Tag: 2024 sec media days

Watch: Texas A&M HC Buzz Williams previews the 2024 basketball season

Everything Texas A&M HC had to say at the media day press conference

The Texas A&M basketball team will get to start the season where they left off when they travel an hour south to take on the No. 4 Houston Cougars on Oct. 27 in an exhibition game.

With all the changes across Aggie athletics, the basketball season snuck up on us this fall. They have another tough nonconference schedule that features the No. 4 Houston Cougars, No. 14 Purdue, No. 15 Creighton, and Wake Forest. The quality of the schedule will prepare A&M for its SEC schedule, where 8 to 9 teams are in the Top 25 in most polls.

Head coach Buzz Williams knows that a lot can happen in college basketball and the strength of schedule rankings. So, after he laid out his general thought process for his non-conference scheduling, he realized that a lot can change over a few months.

“….are we going to say in March we played a hard schedule or are we just saying that prior to Halloween you know what I mean because it’s constantly shifting”

There is plenty to be excited about with the 2024 teams, and Coach Buzz is ready to start. Below, you can watch the entire press conference.

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Oklahoma coach Brent Venables describes Tiger Stadium’s menacing reputation ahead of 2024 trip to LSU

Oklahoma will conclude the regular season with a trip to Baton Rouge.

With Oklahoma and Texas set to join the SEC this fall, those two programs are set for some road trips to environments they aren’t used to.

Every returning member of the league draws at least one of those two squads, and for LSU, that’s a matchup against the Sooners in Tiger Stadium to conclude the regular season. Speaking at SEC Media Days, OU coach Brent Venables detailed the reputation Tiger Stadium has built up within the league.

“I’ve heard it from any coach that’s coached in the Southeastern Conference, they talk about playing in Baton Rouge at any time, let alone a night game,” Venables said. “And the challenge of that, the difficulties of that are very real. We want to go to those venues, we want to be on the biggest stage in the biggest games, so we don’t shy away from that as a program… Glad that that’s on the schedule.”

This will be the fourth matchup between the two programs in their respective histories with the last two coming in 2003, when LSU beat the Sooners in the Sugar Bowl to clinch a national title, and in 2019, when the Tigers smoked Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff semifinal round.

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Three Aggies named to the Preseason Media Days All-SEC Team

One Texas A&M starter was utterly snubbed in the newest preseason All-SEC Team

In its annual summer fashion, SEC Media Days provided more insight into what to expect from the 2024 SEC football season, now just weeks away.

During the four-day event, the national media heard from every head coach of all 16 teams, including 48 player representatives. Speaking on the final day, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko was as calm and confident as ever, returning to the program after two years away.

Accompanying Elko, defensive lineman Shemar Turner, left tackle Trey Zuhn III and middle linebacker Taurean York were the right choices to represent Texas A&M, with offensive line and defense playing a critical part in the team’s potential success.

With another exciting week in the books, the first official conference standings prediction and the preseason All-SEC team have been revealed, as three Aggies, including Trey Zuhn and Shemar Turner, were named to the team.

  • Third Team OL — Trey Zuhn III
  • Second Team DL — Shemar Turner
  • Second Team DL — Nic Scourton

Trey Zuhn was by far A&M’s most consistent offensive lineman last season while the interior struggled. The 6’8″, 315-pound junior will play a big part in protecting starting quarterback Conner Weigman throughout the season.

Defensively, the D-line looks like the Aggies’ predominant strength on paper, and former Purdue defensive end Nic Scourton recorded a Big Ten-leading 10 sacks last season. In comparison, Turner’s six sacks were second behind current Green Bay linebacker Edgerrin Cooper in 2023 and will now switch to defensive tackle after adding 30 pounds this offseason.

However, linebacker Taurean York, who was second on the team with 74 tackles and three sacks during his freshman season, was obviously snubbed, as the sophomore is set to make a jump in his play after adding healthy mass to his frame this summer.

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Texas A&M senior Shemar Turner believes the Longhorns ‘game is just going to be different’

“I feel like that game is just going to be different. Being able to feel that environment before I get out of college is going to be great.”

The Lone Star Showdown is back on the gridiron later this year when Texas A&M hosts Texas at Kyle Field.

On Thursday at SEC media days in Dallas, Aggies senior defensive lineman Shemar Turner was asked about the highly anticipated matchup.

“You hear it definitely most from the fans. It is exciting. I’m ready to go in there and play a team like UT at the crib so it’s going to be pretty fun. We’re locked in and focused on just getting better everyday and working up until that point,” Turner foretold. “It’s going to be exciting. I’m not gonna lie, Aggieland is going to change. It’s always electric there but I feel like that game is just going to be different.

“Being able to feel that environment before I get out of college is going to be great, it’s going to be fun.”

Texas A&M plays the Longhorns on Nov. 30 in College Station.

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‘It’s that personal,’ Texas A&M sophomore LB Taurean York explains disdain for Longhorns

“I don’t talk to anybody from Texas because it’s that personal to me. It’s been a whirlwind year and a half that I’ve experienced so far.”

The infamous Lone Star Showdown is back on the gridiron in just over four months as Texas A&M hosts Texas at Kyle Field in College Station.

As we begin to look ahead towards the highly anticipated rivalry matchup, Aggies sophomore linebacker Taurean York was asked about the game on Thursday at SEC media days in Dallas.

“I don’t talk to anybody from Texas because it’s that personal to me,” York proclaimed. “It’s been a whirlwind, crazy year and a half that I’ve experienced so far. I wouldn’t want it any other way. God’s been blessing me, my family, we’ve all been reaping the benefits of it. We’re happy to be here.

“People have grown up and matured in a sense that they might not have had without the leadership and guidance from coach Elko and his staff.”

Texas A&M and Texas face off for state supremacy on Nov. 30 in Aggieland.

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‘Accountability has really been a big change,’ Trey Zuhn praises Elko effect at Texas A&M

“We had a system where we were grouped into teams and if you missed or were late to something, it would be a ding for your team,” he said.

This past week at SEC media days in Dallas, Texas A&M junior offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III praised the impact of head coach Mike Elko and his staff during their brief stint in College Station thus far.

“For this season, the accountability has really been a big change for us. For this whole past semester, we had many different programs to make sure people were held accountable. People were where they needed to be and did what they needed to do,” Zuhn explained. “We had a system where we were grouped into teams and if you missed or were late to something, it would be a ding for your team. If you had the most amount of dings at the end of the week, you had an extra workout that was kind of a punishment workout.

“It was a way to get people motivated to hold each other and themselves accountable.”

After starting all 13 games at left tackle last year, Zuhn was a recipient of the Offensive Trenches Award.

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LSU coach Brian Kelly to face 2 former assistants in 2024

Brian Kelly is set to face two of his former assistants in 2024.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] has coached for a long time. He’s seen plenty of assistants come and go, with some going on to be head coaches. Two of those names include Mike Elko and Clark Lea. Both worked under Kelly as defensive coordinator and both are now SEC head coaches.

Kelly will get to face both in 2024, with both appearing on LSU’s schedule.

Kelly was asked about facing Mike Elko earlier this week at SEC Media Days. Kelly said Elko is a smart football coach who will play to Texas A&M’s strengths in all three phases of the game.

“I think that’s why Mike’s going to do very, very well at Texas A&M,” Kelly said.

Elko was Kelly’s defensive coordinator for the 2017 campaign at Notre Dame before leaving to take the same job at Texas A&M. That 2017 unit allowed just 21.3 points per game and helped Notre Dame secure a win over LSU in the Citrus Bowl.

Lea spent more time under Kelly. He was the LBs coach on that 2017 staff, but was promoted to DC after Elko’s departure. He remained in that role until he took over Vanderbilt in 2021.

Lea was asked about his time with Kelly last year and had this to say.

“He’s a guy I love having in the league and I stay in touch him with him,” Lea said.

LSU will face Elko and Texas A&M in College Station on Oct. 26. The Tigers are set to host Lea and Vanderbilt on Nov. 23.

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Best photos from Texas A&M at the SEC Media Day

View some of the best photos from Texas A&M players and Mike Elko at the SEC Media Day

The real countdown to Texas A&M vs Notre Dame has begun. Even though fall practice has not started yet SEC Media Days really gives fans early insight into the conference and their favorite teams. The Aggies were represented by Trey Zuhn, Taurean York, Shemar Turner, and Mike Elko.

The biggest takeaway from all of the player interviews was the sense of urgency and the heightened emphasis on accountability.

“We are going to be the most disciplined program and toughest program. Get to work every day, bust our butts… It will show up on the field.” – Zuhn

“Nobody is missing breakfast. Nobody is missing lunch. Nobody is missing dinner… If you love playing football, you love being coached hard.” – Turner

Another thing was A&M will be making a switch to a lunch pail mentality

“We had some real honest conversations about where we were as a program. We were a 12-13 football program the last two years. The only way to change that is to work.” – Elko

Below are some of the best photos from the SEC Media Days

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Kentucky HC Mark Stoops reveals his connection to previous Texas A&M opening

Remember the Mark Stoops to Texas A&M rumors? The man himself has now provided insight

On the final day of SEC Media Days, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko, who was hired just over seven months ago, took the podium for his first appearance in front of the national media to preview the 2024 season. The Aggies are loaded with talent and experience from top to bottom.

However, Texas A&M fans and most sports media remember the rumors that flooded social media back in late November before Elko was officially offered the gig as longtime Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, apparently the leading candidate for the position before donors and A&M board members forced former Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork to pull the deal.

On Thursday, during Mark Stoop’s question and answer portion, KBTX Sports A&M writer Travis Brown finally asked the question regarding the legitimacy of his connection to Texas A&M, as Stoops, who is entering his 12th season with the Wildcats, confirmed that he was indeed a serious candidate:

“I was pursued pretty aggressively by them, and we’ll leave it at that out of respect for everybody involved.”

“It was very brief. I was pursued. … I’ve been grinding at Kentucky for a long time, and I’m very proud of that and want to continue to do that.”

Even though every detail of the relationship won’t be revealed, the fact that online outrage could have played a significant part in Bjork’s change of heart is still fascinating. Ultimately, hiring Mike Elko has already worked in the program’s favor.

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Texas A&M DL Shemar Turner has reportedly added 30 pounds this offseason

After adding 30 pounds this offseason, Texas A&M DL Shemar Turner is ready to make the full time switch to defensive tackle

Texas A&M is in the spotlight for the start of the final day of SEC Media Days, as head coach Mike Elko, alongside LB Taurean York, OL Taurean York, and DL Shemar Turner, joined him to provide a substantial preview of what’s to come this season.

While Elko’s return to College Station after serving as the program’s defensive coordinator from 2018-2021 took center stage, it was the news that junior defensive lineman Shemar Turner has reportedly gained 30 pounds this offseason after making the full-time switch to defensive tackle for the 2024 season.

Turner, who led the Aggies for the first half of the 2023 season in sacks and pressures, ended the year with 33 tackles and six sacks after playing at 3-tech and defensive end, but after receiving sound advice from his coaching staff regarding his NFL future, especially Mike Elko:

“I think a big piece of that was the intention when we recruited him. We felt that was probably his best position moving forward to the next level,” Elko stated. “That was a big piece of his decision to come back was being able to slide inside. … I think he’s going to have a phenomenal year this year in there.”

Already possessing the strength, hand placement, and high motor to get to the backfield consistently, Turner also stated in an interview that working on double teams has been the biggest change. Still, he expects the switch to work in his favor.

Even with the 30 extra pounds, Turner is looking slimmer than we expected. All thanks go to new strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffit, whom Turner continued to praise on the afternoon.

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