr.)

DT: CJ Mims (Sr.)

DE: T.J. Searcy (Sr.)

MIKE: Ray Coney (Sr.)

WILL: Daymion Sanford (Sr.)

NICKEL: Bryce Anderson (RS-Sr.)

CB: Dezz Ricks (RS-Jr.)

S: Dalton Brooks (Sr.)

S: Marcus Ratcliffe (Sr.)

CB: Rickey Gibson (RS-So.)

I didn’t even realized how experienced the A&M defense will be next year. Not a whole lot of excuses to be had for them.

Anyway, Indiana did a masterful job of working the transfer portal and got a lot of old guys. As a team, they averaged 23 years old — or the age of a regular redshirt senior. A&M’s not that experienced, but they’ve got a lot of upperclassmen in the starting lineup.

We seem to be in on every HS OL in the world.

1. how many are they taking

They already have two committed, but they’re a long way from done. I could see them taking six, maybe more depending on how things go.
2. Which prospects are the coaches favorites

I don’t know about personal favorites, but I know Kennedy Brown and Albert Simien are the two highest-rated linemen they’re in on and they’d love to get both of them.

3. How do they manage such a large haul? Particularly if they already fill the room and THEN one of the favorites decides they want in? (dP47)

I’d have them look at a depth chart. Nabou and Baugh will be gone after this season; Adams and Formby could be. Robbie Bourdon will be a redshirt junior in 2027; Lamont Rogers will be a redshirt sophomore. Guys like Blake Ivy, Papa Ahfua and Ashton Funk will be redshirt juniors (Ahfua could apply for a medical redshirt). Then Marcus Garcia, Tyler Thomas, Josh Moses and Nelson McGuire will all be redshirt sophomores (if they all stick around). If things work the way they should, then the 2027 class will be set up to be a season away from starting.

Q: Whenever we bring recruits in, I know they’ll meet with their potential positions coach and they’ll get some feedback there. Is that the only time recruits “go solo” during their trip, or do we have other unique and personal things set out for them as well? (Westonm81)

A: Depends on the player and the type of visit. Obviously, officials include a lot of personal time. Junior days can be tough, but for the really elite guys, they probably find a way. Gameday visits? Probably not a whole lot of personal one-on-one time. Things are too busy.

Q: What do you know about Bucky and recruiting efforts to date? When does bball portal open up? I think he has a compelling story for playing at A&M. (Have Gun Will Travel)

A: His 2026 recruiting class is ranked 23rd nationally, up 55 spots from the last guy’s last class. One of those players, Neiko Mundey, re-classified and is already on campus (redshirting). The transfer portal opens up the day after the national championship game, or April 7. It will be open for 15 days.

Q: God puts you in charge of straightening out college football. Whatever you say goes. Go! (Hogtide)

A: Ok.

First: You transfer once without penalty. After that, you sit a year.

Second: All contractual terms are made public.

Third: The cap gets firmly enforced, with the loss of 15 scholarships on the first offense.

Fourth: If a coaching staff is found to have tampered with a player who has already signed somewhere else (or re-signed), the head coach and general manager are both suspended for a year.

Fifth: There are two different levels of targeting. One is a 15-yard penalty and no ejection, the other is a 15-yard penalty AND an ejection.

Q: 1. Was Reed’s accuracy issue late last season truly him falling back into bad habits, or is it possible he had an injury that was kept on the lowdown?

A: You could look and see him regressing to bad habits in real time. I think I mentioned it during the Texas game (if not before).

2. Assuming it was his habits, is there someone lined up to transform him in the off-season? (Longneck 80)

“Transform” is a bit of a drastic word. Does he have someone he works with in the offseason? Absolutely.

Q: 1. Top 5 annoying SEC coaches right now?

Well, it’s Lane and everyone else, honestly. But Shane Beamer annoys me with the rah-rah crap, I find Drink to be annoying, Pete Golding’s already irritated me and then I guess it’s Sark or Venables. Take your pick.

2. How long before Pete Golding makes the list?

He’s already on it.

3. Which conference eventually wins out on the number on CFP spots?

I think it’ll end up at 16 because 24 is both too much and takes too long.

4. Over/Under on # 9 at 15 in the NFL Draft?

I’m gonna go with the over (as in after 15), I’m afraid. There’s a lot discussion that his arms are too short. Ok, whatever.

5. Have the Orioles done enough in the offseason to compete for a playoff spot? (Me_JustAvgIllini)
No. They need another frontline starter. Trevor Rogers looks legit (9-3, 1.80 ERA last year), but is that just one lucky half season? Zach Elfin has to stay healthy. The guys that could be in the 4 or 5 spots get shelled pretty consistently. I don’t know if it’s Framber, but they gotta get someone else.

Offensively, they need big bounceback years from Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson. I like the bullpen