Coaching moves not over yet
We've heard from more than a half-dozen plugged in sources that offensive line coach and running game coordinator Dave Christensen will not be back with Texas A&M in 2016. No announcement will be made until after national signing day, but a change there will occur.
With the arrival of Noel Mazzone as the offensive coordinator, the first name that would come to mind as a replacement for Christensen would be UCLA's offensive line coach, Adrian Klemm. While we have been told that A&M has talked to Klemm, there is no certainty that he's going to end up being the guy. In fact, at this point we would say the odds are more in favor of it being someone else than Klemm. We've been told that his list of demands is quite substantial and Mazzone does not consider adding Klemm to be any kind of dealbreaker.
Look for A&M to continue to talk to Klemm, but their search will not be limited to him. It may take a while after NSD to land a replacement for Christensen, but a change is forthcoming.
As far as other moves, we have heard no rumblings of anyone else being in jeopardy at this point.
Quick rebound on the recruiting front
The Aggies went into the dead period with about as little momentum as humanly possible, then saw a couple of big targets kick them in the teeth at the start of the year. In spite of all the problems, A&M has hit the ground running and has done a lot of work in a hurry to reduce the damage.
One of the first stops for the coaching staff was in New Orleans, where Kevin Sumlin and Noel Mazzone met with TE Irvin Smith. Smith remains committed to A&M, but is going to take all his visits. He is officialling with Memphis this weekend, Alabama Jan. 22 and either LSU or Florida Jan. 29. Smith is saying all the right things about staying with A&M, but we all know how little that means with three official visits left.
Sumlin's next stop in New Orleans was last night with Clyde Leflore-Chriss, and that went as well as anyone could have hoped. The Aggies picked up a commitment from the Warren Easton 4-star, who had a ton of offers -- including one from LSU. In the meantime, Mazzone and Jeff Banks had flown to North Carolina to visit another tight end, Thaddeus Moss.
The Aggies also moved quickly to get back in it with a former commit and one player who was considered a silent, WR Quartney Davis and CB Eric Cuffee. Both players had concerns about the stability of the program after Kyle Allen's departure (not as much when Kyler Murray left, though that did have some impact on Davis) and backed away from A&M; Sumlin and the staff have talked to both players to reassure them of the program's stability and seem to have done some good. It appears that both Davis and Cuffee will be on campus next weekend as A&M has their biggest recruiting weekend of the year.
Goodbye, Wilson
The Aggies got a potential shot of good news Thursday when UTSA hired LSU running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Frank Wilson as their new head coach. Wilson has been a prolific recruiter and was regarded as the best on a talented staff. He largely handled Louisiana, which could help Terry Joseph's efforts merely with Wilson's departure. Wilson didn't recruit DBs Cameron Lewis or Greedy Williams, but both will make official visits to A&M next weekend.
Short but important visitor list for the weekend (Fletch, Courtney)
There could be as many as two dozen official visitors for next weekend, but for this weekend, there are only three. A&M RB commit Rakeem Boyd, Argyle Liberty Christian QB Nick Starkel and Washington, D.C. Archbishop Carroll 4-star OL Jauan Williams.
Williams' visit came together in a hurry. He was offered Saturday and the A&M staff visited him in D.C. yesterday. They've got a lot of ground to make up against the likes of FSU and nearby Maryland, but he's already shown serious interest in a hurry.
Starkel "stoked" for A&M visit (Fletch)
Texas A&M’s best hope for a quarterback commit in 2016 will be taking his official this weekend as Argyle Liberty Christian quarterback Nick Starkel will be in College Station. The six-foot-3, 185-pound prospect has a final four of North Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, and Yale. Starkel is excited for his upcoming trip.
“I’m pretty stoked about my official,” he said. “I can’t wait and check out everything that A&M has to offer.”
Starkel already has a list of things as this will be his first trip to College Station since his freshman year of high school.
“The last time I was there was just to tour the campus with my sister,” he said. “I am really wanting to see what their four-year plan for me because that is what is most important to me. I want to see how they plan to develop me into their offense.”
After the A&M visit, Starkel will be taking an official to UCLA, Starkel was just in Los Angeles a week ago on vacation while saying goodbye to his sister while she continues to do work at sea to earn her degree from A&M-Galveston.
“We went to San Diego because my sister will be at sea for a semester,” he said. “My family and I decided to go ahead and do a day trip in Los Angeles too.”
Starkel will be making a public decision on February 2, but he will be making a silent commitment to the school of his choice before then so in the event he does not choose A&M, there should be enough time for A&M to find a replacement.
We've heard from more than a half-dozen plugged in sources that offensive line coach and running game coordinator Dave Christensen will not be back with Texas A&M in 2016. No announcement will be made until after national signing day, but a change there will occur.
With the arrival of Noel Mazzone as the offensive coordinator, the first name that would come to mind as a replacement for Christensen would be UCLA's offensive line coach, Adrian Klemm. While we have been told that A&M has talked to Klemm, there is no certainty that he's going to end up being the guy. In fact, at this point we would say the odds are more in favor of it being someone else than Klemm. We've been told that his list of demands is quite substantial and Mazzone does not consider adding Klemm to be any kind of dealbreaker.
Look for A&M to continue to talk to Klemm, but their search will not be limited to him. It may take a while after NSD to land a replacement for Christensen, but a change is forthcoming.
As far as other moves, we have heard no rumblings of anyone else being in jeopardy at this point.
Quick rebound on the recruiting front
The Aggies went into the dead period with about as little momentum as humanly possible, then saw a couple of big targets kick them in the teeth at the start of the year. In spite of all the problems, A&M has hit the ground running and has done a lot of work in a hurry to reduce the damage.
One of the first stops for the coaching staff was in New Orleans, where Kevin Sumlin and Noel Mazzone met with TE Irvin Smith. Smith remains committed to A&M, but is going to take all his visits. He is officialling with Memphis this weekend, Alabama Jan. 22 and either LSU or Florida Jan. 29. Smith is saying all the right things about staying with A&M, but we all know how little that means with three official visits left.
Sumlin's next stop in New Orleans was last night with Clyde Leflore-Chriss, and that went as well as anyone could have hoped. The Aggies picked up a commitment from the Warren Easton 4-star, who had a ton of offers -- including one from LSU. In the meantime, Mazzone and Jeff Banks had flown to North Carolina to visit another tight end, Thaddeus Moss.
The Aggies also moved quickly to get back in it with a former commit and one player who was considered a silent, WR Quartney Davis and CB Eric Cuffee. Both players had concerns about the stability of the program after Kyle Allen's departure (not as much when Kyler Murray left, though that did have some impact on Davis) and backed away from A&M; Sumlin and the staff have talked to both players to reassure them of the program's stability and seem to have done some good. It appears that both Davis and Cuffee will be on campus next weekend as A&M has their biggest recruiting weekend of the year.
Goodbye, Wilson
The Aggies got a potential shot of good news Thursday when UTSA hired LSU running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Frank Wilson as their new head coach. Wilson has been a prolific recruiter and was regarded as the best on a talented staff. He largely handled Louisiana, which could help Terry Joseph's efforts merely with Wilson's departure. Wilson didn't recruit DBs Cameron Lewis or Greedy Williams, but both will make official visits to A&M next weekend.
Short but important visitor list for the weekend (Fletch, Courtney)
There could be as many as two dozen official visitors for next weekend, but for this weekend, there are only three. A&M RB commit Rakeem Boyd, Argyle Liberty Christian QB Nick Starkel and Washington, D.C. Archbishop Carroll 4-star OL Jauan Williams.
Williams' visit came together in a hurry. He was offered Saturday and the A&M staff visited him in D.C. yesterday. They've got a lot of ground to make up against the likes of FSU and nearby Maryland, but he's already shown serious interest in a hurry.
Starkel "stoked" for A&M visit (Fletch)
Texas A&M’s best hope for a quarterback commit in 2016 will be taking his official this weekend as Argyle Liberty Christian quarterback Nick Starkel will be in College Station. The six-foot-3, 185-pound prospect has a final four of North Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, and Yale. Starkel is excited for his upcoming trip.
“I’m pretty stoked about my official,” he said. “I can’t wait and check out everything that A&M has to offer.”
Starkel already has a list of things as this will be his first trip to College Station since his freshman year of high school.
“The last time I was there was just to tour the campus with my sister,” he said. “I am really wanting to see what their four-year plan for me because that is what is most important to me. I want to see how they plan to develop me into their offense.”
After the A&M visit, Starkel will be taking an official to UCLA, Starkel was just in Los Angeles a week ago on vacation while saying goodbye to his sister while she continues to do work at sea to earn her degree from A&M-Galveston.
“We went to San Diego because my sister will be at sea for a semester,” he said. “My family and I decided to go ahead and do a day trip in Los Angeles too.”
Starkel will be making a public decision on February 2, but he will be making a silent commitment to the school of his choice before then so in the event he does not choose A&M, there should be enough time for A&M to find a replacement.
