Tag: Adam Cushing

Breaking: Texas A&M has landed a commitment from former Utah OL Koli Faaiu

Boom! Texas A&M has landed a commitment from versatile Utah offensive lineman Kolinu’u Faaiu out of the transfer portal

Boom! Texas A&M has continued to add valuable veterans through the transfer portal this offseason, already taking full advantage of the spring transfer portal window to address lingering depth issues across the offensive line, now landing a commitment from versatile former Utah OL Koliu’u Faaiu on Saturday morning according to On3’s Pete Nakos.

After losing former Troy OL Derrick Graham, who re-entered the portal earlier this week, Elko and new offensive line coach Adam Cushing, who has been crushing it on the recruiting trail, knew what Faaiu could bring to the Aggie’s interior offensive line as soon as next season.

While redshirt junior Bryce Foster is assumed to retake the starting center job next season, he has been absent from the spring football period due to his responsibilities as a track and field athlete. Again, this is just presumed, as Faaiu is coming off his 2023 season with eight starts at center under his belt while playing in 11 games along the Utes’ O-line.

Standing at 6-3 and 324 pounds, Faaiu understands leverage while consistently holding up in pass protection and is a plus run blocker when asked to clear a path. Expect him to compete for a starting spot at in the trenches, perhaps at center during fall camp.

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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko names his captains for the 2024 season

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko has named linebacker Taurean York and left tackle Trey Zuhn as the 2024 season captains.

On Monday afternoon, just five days before Texas A&M’s annual Maroon & White spring game, head coach Mike Elko, along with defensive coordinator Jay Bateman and offensive line coach Adam Cushing, presented the jerseys to the two young men selected as the 2024 captains.

The recipients, sophomore linebacker Taurean York and redshirt sophomore left tackle Trey Zuhn III, were by far the most deserving candidates due to their leadership in the locker room and consistent play on the field in 2023.

York finished second on the team in tackles with 74, including three sacks. At the same time, Zuhn, who has fought through injuries throughout his career as a starter, was the top-graded offensive lineman for the Aggies throughout last season.

Before leaving to become Duke’s head coach after the 2021 season, Mike Elko, who served as the Aggies’ defensive coordinator (2018-2021), helped recruit both players, helping further ease his transition before Texas A&M opens the 2024 season vs. Notre Dame on Aug. 31.

Congratulations to both young men!

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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Breaking: Former FAU OL Dorian Hinton will transfer to Texas A&M

Texas A&M picks up another experienced offensive lineman in former FAU guard Dorian Hinton

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko continues to have a monster run in the transfer portal, bringing in more help to boost the competition along the offensive line.

Coach Adam Cushing will have another interior lineman added to mix with 6’4″ 317-pound former Florida Atlantic guard Dorian Hinton, confirming via social media he’ll be transferring to Texas A&M. The redshirt junior brings a wealth of experience (789 snaps last season) and is a stout pass protector, grading out at 85.7 according to PFF. In a similar move as a few other transfers, Hinton will take a step up in competition as he enters the SEC to finish his NCAA career.

The Aggies are already in the Top Ten in the 247 Sports transfer rankings, and there will be more to come as Coach Elko drops his signature Money Manziel meme on X (Twitter) for future commits.

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.

Watch: Texas A&M transfer commit Derrick Graham shows off his athleticism

Former Troy OL Derrick Gramham moonlights as a tight end near the goaline

We’ve seen a lot of Offensive linemen score touchdowns over the years throughout college football and the NFL. We even saw one last week when the Detroit Lions believed they scored against the Dallas Cowboys when their tackle snuck to the back of the endzone for a non-touchdown.

However, former Troy OL Derrick Graham had one of the better catches and runs that I’ve seen from a lineman in recent history. He looked like a season-tight end with soft hands, speed, and some agility. That he could show block and then peel off for a swing pass was impressive alone. But then, to look as smooth as he did during his ten-yard sprint to the endzone is a ringing endorsement of his athletic ability.

Graham is verbally committed to the Aggies and barring a flip, I’m sure we will find a way on the field for Coach Mike Elko next fall.

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.

Texas A&M sophomore left guard Kam Dewberry has ‘successful surgery’

The towering 6-foot-4, 330-pound Aggies offensive lineman announced via X on Tuesday afternoon that he recently had a successful procedure.

Texas A&M sophomore left guard Kam Dewberry announced via X on Tuesday afternoon that he recently had a successful procedure, though the specifics behind said surgery remains unknown.

The towering 6-foot-4, 330-pound Aggies offensive lineman was a 4-star recruit in 2021 coming out of Atascocita High School in Humble, Texas. As an underclassman in 2019, he was named a Sophomore All-American by MaxPreps after receiving a first-team all-district selection.

Dewberry appeared in seven games and made five starts in 2022 during his true freshman campaign. He earned the Aggie Offensive Top Newcomer award and was named a Freshman All-American by The Athletic. This past season, Dewberry played in all 12 games for Texas A&M.

With two of three potential starting quarterbacks, sophomores Jaylen Henderson & Conner Weigman, also returning from respective successful surgeries, having Dewberry healthy for the 2024 season will be key for head coach Mike Elko and offensive line coach Adam Cushing. Whether everyone is ready to go by August is to be seen.

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.

Texas A&M football program formally hires Patrick Dougherty as special teams coordinator

Expectations officially became reality on Saturday afternoon as the Texas A&M football team hired Patrick Dougherty as its special teams coordinator.

Expectations officially became reality on Saturday afternoon as the Texas A&M football team hired Patrick Dougherty as its special teams coordinator.

Matt Zenitz of 247Sports reported on Friday that the move was in the works but the Aggies formally made it official on Saturday.

Dougherty served as special teams and tight ends coach for new Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko at Duke for the last two seasons. He has been hired to serve in the same roles for the Aggies.

Before joining Elko in Durham, Dougherty coached special teams and tight ends at Ball State University from 2016 to 2021. He also displayed an ability to serve as associate head coach during his final season with the Cardinals.

Dougherty had an immediate impact with the Blue Devils, ranking in the top 25 nationally in blocked kicks, punt & kick return defense, respectively, and punt return average.

During his nearly six-season tenure at Texas A&M, former Aggies leading man Jimbo Fisher did not have a special teams coordinator. Elko has shown that he’s quickly changing things at Kyle Field in more ways than one.

Dougherty joins Ishmael Aristide, Adam Cushing and Trooper Taylor in departing from Durham with Elko for College Station.

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.

Texas A&M’s 2024 class is highlighted by an exceptional offensive line haul

Texas A&M’s 2024 early signing day wasn’t perfect, but securing three of the top OL prospects surely helped build toward the future in the trenches.

Texas A&M’s 2024 recruiting class experienced a wave of de-commitments after the firing of the now-former head coach Jimbo Fisher, as new head football coach Mike Elko is looking to put his stamp on the program, starting with recruiting the players that fit the mold of what he’s aiming to build in College Station.

While the Aggies likely won’t finish in the upper echelon of the recruiting ranks, twelve players, including three of the top offensive linemen, signed with Texas A&M on Wednesday, while four commits, led by five-star ATH Terry Bussey, hang in the balance.

However, more good than bad came out of Wednesday’s results, and focusing on the O-line, new offensive line coach Adam Cushing will have plenty to work with in 2024 and beyond. Led by four-star tackles Blake Ivy and Ashton Funk, four-star guard Isendre “Papa” Ahfua might be the most intriguing prospect due to his strength and size, standing at 6’4″ and 310 pounds.

Going into the 2024 season, The Aggies return four out of five starting offensive linemen, as right guard Layden Robinson stands as the only departure while starting right tackle Chase Bisontis and key reserve guard Mark Nabou announced their returns this week.

With added depth at both guard and tackle, Ivy, Funk, and Ahfua are much too talented not to be considered rotational players as soon as they step on campus.

After the pass protection issues witnessed during the 2023 season, a different coaching scheme paired with said returning experience and the infusion of talent could finally turn things around and help starting quarterback Conner Weigman reach his ceiling.

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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Where does Texas A&M land in Rival’s Top 2024 Offensive line classes?

Where does Texas A&M’ 2024 offensive line class rank among the Top 5 classes in the 2024 recruiting cycle?

With all the changes being made amid new Texas A&M Football head coach Mike Elko, the hiring of Adam Cushing as the program’s new offensive line could have a significant impact on the future recruiting, while a bulk of the Aggies’ 2024 offensive line class is already in the process of meeting the staff, and hopefully solidifying their futures in College Station.

While several issues kept the Aggies from achieving their goals this season, eventually leading to the firing of now-former head coach Jimbo Fisher, the poor play in the trenches, especially in pass protection, led to two A&M quarterbacks to sustain season-ending injuries while allowing 28 sacks, and one the highest pressure rates in the country.

With star quarterback Conner Weigman set to return next season, Elko knows that outside of focusing on scoring points, Weigman will need to be protected at all costs to find any consistency on offense.Get more USC news, analysis, and opinions on TrojansWire.

Who has the Aggies lost in the transfer portal on the OL so far? As of now, freshman right tackle Chase Bisontis remains the only offensive lineman to enter his name, while nearly every starter outside of senior right guard Layden Robinson is set to return in 2024. Now, refocusing on the Aggies’ 2024 OL class, credit to Jimbo Fisher for landing some of the top OL prospects in the country, which already rank among the Top 5 hauls in the 2024 cycle.

Where do the Aggies stand among the rest of the Power 5? Here is Rivals’ current Top 5 Offensive line class in the 2024 recruiting class.

Texas A&M has hired Adam Cushing as the program’s new offensive line coach

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has officially hired former Duke OL coach Adam Cushing to the same position.

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has continued to assemble his new coaching staff ahead of the 2024 season. After the dismissal of offensive line coach Steve Adazzio last week, rumors surrounding Duke OL/ Run-game coordinator Adam Cushing as his possible successor came to fruition on Tuesday afternoon.

According to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Cushing has officially been hired as the Aggies’ offensive line coach, bringing in a wealth of experience and recent success during his two-year stint with the Blue Devils under Elko.

Cushing’s two seasons in Durham were headlined by the play of offensive tackle Graham Barton and center Jacob Monk to All-ACC honors and led Duke in sacks allowed and tackles for loss allowed while aiding a highly productive run game in 2022 and 2023.

Before taking on his first head coaching stint at Eastern Illinois, Cushing, who was the OL coach at Northwestern for nine seasons (2009-2018), coached some of the top pass protectors while helping then quarterback Clayton Thorson set multiple school records through the air. Most notably, Cushing mentored current Los Angeles Charger left tackle Rashawn Slater to becoming the 13th-overall Pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

On paper, Adam Cushing is a significant upgrade, and knowing Mike Elko’s track record with staff hires, he looks like the perfect fit heading into the 2024 campaign.

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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.