Q: Why are the rankings (AP and Coaches) such a joke? These things have no basis in the reality of which team is better than another? (elicrow)

A: the people who vote on these things are usually regional sports writers who don’t watch nationally or some intern on a coach’s staff. So they’re not exactly the most knowledgeable.

Q: As I understand the new NCAA rule on making money off your name, it’s being driven by the shoe companies. Do you have a guess how it might impact the university royalties when a university, like aTm, is an Adidas client, and the player gets a Nike contract? Wasn’t there some kind of a non-compete clause in the California law? Can the university still sell jerseys with players numbers (say #15 for example)? Seems like a real CF in the making. (dad_in_tx)

A: this is totally wrong. Players can benefit from their name and likeness. That doesn’t mean shoe contracts. It may mean jerseys with names on them. There will be NO shoe deals.

Q: I’m most hopeful of the Aggie LB corp, with Hines a sophomore and Buddy a junior.

Your thoughts on: (1) freshmen LBs Chris Russell and Tarian Lee (2) Okeke still in the mix? (3) Guess at next seasons 3 deep at LB? (BoxsterBoy72)

A: 1) Russell has played on special teams and Lee is out for the year. Either way, I haven’t seen much. But the fact A&M is only after one more linebacker tells you they must be fairly happy with things.

2) not really.

3) SAM: Hines/White/Lee

MLB: Buddy/Hansford/Russell

The third LB, which has hardly been used, has been Hansford so far. That could be mix and match, with Russell, Hansford and maybe even Antonio Doyle if he comes to A&M.

Q: How do you think the NCAA allowing athletes to be compensated for their names will impact programs like A&M? What about smaller schools? (ag20)

A: it may make some players stay in college longer, but there still is no definition of “compensation”. How much? How often?

Q: Potential freshmen, other than Demas, who may make a major impact next year? (TAMU-83)

A: Jaylon Jones, Antonio Johnson, Braedon Mowry, Akinola Ogunbiyi. Maybe a running back who will remain nameless.

Q: Is Mond going to declare? (h273)

A: it would be a huge mistake if he did. He would have had to play the whole season at the level he did last weekend for it to be worth his while.

Q: How soon do we get the return of the NCAA Football video game? (ChampKindKHOU11)

A: Not soon enough.

Q: Do the coaches ask you and your media types to not saying anything about silent commits or do they just not tell you about them at all? I ask because I had an internal contact tell me about one so I figured you hear about them too ... (3s2ghill)

A: depends on the coach. Some tell us and others would rather crawl through broken glass and nails before telling us anything.

Q: Jimbo Fisher is known as the “quarterback guru” in coaching circles having coached 3 first rounders in EJ Manual, Christian Ponder, and Jameis Winston. These 3 guys are widely considered busts in the NFL. In your opinion, why do they typically have great success with Jimbo in college? Why have his QBs not panned out in the NFL? And lastly do you think the high bust rate of his QBs will affect Mond when he declares? (Jakeh05)

A: I think the jury’s still out in Winston. The other two just weren’t that talented. He made them look better than they really were. But I don’t think it would affect Mond. Right now, he’s not anywhere near a first rounder.

Q: What is the chance Baylor runs the table, gets a New Years Day bowl, and loses their head coach to power school?

no. If Rhule leaves, it’ll be for the NFL.

And should SMU do the same, does Sonny jump ship, especially after the hard time Chad has had in pigville... I ask because of tenuous at best positions at Michigan/ NotreDame/USC...

Again, no. One year with someone else’s personnel is impressive, but he isn’t too far from total failure elsewhere.

Does t.u. keep Vodka Tom, is it even their call?

I don’t think he’s going anywhere. But 6-6 or 7-5 will put him in the crosshairs for 2020.

Why dont some of these schools look at the military academies and their coaching staff? Great success with limited resources... (bobdoc54)

A: Who says they don’t?

Q: 1. What A&M commits have a chance to be upgraded in the Rivals star ratings before they sign?

A: technically, all of them. But Jaylon Jones is one guy I would hope would get a boost.

2. Which Team group (OL, QB, Receivers, RBs, DL, CBs, LBs, Safties) has improved at this point in the season beyond your original expectations? Which group has disappointed?

If you want to get a little more fine with the question, the defensive tackles and corners have exceeded my expectations. None of the rest have. Quarterbacks and linebackers are about what I expected. Running backs, safeties and, especially, the offensive line have been disappointments. But we’ve seen signs from all three.

3. If there is a plan to preserve redshirts on the backup QBs like Calzada, could we see Connor Blumrick come in to relieve Mond in the UTSA game if the Aggies are prohibitively ahead on the scoreboard?

No. He’s not a quarterback anymore. It would be James Foster if it's not Calzada.

4. What are your odds of A&M landing its remaining recruiting targets for the 2020 class? (Chuck70)

A: Depends on how you look at it. I think they’re in on more guys they can take, so they’ll find a way to get to 25 and be ok with it.

Q: What guys do you think we finish this recruiting class out with? (AgCatter123)

A: Today? Antonio Doyle, Dontae Manning, Zach Evans, Donnell Harris and Devon Achane. We'll see about tomorow.

Q: The 2019 Class has 27 players on campus. That includes the 25 signed on or before 2/6/2019 and the Australian Kicker Nick Constantinou. Who is the 27th member of the Class of 2019? (rareo)

A: I don’t know, but I know Jimbo said they were at the 85 player limit over the summer.

Q: Preston? Thoughts overall on expectations vs reality and predictions going forward? (Pharm11)

A: he hasn’t been what I expected — yet. He’s in the two-deep as a redshirt freshman. He will either compete hard and thrive with the competition coming or he’ll leave. It’s about the simple. But I wouldn’t count him out yet. That would be really premature.

Q: The transfer portal has done for SMU what the old transfer system used to do for Abilene Christian. Seems like it could be a real boon for some of the group of 5 schools. What do you think? (boo yah)

A: I think you're right..

Q: How high do you think Mann can be drafted? Highest punter ever? (superag1000)

A: he has no chance of being the highest drafted punter ever. There have been a few taken in the first round, including as high as 11th. But he could be a mid-rounder, which is not bad at all.

Q: Is there a good chance that we will see some of the younger guys (that are probable red shirt candidates) get some snaps this weekend to get them some experience (up to the four-game minimum)? And if so, who are you excited to potentially see get on the field? (DXB19)

A: I think there’s a very good chance of that. I’d really like to see Chris Russell play some, but the most important to me are Erick Young and Brian Williams. These are guys who could be needed immediately, so the more snaps the better.

Q: Do you think Ed Orgeron would ever consider/be considered for an NFL coaching job? I think he's perfect for college, especially if he has a good OC. I don't know if he'd fit in the NFL, but he's probably a better coach than at least 5 current NFL head coaches. (Rick77)

A: no chance. He has his dream job.

Q: Does EJ Smith have any interest in the Jesuit schools that would end up as competition for A&M, such as Notre Dame? (Jessexy)

A: no. It’s A&M or Stanford.

Q: The program is at the fulcrum of balance between Sumlin recruits and Fisher recruits on the team, I would appreciate your analysis and thoughts of the philosophical differences in approach by position group (BC93)

A: there is no difference. They may have been Sumlin recruits, but they’re Fisher’s players. Get on board or get out.

Q: If Broughton decommits from Texas to do you think A&M would take him? (GCJC)

A: Absolutely not.