It's time for this week's AggieYell Mailbag, sponsored by Tres Hermanos 1850, a hunting ranch with native and exotic game, near Gatesville, Texas. Check out their website here.

Q: Is Kenneth Phillips III still a possible Aggie Linebacker? A release less than a year ago looked very promising. Any additional information at this time? (Rareo)

A: I have never seen him in uniform, at a practice or at a game. I don’t even know if he’s a student at A&M. So, I’d say the odds are slim. He’s been out for three years now. But the fact that he’s walking and is pretty healthy after that catastrophic knee injury is still a win.

Q: Mark, refresh my memory as to the when undergrad Transfer Portal players can sign with a new team.

A: They can sign any time they want, as long as they meet scholarship requirements and are admitted into their new university. For the most part, though, guys want to get it done while the portal window is still open (until Jan. 18).

When do you expect Jimbo to sign new players from the Portal?

A: I think they could start next week.

Do they sign an LOI or scholarship application? (Boxsterboy72)

A: An LOI, I think.

Q: To expand on BB72's question, if a player enters the portal in December, and isn't picked up by the next semester, do they just sit out?

A: Pretty much.

Do they have to have the same grades / hours / whatever that a kid needs to get into school? (Richard23)

A: Absolutely.

Q: So when is “portal season” over, early February? Basically, when will we have a basic idea of who will be on the team for 2023? (Naytch)

A: There are two “widows” for transfers. We’re in the middle of one and it goes until Jan. 18. There’s a smaller window after spring practices. So basically, you won’t know what your team looks like until all the freshmen show up in late May — and maybe not even then.

Q: Are we waiting on the OL coach until we get an OC? Are all offensive coaching moves waiting on the OC hire? (Aggie 90)

A: Yes and yes.

Q: In assessing the SEC QB field where does Conner rank?

A: I have no idea right now. For one thing, we don’t know who will be back. But let’s say Bryce Young leaves Alabama. Will Levis is leaving Kentucky and Hendon Hooker is leaving Tennessee. Anthony Richardson is out at Florida. Stetson Bennett is leaving Georgia.

Does Spencer Rattler come back at South Carolina? No idea. He’s supposed to be leaving, if rumors are accurate.

So there you go. That’s nearly half the conference’s QBs out the door.

Is Weigman better than KJ Jefferson? No, not right now. I think Jefferson is the best QB in the conference coming back, but it maybe a jailbreak on him next year. I’m not impressed with Jayden Daniels — at all. Robbie Ashford does nothing for me. Jaxson Dart is good, and Will Rogers is a big question mark now because we have no idea what Mississippi State will do in a after-Leach world.

So what do we have?

Arkansas: Jefferson

Alabama: Jalen Milroe?

Auburn: Ashford

Ole Miss: Dart

Mississippi State: Rogers

Florida: ??

South Carolina: ??

Kentucky: ??

Tennessee: ??

LSU: Daniels

A&M: Weigman

Missouri: Brady Cook

Vandy: AJ Swann

Georgia: ??

I’d put Weigman fourth right now, behind Jefferson, Rogers and Dart.

In our quest for a 3rd QB who do we have the best chance of signing? Y

A: Marcel Reed, but Austin Novosad is not out of the realm of possibility.

And is there anyone in the portal interested in us, and vice versa? (H273)

A: I have heard zilch on QBs in the portal.

Q: Have we essentially started over on the OC search, or are we still working on the early front runners? (Dustytx)

A: I think they struck out on their top candidate, but there’s very little being said about it. They’re keeping it very quiet.

Q: With all the players entering the portal is it over? (86Aggie)

A: IT. IS. NEVER. OVER.

Q: Any idea when Anthony Hill will commit to where he's going?

A: Yeah, next Wednesday.

Are all of our current commits expected to sign Dec 21st? (AgNok)

A: So far as I know.

Q: We know when the HS commits can sign, but when can we expect the transfers to sign. I believe the later can do that at any time. So when can we expect them to be on-board?

A: If they sign soon, they can be enrolled for the spring and be part of spring practice.

The only other question is why would anybody want to be a head coach in this portal/NIL era? It is likely going to get worse for the foreseeable future! (DentonAg80)

A: I would not want to do it. I think now you not only have to have a huge ego, but a Messianic complex because you think you can create a team every year.

Q: Where do we stand with a change to the OL coach? Is that waiting on the OC hire? I don’t see how we can recruit for the offense with so many things unsettled. Recruits would like to know the coaches they will be working with. (GCJC)

A: Like I said above, it’s contingent on the OC.

Q: I know Demani Richardson is a Senior. But does he still have eligibility given the Covid year? I don't hear much about his name among draft eligible safeties and wonder if he does have eligibility available to him, would he benefit from another year to help his draft status?

A: He does have another year, but he’s going to the NFL.

What is the deadline for draft eligible players to declare for the draft?

A: Mid-January.

Does it surprise you Ainias Smith hasn't declared yet? (Maddog83)

A: No, because he doesn’t have to. He’s a senior, so he’s in unless he decides to come back.

Q: Will Zuhn be able to go through Spring practice? I’m going to assume that Moko & The Mountain will not? (Ringdunker93)

A: I don’t expect to see any of them. And I don’t know why, but that nickname for Bryce Foster is starting to grate on me.

Q: Do we get an in home with Anthony Hill? (Ag89)

A: If he wants one.

Q: Can a player enter the portal but, at the request of the coaches, return to the team. (cordero)

A: Sure— but why would he?

Q: How many wins for the Orioles in '23?

A: 116. Just kidding. If they can get to 90 and compete for a wild card, that would be a success in my opinion.

Do they resign Mancini? (Colt_Seavers)

A: I doubt it. I don’t see where they’d play him. Ryan Mountcastle seems set at 1st; Austin Hayes and Anthony Santander are set at the corner outfield spots. They really need a left-handed bat more than a right-hander.

Q: Manicini: Why pay $10M+ when team could benefit from a left handed power hitter? (Rareo)

A: Thank you.

Q: With all the injuries last season it seems reasonable that some players have had surgery . We know of one, Zuhn. Are there any others (Other than Smith) ? Do you foresee any impact in the fall Camp right now? (dad_in_tx)

A: You have three busted ACLs at least, two on the offensive line. Zuhn is having another knee surgery. Goodness knows who else is hurt; we didn’t know Jaylon Jones was hurt as badly as he was until the summer. So do I expect impact on fall camp? Yes. It’s just the law of averages.

Q: The portal and NIL.. Surely those in power can see that this is an absolute mess. Are there any talks ongoing by any group that can make a decision to bring some normalcy back to college sports? (SouthernAg)

A: Who’s “in power”? That’s the question. Mark Emmert is a dolt who has done nothing with the NCAA. Hopefully the new leadership will be more proactive. Otherwise, you’re waiting on Congress or the inevitable return to the mean caused by a sharp reversal, either by people being screwed over in NIL (spenders, not players) or players realizing the risk they run when they go in the portal.

Q: This may have mentioned previously, but most players in the portal could not be signed to a team before Dec 5th. Is there an ending date that a portal player can be signed and if there is a date, what is it? (Davidimy)

A: There isn’t one.

Q: Do you see Connor Weigman playing baseball this season ? (Fatrobby)

A: No.

Q: 1. For next year, who are the emerging leaders on offense? Defense?

A: McKinnley Jackson, Isaiah Raines, Conner Weigman, Donovan Green, Bryce Anderson, Evan Stewart and Walter Nolen come to mind. And I’m glad to see big guys taking on key roles. Nobody screwed around in 2020 because that meant you just crossed DeMarvin Leal and Kenyon Green. And that…would be a mistake.

2. Do you expect changes in the how Jimbo handles the "culture" of the program?

A: I think he’s going to go back to being more hands-on and will probably dig a little deeper into the character of the guys recruited. I think the staff saw stars (literally and figuratively) in the past class and went for the talent — which is very reasonable. But in some cases, it bit them.

3. All OCs talk about "balance" run vs pass in play-calling. I see a real opportunity with the core players (Weigman, the RBs, Stewart, Moose and the TEs) and the right hire to achieve this goal somewhat. Do you agree?

A: Oh yeah.

4. If our class holds together (crossing fingers), who is most likely to come in compete for playing time right away?

A: DJ Hicks, TJ Shanahan, Daymion Sanford, Dalton Brooks and Bravion Rogers.

5. The Pirate was a college football innovator, but more, he was an irreverent real personality. How much are you and the rest of your media team going to miss his quirky off script answers and thoughts? (JustAvgIllini)

A: I have spent a lot of time over the past few days kicking myself for never asking coach Leach a question. Never had a witty one for him. And that’s my loss.

Q: 1) Are Demani Richardson, Chris Russell, Max Wright, and Jalen Preston for sure heading to the NFL? I know they're all seniors but they also gained a year of eligibility with the COVID year and I hadn't seen any of them announce they're leaving

A: They don’t have to announce they’re leaving. They have to announce if they’re staying, in this case.

2) Do you anticipate Enai White and Malick Sylla will stay at DE or will they try them at LB again? I know they are primarily edge rushers but I'm pretty sure they spun both of them back as backers at least a few times this season

A:I’d rather see them at DE.

3) Is Jadon Scarlett on our team or not? I saw him post a workout video in the last few weeks where he had A&M related hashtags so I wasn't sure (gigem85)

A: He is not. For now, at least. Let’s see if he shows up at the mid-term.

Q: What are the rules for official visits for scholarship players in the portal? Maximum number of official visits, etc.?

A: You get your 5.

And what if the player is transferring for a second time in two years? (SGMan)

A: If you haven’t graduated, then you sit a year.

Q: I'm sure it's been posted before, but I'll ask (and save it) - what are the dates that the portal is open and when does it close? Is there a second window, or just one per year now? (Ringdunker93)

A: The portal opened on the 5th and will close 45 days later. There will be a second one in the spring.

Q: Is Riley to A&M dead-DEAD, or is it possible he doesn't want to leave until after the CFP? (Phastman)

A: He turned down 3 years, $6 million and extended at TCU. That sounds pretty dead to me, but stranger things have happened.