Tag: Taurean York

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!

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WATCH: Texas A&M football players answer who has the best fashion style on the team

The “Aggie Cam” has returned to the Aggies football team social media feeds and the first question at spring practice was a simple one.

The “Aggie Cam” has returned to the Texas A&M football team social media feeds and the first question at spring practice was a simple one: “Who has the best style on the team?”

The Aggies shared several names for their respective answers but one name kept coming up, Taurean York.

“I ain’t gonna lie… I’m gonna have to give it to York,” admitted junior offensive lineman Dametrious Crownover. “York come in every day with that fit on. I ain’t even gonna lie.”

The sensational sophomore linebacker is typically fitted from head to toe and his teammates have noticed.

“He’s in the training room, whole fit on, I’m like damn bro,” junior quarterback Jaylen Henderson joked. “We just eating breakfast bruh, chill out.”

With at least two more seasons in College Station to come, York is already a highly touted prospect.

“As far as the Dave Campbell award, it’s awesome because I saw myself rise through the rankings,” York reflected this week. “To see myself named No. 1 among all ages, not just the freshman class, is just God’s work.”

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Opinion: Should Texas A&M players opt-in their NIL to appear in EA Sports College Football 25?

Starting on Thursday, athletes around the nation can opt-in to their NIL rights to appear in the upcoming game per On3 reporter Pete Nakos.

After 11 long years, EA Sports will finally be releasing a brand new NCAA college football video game later this year.

It will reportedly be renamed from “NCAA College Football 25” to “EA Sports College Football 25.” Starting on Thursday, student-athletes around the nation can opt-in to their NIL rights to appear in the upcoming game per On3 college sports business & transfer portal reporter Pete Nakos.

According to multiple reports, the players are being offered $600 and a copy of the game for their respective appearance fees. Six Benjamins and the game is a cool offer, considering that college football players from 1993 to 2013 didn’t receive a dime for their NIL. But this news leads to larger questions.

Should Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko encourage all of his players to participate? Should star players like junior quarterback Conner Weigman and sophomore linebacker Taurean York take the initial offer?

This CFB franchise’s return is highly anticipated, but it’s also been gone for 11 years. Therefore, current college football players likely haven’t grown up playing it as much as those from a decade ago, minimizing the nostalgia factor.

If I were a primetime player, I would try to maximize my NIL rights. Worst case scenario, you end up like Bill Belichick in Madden, it’s worth the risk.

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Texas A&M LB Taurean York led all freshman linebackers in one important defensive category last season

Incoming Texas A&M sophomore linebacker Taurean York ended the 2023 season as an elite run defender.

What more can one say about Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York, who is coming off one of the best freshman seasons in program history? According to the good folks at Pro Football Focus, York finished the year as the best run defender among freshman linebackers in the collegiate ranks.

Among linebackers, including Texas LB Anthony Hill, no freshman backer was better at filling the gaps and finishing their assignments against the run, as York received an elite 79.6 run-stopping grade.

Starting every game during the 2023 season, York finished the year seventh in total tackles (66) and second in tackles for loss (8.5), jumping on the scene after an impressive fall camp.

With new Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko now at the helm, no player on the roster is happier than York, who was recruited by Elko during his time leading the Duke Blue Devils the last two seasons. Even more important, new defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Jay Bateman has the coaching chops to aid York in his development for the next two seasons at minimum.

Through the transfer portal, Elko has helped York, adding former Youngstown State LB Alex Howard and former Florida LB Scooby Williams; York will be free to roam the field and take complete control of a unit that should see an overall improvement in 2024.

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Sensational sophomore LB Taurean York representing Texas A&M at SEC Football Leadership Council

York will represent the Aggies at the SEC Football Leadership Council on Friday and Saturday at the SEC headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama.

Despite entering only his true sophomore season, Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York‘s leadership abilities are very prominent.

Members of the Aggies Athletics Department must agree because on Thursday it was announced that York would be Texas A&M’s representative at the SEC Football Leadership Council that’s being held on Friday and Saturday at the conference’s headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama.

According to an Aggies news release, the council will meet to discuss agenda items that include a meeting with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, a review of NCAA and SEC legislative items, a conversation with SEC Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Katie O’Neal and engagement with football officials on rules of the game, student-athlete/referee interaction and careers in officiating. The group will also review SEC student-athlete engagement opportunities, per the release.

The SEC as presently constructed will be in attendance at the annual meeting with one representative from all 14 universities. Noticeably absent will be Texas and Oklahoma, who will be joining the conference at the beginning of the new school year in August.

Aside from York, one representative stands out among the rest: Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner, will be present for Alabama. Other representatives include Cameron Ball (Arkansas), Eugene Asante (Auburn), Derek Wingo (Florida), Jalon Walker (Georgia), Eli Cox (Kentucky), Josh Williams (LSU), JJ Pegues (Ole Miss), Hayes Hammond (Mississippi State), Kristian Williams (Missouri), Kai Kroeger (South Carolina), Omari Thomas (Tennessee) and Bryan Longwell (Vanderbilt).

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Texas A&M LB Taurean York announces his official return for the 2024 season

Making it official, incoming sophomore Texas A&M LB Taurean York will officially return for the 2024 season.

Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York is coming off one of the best freshman campaigns during the 2023 college football season, already named to multiple All-American Teams last December.

Though the season ended on a disappointing note, mostly masked by the firing of now-former head coach Jimbo Fisher, the Mike Elko era has begun, and York is set to enter his sophomore season as one of the program’s star players with plenty of responsibilities on his shoulders.

Like many of his fellow returning teammates on Tuesday night, York made his return official through Texas A&M’s NIL representative, Texas Aggies United, stating in a post from X, “Back For More.” Heavily recruited by Mike Elko during his two-year stint as Duke’s head coach, York opted to continue his playing career in College Station, earning a starting spot late in the offseason.

Already establishing himself among the best first-year defensive players in Aggies’ history, currently ranking seventh in total tackles (66) and second in tackles for loss (8.5), jumping on the scene after an impressive fall camp.

Even with the departure of star backer Edgerrin Cooper to the NFL Draft, Elko has added depth at the position through the transfer portal, including former Youngstown State LB Alex Howard and former Florida LB Scooby Williams; York will be free to roam the field and take complete control of a unit that should see an overall improvement in 2024.

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Texas A&M LB Taurean York named to PFF’s All-Freshman Team: Defense

Texas A&M standout freshman linebacker Taurean York has been named to PFF’s All-Freshman defensive team after an impressive freshman season.

Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York is coming off one of the best freshman campaigns during the 2023 college football season, already named to multiple All-American Teams earlier this month.

On Sunday, the accolades continued to roll in as York was selected alongside Virginia freshman linebacker Kam Robinson to Pro Football Focus’s All-Freshman Defensive Team and going into his first season under new Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Jay Bateman, the sky is truly the limit in 2024.

York has already established himself among the best first-year defensive players in Aggies’ history, currently ranking seventh in total tackles (66) and second in tackles for loss (8.5), jumping on the scene after an impressive fall camp.

York only trails former Texas A&M DL Daylon Mack (9.5) for the all-time TFL record. If he keeps this up, York can break Mack’s record in the year’s final game against Oklahoma State in the TaxAct Texas Bowl on Dec. 27 at NRG Stadium in Houston.

After landing former Youngstown State LB Alex Howard from the transfer portal, York will hopefully have more help in coverage after star linebacker Edgerrin Cooper declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.

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‘Tackling is an art’ Taurean York, Jaylen Henderson, and Max Wright speak ahead of the TaxAct Texas Bowl

Hear what LB Taurean York, QB Jaylen Henderson, and TE Max Wright had to say ahead of the TaxAct Texas Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 27.

Following Texas A&M interim head coach Elijah Robinson, incoming sophomore linebacker Taurean York, senior tight end Max Wright, and sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson provided the player commentary on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the Aggies TaxAct Texas Bowl matchup vs. Oklahoma State on Dec. 27.

While we’ve heard from both Max Wright and Jaylen Henderson throughout the latter half of the 2023 regular season, this was Taurean York’s first official press conference, and for a young man who is still a teenager, the maturity displayed while taking a multitude of questions was nothing short of impressive.

Ranging from his development into one of the nation’s best linebackers during fall camp to his love for the game through his father, York’s relationship with new head coach Mike Elko started all the way back to Elko’s time as the Aggies defensive coordinator (2018-2021), and continue during his two years as Duke’s head coach.

“I love Coach Elko. He recruited me hard at A&M and recruited me hard at Duke.”

While Elko has yet to hire a new defensive coordinator, whoever is lucky enough to work with York in 2024 and beyond will inherit one of the smartest players in the country, made abundantly clear when York was asked about the fundamentals of tackling:

“Tackling is an art. You have to work on it. You have to have your technique.”

However, it was Jaylen Henderson who will make his fourth consecutive start this season with the quote of the afternoon, simply stating that despite the movement in the transfer portal, the Aggies are focused on winning the game in front of them and taking much-needed momentum into the 2024 offseason:

“Our goal is to end on a win. That’s our mindset, no matter who is playing or who is not playing.”

With that, here is everything Taurean York, Jaylen Henderson, and Max Wright had to say ahead of the TaxAct Texas Bowl next Wednesday night.

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Texas A&M LB Taurean York named to 247Sports True Freshman All-American Team

Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York had a phenomenal first year in College Station and has been earning the accolades to match his production following the regular season.

Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York had a phenomenal first year in College Station and has earned the accolades to match his production following the regular season.

According to Carter Karels of GigEm247, York has been selected to the 247Sports True Freshman All-American Team. The young star earned Freshman All-SEC honors this past Thursday.

York has already established himself among the best first-year defensive players in Aggies history. The freshman phenom ranks seventh in total tackles (66) and second in tackles for loss (8.5). He trails only Daylon Mack (9.5) for the all-time TFL record. York can break Mack’s record in the final game of the year against Oklahoma State in the TaxAct Texas Bowl on Dec. 27 at NRG Stadium in Houston.

York was named the Dave Campbell Texas Football All-Texas Defensive Freshman of the Year last week and is currently a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award. As a freshman at Temple High School, York shared the Texas District 12-6A co-Defensive Newcomer of the Year award. He proceeded to earn the district’s Defensive MVP the following three seasons.

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3 Texas A&M football players earn Freshman All-SEC honors

OL Chase Bisontis, RB Rueben Owens and LB Taurean York stood out among the Aggies to earn respective selections for the All-SEC Freshman team.

Several Aggies had phenomenal freshman campaigns in 2023 but three Texas A&M football players stood out among the rest to earn a selection for the All-SEC Freshman team.

Offensive lineman Chase Bisontis, running back Rueben Owens and linebacker Taurean York were recognized for their play this past season with Freshman All-SEC honors.

Bisontis is a 6-foot-6, 320-pound right tackle who was a 4-star recruit and the No. 1 player in his state coming out of Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J. He started in all 12 regular season games for the Aggies in 2023 and was named a Freshman All-American. However, Bisontis may depart College Station after only one year after entering the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday afternoon.

Owens was a 5-star prospect and top two running back in the 2022 recruiting class coming out of El Campo High School in Texas. He played in every contest for Texas A&M during the regular season and averaged nearly 47 all-purpose yards per game. Owens racked up totals of 359 yards rushing, 202 kick return yards, 101 yards receiving and three touchdowns this year.

York was named the Dave Campbell Texas Football All-Texas Defensive Freshman of the Year on Monday and is currently a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award. As a freshman at Temple High School, York shared the Texas District 12-6A co-Defensive Newcomer of the Year award. He proceeded to earn the district’s Defensive MVP the following three seasons.

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