A major piece of news would be who among the players who were injured are recovered and participating in practices.
The secondary has some spots open, especially if Rex isn’t fully recovered, both safeties and nickel starters graduated.

Good point on the Secondary. No way Rex will be ready for spring. The Idaho transfer and the Holy Cross kid will add to whatever is coming up at Safety. Brayden Rosa I think his name is played a bunch of Special Teams towards the end of the season and is a heckuva football player. Size will be the ?

i like Marquis Bell 6’ 205#. Made a great interception with his arm in a cast. Played safety at Liberty. Did quite well at cornerback.

There are a number of guys still in recovery mode. On D really need to find a couple of edge types that can rush the passer without being total liabilities in the run game.

We'll miss our sack man tremendously. What an impact player.

No question. This is a big and physical returning group of DL that should help out the second level guys.

My oldest is at NAU this week with friends visiting their friend.
I told him to get a pic inside the Skydome. Also, if the 'Jacks are practicing they have to play the Pen*s! game (dating myself lol), but say "Aggies!" instead.
Stay tuned...

I further digress, but these days teens do this weird moaning thing instead of the Pen*s! game. Its weirder, but seems to be just as fun.

(don't worry, he knows I'm not serious)

So if the Connors come back, how does our D stack up to last year?

Unit leader and MVP back, but we lose our best sack man / DE in ten years.

Last years D was disrupted by multiple injuries. Healthy it might have been better than this years but had a lot of new faces and then got decimated.
This years unit, if the Connors are healthy have veteran starters in the system at every position with the exception of a couple of spots in the secondary. Jaden Few played an unusual amount as a Freshman behind Psyk, and will probably fill that spot. Everyone else on D line and LB will be returning starter, corners are returning, and at safety there is Rex. So i think this years D will be better as a unit, if they remain healthy.

At minimum there will be new starters at Mike, DE, nickel, and box safety.

i assume Porter Connors and Jackson Sievers will be the inside linebackers. if so I’d count that as both returning starters.

Did I miss something? Were Connor twins cleared by NCAA?

Not announced. The feeling is that their names added in the recently updated roster points to that,

Those two are Will types. Maybe Sievers can grow into it but I wouldn’t put Conners at the Mike.

Anyone more lengthy or heavy either hasn’t played much as a position player, or has been an edge linebacker. The guy who was on the depth chart behind Rutchena was Cory McEnroe 6’1” 225 and played mostly on special teams. Maybe a freshman or sophomore who hasn’t played will win the job and that would be great. It’s always great when someone who hasn’t played surprises.

It felt to me like we weren’t very physical at the LB position in ‘25. Sievers had a couple nice hits that I recall, but Nate wasn’t nearly as physical as I expected or as physical as Meyer was in ‘24. Nate was an outstanding pass defender, but maybe I’m old school and want that Middle LB to be a monster. Possible it’s Sievers, or maybe it will be the freshman or the Juco kid. I would just like to see that guy be a wrecker. A presence. Our LBs were invisible vs Illinois State.

Loss of Psyk has me nervous. Few is a big time up-and-comer, but he can’t play every down. What’s behind him is what will have the greater impact

yes

Carrillo back from injury at end

Game changing news

“ Loss of Psyk has me nervous.”
At the lunch Plough was real high on the freshman who saw some action last year. And there’s a number 2 guy that’s apparently studly as well. Sorry, don’t remember the names but it sounds like we have a great replacement for Psyk.

I don't think one player can replace Psyk, 9.5 sacks, 15.5 TFL, Buck Buchanan nominee, one of our best defensive lineman since 2000.

Is he quick enough to get an UFA look?

True, you don’t replace that sort of player, you work around it. Yes, he’s a UFA guy.

Few is the freshman who saw time last year. I think he’ll be the next great one if he sticks around long enough. Big, physical, explosive from what I saw towards the end of the year. Just looked uncertain at times but what freshman doesn’t.

I wonder who the backup is.

Fill me in on Carrillo, I don’t recall.

Carrillo played a lot 3 years ago. Need more than those two at edge and that may be where Garrettson could slot in but he’s another one that’s battled injuries. On the other side they need more consistency out of Sam and he’s got to be able to play the run game. Madruga has played quite a bit of football also. Ray and Sackinsky played late in the year with everyone hurt and did not appear to be rotational guys but that can change with a full offseason program.

..."as the players leave the field they sing our fight song as they pass Coach Sochor's statue since they think he'd like to hear it"...this is Aggie Pride and culture at it's best....

Listening to that part gave me goosebumps. Great culture

Let’s get someone local out to practice tomorrow so we have something to talk about early in the week! Give us an update on the QBs, the LT, Tight End depth, how does Psyk’s replacement committee look, young LBs, etc