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How A&M ended up with Petrino
Bobby Petrino was not A&M's first choice as offensive coordinator. That much is clear, or they would have hired him three weeks ago. But if you want to know who else they were after, take a look at teams who have made serious moves to keep their coordinators in place recently.
TCU’s Garrett Riley was the first target from the get-go. A&M felt like they could get him and quickly, putting a 3-year, $6 million deal on the table. And then Riley got cold feet. He waited through the Big 12 championship game, through the Heisman Trophy presentation, and then into the bowl season. In the meantime, he was negotiating a raise and extension with TCU and stayed.
The Aggies reportedly looked at Ohio State’s Brian Hartline, who was also being considered for the head job at Cincinnati. Then, suddenly, Hartline announced he wasn’t leaving Columbus for any job and withdrew his name from consideration. Guess who will be calling plays for the Buckeyes next year as Ryan Day gives up control?
Washington’s Ryan Grubbs was linked to the Aggie job, and suddenly had a nice extension and pay raise. Andy Ludwig at Utah hasn’t had any new deal announced, but he’s reportedly in line for a nice little pay boost too.
So that brings you back to Petrino. As one source told me this week, they’ve never heard a bad thing about him as an offensive mind and never heard a good thing about him as a person. But he also isn’t going to let Jimbo meddle in the offense. It’s going to be his baby and he’s going to be calling the plays. Like I said yesterday in Tidbits, this may be a hire that protects Jimbo from..well, himself.
One of A&M's final targets announces tomorrow
A&M’s last offensive line prospect announces his decision tomorrow. Caden Jones, a 3-star offensive tackle, is down to A&M and Florida. And, since this isn’t leading Tidbits, you can guess that he’s likely going to be a Gator.
Owens tearing it up at Army All-Star practices
If you’re into high school All-Star games, the Army All-American Game is tomorrow. The Aggies have a few players on the west team, including RB Rueben Owens, RT Colton Thomasson and P Tyler White. Owens and White, particularly, have been putting on a show in practices. Look for Owens to get a lot of carries tomorrow as he tries to make an even stronger case to get his 5th star from Rivals. He’s almost certainly clinched the #1 spot in the nation among running backs already.
So what's AInias going to do?
One big question that remains for A&M is the status of WR Ainias Smith. He appears to be undecided on his future as he both recovers from a broken ankle and has the NFL Draft deadline approaching (in 10 days). Two players who were “in” the draft, senior Demani Richardson and redshirt junior offensive lineman Layden Robinson, have announced their intention to return. The draft-eligible juniors whom it made sense to leave have done so. So that leaves Smith.
So where does he stand? It doesn’t seem like anyone knows with absolute certainty, but momentum seems to be moving in the direction of him returning. It was considered a foregone conclusion he was leaving when he was announced on Senior Day -- which we have now learned qualifies as a big whoop in the Covid era — and I think he believed he was going too. But I’ve heard that the NFL is a little squeamish on the ankle injury and would put him in a spot where he’d be drafted well below where he would be normally (if at all). Instead of putting all the eggs in one basket — the combine — he may decide it’s smarter to come back.
Aggies seriously in the portal after wideouts
The Aggies now have a respectable receiver group with Evan Stewart, Moose Muhammad, Noah Thomas, Raymond Cottrell, Micah Tease and, presumably, Jalen Preston and Kenyon Jackson. Petrino is not averse to using his tight end as a slot receiver, so Donovan Green and Jake Johnson could get some work there too.
But even if all of those things happen and Ainias returns, they're still in need of wideouts -- and they know it. They quickly moved on a few earlier this week, including Oklahoma State's John Paul Richardson and Bowling Green's Tyrone Broden. Richardson seems to be leaning to TCU, who's cleaning up in the portal (largely with Alabama players), but A&M is making their run. Broden visited OU for an official, but it's not clear what his plans are beyond that.
A&M also offered former Michigan WR Andrel Anthony, who had 19 catches for 328 yards and 3 TD in two seasons in Ann Arbor, last night shortly after he entered the portal.
One name of large interest is CJ Williams, formerly of USC. Williams was a Rivals 100 player last year and A&M definitely has interest. How much? I heard his name mentioned earlier this week, and he only was officially noted as being in the portal last night.
Aggies would like Lucas back
For the first time in the transfer process (this year, at least), A&M is trying to get a player to reconsider their decision. DE Anthony Lucas went into the portal earlier this week, and A&M would like for him to come back. Even though he was suspended for the last five games of the season, he was the only one of the four freshmen who were suspended that actually tried to make things right. A&M is attempting to get him to see that there's still plenty of opportunities for him in Aggieland, even with the wealth of talent they have at defensive end.
A&M likes Catalon's versatility
The Aggies hosted former Arkansas DB Jalen Catalon earlier this week and, it seems, would very much like to add him to their defensive backfield. Even though Catalon's been hampered by injuries the past couple of years, he has been an All-SEC caliber player when healthy. He's also a guy who could easily move into the rotation both at nickel and safety. In 2020, he filled up the stat sheet: 99 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and 4 passes defensed.
Aggies could return nearly their entire year-end lineup -- with some alterations
Right now, A&M could go out and line up 19 of the 22 starters from the LSU game. The only three absences would be Jaylon Jones, Devon Achane and Antonio Johnson, all of whom.headed to the draft.
Achane could be replaced by either Amari Daniels, Le'Veon Moss or Owens. That job is up for grabs.
Conner Weigman will be the quarterback. Right now, Stewart, Muhammad and Thomas would be the starting receivers. Green and Johnson are the starting tight ends. (Obviously they won't be all out there at once).
The offensive line of Trey Zuhn, Kam Dewberry, Matthew Wykoff, Layden Robinson and Deuce Fatheree returns. Wykoff will likely be replaced by Bryce Foster and Dewberry will be in a fight to keep his job against veterans Jordan Moko and Aki Ogunbiyi.
On defense, the starting four of LT Overton, McKinnley Jackson, Walter Nolen and Shemar Stewart returns. Fadil Diggs will likely take Overton's spot, but LT will play plenty.
Edgerrin Cooper and Chris Russell return at linebacker.
In the secondary, someone has to replace Antonio Johnson, while Tony Grimes likely takes Jaylon Jones' spot. Tyreek Chappell, Richardson and Jardin Gilbert are all back.
Clearly, the Aggies have a ton of talent returning, portal or not. Adding to it to the point where there's no clear dropoff in the case of injury is the issue now.
