AggieYell Mailbag, sponsored by Tipton Auto Group
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Q: When does practice start this summer? Anybody you’re not expecting to be ready to go? (98 Percenter)
A: Good first post. Keep ‘em coming.
They haven’t set a date yet, but it’s normally between 10 days to two weeks after SEC Media Days, which would put it around the end of July.
As for anybody not being ready to go, I don’t know if Jabre Barber will. Outside of that, I think they should be good to go — but there’s always someone who sneaks under the radar and you’re like, “Hey, why isn’t he out there?” At the start of camp.
Q: Will Thursday Arkansas baseball happen on Friday? (Tschaar)
A: No, Friday baseball will.
Q: What does the baseball team need to do to secure a super regional host spot? (BC93)
A: Win their regional. Barring a sweep by Arkansas and a clunker in the SEC Tournament, they’re going to be a top 8 seed.
Q: Jordan Peterson - he seems to really be making a difference in the DB world of recruiting. Am I looking through maroon specs or am I right on?
A: He got Cobey Sellers and Jamar Beal-Goines, so he’s definitely having an impact. A lot of guys who liked him at Kansas are giving him a much longer look now that he’s at A&M.
It's early, but can you give us a 30k foot overview of the matchup with the green papists? (Tip despiser)
A: A lot depends on Riley Leonard, who was Mike Elko’s quarterback at Duke. He missed a lot of spring with a foot injury, so that may put him behind. They’re pretty solid across the board and very experienced on defense, but not dominant. Their offensive line has some question marks.
Q: Per your reporting this week, the football team is back to 85 scholarships (give or take 1-2). How many on the team are new to A&M since the last bowl game? How many have not played a down in a real game? (Gigem85)
A: They have added 40 players since the bowl — 23 transfers and 17 high school signees. All but two of the transfers have played in a real game, so that means 21 have played and 19 haven’t.
Q: Did the Astros cheat again? (Map87)
A: Rosin and sweat is the official story and MLB hasn’t refuted it. Just on a basic level, I hope not because Ronel Blanco has been one of the feel-good stories of the year.
Q: What are your thoughts about two sport players on the football team?
A: I like athletic players. But I don’t like guys who don’t place their emphasis on the sport that is paying them to be there.
How do you think Coach Elko sees the two sport player on his team?
A: See above.
How much has transfer portal changed HS basketball recruitment? (Spar2cus)
A: It’s changed it a lot. How much it’s changed it depends on what team you’re looking at. Some teams use it as a backfill to add talent where they’re short, while others live in the portal and ignore high school entirely now.
Q: What style of cowboy hat would you wear and what would it say about you? (Richard23)
A: I’m not cool enough to wear a cowboy hat. I would love to be cool enough to wear a fedora, but I’m just a baseball hat kind of guy.
Q: 1. It seem Crownover may have caught or maybe even surpassed Fatheree for the right tackle position. Is this because he's improved so much, or is it that Fatheree has regressed or has not fully recovered from his injury?
A: Demetrious Crownover improved considerably over the second half of last season, in spite of incompetent coaching. To say Deuce Fatheree has regressed isn’t fair, because there’s no evidence of that. But he’s definitely got his hands full with Crownover now, especially with a real O-line coach.
2. Elko likes a physical OL that can consistently be productive in the running game? Assuming the Utah transfer center is adequate, what are your expectations of our 2024 Oline?
A: If it can avoid injuries, it’ll be better. Quite possibly significantly better.
3. What does the football team do during the summer to prepare for the upcoming season? I assume they focus on getting bigger and stronger, and I seem to recall they play some 7 on 7's with no coaches input. Is there anything else they do to prepare? (Thepassag)
A: Yeah, they have classroom time. They can meet with coaches. So there’s a lot of strength and conditioning, stuff on the field and getting into the playbook.
Q: Given our numbers at WR, do you see Bussey getting more practice time there instead of DB? What do you like about his skill set at WR? (OferAg)
A: Listening to what Elko has said at Coach’s Nights, I don’t think they’ve decided what they want to do yet. As for his skill set, he’s got great speed, remarkable change of direction, great vision and good hands. In short, what’s not to like?
Q: How much of the offense do you think was installed in the spring? I know it's just a guess.
A: I actually asked Collin Klein that question when we talked to him during spring ball and he said that they installed most of it. He didn’t give percentages. But it’s a big difference between installation and mastery, and they’ve got to get all that down.
Do they make any progress in the summer before camp on offense or is it mostly repetitions, running routes, etc. (Richard23)
A: I’m not really sure on that. I think they’ll continue installation, but I’m not positive on what they want to do or are allowed to do.
Q: I know the ND game is huge but something tells me the road game in Gainesville will be the true litmus test for our boys. I seem to see vastly different opinions on the Gators. Any thoughts on them? (Jrperez1979)
A: Not many yet, but I do know that people who watch them more closely than me aren’t really happy with them. Expectations aren’t high and their schedule is brutal.
Q: How is our new offense going to perform in the SEC? Are there any offenses operating in the SEC now that are similar? (LufkinAg)
A: I would be lying if I said I know the answer to either of those questions. The personnel is there for it to be capable, but I don’t know if it’ll look identical to K-State’s last year or if it’ll be adapted to the personnel. I tend to think the latter.