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USA Today
5 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
2026 5-star Edge will take official visit to Texas A&M This weekend
2026 5-star Edge will take official visit to Texas A&M This weekend Texas A&M's recruiting success over the last two weeks is only surprising to those not paying attention. Since Saturday night, coach Mike Elko has landed four commitments, starting with three-star athlete Kaeden Johnson, followed by four-star OT Samuel Roseborough, four-star running back KJ Edwards, and on Thursday afternoon, five-star athlete/cornerback Brandon Arrington chose the Aggies over Oregon. Landing Edwards and Arrington was not expected over a month ago, but Elko and his staff, especially running back coach Trooper Taylor and defensive back coaches Ishmael Aristide and Jordan Peterson, have proven their elite recruiting chops. This is just the start of what's to come this month, as Elko stated that more commits are on the horizon, while another priority prospect has just set his official visit with the program. According to GigEm247's Andrew Hattersley, 2026 five-star edge rusher Tristian Givens, who will announce his commitment on Monday, will take his Texas A&M official visit this weekend before making his decision. Givens is a slight favorite to land with the Aggies, which could be solidified after his OV. Ahead of his visit, Givens spoke with Hattersley about his close connection with College Station, and why the coaching staff, specifically his comfort level, and defensive line coaches Tony Jerod-Eddie and Sean Spencer's plan for him, if he chose the Aggies. "(I like) just how they're going to play me off the edge and stuff and be able to drop me in curls, hooks and all the stuff like that," Givens stated. However, after official visits to Tennessee and Washington, Givens is reportedly "up in the air" regarding his decision. While the Aggies have a leg up as his final host this summer, nothing is set in stone. "Just whichever one, I feel the most comfortable going to and my mom feels comfortable with me going to," Givens stated. According to 247Sports, Givens is the 23rd-ranked prospect in the 2026 cycle, the 3rd-ranked edge, and the 4th-ranked prospect in Georgia. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
USA Today
13 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Everything Texas A&M HC Bucky McMillan said during his first Coach's Night appearance
Everything Texas A&M HC Bucky McMillan said during his first Coach's Night appearance Heading into his first season at the helm for the Texas A&M men's basketball program, head coach Bucky McMillan previewed the season ahead in his first appearance at the Dallas A&M Club for Coach's Night on Wednesday. McMillan was hired as the Aggies' new head coach on April 4 on a five-year deal worth $16 million. Before he arrived in Bryan-College Station, Texas, he led the Samford Bulldogs to the school's first NCAA Tournament since 2000, while also racking up three Southern Conference Coach of the Year awards during his tenure. The opportunity to coach at the highest level against the best competition is something that every coach clamors for, and that is exactly what McMillan will be granted when he steps on the court for the first Southeastern Conference matchup in January. Here is everything McMillan had to say when discussing the upcoming season and his experiences so far in Aggieland. How has it been having the opportunity to visit with the Dallas Aggies Club and the Texas A&M community across the state of Texas? "It's great. You can feel the passion from all of these fans and it's great, the people in College Station and now here in Dallas, and all across all the Aggies have such passion," McMillan said. How is McMillan's relationship with Texas A&M's head football coach Mike Elko? "(Mike Elko) has been great, showing me the ropes since I've been here. I'm a football fan. I'm a big, big football fan, so I appreciate you, Coach," McMillan said. What is the importance of adding Spanish guard Rubén Domínguez and what does he bring to the table? "What he brings is three-point shooting from the time he steps on the floor," McMillan said. "He can shoot it from half-court, he's one of the best shooters in the world. What's going on with international game right now, with the way college basketball is with NIL (name, image and likeness) opportunties, is that a lot of the players that would have played professionally overseas are now coming acorss the pond. We want the good ones who can make threes to come to Texas A&M. He's one of those guys." How plug-and-play ready is Domínguez going from playing overseas to the SEC? "He's played against elite competition, professional basketball. He knows how to play, (which) I think is just as important as his skill set," McMillan said. "When you get to this level, a lot of it is your mental ability to process things quickly. If you played professionally, you're able to process faster. That's what he brings. He'll probably have an adjustment to make with the physicallity and the defense that's in the SEC, but I like what he's about and I like his skill set." How have summer workouts progressed for the Aggies? "We just want to get better. We got a lot of guys out. We got three that won't be here until later in the summer, so we don't have 10 yet. We're not playing a lot of five-on-five," McMillan said. "We're just trying to get the players acclamated to our pace of play and the skill set it takes to play at that pace and the volume of three-point shooting is obviously something we've been working on to make sure our guys understand how we like to space the floor and the skillset neccessary to be able to do that. How does the House settlement impact college hoops? "Across college basketball and football, this may be the highest group of athletes in terms of their financial compensation that will ever happen," McMillan said. "The House settlement hasn't come into play yet, NIL opportunties (and) collective opportunties. I think it may come down to earth a little bit next year, but it'll be across the SEC with that $2.73 (million)." How much more comfortable are you now, compared to when you first got hired? "It's a lot more relaxing becuase you actually get to work with players. If you can't work, it's hard to have confidence in the group you have. Now, we're finally getting players there so we can work and build the confidence within the team we're going to need to have to play in the best college basketball league in the country," McMillan said. What does it mean to be able to visit with Aggie fans and see the support from the Maroon and White faithful? "This is incredible. This is the value of athletics, when you think about it. There are not a lot of opportunties and things in life that can tie this many people together," McMillan said. "It's phenomenal because we have something that links us together. We're all Aggies here, and we get to support each other." What are the goals heading into the 2025-2026 campaign? "I expect to win every game that we're going to play. That's the pressure we put on ourselves," McMillan said. What does the future of the program look like moving forward? "There is no reason that A&M can't compete at the highest of the high level with all of the resources that the Aggies have provided," McMillan said. How will this team handle potential obstacles and challenges ahead during this year's campaign? "We want adversity. We want that. When there is true adversity and things aren't going exactly how we want it to go, that's an opportunity for all these Aggies to come together and do something incredible," McMillan said. How did it feel coming to Texas A&M and what's the experience in College Station been like so far? "Trev Alberts, who is not here tonight, I have to thank him for this great opportunity to be your basketball coach," McMillan said. "Everything has been great since we've been here. I have loved College Station. It has been phenomenal. I certainly feel the passion for the fans." What can fans expect from "Bucky Ball"? "My job is to bring you a product and a program that you all can be so proud of because they play so hard, so unselfish and have such a swagger when they step on that floor," McMillan said. "We want to play a style of basketball that's successful and that you enjoy watching. We want to bring both to you: We want to bring a winning culture that you all deserve, and we want to have an entertaining style that you can all enjoy." What kind of aspects will this program be built on moving forward? "Our basketball program is pretty much built on this: We've got to get great personnel. We've got to get great recruits. We've got to get great coaches, and we've got to get great supporters. No one is going to outdo the support of the Aggies. That much I know." What is the focus of this team and what are the expectations heading into this year? "We try to narrow the focus to a driver, a pitching wedge and a putter. That's our plan. We're going to keep it simple analytically, and hopefully, we can be one of the highest scoring teams in the country this year," McMillan said. "We take free-throws, layups and threes, and we get really good at it." How has the recruiting process been at Texas A&M this offseason? "There are not too many places that you could be, that at that time of year, that you could have that kind of support," McMillan said. "We brought 12 players on recruiting visits, and all 12 committed. That says a lot about Texas A&M." What is the vision for the program's future? "I do think that this place is destined to compete for championships. I want to do that here. We will compete for championships when we don't focus so much on what we're going to do and instead focus on how we're going to do it," McMillan said. "I'm looking forward to building something truly special here with everyone here." Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.
USA Today
21 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texas A&M lands massive commitment from 2026 5-star CB over Oregon
Texas A&M lands massive commitment from 2026 5-star CB over Oregon Texas A&M's recruiting success is only shocking to those who haven't been paying attention, as coach Mike Elko and his staff have landed three priority 2026 prospects over the past five days, led by elite four-star running back KJ Edwards on Tuesday night, securing a victory over the Texas Longhorns. Again, Elko has built a highly respectable culture in College Station that directly led to three of the program's early 2026 commits, including four-star wide receiver Aaron Gregory and four-star running back Jonathan Hatton, who have shut down their future visits and are set to sign with Texas A&M during the early signing period. Relationships built on trust both on and off the field are everything in today's college football landscape, and the Aggies have become the best example of how to recruit from the ground up. On Thursday morning, Mike Elko landed his 18th commitment in the 2026 cycle, as five-star cornerback Brandon Arrington chose the Aggies over Oregon with his family in front of his high school peers at Mount Miguel HS (CA), as his collegiate future will now start, and likely end in College Station as one of Texas A&M's future star defensive backs. Arrington is one of the fastest and most versatile athletes in the cycle, finishing his 2024 junior season with 26 tackles, three pass breakups, and an interception while reeling in 57 receptions for 527 yards and five touchdowns on offense. While he can play wide receiver, his ability to blanket receivers in press-man coverage and his elite speed to beat top receivers along the boundary will make him a future NFL prospect during his third season with the program. According to On3, Arrington is currently the 9th-ranked prospect in the 2026 class, the No. 1-ranked athlete, and the No. 1-ranked prospect in California. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
USA Today
21 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
2026 4-star QB and Texas A&M commit named On3's Elite 11 Day 2 MVP
2026 4-star QB and Texas A&M commit named On3's Elite 11 Day 2 MVP Texas A&M's 2026 recruiting class is headlined by the highest-ranked prospect in the cycle, four-star running back KJ Edwards. Still, one of the more intriguing commits has made headlines this week, as four-star quarterback Helaman Casuga has been one of the top performers during this week's On3 Elite 11 competition, and was named Day 2's MVP after completing 18/20 passes on the night. Casuga was one of Texas A&M's priority prospects for OC Collin Klein, who saw his potential before most programs, and now they are looking to flip the standout Utah-based signal caller heading into the fall. However, Casuga's pledge with the Aggies, like the rest of the 17 commits in the cycle, remains strong, as he is coming off his official visit to College Station on June 5. Casuga's next-level arm talent was on full display this week. After losing 2025 five-star Husan Longstreet to USC late last fall, coach Mike Elko and Klein believe that Casuga is the answer as the program's next starting signal caller, which is only surprising to those who have not watched this young man play. Here's what On3's Director of Scouting and Recruiting, Charles Power, had to say regarding Casuga's performance during the second day of the Elite 11 event. "A very good performance on Night 2 from Texas A&M four-star commit Helaman Casuga, who finishes 18 of 20 on target to tie Jett Thomalla. A very clean pro day session. His footwork and timing was crisp and he consistently delivered catchable passes. The downfield arm strength may not overwhelm, but the zip was nice towards the intermediate areas." Casuga's arm isn't considered the strongest in the 2026 cycle. Still, his quick release and elite touch make him a perfect fit in Collin Klein's system, which emphasizes short to intermediate passes. During his first two seasons, Casuga passed for 6,475 yards and 60 touchdowns, and if/when he signs with the Aggies, he will reunite with his former No. 1 wide receiver, Jerome Myles, Texas A&M's top 2025 signee. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Previewing the 2025 season for Texas A&M DL DJ Hicks with his player profile
Previewing the 2025 season for Texas A&M DL DJ Hicks with his player profile As we gear up for the 2025 football season, Aggies Wire is breaking down every player on the Texas A&M roster. Throughout the preseason, each profile will highlight the player's background, recruiting rankings out of high school, and their projected role under head coach Mike Elko this year. DJ Hicks, the top-rated recruit from Texas A&M's 2023 class, enters the season as a veteran presence on the defensive line. The Aggies will rely on Hicks to help fortify their run defense, lining up alongside Albert Regis and Cashius Howell to create a formidable front. While Hicks' statistics through two seasons may not leap off the page, his experience across 24 games, mostly in rotational roles behind current NFL talent, has prepared him for a breakout junior year. With his name now penciled in atop the depth chart, Hicks is expected to see his most significant playing time yet. Preseason Player Profile Hometown: Katy, Texas Height: 6-5 Weight: 310 lbs. Class in 2025: Junior Recruiting Rankings (Class of 2023) National: No. 11 No. 11 Position (DL): No. 1 No. 1 Texas: No. 2 The former five-star prospect, Hicks earned 2022 Texas District 19-6A Co-Defensive MVP honors his senior year. After contributing in nearly every game since arriving in College Station, 2025 could be the year he cements his legacy. Depth Chart Outlook For the first time, Hicks enters fall camp as a projected starter, listed beside senior Albert Regis. Expect him to play a key role in Texas A&M's defensive success this season. Here's what coach Mike Elko had to say about the junior DL during the Dallas Coach's Night: "I think DJ Hicks is probably that guy who is going to step into that limelight this year and fulfill his potential." Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
