16-in-16 2024: Texas A&M Aggies
A new era begins in College Station. The roster is loaded again, but expectations are tempered as Mike Elko puts his fingerprint on an underachieving program.
By: Bossman
For a refresher on our ratings system, check out our 16-in-16 ratings guide here.
After another disappointing year under Jimbo Fisher, the Aggies moved on from their former head coach with two games left in the regular season, spending $75 million to make him go away. It’s one of the all-time blunders in college football and an embarrassing black eye for the Aggies.
The embarrassment wasn’t over, either. Former AD Ross Bjork (now at Ohio State), thought he had his man in Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops. Then the fanbase revolted and the deal fell apart, all within 24 hours. Enter plan B in Mike Elko, who was hired almost immediately after Stoops fell through and had to go tail between his legs back to the Kentucky administration.
That’s where we enter 2024 for the Texas A&M Aggies, who still have hope despite the early offseason drama.
State of the Program: 6/12 biscuits. Right in the middle, there’s some hope, but it’s mostly bland; They look right, but they don’t taste like much.
The Aggies received a rating of seven biscuits last year, mostly based on the amount of talent on the roster and the high ceiling there was for that team. This year, we ding them a biscuit for the uncertainty that surrounds the program. Can Mike Elko turn this ship sharply around in year one with an influx of transfers? The Aggies brought 28 transfers, good for 4th in the country. Or will it take a few years for Elko to set the culture and identity of his program? Time will tell, and they’ll get a massive test in Week 1 when #7 Notre Dame struts into Kyle Field.
Many around the country are high on the Aggies this year because of their roster. However, we’ve all heard that story before. “The Aggies have as much talent as anyone in the country…” and then they go 5-7, 7-5, or 8-4. While the Aggies record-setting #1 recruiting class from 2022 is mostly no longer on campus, Elko did a great job of replacing talent through the portal, and some key pieces remain. That includes Conner Weigman, the Aggies signal caller who has looked like a star when he’s healthy. The defensive line also lost multiple key pieces from last season's team, but it might end up being even better than last year based on holdovers like Shermar Turner and transfers like Nic Scourton and Cashius Howell.
In recruiting, Elko and his staff have been making splashes early, as they’re currently ranked #6 in the country according to 247. The Aggie staff is focused heavily on owning Texas, with 14/20 commits hailing from the Lone Star State. They’re also keeping the national pipelines open, especially out West, as A&M has reeled in four of the top 10 recruits out of California. Elko and Co. are putting in work, picking up where the last staff left off, staying in rarified air on the recruiting trail.
When it comes to what surrounds the program, there’s nowhere better than A&M. The money is nearly endless, and whatever a coach needs he can have. There is plenty of NIL money to go around which will continue to help reel in top recruits. Just last summer, A&M completed a massive renovation to their indoor facility, the Coolidge Football Performance Center, that keeps the program on the cutting edge of technology and facilities in the sport.
But money and facilities can’t buy you championships. Is Elko the man to finally put all of these pieces together to bring a title to College Station?
What went right in 2023?
It’s hard to find many bright spots from last season, but the Aggies did pull off wins against Auburn and South Carolina and reimposed their dominance over Arkansas in Jerry World. They also drubbed Mississippi State 51-10 with their third-string QB. After that, it has to come down to individual performances. Conner Weigman looked like an All-SEC candidate to start the year before his season-ending injury against Auburn. Ainias Smith was a game breaker as expected and Edgerrin Cooper earned consensus All-American and First Team All-SEC honors at linebacker while playing out of his mind all of 2023. After Weigman went down, Max Johnson played well in multiple starts, giving the Aggies a chance to win against Alabama as well as leading them back against Ole Miss and giving them a chance to tie the game late.
What went wrong in 2023?
Many, many things. A&M was an undisciplined team, which became a hallmark of the Fisher era in College Station. In 2023, the Aggies racked up 77 penalties for 591 yards, good for fourth worst in the conference. Many of those came from the offensive line, who were undisciplined and looked lost all season, all while dealing with multiple injuries. Aggies were glad to see offensive line coach Steve Addazio move out. Injuries were also a major factor for many position groups, as Conner Weigman was lost for the year in the fourth game and his replacement, Max Johnson, went down after the Ole Miss game and never returned. The Aggies had their first, second, and third-string QBs go down with injury, and had to play the bowl game with fourth-string QB Marcel Reed. The Aggies also lost key pieces for multiple games, such as Evan Stewart, Noah Thomas, Le’Veon Moss, and more.
The offense looked better under Bobby Petrino, but then it came out after the season that Fisher forced Petrino to learn the “Jimbo offense” and add his wrinkles, instead of just handing over the reins to his OC. Bad move. Finally, the defense was good and ranked third in total defense in the SEC, but had major lapses that cost them games. Miami torched the Aggie secondary in the second game of the year, and Ole Miss and LSU exploited that same defensive backfield in major ways.
It was another rough year, which is why Fisher is no longer roaming the sidelines.
What the Aggies need in 2024
Hope and a foundation. While the roster is talented, it’s tough to have a magical year in the first year of a new regime (though it has happened, even in College Station - see 2012). The Aggies have a tough but manageable schedule, getting Notre Dame, Mizzou, LSU, and Texas at home. They also avoid Ole Miss and Alabama, who have been thorns in their side since joining the conference. If Elko can implement his tough-nosed, disciplined style to set the tone for the program in year one, along with winning 8-9 games, fans will be excited for the future.
As is the case with many programs across the country, A&M also needs this transfer class to gel and the offense to thrive under new OC Collin Klein. Conner Weigman needs to stay healthy the entire season and take a giant leap forward in his production, elevating the play of his skill position players.
How they can earn some extra biscuits
Win 8-9 games and shock someone like Notre Dame, LSU, or Texas, and let everyone know you’re coming in 2025. It’s a new era in College Station - will that strike fear in opponents? We’ll find out this year.
Next Up:
Kentucky Wildcats
Previous: Tennessee Volunteers, Vanderbilt Commodores, Auburn Tigers, Ole Miss Rebels, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Missouri Tigers, Arkansas Razorbacks, Oklahoma Sooners