Keith Ford wants A&M -- does A&M want him?
Former Oklahoma running back Keith Ford wants out of Norman, which is quite understandable. He wants to come back to Texas, which, again, is quite understandable. He has, from what we've gathered, decided he wants to come to A&M.
Question is, will the Aggies take him? It's not an open and shut case, as some transfers tend to be. Statistically, there's nothing wrong with him: he averaged 5.5 yards a carry last year in 8 games and 5.8 as a freshman. He was the primary backup to Samaje Perine when the season began, but then things fell apart. He got hurt, missed the rest of the season and was then suspended for academic and "other" issues. He has since said he hated his position coach.
So here's the issue: do the Aggies, who are now painfully wary of bad apples after the Golden/Claiborne/Miles debacles, take a chance on a guy who has shown he can play at the college level, of save that scholarship for someone else?
First, a look at the 2016 depth chart: James White, Kendall Bussey and... um.... someone or two from this class. Who, we don't know yet. So, do you push for two backs in 2016 that are unproven, or do you go with the guy who has performed at least decently at OU? From that perspective, I think it's a gimme: you take the kid. You get two seasons of him and buy time to develop some youth.
Now, personally, I have very mixed emotions. I didn't like him as much as James White in 2013 and still don't. He runs upright and he's physical, but he's not as big OR as physical as White. But he does have decent burs, even though he's a straight line back.
We'll see if A&M has made contact with him. If they do, then he's coming. Whether or not that's a great idea will remain to be seen.
Why I took Roney Elam and Byron Murphy in the questions of the week
Pretty simple: Here's next year's personnel at corner, adding in the players currently in the 2016 class:
Noel Ellis, Nick Harvey (should he decide to stay, and that has gotten pretty quiet), Victor Davis, Elam, Tavares Garner, Deshawn Capers-Smith, Travon Fuller and Charles Oliver. I'm excited about both Oliver and Fuller and think the world of Elam, but that's a whole lot of inexperience. The more guys you can get out there, the better, and Murphy is as close to a shutdown corner that A&M has a chance with this year.
Now, for 2015, You've got Devante Harris (who had a really nice spring), Brandon Williams maybe, and then the suspects listed minus Fuller and Oliver. Yeah, there's a need for Elam pronto. I can deal with a healthy grouping of A.J. Hilliard, Otaro Alaka, Josh Walker, Claude George and Shaan Wahington (I think that Dwaine Thomas and Richard Moore with both end up playing), but the corner position scares the wits out of me right now. The D-line is strong; the linebacker corps is thin but palatable. Safeties look good. Corner? Ugh. Until I see something to change my mind, this is issue number one for me.
Mark's 2016 shopping list
Dear Santa, please bring the Aggies the following players, all of whom they have a realistic chance with:
Byron Murphy
Keion Joyner
Brandon Jones
Chris Daniels
Deontay Anderson
Eric Monroe
Dontavious Jackson
Michael Divinity
And hold on to Greg Little.
What's that? All those guys are on defense? How about that.
For all you Kyle Allen haters...
I don't understand your logic. Comparing him to Johnny is pointless, as Johnny had an entire year to prepare before hitting the field. Allen was thrown out there to save a season and, by and large, performed commendably for a true freshman. He's got all the tools. He had a great spring. He knows the offense and the receivers. And you want to sit him for someone who has three months to get acclimated to college football? Stop it. Instead, see what progression the kid makes before you dump on him--which is ridiculous to do to a 19-year-old anyway.
So Texas can't find room to play A&M.
So what? Last time I checked, they were the team in need of a jolt of positive energy, not the Aggies. If they want to keep shooting themselves in the foot, feel free. Then again, they have an AD who wants to play in Mexico and still insists the LHN is better than SECN when all the SEC schools brought in more money in its first year, so they probably will.
Poor fellows.
Former Oklahoma running back Keith Ford wants out of Norman, which is quite understandable. He wants to come back to Texas, which, again, is quite understandable. He has, from what we've gathered, decided he wants to come to A&M.
Question is, will the Aggies take him? It's not an open and shut case, as some transfers tend to be. Statistically, there's nothing wrong with him: he averaged 5.5 yards a carry last year in 8 games and 5.8 as a freshman. He was the primary backup to Samaje Perine when the season began, but then things fell apart. He got hurt, missed the rest of the season and was then suspended for academic and "other" issues. He has since said he hated his position coach.
So here's the issue: do the Aggies, who are now painfully wary of bad apples after the Golden/Claiborne/Miles debacles, take a chance on a guy who has shown he can play at the college level, of save that scholarship for someone else?
First, a look at the 2016 depth chart: James White, Kendall Bussey and... um.... someone or two from this class. Who, we don't know yet. So, do you push for two backs in 2016 that are unproven, or do you go with the guy who has performed at least decently at OU? From that perspective, I think it's a gimme: you take the kid. You get two seasons of him and buy time to develop some youth.
Now, personally, I have very mixed emotions. I didn't like him as much as James White in 2013 and still don't. He runs upright and he's physical, but he's not as big OR as physical as White. But he does have decent burs, even though he's a straight line back.
We'll see if A&M has made contact with him. If they do, then he's coming. Whether or not that's a great idea will remain to be seen.
Why I took Roney Elam and Byron Murphy in the questions of the week
Pretty simple: Here's next year's personnel at corner, adding in the players currently in the 2016 class:
Noel Ellis, Nick Harvey (should he decide to stay, and that has gotten pretty quiet), Victor Davis, Elam, Tavares Garner, Deshawn Capers-Smith, Travon Fuller and Charles Oliver. I'm excited about both Oliver and Fuller and think the world of Elam, but that's a whole lot of inexperience. The more guys you can get out there, the better, and Murphy is as close to a shutdown corner that A&M has a chance with this year.
Now, for 2015, You've got Devante Harris (who had a really nice spring), Brandon Williams maybe, and then the suspects listed minus Fuller and Oliver. Yeah, there's a need for Elam pronto. I can deal with a healthy grouping of A.J. Hilliard, Otaro Alaka, Josh Walker, Claude George and Shaan Wahington (I think that Dwaine Thomas and Richard Moore with both end up playing), but the corner position scares the wits out of me right now. The D-line is strong; the linebacker corps is thin but palatable. Safeties look good. Corner? Ugh. Until I see something to change my mind, this is issue number one for me.
Mark's 2016 shopping list
Dear Santa, please bring the Aggies the following players, all of whom they have a realistic chance with:
Byron Murphy
Keion Joyner
Brandon Jones
Chris Daniels
Deontay Anderson
Eric Monroe
Dontavious Jackson
Michael Divinity
And hold on to Greg Little.
What's that? All those guys are on defense? How about that.
For all you Kyle Allen haters...
I don't understand your logic. Comparing him to Johnny is pointless, as Johnny had an entire year to prepare before hitting the field. Allen was thrown out there to save a season and, by and large, performed commendably for a true freshman. He's got all the tools. He had a great spring. He knows the offense and the receivers. And you want to sit him for someone who has three months to get acclimated to college football? Stop it. Instead, see what progression the kid makes before you dump on him--which is ridiculous to do to a 19-year-old anyway.
So Texas can't find room to play A&M.
So what? Last time I checked, they were the team in need of a jolt of positive energy, not the Aggies. If they want to keep shooting themselves in the foot, feel free. Then again, they have an AD who wants to play in Mexico and still insists the LHN is better than SECN when all the SEC schools brought in more money in its first year, so they probably will.
Poor fellows.
