And the answers you don’t need to know
You’re gonna see a lot of articles talking about the most important questions facing Texas A&M in Mike Elko’s first season at the helm. Will the offensive scheme maximize the talent? Will the offensive line be serviceable? Will they be able to live up to expectations and avoid the portal exodus of previous seasons? All valid questions worthy of discussion.
But I was told that there’s no such thing as a stupid question, so rather than focus on the “big” questions like everyone else, I wanted to address the smallest ones. Sometimes my favorite part of college football is the minutiae that most people don’t even pay attention to, so let’s dive into the biggest questions we really DON’T need answered this fall (but I’d like to have them answered anyway).
Will A&M wear an alternate uniform?
Under Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M’s approach to uniforms was almost painfully simplistic. Outside of the 1998 throwback worn in his first year (which was almost certainly in the woks even before his arrival), the Aggies essentially just stuck to a standard home and road uniform and that was it. No alternates, no variation in helmet/jersey/pants combos, nothing.
Certainly after the outlandish uniforms of the Kevin Sumlin era, a bit of simplification was in order, but it feels like they swung a bit too far in the other direction. There’s likely a balance between the two, and as Mike Elko has alluded to, that’s likely where the Ags ultimately land.
Mike Elko to the Capital City A&M Club: “I always try to live in the middle as a head coach.”
“Some schools wear crazy uniforms. Some schools stay super traditional. I am trying to blend tradition and with what is fresh and new… We will try to find that balance.”
— TexAgs (@TexAgs) May 21, 2024
Will Jahdae Walker unveil a new touchdown celebration?
Jahdae broke the Aggie internet when he (and Ainias Smith) did the “Jubi Slide” following his touchdown catch against Mississippi State. Will he make this his signature touchdown celebration, or will he show us something new? These are the kinds of things only I want to know.
Jahdae Walker And Ainias Smith Hit The Jubi Slide Wearing Cleats. They Floating!#ncaa #football #collegefootball #celly #sports #dance #jubislide #jahdaewalker #ainiassmith #texasamfootball #fypシ #foryou #foryoupage #explorepage pic.twitter.com/kzV2zZ4CSV
— Nick Hollywood (@HollywoodNick) November 14, 2023
How often will we hear from the coordinators?
Under Jimbo Fisher, we essentially heard from coordinators at the beginning of the season and maybe once in the spring and that was it. Mike Elko even joked in his introductory press conference as head coach about how he’d been here four years previously and hardly ever spoken to the media. Will that change now? How often will reporters (and fans) get to hear from OC Collin Klein and DC Jay Bateman.
Some people will say that whether or not we hear from coordinators throughout the season is completely meaningless, and they are, in fact, correct.
What will the A&M-branded Ultraboosts look like?
The team-branded sneakers are a part of the lead-up to every college football season. The recent versions have been on the Ultraboost 1.0 silhouette, but we’ve also seen Adidas do team-branded versions on the newest version of the shoe (this years being the Ultraboost 5X). WHICH DIRECTION WILL THEY GO?!?!
When will A&M leave for road games?
Jimbo Fisher somewhat infamously had the team leave for road games on Thursday (virtually every other team doesn’t leave until Friday). Given that the team hasn’t won a road game since 2021, this is clearly a decision that is pivotal to Mike Elko’s tenure in Aggieland. Our (fictional) sources will be monitoring this situation closely.
What random Kyle Field inhabitant will we lionize next?
We’ve had bats, the Kyle Field Tomato, War Grackle, a possum, 12th Man Jesus, rally baby and many others over the years that have rose to prominence among the Aggie fanbase, becoming unofficial mascots in various seasons. Will we see one this year? God willing.
What can we complain about regarding the team entrance?
Many Aggies are still up in arms about the pivot away from using Kanye West’s “Power” as the team entrance song (and the similar-sounding song used to replace it). Will the entrance change at all for 2024, or will it be unchanged? Is this important? Not at all. Do I spend way too much time thinking about it? You’re darned right I do.
Who will the next 12th Man be?
Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sam Matthews set a high bar for the next 12th Man, making plays on special teams all year before starting the Texas Bowl at safety and snagging an interception.
What will the team wear when they step off the bus?
Kevin Sumlin had the team in warmups/sweats. Jimbo had them in suits. Neither proved to make a tangible difference, so what is Mike Elko to do? At Duke, Elko had the team in warmup gear, but maybe goes a different direction. Maybe business casual, heck maybe already in full uniform? Maybe some cool new thing I don’t even know about, the possibilities are endless!
Who will be the College Gameday guest picker with A&M begins the season against Notre Dame?
Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images
Comedian Shane Gillis has already confirmed he will be at the Aggies’ season-opener against the Fighting Irish, but that’s because he is a Notre Dame fan. There have also been reports that College Football Playoff Executive Director Richard Clark will be in town. That said, it will probably be The Chainsmokers again, for some reason.