It’s Thursday Night, and you KNow what that means: Mail Call!

Q: How will our use/the play of Isaiah Horton compare to previous A&M receivers?

I think Horton can be a possession-plus receiver. Alabama loved throwing the ball to him in red zone situations and, with his size, he can be a guy who can get eight yards on third and seven. But, as he showed in the spring game, he has the ability to stretch the field as well. So, if defenses think he’s just going to run short, possession-style routes, he can surprise them in a painful way.

How is the competition at TE? What does the usage look like there? (ChampKindWFAA8)

Right now, I think the transfers, Houston Thomas and Richie Anderson, are in the the best position to get the most playing time. Kiotti Armstrong would come next, and Micah Riley would be in there for blocking in short yardage situations. I don’t think the freshmen will play much, if at all, but if one does it’ll likely be Caleb Tafua.

Q: Who are the leaders going to be on the baseball team next year?

A: It depends on who’s around next year, but if everyone I expect leaves, then Terrence Kiel II is the obvious choice as a team leader. Maybe Nico Partida could be one too. But, look at it this way: Hayden Schott became a team leader within a few weeks of arriving to campus as a transfer. The guy who may be the leader in the locker room may not even be an Aggie yet.

Why did the two pitchers not make it on campus?

One pitcher did make it to campus; he just left before he pitched. The reasons for that are murky. The other had either academic or personal issues and ended up at JUCO.

Who is Early looking at for pitching coach?

I don’t know and I doubt they’d want us to know until the deal is pretty much done. After all, odds are you’re poaching someone under contract.

What was Farr’s biggest issue on why it never clicked for him? (LufkinAg)

I can only speculate, but a brain is an athlete’s worst enemy. I became so consumed about mechanics that I could barely function at times. I saw a little of that in him, where he just couldn’t shut his brain off and let things flow.

Q: Football has enjoyed tremendous recruiting success from the high school ranks and the transfer portal in the past couple of years. Is the success all attributable to Elko and his team alone, or does Trev Alberts play a high-level role in clearing financial, political, or other obstacles for Elko? Can Alberts help Early achieve Elko-level recruiting success? Thank you. (kneuse)

A: Alberts has nothing to do with recruiting. It’s all up to Michael Earley and his staff.

Q: Saban’s in the news again talking about “some schools” with 40M rosters. Is he talking about us again? (Win77)

A: No, he’s talking about a couple of other SEC teams, one of which he kneaux pretty well.

Q: Are NIL payments public knowledge? (H273)

A: Only if there’s a public information request made, and the company has to be publicly traded.

Q: If you were tasked with fixing the current major issues with college athletics (NCAA, NIL, Transfer Portal, etc.), what are the first few steps you would take? (klip)

A: First thing, I eliminate the NCAA and remake a new collegiate sports regulatory authority with real teeth when it comes to enforcement. I’d put a hard cap on NIL with severe penalties for violations. The transfer portal becomes limited to one free, immediate transfer and, if there’s a second transfer, you sit a year.

Q: Why is A&M doing so well in Florida? (Phastman)

A: For one thing, they have quite a few coaches that have experience recruiting in Florida. They’ve had a lot of success in Miami for several years, which has a lot do with Ish Aristide. But Trooper Taylor, Elijah Robinson, Holmon Wiggins and Travis Williams all have a lot of experience recruiting the state. Also, coming off an 11-2 record with a lot of NIL money doesn’t hurt either.

Q: Who’s next and when, iyo? (OGhogtide78)

A: I’m not sure, but I don’t think it’ll be long. Maybe early next week.

Q: This is unsustainable. NIL. Portal. NCAA is helpless. The government can’t do anything, and when they do, it’s self-serving.

What is the solution that satisfies the players, the schools, the big money donors, and the most important and ignored sector…the fans. (R23)

A: Unfortunately, I don’t think that solution exists at the moment. In order for that solution to be developed, everyone needs to understand that they’re sitting in a car in a garage with the door down and they’re about to hit the ignition.

Q: When it comes to a new pitching coach, does Coach Earley simply start calling people he already knows, or is there a portal, for lack of a better term, that lists coaches and their current availability? (NemoJones)

A: There’s no portal, but there are agents who can communicate interest in both directions. Happens all the time.

Q: What are the chances Ted Cruz saves college football? (H273)

A: Not good, but they’re the best we’ve got at the moment.