Tag: ashton funk

Texas A&M’s Week 3 depth chart ahead of facing Florida has been released

Minor changes have been made to A&M’s week 3 depth chart ahead of facing the Florida Gators

Texas A&M (1-1) will face its first true road test of the 2024 season on Saturday afternoon when the Aggies travel to Gainsville to face the Florida Gators (1-1).

In two games, which include a 23-13 opening season loss to Notre Dame and last Saturday’s 52-10 romp over McNeese State, Texas A&M’s question marks outweigh what we know about this team before SEC play ramps up, starting with a matchup that could make or break either team’s season.

On Monday, head coach Mike Elko spoke to the media, quickly noting that despite Florida’s struggles against Miami to open the season, the Aggies will face plenty of challenges on both sides of the ball.

“Offensively, it’s a group that has played a lot of football. Very experienced and talented.”

“Defensively, it’s an SEC group when you look at them. They’re long and tall. … In SEC play, you get a different level of twitch, and we’ll prepare for that accordingly.”

Texas A&M starting quarterback Conner Weigman, who showed improvement after throwing his first two touchdowns of the season against McNeese, will need to continue increasing his level of play coupled with the wide receiver rotation finding more separation in their routes.

Defensively, the Aggie pass rush, which has only produced one sack, should have an opportunity to make an impact against both Florida quarterbacks who will look to test Texas A&M’s secondary.

A new depth chart shows several depth-based offensive changes with a new week ahead.

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At center, the season-ending injury to Mark Nabou has led to freshman OL Ashton Funk taking over as the backup option behind starter Koli Faaiu. At wide receiver, senior Jabre Barber, who returned to the lineup after playing eight snaps vs. McNeese, is now listed as a backup slot receiver behind Cyrus Allen. However, according to Elko, he will unlikely be at full strength before Texas A&M faces Arkansas on Sept. 28.

Texas A&M will travel to Gainsville to take on the Florida Gators on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ABC.

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’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.

4-star OL Blake Ivy signs with Texas A&M over LSU and Texas

Aggies head coach Mike Elko has ensured in recent days that no matter who starts under center at QB next year, they will be well-protected.

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has ensured in recent days that no matter who starts under center for the Aggies next season, they will be well-protected.

Freshman All-SEC offensive lineman Chase Bisontis withdrew his name from the NCAA Transfer Portal on Tuesday. The early signing period opened Wednesday and three 4-star offensive linemen put pen to paper and committed to Texas A&M, beginning with Ashton Funk and Papa Ahfua.

The third pass protector to sign his name on the dotted line is Blake Ivy. The 6-foot-3 1/2, 280-pound offensive tackle hails from Clear Springs High School in League City, Texas.

Ivy verbally committed to the Aggies on Aug. 19. He had 18 total offers and took respective visits to Texas A&M, LSU and Texas.

“I appreciate everyone coming out and supporting me today. I know it’s early and you had a lot of things you could do but y’all are here, so I appreciate that,” Ivy said in August. “I would like to first start by giving thanks to God for blessing me with the ability and talents to take this game and use it as a tool to better my future. To my family, for all the unconditional love and support throughout my life and my football journey. To my mom, for bringing me into this world and raising me to be the man I am today. Even though it always wasn’t easy, for believing in me, seeing the best in me and sacrificing to get things that we need and want, even though it wasn’t always easy.

“To my dad for stepping into my life, when my biological father didn’t want to be there. For showing me what a real man looks like protecting and providing for his family and for teaching me valuable lessons that I will take with me in my next chapter in life. Thank you to all the coaches and teammates for bringing the best out of me every day and helping me get to where I am today. I want to thank all the college coaches who saw something in me, giving me a chance to play for their team and be a part of their family.

“With that being said, I will be attending Texas A&M University.”

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Other notable schools that offered Ivy include Baylor, Florida, Houston, Missouri, Ole Miss, SMU, TCU, Texas Tech, UTSA and Vanderbilt.

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.

4-star OL Ashton Funk signs with Texas A&M over Alabama and Michigan

Funk committed to play at Kyle Field over a year ago on Nov. 6, 2022. He announced the news when X was still known as Twitter, so Wednesday was a long time coming.

National signing day got off to a big start on Wednesday morning for Texas A&M.

4-star offensive lineman Ashton Funk put pen to paper this week to officially become an Aggie.

Funk committed to play at Kyle Field over a year ago on Nov. 6, 2022. He announced the news when X was still known as Twitter, so Wednesday was a long time coming.

Funk is listed at 6-foot-7, 300 pounds and will graduate from Tompkins High School in Katy, Texas on May 23. He had 31 total offers and chose the Aggies over other major programs including Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma and Tennesee.

“The recruiting process over the last 12 months has been the most overwhelming, humbling and coolest time of my life,” Funk stated in 2022. “First and foremost, I want to thank my family for all the love and support they have given me in my football career and recruitment (especially that meal prep — THANKS MOM). I also want to thank all my coaches — especially coach McVey, coach Mike and the rest of the coaches that pushed me to be better every day. Also, I couldn’t have done any of this without my man Reggie Allen — the best skill turned big man trainer on the planet. I am grateful for every single program that has offered me; each one is an honor. Over this past year, I have been able to visit 20 different universities, all were great experiences in their own way. Through these visits, I’ve been able to meet some incredible coaches, see some great campuses, learn a lot about myself and build great relationships along the way that will last a lifetime.

“Through all the visits there is one place that has stood out as the best overall fit for me to pursue my football and academic dreams. It has the best game day environment in college football, incredible academic support, an unrivaled alumni network and every time I visit it feels like home. Although it was a very difficult decision between some amazing programs, I am beyond excited to announce my commitment to Texas A&M University. Gig’em!

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.

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 HC Mike Elko recently visited a key 2024 OL commit

2024 4-star offensive lineman and Aggie commit Ashton Funk recently received an in-person visit from new Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko.

New Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko is already hard at work representing the program on the recruiting trail, as it was reported earlier this week that in just his second day on the job, the former A&M defensive coordinator began reaching out to every current Aggie commit and prospect he could.

However, Friday’s news that 2024 five-star wide receiver Cam Coleman had flipped his Texas A&M commitment to the Auburn Tigers, a future hole in the offense, has already provided Elko a challenge to attack the transfer portal for experienced receivers, as this season’s addition of former Grand Valley State WR Jahdae Walker is currently a star in the making on the Aggie roster.

Concerning the future of A&M’s offensive line, now-former O-line coach Steve Adazzio, who was dismissed earlier this week, failed to develop a talented group that had yet to live up to its potential, as Elko will likely hire his successor as soon as next week. Needing to add more talent and depth in the trenches, 2024 four-star offensive lineman Ashton Funk is still bought in and reportedly very excited about the program’s future under Elko’s guidance.

This week, Elko and Graduate Assistant for the O-line Grayson Reed visited Funk at his home just a week before taking another visit to College Station on Saturday, Dec. 9. According to 247Sports Composite, Ashton Funk is currently positioned as the 17th-ranked offensive tackle, and the 33rd-ranked player in Texas, as the 6-7, 300-pound athlete is still receiving interest from nearly ever fellow SEC program.

While several commits are still taking in the new hire, Aggie fans can trust that Mike Elko is by far the best representative for Texas A&M Football during the transition.

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.

PHOTOS: Texas A&M Football welcomes 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes over the Easter weekend

While many of us partook in the Easter festivities, Texas A&M Football celebrated the holiday weekend by welcoming a number of recruits from the 2024 and 2025 classes to College Station.

While many of us were reveling in the Easter festivities this weekend, Texas A&M Football celebrated the holiday by welcoming a number of recruits from the 2024 and 2025 classes to College Station over the past few days. Spring football may be drawing to a close and the regular season is still months away, but there’s never a wrong time to invest in the future.

The Maroon and White welcomed a number of recruits on both sides of the ball, which were highlighted by a handful of 4-star talents in the secondary and on the offensive line. The potential future Aggies had a great experience meeting with the coaching staff, observing spring practice, and getting a tour of the facilities.

Check out some of the photos below, and best of luck to all the players as they continue the recruiting process. Hopefully, the College Station experience was one to remember!

Every offensive lineman the Oklahoma Sooners have offered in the 2024 recruiting cycle

Which offensive linemen have the Oklahoma Sooners targeted thus far in the 2024 recruiting cycle?

The Oklahoma Sooners have created a reputation for developing NFL-caliber offensive linemen thanks to the work of offensive line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag]. [autotag]

Creed Humphrey[/autotag] and [autotag]Orlando Brown[/autotag] are prime examples of the work that is done at OU. Humphrey is arguably the best center in the game just two years into his collegiate career.

Even prior to Bedenbaugh’s arrival in Norman, the Sooners developed two of the best offensive linemen in the NFL today, [autotag]Trent Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Lane Johnson[/autotag]. The offensive tackles have starred in the league for much of the last decade and continue to do fantastic work at their tackle positions.

Oklahoma’s latest great offensive line talent is on his way to the NFL and has a chance to be a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Anton Harrison was a tremendous asset for the Oklahoma Sooners offense. He was as adept in run blocking as he was as a pass-blocker, and he takes great athleticism to Sundays.

Oklahoma’s 2023 signing class featured four-star [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag], who was one of the best interior offensive line prospects in the country at the high school level. Oklahoma is hoping to hit home runs with late-rising offensive line signees [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag], [autotag]Heath Ozaeta[/autotag] and [autotag]Logan Howland[/autotag]. All four of their signees to the 2023 class are athletic and physical players who will be difference-makers on Saturdays.

With the 2023 class nearly wrapped up with national signing day just a few weeks away, the Oklahoma Sooners turn their attention to a talented 2024 offensive line class. Here’s who they’ve offered thus far in the [autotag]2024 recruiting cycle[/autotag], according to 247Sports.

2024 Offensive lineman Ashton Funk commits to Texas A&M

2024 Offensive lineman Ashton Funk commits to Texas A&M

On Sunday afternoon, 2024 3-Star offensive lineman Ashton Funk pledged his commitment to Texas A&M, as the Aggies add their second commit to the class as Funk joins 4-Star defensive lineman Dealyn Evans. Fun fact, Ashton is an Aggie legacy as both of his parents are Texas A&M graduates.

Ashton Funk is listed as 6’7″, 285 pounds, and is in the midst of his junior season at Tompkins High School in Katy, Texas. As one of the top targets for the Aggies in the 2024 recruiting cycle, Funk has also received offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, LSU, and Michigan, but after his unofficial visit to College Station during the annual recruiting pool party on July 30th, Funk has officially found his new home after graduation.

As a versatile offensive lineman, Funk plays primarily at tackle but has the size, strength, and footwork to play both guard positions as well. For Texas A&M, this is a huge pick-up to add to their already elite 2023 O-line class, meaning that the future in the trenches is as bright as it’s been in a number of years. Congratulations! Gig ’em, Ashton!

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Spartans offer 2024 Texas OT Ashton Funk

Michigan State football has extended a scholarship offer to a massive offensive tackle prospect from the state of Texas

Michigan State football has extended a scholarship offer to a massive offensive tackle prospect from the state of Texas.

Ashton Funk of Katy, Texas announced on Monday evening that he’s received a scholarship offer from Michigan State. He shared the recruiting news via Twitter.

Funk plays for Tompkins High, and is listed at 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds.

Funk is yet to be ranked by 247Sports in the 2024 class, but has already received interest from numerous big-time programs. He already has received offers from Michigan State, Baylor, Houston, TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas and Tulsa.

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