Category: ncaa football

Texas A&M sophomore offensive lineman Colton Thomasson enters transfer portal

“Thank you 12th Man. There is nothing quite like running through the tunnel onto Kyle Field and an honor I’ll never forget,” Thomasson said.

After only one year in College Station, a Texas A&M underclassman has decided to enter the transfer portal.

Sophomore offensive lineman Colton Thomasson announced his decision to enter the portal via social media on Wednesday afternoon.

“Thanks be to God for blessing me with the opportunity to play football at Texas A&M,” Thomasson stated on X. “To my teammates, you are my brothers forever. To my family and friends, I love you and appreciate all you’ve done for me.

“Thank you to the coaches and staff who have developed me during my time in College Station.

“Thank you, 12th Man, for your continued support and being the best fanbase in college football. There is nothing quite like running through the tunnel onto Kyle Field and an honor I’ll never forget.

“After much prayer and reflection, I am formally entering the transfer portal.”

Thomasson is 6-foot-8, 320 pounds and was a 4-star prospect coming out of Smithson Valley High School in Spring Branch, Texas. He appeared in only two games for the Aggies and enters the portal with four years of eligibility remaining after taking a redshirt season in 2023.

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Report: Texas A&M starting center Bryce Foster will enter the transfer portal

Multi-sport athlete and three-year starting center Bryce Foster will reportedly enter the transfer portal

With the Texas A&M football team having too many scholarship players on the roster at the moment, and still actively working the portal, turnover was inevitable. It was recently announced that Bobby Taylor would step away from football to concentrate on graduating reducing the scholarship number by one and this morning it’s being reported that starting center Bryce Foster would be entering the transfer portal.

Foster started his career at A&M showing a lot of promise but in need of some development. He finished his freshman year as an All-American with a promising and bright future. Not to say his next two years were less than stellar but there seemed to be some dysfunction on the team that led to a lot of players either taking a step back or staying stagnant. Foster fell into the latter category possible for a few reasons.

While being a solid starting center for Jimbo Fisher he would spend every spring with the track team where he is a good shot putter. This always sort of rubbed some fans the wrong way, which is understandable. But the biggest blow he suffered was a season-ending ACL tear in early 2022, and to his credit, he worked his way back on the field in 2023.

However, the writing was on the wall about halfway through spring practices that coach Mike Elko and Adam Cushing were looking for competition at the center position while Foster was with the track team. The deal was further sealed once it was announced that former Utah offensive lineman Koliu’u Faaiu would be transferring to A&M.

Just because Foster has put his name in the portal doesn’t mean he is gone, but it does appear that his time in the Maroon & White has come to an end and we wish him the best at his next stop.

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Former Pitt LB Solomon DeShields will transfer to Texas A&M

Texas A&M picks up a productive ACC player in former Pitt linebacker Solomon DeShields

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko is getting a dose of competition in the defensive room to pair with All-SEC backer Taurean York with a productive linebacker out from Pitt.

Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman quickly added another highly active defensive player when former Pitt linebacker Solomon DeShields committed to the Aggies on April 22. DeShields brings some good size standing at 6’3″ weighing in at 225 pounds and had had his most productive year in 2023 recording 58 tackles, 8 TFLs, with 2 sacks.

With the spring portal now open, expect more names to flow in and out of College Station as players start to key in on where they might fall on the roster. No doubt Elko is keeping his ear to the portal streets looking for ways to improve his team.

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Texas A&M receiver Noah Thomas might see a lot of time in a new spot

Noah Thomas showed out while playing a majority of the spring game in the slot position

The cool thing about watching spring games, especially when there is a new coaching staff, is seeing how certain players are being used in a new system. With the games being open to the public, the play calling will no doubt be guarded, so personal groupings and alignments can give us an idea of what the coaches have been working on to this point.

One of the more interesting tidbits came from Carter Karels, who does a fantastic job covering the Aggies. He pointed out that junior wide receiver spent almost every single one of this spring game snaps from the slot positions. This really stood out because it was a significant increase percentage-wise over last season.

There must be something new offensive coordinator Collin Klein sees in Thomas’s skill set and size that made the move worth considering during the spring game. The initial conclusion is that it was a smart decision. Thomas hauled in 7 catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns on a rainy afternoon, with a few of those being contested attempts.

The 6-6 200-pound receiver has shown flashes of how good he can be when he gets the opportunities and has all the traits to develop into a No. 1 receiver this fall. Head coach Mike Elko is very high on him and believes he can maintain the progress so far; we can see big things from him.

“He has tremendous size. He has a large catch radius. He has gotten heathly. It will be important for him to have a strong summer. He has all the makings of a guy we can use as a top target.”
The sky is the limit for Thomas and we all got a glimpse of that on April 20.  With his size and athleticism, putting him in the slot would make him a match-up nightmare with any defender anywhere on the field. We hope to see more of the same when the Aggies suit up to face Notre Dame on August 31 at Kyle Field.
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Texas A&M’s Maroon & White spring game rosters have been revealed

The Maroon & White teams have been announced for the spring game next week and the rosters give us an idea one what battles will take place.

We are a few days out from seeing what the new regime under head football coach Mike Elko has been cooking up this spring. Granted, we won’t see a full playbook, but we will get an idea of the depth chart, blocking scheme, and play style. Texas A&M football recently released the rosters for the Maroon & White team for the game on April 20.

The Maroon team captain will be offensive lineman Trey Zuhn and the captain of the White team will be linebacker Taurean York. A few notable absences are the following:

  • OL senior – Bryce Foster (Track & Field for the spring)
  • OL freshman – Blake Ivy
  • OL junior – Dorian Hinton
  • WR senior – Jabre Barber
  • DE junior – Malick Sylia
  • LB junior – Martrell Harris Jr.

The full rosters are below via the Texas A&M official X account.

 

 

Based on how the rosters are broken down, it will be interesting to see how starting quarterback Conner Wiegman plays in the game. The Maroon Team has both Jaylon Henderson and Marcel Reed, along with what most people think will be the starting wide receiver core next season.

I believe the reason is that Henderson and Reed will get plenty of opportunities with quality receivers to compete for the backup position behind Weigman.

Henderson showed that he can play up to par in the SEC but needs to improve his accuracy. Reed showed a lot of promise during the bowl game, but there is still some concern with his size, only 180 pounds on a good day.

The other two positions to watch are the offensive line and defensive backfield. We saw a number of transfers, so there is bound to be great competition for those spots.

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Texas A&M linebacker announces he plans to enter the transfer portal

After making through half of spring practice transfer linebacker Alex Howard will be on the move again entering the spring transfer portal

With another football transfer portal window opening for the spring, there was bound to be some more turnover on the Texas A&M roster. Especially, with how many players Mike Elko brought in I’m expecting to see a few others over the next week. New Aggie linebacker Alex Howard announced via X that he will be re-entering the transfer portal after joining coming to College Station during the fall portal.

Howard came from Youngstown State where he amassed 142 total tackles and 15.5 sacks during his five seasons with the Penguins.

With playing time up for grabs next to SEC All-Freshman Taurean York, Howard appeared to have a chance to take over that spot but halfway through spring practice, Daymion Sanford has been making a big impression. Possibly seeing the writing on the wall Howard thanked coach Elko for the opportunity, but will be on the move.

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‘They were promised Texas would never come in’: Paul Finebaum explains SEC’s betrayal of Texas A&M

“They felt that they had been promised Texas would never come in and they were promised, but things change. It’s A&M’s fault,” he explained.

Paul Finebaum was recently a guest on “That SEC Podcast” and the ESPN college football commentator discussed how the SEC went back on its word to Texas A&M Athletics by allowing the University of Texas to join the conference.

“They felt that they had been promised Texas would never come in and they were promised Texas would never come in, but things change. It’s A&M’s fault,” Finebaum recalled. “A&M was so successful in the SEC that Texas said, ‘We want some of that!’ Texas in 2010 was heading to the Pac-12, they had already commandeered a bunch of schools because they wanted to be more in line with the Pac-12 academics, the Stanfords, the Cals, which are now in the ACC.

“They finally realized that we need to do something. Texas could’ve gone to the Big Ten, ACC, all this nonsense that we heard. The SEC did nothing but answer the same phone call that everybody else got. The were on the prowl to leave and were going to go somewhere.”

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

Everything Dabo Swinney said after Clemson’s spring game

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney was thrilled by his team’s performance in Saturday’s spring game at Memorial Stadium. Take a look at everything Swinney said afterwards.

Saturday marked the 16th spring game since Dabo Swinney took over as Clemson head coach in 2008.

The Orange team defeated the White, 27-12. in front of an estimated 47,000 fans at Clemson Memorial Stadium.

Swinney had a lot to say afterwards, including his thoughts on the Tigers’ quarterback play, the thrill he got heading into the stadium ahead of the game, and his thoughts on individual performances in the spring scrimmage.

“God was showing off today. How about that beautiful day? I really appreciate our fans — it’s not like this everywhere. I think sometimes people can forget that. This place is special. To see our fans show up, driving in this morning, people were out there tailgating and enjoying the day. All of those people at Tiger Walk for the unveiling of the captains, those guys going in concrete today, that was a really cool thing,” Swinney said as part of his opening statement to the media after Saturday’s spring game.

Here’s everything Swinney said to reporters after the game.

It’s Game Day: Orange vs. White Rosters for 2024 Clemson Tigers Spring Game

Clemson Tigers Football: Here’s a look at all the players who will appear at 2024 Orange vs. White spring game Saturday at Memorial Stadium Saturday.

Game day for Clemson’s 2024 spring game is officially here.

The Tigers’ annual Orange vs. White game will begin at 1 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra and ESPN+.

In what will be the 16th spring game under coach Dabo Swinney, the Tigers will have no shortage of intrigue and interest surrounding the players who will take the field at Memorial Stadium.

Cade Klubnik returns for his second season as starter, and the Tigers feature one of the nation’s best linebackers in Barrett Carter.

There’s also incoming freshmen that fans will get their first looks at, including five-star recruits like wide receiver Bryant Wesco and linebacker Sammy Brown.

Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley will serve as head coach of the orange team in Saturday’s scrimmage. Defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin will serve as head coach of the white team.

Swinney had a special message for fans in his final meeting with the media ahead of Saturday’s game.

“Man, I really hope they’ll show up and we’ll have a great crowd,” Swinney said. “It’s free, it is a very meaningful opportunity for us as a program, and our fans always show up. For a lot of these midyears (players), this is a big moment because the next time they actually play, the scoreboard’s going to be lit up.

“So this is a great opportunity to try to hopefully create that game feeling for some of these guys. And then we’ve got some guys that are getting a lot more opportunity as your team changes every year and you start over.”

With that, here’s a look at the rosters for Saturday’s spring game.

Orange Team

Coaches: Garrett Riley (head coach), Tyler Grisham, Mickey Conn, Chris Rumph, Matt Luke

Quarterbacks: Cade Klubnik, Trent Pearman, Colby Shaw

Running backs: Phil Mafah, Jarvis Green, Peyton Streko, Tristen Rigby, Kevin McNeal

Wide receivers: Bryant Wesco, Antonio Williams, Charlie Johnson, Adam Randall, Jackson Crosby, Joseph Flesch, Clay Swinney, Blackmon Huckabee, Jr.

Tight ends: Jake Briningstool, Olsen Patt-Henry, Banks Pope

Offensive linemen: Tristan Leigh, Marcus Tate, Will Boggs, Harris Sewell, Ryan Linthicum, Bryce Smith, Collin Sadler, Blake Miller, Nathan Brooks, Watson Miller, Sam Judy

Defensive ends: A.J. Hoffler, Zaire Patterson, Jahiem Lawson, Armon Mason

Defensive tackles: Payton Page, Jaheim Scott, Stephiylan Green, Champ Thompson, Peyton Pitts

Linebackers: Barrett Carter, Dee Crayton, Reed Morrissey, Jamal Anderson, Fletcher Cothran, Philippe Kabasele

Cornerbacks: Corian Gipson, Shelton Lewis, Myles Oliver, Branden Strozie

Safeties: Kylon Griffin, Bubba McAtee, Tyler Venables, Joe Wilkinson, Caleb Nix, Peter Nearn, Walt Smith, Sherrod Covil Jr.

Special teams: Robert Gunn III (K), Quinn Castner (K), Jack Smith (P), Holden Caspersen (LS)

White Team

Coaches: Wed Goodwin (head coach), Mike Reed, Kyle Richardson, C.J. Spiller, Nick Eason

Quarterbacks: Christopher Vizzina, Trent Pearman

Running backs: Keith Adams Jr., David Eziomume, Wise Segars Jr.

Wide receivers: Misun Kelley, Hampton Earle, Ronan Hanafin, Tristan Martinez, Zach Jackson, Jack Purkerson, Chase Byrd, Clay Swinney

Tight ends: Josh Sapp, Marcus Dixon

Offensive linemen: Ian Reed, Mason Johnstone, Elyjah Thurmon, Dietrick Pennington, Harris Sewell, Jake Norris, Trent Howard, Zack Owens, Jackson Hall, Chapman Pendergrass, Mason Wade, Dominic Cordone

Defensive ends: T.J. Parker, Cade Denhoff, Levi Mathews, Adam Kissayi

Defensive tackles: Caden Story, Tre Williams, DeMonte Capehart, Patrick Swygert

Linebackers: Wade Woodaz, Sammy Brown, Chandler McMaster, Kobe McCloud, Griffin Batt

Cornerbacks: Austin Randall, Tavoy Feagin, Avieon Terrell, Michael Mankaka

Safeties: Khalil Barnes, R.J. Mickens, Jacob Hendricks, Kylen Webb, Noah Dixon, Boston Miller, Robert Billings

Special teams: Nolan Hauser (PK), Hogan Morton (PK), Aidan Swanson (P), Will McCune (P) Philip Florenzo (LS)

Watch: 2024 Texas A&M signee Ernest Campbell is bringing elite speed to Aggieland

2024 Texas A&M signee shows off his speed winning his fourth straight district title

At 5’8″ and weighing only 145 pounds, Refugio wide receiver Ernest Campbell does not appear intimidating on the football field. However, there is a valid reason he is a Rivals four-star, as he was flooded with over 20 Division I offers. Gifted with elite speed that transfers to the football field, Campbell won back-to-back Texas Class 2A 100M titles and is a 4-time District Champ.

As a sophomore, he was named the District 15-2A Newcomer of the Year, with 597 yards receiving and 277 yards rushing. If there is one thing Texas A&M can use more of, it is speed. Campbell checks that box for the 2024 class on the offensive side of the ball. Below, you can watch as Campbell claims his fourth district title in the 100M dash with a time of 10.24.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.