Tag: Texas A&M Athletics

USC bowl opponent loses two key defenders to 2025 NFL draft

USC is enduring roster depletion for its bowl game, but its opponent, Texas A&M, is facing the same problem. It creates a very fluid situation in Las Vegas.

We are less than two weeks away from USC football concluding its 2024 season against Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl.

The Aggies finished the season 8-4, including a 5-3 mark in SEC play. However, they will be without two key defenders in the matchup against the Trojans.

Since the conclusion of the regular season, Texas A&M junior defensive linemen Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart have both declared for the NFL Draft. The expectation is that neither will play against USC in Las Vegas.

Scourton finished the regular season with 37 tackles, five sacks, two passes defended, and a forced fumble. Steward had 31 tackles, two passes defended, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.

Given the Trojans’ makeshift offensive line, USC will certainly not complain about the news. The Trojans have already lost offensive linemen Mason Murphy, Gino Quinones, and Amos Talalele to the transfer portal. It is also not yet known whether NFL-bound seniors Jonah Monheim and Emmanuel Pregnon will play in the game or not.

Even with a relatively mobile quarterback in Jayden Maiava, USC could be in trouble up front in the Sin City. While their opponent being without two of its top defenders certainly won’t fix everything, it should hopefully at least make Maiava’s life a little easier.

Texas A&M athletic department earns millions in revenue from summer events at Kyle Field

“We continue to grow the Texas A&M brand. Our local economy benefitted greatly by bringing in people who have never been to our community.”

Two months ago, Kyle Field was the host of two massive events in back-to-back Saturdays that ultimately earned millions in revenue for the Texas A&M athletic department.

“You have heard me say before and I want to repeat my thanks to the previous administration for having the vision to bring these events to Kyle Field. I would like to thank our entire staff and especially our special events and facilities staffs for their hard work,” Aggies athletic director Trev Alberts stated Tuesday. “The final net revenue to Texas A&M athletics for the two events was a little over $6 million – $2.6 for soccer and $3.9 for George Strait.

“Not only were these events profitable, but we continue to grow the overall Texas A&M brand. Additionally, our local economy benefitted greatly by bringing in people who have never been to our community.

“Kyle Field is a special venue, and we will make sure any event that we host will be a worthwhile endeavor.”

Brazil played Mexico in an international soccer friendly on June 8 with 85,249 people in attendance.

“The cooperation between MexTour and MLS/SUM for the soccer match as well as the Messina Touring group with George Strait was outstanding,” stated Kindra Fry, the assistant athletics director for special events services. “We have shown the capability of handling events of this stature, and we will continue to work to bring entertainment to the community.”

With 110,905 fans present for the “King at Kyle Field” event on June 15, Strait achieved a new national record for ticketed concerts.

(George Walker IV-USA TODAY NETWORK)

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(Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports)

University of Tulsa hires Justin Moore from Texas A&M as next athletic director

“I’m excited to join the University of Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane has a rich athletics history with competitive teams and bright athletes.”

The University of Tulsa has hired Justin Moore as it’s next director of athletics.

ESPN college football senior writer Pete Thamel broke the news on Tuesday night. Moore previously served as the executive deputy athletic director at Texas A&M.

“I am excited to join the University of Tulsa,” Moore said in a news release. “The Golden Hurricane has a rich athletics history with competitive teams and bright student-athletes. I believe in the direction of the university under president Carson’s leadership. I am eager to build relationships with so many great people – the coaching and administrative staffs, donors, fans, student-athletes, alumni and the Tulsa community – and get to work advancing this amazing program.

“I first came to admire the University of Tulsa when we played during my time with Houston. There is truly something special in Tulsa. I look forward to amplifying Rick Dickson’s success in the coming years.”

Moore became an Aggies alumnus in 2004 before starting his career as a Texas A&M special athletics assistant in 2006.

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TAMU AD Trev Alberts weighs in on biggest financial issue in college athletics

Texas A&M AD Trev Alberts provided the quote of the day regarding the future financial changes in college athletics

The landscape of college athletics as we knew it has been altered. The House vs. NCAA settlement will bring immense financial change for every University as we advance.

On its face, the NCAA will be responsible for nearly $2.8 billion in backpay to athletes from the last decade-plus. At the same time, every athletic department will compensate its athletes with a reported 20% payout via annual media rights revenue.

While this is just the start of what’s to come, every Power Five Conference athletic director, including new Texas A&M AD Trev Alberts, must become even more creative than usual to handle revenue sharing within every department.

After leaving his AD postion at his alma mater, Nebraska, Alberts has already made several staff changes to prepare for the future. On Tuesday, Alberts took the podium in Destin, Florida, during the annual SEC spring meetings, providing what I would consider the quote of the day regarding the ongoing handling of department expenses:

“We’ve just always had enough increasing revenue to overcome dumb expenses. I’ve said it 100 times, and I’ll say it again: We don’t have a revenue problem in college athletics, we have an expense problem.”

This quote will be dissected and likely criticized by most who read it with a narrow lens. However, a great example of “smart” spending with the upcoming changes is the proposed $80 million renovation for Texas A&M baseball’s Blue Bell Park and Olsen Field. This renovation will further increase revenue for one of the University’s most popular and successful programs.

It may be tough to hear for some, but credit to Alberts for keeping things realistic.

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‘Top 15 deal’: Texas A&M Athletics signs 5-year, multi-million dollar agreement with Adidas

“In the market of sports apparel and college athletics, it’s really a top 15 deal,” former athletic director Ross Bjork told The Eagle.

The Texas A&M Athletics Department has agreed to a new multi-million dollar merchandise deal with Adidas according to a recent report.

Per Travis Brown of The Eagle, the agreement is for five years and $47 million to keep the German giant as the Aggies’ exclusive uniform and apparel provider.

Before leaving College Station in January to become the next director of athletics at The Ohio State University, Ross Bjork took part in the negotiations.

“In the market of sports apparel and college athletics, it’s really a top 15 deal,” Bjork told The Eagle. “In a suppressed market, with Under Armour being out of the market, there’s two players: it’s Nike and Adidas. When we went through the negotiation, it was clear that Adidas was the best option, financially — equipment, apparel, all the components that they do from a marketing standpoint.

“They’ve just become a good partner here at A&M.”

The contract is effective from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2027, according to Brown. Per Bjork, Texas A&M and Adidas “operated on a term sheet for approximately a year of the deal as they continued to iron out the final contract,” the report stated.

The Aggies have been partners with the iconic three-stripe brand since 2007 after previously working with Nike.

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Texas A&M names its Whataburger Players of the month for March

March’s Whataburger Players of the month were recently announced.

Each month, Texas A&M athletics recognizes two athletes as the Whataburger Players of the Month for their achievements in their respective sports.

For March, A&M chose junior outfielder Braden Montgomery from the baseball team and junior Adela Cernousek from the women’s golf team. Check out their accomplishments below for March, earning them the honor of player of the month.

Braden Montgomery – March Snapshot

  • SEC Player of the Week
  • Helped Texas A&M to a 17-3 record in the month
  • Batting Average – .338
  • Hits – 29
  • Home runs – 13
  • RBI – 35
  • Fielding – 1.000

Adela Cernousek – March Snapshot

  • Helped Texas A&M to two runner-up finishes
  • Mountain View Collegiate – Sixth place finish
  • Clemson Invite – Second-place finish
  • On pace to set A&M’s single-season record for scoring average

Congratulations to Montgomery and Cernousek for being named March’s Whataburger Players of the Month.

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Come officially welcome new athletic director Trev Alberts to College Station on Monday

The 17th director of athletics in Texas A&M history will be formally introduced to the 12th Man on Monday afternoon with a welcoming event.

The 17th director of athletics in Texas A&M University history will be formally introduced to the 12th Man on Monday afternoon with a welcome event celebration.

The event is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be hosted at the Ford Hall of Champions, through entry three at Kyle Field. Free parking is available for the general public at the Stallings Garage and West Campus parking garage.

TAMU President Mark A Welsh III officially hired Alberts on Wednesday afternoon following reports about the potential move surfacing that morning. Alberts spent the last three years as athletic director at the University of Nebraska.

Remember when ESPN senior NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper went off on the Indianapolis Colts for passing on quarterback Trent Dilfer in the 1994 draft? Well, the player they drafted was Alberts.

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BREAKING: Texas A&M hires Trev Alberts from Nebraska as next director of athletics

After Ross Bjork departed Aggieland in January to become the next athletic director at Ohio State, interim AD R.C. Slocum began his search.

After Ross Bjork departed College Station in January to become the next athletic director at The Ohio State University, interim AD R.C. Slocum began searching for Texas A&M‘s next director of athletics.

According to a report on Wednesday morning from Brent Zwerneman, Aggies writer for the Houston Chronicle, Texas A&M chose Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts as its next AD. That report was immediately confirmed by Yahoo Sports college football writer Ross Dellenger.

Sources close to ESPN college football senior writer Pete Thamel said the contract offer is pretty lucrative. The deal is reportedly for five years and would make Alberts not only one of the highest paid ADs in the SEC but also among the top 10 in the nation.

Following Zwerneman’s report, his colleague Greg Rajan shared an entertaining anecdote. Remember when ESPN senior NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper went off on the Indianapolis Colts for passing on quarterback Trent Dilfer in the 1994 draft? Well, the player they drafted was Alberts.

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Report: Texas A&M has named R.C. Slocum as the interim athletic director

Legendary Aggies Head coach R.C. Slocum has been named Texas A&M’s interim Athletic Director.

According to multiple sources, including The Eagles’ Travis Brown, former Texas A&M head coach R.C. Slocum (1989-2002) will serve as the Aggies’ interim athletic director after now-former AD Ross Bjork departed for the same position at Ohio State earlier this month.

For those who have followed Slocum’s Texas A&M coaching career, he remains one of the more trusted voices in the Aggie community, and after serving as the school’s interim athletic director during the 2019 season, resuming the position while the search continues for Bjork’s permanent replacement was simply a no brainer.

To this day, barring new head coach Mike Elko’s impending success, Slocum remains on top in Aggie lore, holding an impressive 123-47 coaching record, including 78-28 in conference play in both the Southwest Conference and the Big 12.

After former Texas A&M AD Scott Woodward departed for LSU after the 2018 season, Bjork would come on board soon after seven years at Ole Miss, so without any more information regarding the continued search, experience, and progressive outlook tied to the ever-changing college athletics landscape make up the traits needed for the future permanent choice.

Note: R.C. Slocum’s employment as Texas A&M’s interim athletic director will begin on Thursday, Feb. 1.

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The NCAA has proposed cutting the transfer portal window by a significant amount

Texas A&M and every other Division 1 program will feel the brunt of the NCAA’s newest future cut to the transfer portal window.

Here we go again, folks. On Wednesday, the NCAA Division I Council proposed changes to the transfer portal window for every major collegiate sport, potentially reducing the total number of days student-athletes can enter the transfer portal from 60 to 30, according to ESPN writer Tom VanHaaren.

With a focus on college football, the portal opens just one day after the announcement of the College Football Playoff selections, which then stays open for 45 days and re-opens from April 15 to the 30th. VanHaaren states in his article that undergrads can choose their next destination anytime if their name has been submitted during the transfer window period.

“Undergraduate student-athletes must enter their name in the transfer portal during those windows to be granted immediate eligibility at their next school of choice. They are not required to transfer within those dates, as long as their name is entered prior to the closing of the respective transfer window.”

One reason for the proposal comes from statistical evidence the committee relied on, revealing that a majority of transfers entered the portal at the beginning of the period. Still, as we know, not every statistical revelation can be relied on when considering human beings.

Out of the over 2,000 players that entered the portal after the 2022 season, Texas A&M added twelve players of their own, including several future starters and critical backups on offense and defense, utilizing what may be the last of the 60 days as players will now have to make a quick decision that could cost them future playing time as campus visits will likely decrease in the process.

As the NCAA Council continues to study the issue and gain feedback from student-athletes, their meeting in October may include a final vote on the matter, once again changing a large part of the college sports landscape for better or worse.

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