1. The “mutual agreement” between Texas Tech and quarterback Brendan Sorsby to part company and for Sorsby to enter the NFL supplemental draft was a victory for sanity and college athletics in general. If Sorsby had been allowed to play after breaking laws in three different states, ditching Cincinnati after signing a new NIL deal, betting on his own team and obtaining eligibility via an injunction, there would be no reason for rules because nobody would follow them. After all, what good would it do? 

2. A ton of credit has to go to the Big 12 Conference for finally saying, “enough of this crap” and going after Tech and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in federal court. I haven’t read a lawsuit in probably 20 years, but I have heard the one the Big 12’s attorneys put together was solid and backed Tech into a corner. All the same, I’m surprised that Tech cried uncle after having months to do so. Maybe they got the idea that actions have consequences.

3. One thing that keeps bugging me is that, while the NCAA and all the conferences are calling for federal legislation to handle NIL, programs are still out there making moves that may be good for the short term but disastrous for the long term. And it’s not just Tech; look at what LSU is doing in every major program, for instance. Tennessee has passed laws allowing high schools to not only sign NIL deals, but let them get paid while in high school. Miami is on a multi-year spending binge with some — ahem — questionable characters funding it. We’ve got programs who are in the midst of their kamikaze runs while saying they just want everyone to get along, while their actions are purely destructive.

4. Aggie baseball had a huge win in the transfer portal last night with the commitment of former Clemson C/OF Nate Savoie. There aren’t a ton of catchers athletic enough to play in the outfield — Craig Biggio and Roger Bresnahan are the only two that come to mind — but Savoie can really do it. He can also hit — .329 with 16 homers and 52 RBI. Playing half his games at Blue Bell Park should increase those numbers next year. The Aggies needed a big bat for the middle of the order and a likely replacement for Bear Harrison, and checked them both off in one move. 

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5. With the addition of Savoie and first baseman Lane Arroyos from Western Kentucky (.357, 53 RBI) the Aggies have added two hitters that had an OPS over 1.000 (Arroyos, 1.046; Savoie, 1.009). TCU transfer Jack Bell, who is likely the new starting second baseman, had a solid OPS of .942. A&M had six hitters with an OPS over 1.000 last year, and all are likely to be gone by the time the MLB Draft is done. But they’ve added two players with an OPS over 1.000 last year and will have three players — Bell, Nico Partida and Jorian Wilson — with an OPS over .900. The rebuild of the batting order is moving along pretty well.

6. The portal has also brought what looks like (for now) a weekend starter. Former Wichita State RHP Johnny Nuanez. Nuanez assembled a 6-2 record with a 2.56 ERA over 56 1/3 innings last year, striking out 58. He kept walks (20) and home runs (3) to a minimum. He’s got a four-pitch mix, which should help him in the SEC. A&M isn’t done, but Nuanez probably slots in behind Aiden Sims as the Saturday starter.

7. New pitching coach Barry Enright comes to A&M with a reputation for developing pitchers. He has his first really challenge in former UNLV reliever Jase Evangelista. Evangelista has three pitches and a power arm, striking out 64 hitters in 46 2/3 innings. He has experience at the back end of the bullpen, leading UNLV in saves with four last year. That’s the good news. The bad news is that, while he doesn’t walk a ton of batters (18), he still sported a 6.17 ERA and gave up nine home runs last year. Now, take that with a grain of salt, as Las Vegas has proven to be a launching pad with its heat and dry air — ask the Rockies and A’s about it. But the challenge for Evanglista is not throwing strikes, it’s throwing good strikes, especially ahead in the count. That’s a probably that sounds achingly familiar after last season, and one reason Jason Kelly got the boot. If Enright can tinker a little bit with Evangelista and make him more of a pitcher than a thrower, he could be potent weapon at the back end of the bullpen.

8. Four 5-star recruits are getting close to making their commitments known, and A&M is in on them all. The four are corner John Meredith III, linebacker Kaden Henderson, offensive lineman Albert Simien and wide receiver Eric McFarland. From A&M’s perspective, I feel good about the last two, but not good about the first two. I think Meredith is going to pick Texas and Henderson Notre Dame, which would be disappointing. For me, Henderson would be a bigger loss because the one position on defense where the Aggies haven’t hit it big yet in the 2027 class is linebacker. But if A&M lands Simien and McFarland, that would give them either six or seven 5-stars, depending on who you ask — and it’s very hard to gripe about something like that.

9. With the addition of Australian punter Jamie Sidebottom yesterday, the Aggies now have 22 commits for the class of 2027. So how many other players might they take? That’s an interesting question; after all, there’s now no 25-signee limit, just a 105-man roster limit. Their obvious targets right now are Meredith, Henderson, Simien and McFarland, but they’re also looking for a running back (Richmond Randle’s Landen Williams-Callis) a defensive tackle (Houston commit Raiden Cook), another linebacker (Mikahi Allen) and maybe even another wide receiver. If things go perfectly, they could get another seven commits — shoot, maybe more. I think there’s a very strong possibility this class goes past 25 players.

10. One thing that hasn’t been talked a lot about but is still impressive is the lack of movement in this 2027 class. So far, there has not been an A&M commit who has taken an official visit anywhere else. Some of the biggest names, like 5-stars Mark Matthews, Zyron Forstall and Kamari Dorsey, have all publicly said their recruitments are shut down. Most commitments stick in this day and age, but to not have anyone so much as flirting is a positive development.

Our Sponsor

10 Things for Tuesday is sponsored by Brent Campbell, Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 1998. Brent is a Commercial Real Estate Broker, serving all of Central Texas and specializing in sales, leasing & development. He leads a retail acquisition and sales team and was recognized by the Austin Business Journal as a Commercial Real Estate Heavy Hitter in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 & 2023.

In the last 22 years, he has closed deals with a total transactional value of over $375 million and has leased more than 4.5 million square feet. Brent currently serves as the president of the board of directors for Habitat Homes, Inc. and Pathways Youth and Family Services. He is a former president of the Heart of Round Rock Neighborhood Association and a former member of the Round Rock Zoning Advisory Committee, the Round Rock Business and Retention Committee, and the City of Round Rock Ethics Commission, which has led him to begin developing in Williamson and Travis County.

An Austin native, Brent lives in Round Rock where he and his wife have raised four boys. Brent works for Don Quick and Associates, Inc. in Round Rock and can be reached at brent@donquick.com.