Tag: Bryce Foster

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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Several players including OL Bryce Foster not listed on Texas A&M Football’s 2024 roster

Longtime starting center Bryce foster among others are not listed on Texas A&M’s updated 2024 roster

On Tuesday, after heavy speculation based on several sources, veteran offensive lineman and presumed 2024 starting center Bryce Foster is no longer listed on Texas A&M’s roster after three years with the program, all as a starter.

Joining Foster includes former FAU offensive tackle Dorian Hinton and popular cornerback Bobby Taylor, who have all been cut from the roster as new head coach Mike Elko continues to trim down the roster to the 85-player requirement before fall.

Foster’s last three seasons under former head coach Jimbo Fisher have been up and down from a consistency standpoint, as the 6-5, 330-pound earned the starting center spot during his 2021 freshman season, grading out as one of the better run and pass blockers at season end. as injuries mounted over the next two seasons, coupled with Foster’s track and field responsibilities, his on-field performance continued to spiral downward. This spring, Foster missed all 15 practices due to his T&F involvement.

Foster’s 28 starts at center for the Aggies essentially guaranteed he’d earn his postion back this season; still, with the new coaching regime implementing a new offense system, former Utah center Koli Faaiu’s transfer announcement to Texas A&M may have officially pushed Foster out of the spotlight.

Dorian Hinton transferred in from FAU this offseason, bringing an impressive 85.7 pass-blocking grade (Pro Football Focus) as a rotational tackle during the 2023 season while participating in every spring practice. Even though his experience was impressive on paper, Hinton was less than likely to earn a starting spot in the trenches.

Lastly, Bobby Taylor, a member of A&M’s historic 2022 recruiting class and a former four-star prospect, had only appeared in one game in the last two years, failing to break through the depth chart, while this offseason’s transfer portal haul at the cornerback position made it even tougher to make his mark.

From the transfer portal five players have entered the portal this spring, including LB Alex Howard, OL Derrick Graham, CB Sam McCall, S Jacoby Mathews, and kicker Ethan Moczulski. With the combined transfers and recent cuts, Texas A&M’s roster is presumed to enter fall with 87 players on the roster.

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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.

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Watch: Texas A&M two sport star Bryce Foster takes gold at the 44 Farms Team Invitational

Texas A&M center Bryce Foster take home the gold in the shot put at the 44 Farms Invitational

The Texas A&M Track and Field team started the outdoor season strongly. Aggie football player Bryce Foster contributed to the team’s outstanding performance at the 44 Farms Team Invitational. He tossed a season-best 17.95m/58-10.75 for a gold medal finish.

There were some questions about Foster skipping the outdoor season to start getting work in with head coach Mike Elko and new offensive line coach Adam Cushing’s new system, but Elko confirmed before spring practice that his starting center would be with the track team.

Here is what head track and field coach Pat Henry said about the team’s overall performance.

“I thought we performed very well this weekend. There were some really high caliber marks across the board, and it was good to see our athletes compete at a high level.”

Congratulations to Foster for his first-place win over the weekend.

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Texas A&M’s sixth spring practice reveals new competition at center

During Texas A&M’s sixth spring practice, several returners and newcomers have continued to work out at the center spot.

Practice No. 6 for Texas A&M football took place on Tuesday, with most media members present. Outside of the health of presumed starting quarterback Conner Weigman, there’s plenty for Aggie fans to be excited about ahead of head coach Mike Elko’s inaugural season.

One storyline that has received little attention thus far has been starting center Bryce Foster’s continued absence during the last two spring periods due to his responsibilities in track & field in the discus event.

While this is appropriate on its face, his lack of availability amid the coaching change, especially concerning getting to know new OL coach Adam Cushing from a scheme perspective and gaining symmetry in the trenches, is something to monitor. With plenty of competition already in the works, GigEm247’s Carter Karels noted the players who are already competing for the backup and possibly starting center spot.

Heading into his redshirt sophomore season, versatile guard Mark Nabou started at left guard for most of the 2023 season, including several starts at center due to Foster’s injury issues. He looked natural in both positions.

Karels also noted that transfer OL Darian Hinton and incoming redshirt freshman TJ Shanahan are also taking reps at center, at least providing adequate depth at one of the most critical positions connected to any quarterback’s lasting health.

Bryce Foster’s 2023 season was average at best, but that doesn’t mean he still doesn’t have what it takes to excel in the interior. However, perhaps the coaching staff should consider a potential change to guard due to his natural strength and size—something to consider.

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Here are the Top 5 Texas A&M offensive players that need to show out this spring

Ahead of spring football, here are five Texas A&M offensive players who need to improve, starting next month.

It may be early in the offseason, but Texas A&M’s spring football season is less than a month away, and all eyes will be on how new head coach Mike Elko and his impressive coaching staff will help the offense, especially quarterback Conner Weigman, take the next step in their development.

After adding 22 veteran players from the transfer portal, the Aggies’ roster looks better by the day. Still, until the newcomers prove themselves on the field, the returning players from last season will define the 2024 campaign.

Focusing on the offense, Weigman’s return from the lower body injury that resulted in him missing the Aggies’ final nine games will take center stage as soon as spring practices begin, but due to consistent poor play on the offensive line, how new O-line coach Adam Cushing will fix said issues will be telling, and likely result in the offense’s success, or failure starting in September.

Here are the top 5 Texas A&M players on offense who need to show up and show out this spring, heading into the 2024 season.

Texas A&M Center Bryce Foster is now the fifth Aggie to announce his return for the 2024 season

Redshirt sophomore center Bryce Foster is now the fifth player to announce his return to Texas A&M for the 2024 season.

Texas A&M’s football roster in the beginning stages of the offseason has already dealt with significant attrition, as more than a dozen players have entered the transfer portal. At the same time, several 2024 commits have either flipped or de-committed this month.

Three veteran players have also declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, including wide receiver Ainias Smith, defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, offensive lineman Layden Robinson, and standout linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, who will likely be the first of the four to hear his name called.

The wave of Friday’s return announcements culminated with redshirt sophomore center Bryce Foster joining OL Trey Zuhn, safety Bryce Anderson, OL Kam Dewberry, and running back Le’Veon Moss. In contrast, Texas A&M’s official NIL sponsor, Texas United, made each player’s announcement.

While Foster’s 2023 season could have been better, some feel that his subpar play could have been due to injury and potential wear and tear due to his Track and field activity during the spring.

However, after hiring new offensive line coach Adam Cushing and new strength and conditioning director Tommy Moffitt, Foster has already taken his many lumps, and maybe a change in coaching is all he needs to regain his once dominant play in the trenches.

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Five players to watch ahead of Texas A&M vs. South Carolina

Will the O-line show a sign of life? is QB Spencer Rattler a threat? here are five players to watch ahead of Texas A&M vs. South Carolina

We’re slightly past the halfway point of the 2023 college football season. For Texas A&M (4-3, 2-2 SEC), head coach Jimbo Fisher and his talented but underwhelming offense have plagued any sense of consistency, recently dropping two consecutive SEC matchups against Alabama and Tennessee.

While Fisher’s coaching future in College Station remains a mystery, the final five games of the regular season will likely provide more answers down the line, especially if what we’ve seen from the Aggies since reaching 4-1 after decisively defeating Arkansas to reach 2-0 in the SEC.

Yes, quarterback Conner Weigman’s season-ending injury certainly threw a wrench in the Aggies’ offensive plans. Still, second-year O-line coach Steve Addazio’s failure to fix the blocking issues in the trenches has put then-backup signal caller Max Johnson under constant duress, virtually destroying any rhythm in both the passing and running game since.

However, facing a Gamecocks defense that allows more than 30 points per game should give the offense confidence heading into the matchup.

This week, we have provided several storylines to help provide the full scoop on what to expect on Saturday afternoon.

Focusing on the players that need to make this weekend, here are the five players to watch ahead of Texas A&M vs. South Carolina.

Texas A&M Football 2023 Midseason Grades: Offensive Line

Texas A&M’s offensive line midseason report card is in, and it’s an ugly sight to behold as the team comes off a pivotal bye week.

The Aggies Wire team is doing the same with Texas A&M (4-3, 2-2), looking to take a breather and reassess heading into the bye week. Namely, there’s no better time to take a pulse check on how the Aggies have fared through the first half of the season, with a deep dive on each positional group.

Next up, we’re looking at the Aggies offensive line, headlined by Bryce Foster, Layden Robinson, Trey Zuhn III, Chase Bisontis, and Mark Nabou Jr.

Highlights

We’ll be blunt; this section of the breakdown will not be expansive. The Maroon Goons were much more promising early on in the season, and when it comes to run blocking, they’ve been solid. Their 63.2 run-blocking grade, per Pro Football Focus, is decent, and they’re only allowing 2.0 sacks per game (66th) while gaining just 4.1 yards per carry (80th).

The drop-off in run efficiency was to be expected when losing a talent like De’Von Achane, who declared for the NFL Draft. It’s been a carousel of Le’Veon Moss, Amari Daniels, and Rueben Owens in the backfield. But for the most part, run blocking hasn’t been a stumbling block.

Areas of improvement

“Pass protection” should be bolded with an emphatic emergency alarm stamped alongside it when speaking on areas of improvement. This a huge area of weakness that needs to be addressed by the offensive line, and their second-year coach Steve Addazio. Their 47.5 pass-blocking grade, according to PFF, is absolutely atrocious and marks a decrease from their 49.4 grade in 2022.

The caveat there: last season the unit was plagued with injuries across the board. This season, they’re the ones responsible for the biggest injury this season, after Conner Weigman was pressured and suffered a foot injury back against Auburn, which ended up being season-ending.

Fast forward to today, and their porous pass protection has rendered veteran southpaw Max Johnson to that of an average quarterback. In their latest loss to Tennessee, Johnson was pressured on 64.1 percent of his dropbacks, which was the highest pressure rate since PFF started tracking the metric back in 2014. The Maroon Goons officially made history, and not in a good way.

Final grade: F

Without the ability to point toward injuries for their porous play, responsibility has to fall on o-line coach Steve Addazio for the unit’s putrid performance in SEC play. Bad snaps, miscommunication at the line of scrimmage, and Foster literally tripping over himself are illustrative of fundamental issues that must be corrected.

It falls on Addazio to get this unit prepared for Saturday afternoons, otherwise, this season is ready to steer off course toward utter disaster.

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Five players to watch in Texas A&M’s Week 7 matchup vs. Tennessee

Will Jimbo Fisher end his SEC road woes? can the Aggies O-line hold up? Here are five players to watch ahead of Texas A&M vs. Tennessee.

Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1 SEC) will hit the road to face the Tennessee Volunteers (4-1, 1-1 SEC) on Saturday afternoon, as head coach Jimbo Fisher is in for one of the roughest environments the SEC has to offer.

Coming off of a bye week, Tennessee and head coach Josh Heupel has yet to find an offensive identity behind the big arm of quarterback Joe Milton, but this unit can score more than 30 plus points at any given week. At the same time, Texas A&M’s Week 6 loss to Alabama created more questions than answers, specifically concerning the Aggies’ secondary and offensive line.

However, Texas A&M’s dominant pass rush and stellar linebacker play have been a consistent bright spot despite the offense’s failure to sustain drives as of late, leaving signal caller Max Johnson’s SEC experience, especially on the road, crucial to the Aggies’ future success.

This week, we have provided several storylines to help provide the full scoop on what to expect on Saturday afternoon.

Focusing on the players that need to make this weekend, here are the five players to watch ahead of Texas A&M vs. Tennessee.