Anyone have any idea of who the starters will be next year ?
Does Bisontis come back for another year ?

If we don't utilize the portal it could be presumed that we're happy with what we have in the pipeline. We have some talent waiting in the wings that have a year or two in the system.

TexasAggie_97 said:

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Why do other teams seem to not have these problems all the time? Certain schools remain at the top for long stretches of time but once we have a good year then we are told to enjoy it because it will get worse again. Didn't we just pay Elko to compete and not have 7-8 win seasons?

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Because Jimbo didn't build a quality roster, head to toe. Whether recruiting the wrong kind of kid, and/or just whiffing in player development while on campus, it didn't happen.

And while Elko and Co. seem to have it going in the right direction now, he's just in year 2.

Those other teams you speak of are putting 10+ players into the NFL Draft, year after year with consistency. And with very few portal supplements (comparatively).
Meanwhile we're putting in maybe 3 or 4. The gap is enormous, head to toe across the roster, whether we like it or not.

We likely put in 10+ ourselves this year, or get close. And it's noticeable with what's on the field.
But it'll be for the first time in forever (or maybe ever?)
And we're not stacked up enough (yet) to do it next year, or to keep doing it in consecutive years. Yet.

I think you are right. Does anyone on here know how much playing time out frosh O-Lineman got?

So important we get good OL in the portal to have all of spring ball with Moffitt and Reed.

TxAg76 said:

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TexasAggie_97 said:

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Why do other teams seem to not have these problems all the time? Certain schools remain at the top for long stretches of time but once we have a good year then we are told to enjoy it because it will get worse again. Didn't we just pay Elko to compete and not have 7-8 win seasons?

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Because Jimbo didn't build a quality roster, head to toe. Whether recruiting the wrong kind of kid, and/or just whiffing in player development while on campus, it didn't happen.

And while Elko and Co. seem to have it going in the right direction now, he's just in year 2.

Those other teams you speak of are putting 10+ players into the NFL Draft, year after year with consistency. And with very few portal supplements (comparatively).
Meanwhile we're putting in maybe 3 or 4. The gap is enormous, head to toe across the roster, whether we like it or not.

We likely put in 10+ ourselves this year, or get close. And it's noticeable with what's on the field.
But it'll be for the first time in forever (or maybe ever?)
And we're not stacked up enough (yet) to do it next year, or to keep doing it in consecutive years. Yet.

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We also need to hold onto the quality players we had and not let them portal out. ex TJ Shanahan is starting at pennstate

Also think regression comes next year due to OL and interior DL losing experience and depth (RB room lacking top depth and a big, bruising back unless Tigre can be that guy). We don't seem to be playing enough OL youngins that much and struggled with even a solid top 5 (Center has been a weakness). Don't think OL is always a simple plug and play with transfers, but depends a bit.

It was difficult seeing several past OL playing at other schools (and starting), but guess that's why they left (not starting for us nor at the same value proposition, but Dewberry would have been a good keep).

Sched also tougher next and why I didn't like the rush to up Elko pay/tenure as next year he'll earn is prior keep (he had some easier sched the 1st 2 years of his tenure). Yes, has team potentially ahead of sched, but many will be frustrated next year as still lacks proper depth on the team to compete week in and week out.

Don't think we are recruiting enough interior DL, but maybe that's where they'll focus in Txfr portal.

Elko is probably thrilled that he could get an extension this year because next year won't be an "extension worthy" year for 2 reasons: young OL starters and harder schedule.

This year, our SEC opponents that we beat had a combined record of 12-39. Next year, we play Bama and OU on the road and add Vols at home. Lane will probably have LSU playing better. Significantly harder schedule.

We may grab some OL from the portal, but it won't be a veteran group that's played together for a while. I expect 9-3 next year.

At best you return Chase and Nabou. I would think they would go after a Tackle or two in the portal with Lamont and Bourdon fighting for a spot on either side. At right guard, there's probably a in house competition between Blake Ivy, Papa Aufua, Tyler Thomas, Ashton Funk, or Nelson McGuire for the starting spot.

I'm guessing Bourdon is most likely the starting LT next season. He got quite a bit of playing time this year and looked decent. Will be a 3rd year guy with experience. Pay to keep Bisontis around if you can. Go get a center in the portal so that you can move Nabou(will be 4th year guy) to right guard where he is a better fit. Decide whether you think Rogers, or somebody else, is ready to take over at right tackle. If not, then get a tackle out of the portal.

IFBisontis comes back, the situation gets a lot better. We would have him and Nabou as returning starters.
Bourdan (sp?) has also played a good bit as an extra lineman this year. Rogers (Fr) and Funk & Ivy (RsFr) are either fairly highly rated or highly rated recruits that the coaches are high on.

If you could get a 1-year rental on a stud LT, that would be the portal route to go.

TexasAggie_97 said:

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Why do other teams seem to not have these problems all the time? Certain schools remain at the top for long stretches of time but once we have a good year then we are told to enjoy it because it will get worse again. Didn't we just pay Elko to compete and not have 7-8 win seasons?

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Texas line was hot garbage most of the year. Trouble running the ball. Protection issues early with Manning. They seem to be better now, but it was still a huge step back

TexasAggie_97 said:

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Why do other teams seem to not have these problems all the time? Certain schools remain at the top for long stretches of time but once we have a good year then we are told to enjoy it because it will get worse again. Didn't we just pay Elko to compete and not have 7-8 win seasons?

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This! Bama never had this issue under Saban. Ohio St hasn't regressed under Day.

Why are a lot of yall assuming A&M can't be like them and has to regress back down?? But yet none of yall have made a thread entitled "Fairytale season for A&M" yet. Because that's what is essentially being said. I don't understand it

King of the Dairy Queen said:

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EagleAg said:

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Time to dig into the portal.

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That's what I would assume. Im sure o line are a premium price but I assume we get what we need in such an important position?

I dont know how portal works so someone tell me if my assumptions are wrong.

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Everyone is in the portal these days trying to shore up their O-line

BucketofBalls99 said:

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TexasAggie_97 said:

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Why do other teams seem to not have these problems all the time? Certain schools remain at the top for long stretches of time but once we have a good year then we are told to enjoy it because it will get worse again. Didn't we just pay Elko to compete and not have 7-8 win seasons?

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This! Bama never had this issue under Saban. Ohio St hasn't regressed under Day.

Why are a lot of yall assuming A&M can't be like them and has to regress back down?? But yet none of yall have made a thread entitled "Fairytale season for A&M" yet. Because that's what is essentially being said. I don't understand it

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So you are mad that in year 2 we aren't...checks post....Bama under Saban or current day Ohio State?

Unfortunately, I agree, coupled with our schedule, not a good combo

In the sec you gotta have mature linemen and thats what the portal and nil is for. We got productive portal additions this year so I would think o line is a priority for Elko

The ideal situation is to have 1 or 2 studs that get drafted every year so that you are only replacing 1 or 2 guys and have more than half your line returning with experience.

Once you stack several high quality recruiting classes back-to-back-to-back, you can achieve this balance.
Hopefully Elko has us on that path for the future, but since we lose so much this year, it would probably be good to go after one stud from the portal.

We won't know who the potential starters are until next summer…when we have a better idea of who is on the team and who is not on the team

TexasAggie_97 said:

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Why do other teams seem to not have these problems all the time? Certain schools remain at the top for long stretches of time but once we have a good year then we are told to enjoy it because it will get worse again. Didn't we just pay Elko to compete and not have 7-8 win seasons?

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It happened to tu this year

Bill Superman said:

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TxAg76 said:

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No idea, but they'll be young and green.
And a key reason why we'll see some regression and be in the 8-4 to 9-3 range next year.

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Y'all all predicted 8-4 this year. I'll wait to see what Elko does in the portal before I start banging all the pots.

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Some did, yeah. I didn't. I felt like we'd have a really good year with playoff potential if the DLine could hold up, given the returning starters elsewhere (particularly OLine) and the portal supplements.

But I don't feel the same about next year, particularly because of what we'll lose on both sides of the ball, especially in the trenches, both sides.

Mr. Incredible said:

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Cushing made the worst o-line in our history one of the nation's best. We will have regression yes, but that is due to the fact that pretty much all new starters. However we have high upside players that have been on the roster for at least a year. For example, Lamont Rogers. Our o-line will not be an issue next year. It will likely start off slow, but they'll come together

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i would agree with you. i think both rodgers and bourbon have major upside as SEC tackles. nabou will be back at center. i doubt bisontis comes back but if he does we have the makings of a good line. either way we have to hit the portal and bring in a guy to compete for starting time at guard and tackle. and then probably a guy that can do both like Reed when he came from kansas and now plays guard for us.

what i like about our next crop of guys is that many of them will have been on campus for 3 years before they are given the opportunity that is how you build depth.

lastly cushing is a stud offensive line coach. we won't ever be terrible as ing as he is coaching here.

EagleAg said:

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Time to dig into the portal.

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Even if you stacked the OL with seniors from other schools, it will be a regression. The only "fix" is time and experience as a unit. You can bring in a couple to fill in and sub out but the core unit needs to have same-day experiences together.

Plenty of future nfl lineman for sale, we'll be fine.

Bisontis is a top 5 guard so unlikely he comes back. Would love him to but imagine it would take some money.

TxAg76 said:

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No idea, but they'll be young and green.
And a key reason why we'll see some regression and be in the 8-4 to 9-3 range next year.

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We were supposed to be 8-4 this year. How'd that work out?

We need to buy 3 really good ones in the portal, and that's pretty much do or die. No elite football program (Ohio State, Georgia, etc.) would ever say "welp, most of our O linemen are moving on after this season…guess we'll only win 8 games next year." They reload every year. We should expect to do the same if we are going to be an elite football program that contends for the playoff every year. If we are resigning ourselves to being 8-4 next year, we aren't a serious program.