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QB situation remains uncertain
After getting absolutely battered last weekend and suffering both rib and ankle injuries, Haynes King has not practiced this week. Whether he'll go next week is still up in the air, but I expect he'll at least give it a shot (if he's cleared).
Right now, Conner Weigman is taking all the first team snaps. Well, he didn't yesterday; practice was cancelled due to the stupid bomb threat to Kyle Field and the Bright Building.
We're told Weigman has picked things up considerably since the season began and is antsy to play, but it's still not really clear how "much better" "much better" is.
Injury updates
DE Tunmise Adeleye and LB Andre White are getting close. They've got a real shot at playing next week, which would be big. I expect Tyreek Chappell will be back as well, which would be a boost to the secondary (which played well last weekend). I haven't heard yet on Shemar Turner or Trey Zuhn, but both are needed (Zuhn especially). I don't think Myles Jones is anywhere close to playing, and at this point, he may be done as an Aggie. Jake Johnson should be a go next week.
It's ok to get excited about the wideouts
After last week, things are looking about as good as they have in a while in terms of wide receiver play. Missing Ainias Smith is still painful, but Evan Stewart broke out and Moose Muhammad is playing well, even if he's still dropping more passes than he should. Chris Marshall ran a couple of very sharp, very pretty routes against tough man coverage that went for first downs. The receivers are starting to get to where we'd hoped they'd be at the start of the year, and with Yulkeith Brown being back, they now have four receivers they can look to that can make plays -- if the line blocks for them.
The breakout you're not noticing
Jardin Gilbert picked off his second pass of the season last weekend, and opposing teams are starting to notice how well he's playing. He's got the third-highest PFF grade amongst defenders for the season (trailing Jaylon Jones and Denver Harris) at 70.8, and is tied for second on the team in tackles (41) and passes broken up (3). Like Antonio Johnson, Gilbert's speed and coverage skills are drawing attention. His ability to cover sideline to sideline is allowing (and will allow) Demani Richardson to play up closer to the line of scrimmage and blitz.
Recruiting notes
I wanted to take a look at some of the guys A&M is still in play for at this point and discuss where they stand.
5-star WR Hykeem Williams (committed to FSU) is still very much a target for the Aggies. He will official in December and they're keeping close tabs on him. Whether they can flip him could come down to that visit and how both teams play between now and then.
4-star CB Malik Muhammad is still committed to Texas, but visited Alabama and will official to A&M on the 29th. He is anything but solid with Texas and Texas, strangely enough, isn't showing the love you'd expect for a highly-ranked recruit. It may not be whether he flips, but to whom.
4-star WR Micah Tease (committed to Arkansas) is still a source of serious effort for A&M and got a visit during the bye week. Tease may give serious consideration to a flip for two reasons: KJ Jefferson is likely to go pro after this year and Arkansas didn't show much ability to throw the ball with Jefferson out last week. If that's a sign of things to come, that may give him pause.
4-star RB Jeremiyah Love is down to Notre Dame and A&M, essentially, and the Aggies made the stop in St. Louis this week to see him. But I think Notre Dame, who has been on the full-court press, is feeling the advantage here.
Revenge may come, however, in the form of 4-star S Peyton Bowen, who is committed to the Domers but is also looking seriously at A&M and Oklahoma. A&M may not be playing great on defense, but they're light years ahead of Oklahoma, which is an utter disaster right now. I do expect Bowen will eventually flip later in the fall, and the play of A&M's safeties and the weakness of OU's overall defense probably gives the edge to A&M.
4-star DE Johnny Bowens, in my opinion, is likely to return to the Aggie recruit class eventually. He's doing his due diligence and visited Oregon, but as the freshmen get more playing time and improve, that's got to appeal to a young guy who wants playing time early. Bowens is also a guy who has the frame to play in a 4-man or 3-man front.
4-star DE Tomarrion Parker announced his top 4 yesterday and the former Penn State commit had A&M in it. He's committing Nov. 21, but I'm not sure the Aggies have put the press on. Right now, he may be more of a lean to Clemson than anything.
Coaches racking up the miles (Courtney)
Coaches have been on the and are on the road still this weekend checking in on commits and top targets. This is really the first time this season the coaches have been able to get out and recruit.
Coach Santucci has checked in on A&M commits Anthony Hill and Daymion Sanford, and has gone to see Payton Pierce, Tyanthony Smith and Nebraska commit Hayden Moore.
Coach Tommie Robinson was in St Louis checking in on Jeremiyah Love and Jeremiah McClellan.
The staff also traveled to Florida checking in on Jalen Brown, Hykeem Williams, Eugene Wilson and will be in Oklahoma checking in on Micah Tease.
Malik Muhammad, as well as, Peyton Bowen and Jayvon Thomas were also checked in on.
On Thursday evening Coach Dickey was at Atascocita, Humble and tonight he will be at the Needville-El Campo game. Atascocita has A&M commit Samu Taumanupepe and both Nate Kibble and Tory Blalock have offers.
Coach Elijah Robinson has been at Katy Paetow, Katy Tompkins, Katy and Seven Lakes.
Coaches have been on the and are on the road still this weekend checking in on commits and top targets. This is really the first time this season the coaches have been able to get out and recruit.
Coach Santucci has checked in on A&M commits Anthony Hill and Daymion Sanford, and has gone to see Payton Pierce, Tyanthony Smith and Nebraska commit Hayden Moore.
Coach Tommie Robinson was in St Louis checking in on Jeremiyah Love and Jeremiah McClellan.
The staff also traveled to Florida checking in on Jalen Brown, Hykeem Williams, Eugene Wilson and will be in Oklahoma checking in on Micah Tease.
Malik Muhammad, as well as Peyton Bowen and Jayvon Thomas were also checked in on.
On Thursday evening Coach Dickey was at Atascocita, Humble and tonight he will be at Needville, El Campo game. Atascocita has A&M commit Samu Taumanupepe and both Nate Kibble and Tory Blalock have offers.
Coach Robinson has been at Katy Paetow, Katy Tompkins, Katy and Seven Lakes.
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