Texas on a collision course with Texas A&M for many of the state’s top targets
There’s nothing like a new hire to revitalize a recruiting rivalry. Over the years, each school has had a coach who showed promise on the recruiting trail but then stagnated and got removed.
Increasing the recruiting stakes, Texas and Texas A&M are set to renew their on-field rivalry on November 30th of this year and are likely to play annually going forward.
When Mike Elko was hired, one quality source in the ACC mentioned he was a good hire for A&M. That he was a ‘ball coach’ first and would hire a staff that gave primacy to coaching rather than recruiting. The source mentioned it could be a great match given A&M’s NIL resources, facilities, and general commitment to winning (not to be confused with their ability to win). The one caution was, Elko might not be a flashy enough recruiter for the Aggie brain trust and fan base.
Say what you want, and UT fans say a lot, but College Station is a perfectly acceptable place for college football players to live if more important factors are in place. Tuscaloosa is a fine little college town but nothing special. I’ve never been to Auburn but haven’t heard much good about it. Tallahassee reminded me of College Station. You get the picture.
The tradition and trajectory of Texas Football, as well as the city of Austin, certainly have much more to offer. Austin has emerged as one of the most important and advanced cities in the country with job opportunities in numerous different sectors. But, if you’re an A&M player from Dallas or Houston, you can always return home and find job security within the Aggie network.
I’m not saying all things are equal between the two schools, but some recruits will prefer the smaller atmosphere. It’s important to remember we’re all different and 18-year-olds don’t see the world the same way as someone who already went to college, raised three children they sent to their alma mater, and who pay $10 a month to follow their favorite team. Basically, it doesn’t matter what Texas fans think.
I felt like that was necessary to say ahead of the comment section.
So yeah, Elko, as a first-year head coach has the new car smell, or new F-150 he can steer with his paunch smell. He recently stated A&M is the flagship school in the state which is akin to saying College Station is the No. 1 economy in the state. Or that Elko is the hub of gaming in Nevada. It’s funny to hear but you can at least respect he’s in salesman mode. Ever met an Aggie salesman? You can’t miss their prized jewelry like Joe Pesci trying on a pinky ring.
So far the A&M staff is doing well to make up for lost time and building relationships with instate recruits. Here are a handful of recruitments to keep a close eye on as Texas vs A&M head to heads.
Kiotti Armstrong, TE, Jasper
Armstrong’s size and body projection screams in-line tight end but his athleticism says it doesn’t matter how you deploy him. This makes him incredibly rare as typically the in-line guys aren’t dangerous receivers and the dangerous receivers typically aren’t credible blockers.
We saw how hard it was to pry Tyanthony Smith out of Jasper and away from A&M last year. Texas probably has even more resolve to land Armstrong but we’re also talking about a different A&M than six months ago.
Jonah Williams, S, Galveston Ball
Baseball is a factor for the dual-sport star which has propelled A&M into a solid position. OU was the leader not all that long ago but I don’t hear much about the Sooners these days. Texas has certainly come on strong, particularly in the last few months. LSU is pushing as well but I think he’ll stay instate.
Williams is a massive priority for both schools. His dad is a judge in Galveston. That also means he’s a lawyer.
Michael Fasusi, OT, Lewisville
Some were bullish on OU for a while but I’ve always liked UT’s position and still do despite A&M replacing the Sooners in the race. Elko showed good acumen when he hired Joe Hamilton for his personnel department. Hamilton was previously at Florida but I believe he’s originally from Lewisville. Hamilton has a good relationship with the Fasusis.
To be clear, the Fasusis won’t pick a school due to someone in the personnel department, but Hamilton did his job in getting Elko’s foot in the door.
DJ Sanders, DT, Bellville
Bellville is a small town not far from Austin but it’s closer to College Station. There was a time where many had him penciled into the A&M class but that’s not a lock. The Aggies have been aggressive but UT has plenty of time to counter.
Expect Sanders’ 2025 brother, DD Murray, to follow him to whatever school he chooses. Or that they choose. They are close. As a running back, Murray is certainly good enough to walk-on at either school.
Caleb Chester, CB, Fort Bend Marshall
Chester’s a major priority for Texas. It was encouraging to see his father attend the same practice three Texas coaches did last Tuesday. A&M is the clear competition here.
Despite talking to Caleb and his father Correlle, I didn’t get a clean read on this recruitment. I tend to see Caleb as more of an Austin kid than College Station and he did say he’ll likely pick the school he would attend even if he didn’t play football.
Maybe I did get a clear read on him.
Kade Phillips, S, Fort Bend Hightower
I’m not sure either school is pushing hard for a commitment at this time. That could have something to do with the Williams recruitment and certainly Texas is still pursuing other DB options as well. That isn’t to say he isn’t being recruited hard. Texas was by last week and this certainly seems to be a UT vs A&M race.
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Other recruits could be mentioned as well. I thought about mentioning wide receiver Kaliq Lockett but I think LSU has enough of a chance I don’t see it as a true head to head. Defensive tackle Chace Sims is probably one that could be mentioned.
The post Texas on a collision course with Texas A&M for many of the state’s top targets appeared first on On3.
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