TexAgs Live - Billy Liucci : 07.27.26

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Zone 1150 – TexAgs Live – Billy Liucci : 07.27.26

Date: July 27, 2026
Hosts: David Nuño, Billy Liucci, Kayla Gaither, Olin Buchanan

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Episode Overview

This episode of TexAgs Live is centered on the evolving brand of Texas A&M (A&M) in college athletics, examining its stature both financially and on the football field. The crew discusses A&M's ranking in national brand valuations, what it takes to become a top-10 brand in college football, the impact of sustained success, and the outlook for the upcoming season. A special focus segment ranks the No. 25 most important Aggie player for 2026. Later, the team reacts to Nick Saban’s comments about A&M and Coach Mike Elko, while fielding questions about the SEC landscape and the upcoming schedule.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Texas A&M’s Brand Power in College Athletics

• A&M's Brand Ranking:
  • A&M is currently No. 3 nationally and No. 2 in the SEC in athletic department valuation, trailing only Texas and Ohio State ([01:00 – 02:00]).
  • "A&M is valued at $1.32 billion, the number three overall in the nation... revenue is consistently pushing past $260 million." – David ([01:01])
• What Defines a "Brand":
  • Not just on-field wins but awards, championships, donor strength, NIL, and culture contribute to brand strength ([00:16 – 02:30]).
  • Mike Elko coaches players to "look in the trophy case," noting A&M’s need for program-defining wins and hardware ([00:48]).
• Comparison with Other "Brands":
  • Texas, Ohio State, A&M, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee, USC, Alabama, and Nebraska top the brand valuations ([02:48]).
  • Oregon discussed as a brand that sustains relevance despite not always winning championships ([03:10 – 08:00]).

2. Sustained Success and Aggie Football Expectations

• What’s Needed for A&M:
  • To be grouped with elite programs (Georgia, Alabama, Clemson), A&M must consistently contend for the playoffs ([08:30 – 13:00]).
  • "You gotta get there regularly. You gotta make a run at this thing, maybe play for a title." – Billy ([05:47])
• Discussion of Recent Seasons:
  • Margins are thin between great seasons and disappointing ones, which is seen nationally in many top programs ([11:00 – 13:00]).
  • The hosts propose that if A&M had edged Miami, the national conversation would be much different.
• Critical Programs to Watch:
  • Miami, OU, Texas, and A&M are seen as programs "on the cusp" where a breakthrough could elevate their brands ([11:24 – 16:00]).
  • Texas’ position discussed—preseason expectations are sky-high, but shortfalls could warm Steve Sarkisian’s seat ([16:00 – 17:30]).

3. Fandom, Process, and Perspective

• Message to "Self-Loathing Ags":
  • Elko encourages fans to "enjoy the journey," emphasizing that being part of the climb is more rewarding than only celebrating the summit ([16:00 – 19:11]).
  • "It's okay to acknowledge that last year was a breakthrough season...you don't have to dwell on the last two games." – Billy ([16:30])
• Climbing the Mountain Analogy:
  • Billy likens program building to climbing a mountain—with setbacks, patience, and the importance of enjoying successes along the way ([16:30 – 19:11]).

4. 25 in 25: Ranking Lamont Rogers, OT

• Projection vs. Proven Production:
  • No. 25 on the list is Lamont Rogers, highly touted but unproven, expected to compete for a starting job on the offensive line ([25:58 – 32:22]).
  • "If he has a good fall camp...you're going to have to put him out there just to see how he handles it." – Billy ([27:48])
• Roster Building and Retention:
  • The program’s strategy emphasized retaining talent like Rogers amidst heavy portal activity ([29:30]).
  • "This is a prime example of who you kept in the portal...heavily pursued and tampered with." – Billy ([30:45])
• Depth and Competition:
  • Coaching staff has created depth at critical positions, with "real competition" at multiple positions—secondary mentioned as another crowded battle ([32:22 – 34:43]).

5. 2026 Schedule & SEC Outlook

• Trap Games and Schedule Uncertainty:
  • Arizona State and Kentucky, both strong in the portal, pose potential early traps ([34:43 – 36:47]).
  • "You better [win], because...they’re not givens....there’s a lot of newness and excitement..." – Billy ([35:49])
• Importance of a Fast Start:
  • With a rebuilt O-line and D-line, A&M’s early cohesion will be pivotal ([36:47 – 38:18]).

6. Nick Saban on A&M and Elko

• Saban’s High Praise:
  • Nick Saban calls Elko "one of the best defensive coaches in the country" and notes A&M's reloaded roster and strong recruiting/portal work ([41:04]).
  • "I think they're going to be one of the teams that people need to contend with in the SEC." – Nick Saban ([41:21])
  • Billy asserts that Saban is selective with his praise, adding credibility ([40:33]).

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Brand Valuation:
  • "The brand of A&M has never been better. Now, I know there's the social media thing out there that opposing fan bases will let you think that it's not. Yeah, it is." – David ([01:35])
• On Sustained Success:
  • "You gotta make a run at this thing at some point, maybe play for a title." – Billy ([05:47])
• On Fandom and the Journey:
  • "It's okay to acknowledge that last year was a breakthrough season and that A&M football accomplished a lot of things they haven't accomplished in a long time...You don't have to dwell on the last two games." – Billy ([16:30])
  • "The fun part is this [the climb]. Those people don’t get on the tram until they really feel safe." – Billy ([16:30])
• On Roster Strategy:
  • "This is a prime example of who you kept in the portal. Guys like him...heavily pursued and tampered with." – Billy ([30:45])
• On Saban’s Take:
  • "If he's saying things, he believes them and he's observed them...I think his opinions should still carry a hell of a lot more weight than most..." – Billy ([41:04])
  • "They did a good job in the portal. They did a good job of recruiting. I think they're going to be one of the teams that people need to contend with in the SEC." – Nick Saban via Pat McAfee Show ([41:21])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• A&M Brand Ranking & Value: [00:16 – 03:00]
• Brand vs. On-Field Success: [03:00 – 09:00]
• Oregon’s Example of Sustained Brand: [07:00 – 08:45]
• National Perception & Program Comparisons: [11:00 – 16:00]
• Elko’s Message to Fans: [16:00 – 19:11]
• Analogies on Fandom and Building: [19:11 – 21:12]
• 25 in 25: Lamont Rogers: [25:58 – 32:22]
• Depth & Competition Narratives: [32:22 – 34:43]
• SEC Schedule and Early Dangers: [34:43 – 38:18]
• Nick Saban’s Comments & Team Wrap-Up: [39:45 – 41:27]

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Tone and Style

The episode balances data-driven analysis with fan-centric enthusiasm, blending moments of serious breakdown with light-hearted banter (pool and gym jokes, travel stories). The hosts speak "with maroon-tinted glasses," but regularly check their optimism with candid realities about what is needed for A&M’s next step as a college football powerhouse.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Show

This episode is essential listening for any Aggie fan, discussing what it really means to be a national brand in college sports and what it’ll take for A&M to reach the next level. There’s an honest evaluation of the roster, candid assessments of the program’s progress, and insight into the mindset of the coaching staff—plus an inside glimpse at national respect via Nick Saban’s remarks.

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Transcript

[A]

And we're back, I promise. Tech SAGS live presented by David Gardner's Jewelers Rollo Insurance. Studio should have Billy here in studio at some point today. Let's go to the Angry Elephant News and Social Center. Kayla Gaither. Some, some people were responding to the brand topic we had earlier.

[B]

Yeah. So we got a text in the go hour when Obi was talking about what A and M needs to do to be a big brand in college football. So I'm going to read this text from David and Franklin. He said they need more than just wins. They need team awards, SEC championships and national championships to be considered a top 10 brand in college football. Mike Elko himself said it when asked how to motivate his team. He said, just look in the trophy case. It's empty. So David, what do you think about David and Franklin's text?

[A]

So let's take it in parts. First off, I already think A and M is one of the biggest brands in all of college sports.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And this is an interesting segue into what Trev Alberts was talking about. But most people would think, oh, usc, Right, Right. USC is the, you know, they should be ahead of am. No. If I remember the order correctly, and I'll get it here in a moment, Texas is one, Ohio State was two, and then A&M. A&M was three. But I ask you, why is A&M three? Now, we're not talking about success on the football field. Right. We're talking about brand, what that means. Okay, so I'm just going to read you a little bit per our good friend Mr. AI. So A&M is valued at $1.32 billion, the number three overall in the nation, number two in the SEC. Let's see, they the revenue is consistently pushing past $260 million. And I know he's talking about football and I'll get into that here in a second. Football valuation. Independent academic finance evaluations pegged the football program alone upwards of 1.59 billion. Only trailing in state rival Texas. Within the conference, A and M out values traditional powerhouses like Georgia, Alabama and lsu. And it says why? Well, the donor and the nil strength. The 12th man culture to go along with it. So the brand of A and M has never been better. Now, I know there's the social media thing out there that opposing fan bases will let you think that it's not. Yeah, it is. Okay. And I didn't make up this list.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I didn't know A and M would have been three.

[B]

I didn't I didn't know that either. It honestly surprised me when Trev was talking about it. Like you said, you would have immediately thought, oh, usc, oh, Notre Dame. But yeah, A and M at number three. And it kind of goes to show that, yeah, A and M hasn't won an SEC championship or a national championship in a long time. The trophy case is empty, like Michael Go said. But that doesn't hinder from the fact that A and M is still widely known and a huge brand because of outside factors.

[A]

So I got some more information. This is from cnbc. The valuation mirrors how professional sport teams are calculated. Drawing hard financial metrics from the Department of Education, Equity and Athletic data, aggregate revenues, media. Right. Deals. We know A and M has done great there with their Playfly deal and of course, the SEC's deal, the donor and booster contributions, postseason payouts, and the football multiplier. So in the top 10, by the way, I have it here in front of me now. Texas, Ohio State, Texas A and M, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee, usc, Alabama and Nebraska. So brand wise, now we're talking about college athletics brand. Right. And what the logo means. Football wise to sustain, that is I think what. Or it needs to be sustained success of reaching the post season. Which is why earlier in the show, I brought up Oregon as an example. Like, Oregon hasn't punched their way through, but you pretty much know that they're gonna win 10 games a year or be in the mix for that and be a playoff contender, if not in the playoffs every year. And with that, the executive editor, co owner of Tech sags, Billy Lucci.

[C]

David Nuno.

[A]

How are you, buddy?

[C]

Good. How are you?

[A]

Good. We were touching on A and M's brand, and there's two different parts. A becoming a brand in college football that people buy into. Josh Pate had a little segment on whose, like, brands 10 years from now we're going to be saying is the top 10 brand in college football. But also bringing up what Trev said at PKO was from a brand, from an A and M as an institution, from an athletic brand, they're in the top three in all of college sports.

[C]

Yeah. And you know, the plan is to ascend there and they could be at 2 before too long. It could be, you know, the Aggies and Longhorns at the top. It's very close to that. So I get what you're saying. It's two different things. And being a national brand helps everything. It helps your bottom line. Obviously, it helps you recruit in all sports, including football. It the Visibility, the, you know, how much you recognize it. You look at things like, you know, even in the NFL and you got guys like Miles Garrett and Mike Evans, Von Miller representing that brand proudly, you know, and everyone, everyone knows their Aggie like an Alex Caruso winning a championship. Those all go into it. Just any time that that ATM is visible and people know, you know, talking about seeing anything to do with Texas A and M, it helps everything. And we're talking, we sit here and we're talking athletics. It helps every sport, every coach, every recruiting effort. You know, I tried to wear this shirt that was a little off maroon so I would. Wouldn't blend in. But of course I'm on the like the darkest portion of.

[A]

You want us to make it SEC blue?

[C]

Sure.

[A]

I don't know if I just asked.

[C]

Probably could during a commercial or something. But anyway, it's my fault for wearing a shirt. But no, I think football, you're right. It's a different. If it's a different kind of thing. You talk about A and M football. I think right now that's a. I think they're, you know, it depends on. You're talking about. Thank you. Talking about in the moment. Are they a top 15 brand? I feel like they are historically, I'd say probably more of top 20. But yeah, I think they're a top 15 brand right now and that has a ton to do. It first started with the SEC and kind of making that move and now lately, you know, Mike Elko has done a tremendous job with it. Last year's football team has played a massive role. But like you said, you got to get there regularly. Yeah, you got to get there regularly. You got to make a run at this thing at some point, maybe play for a title. You mentioned Oregon. They did got what it was against. It was against Cam Newton 14 years ago, 2013, 2010, 2010 or 11, whatever it was 15 years ago or so. And, and they've kind of been, they haven't been great ever since, but they, they've pretty much been a top easy top 10 relevant ever since. They've had some years, they've gone through some coaches, but they went to the playoffs and beat Jameis Winston with Marcus Mariota. They won. So they played for the title. What was it then? They played for it twice, I guess.

[B]

Did they?

[C]

Am I wrong?

[A]

You're right.

[C]

Check Oregon. They, they lost to Nick Fairley and Cam Newton. Right. And then they, I'm pretty sure. And then I know they, they beat Jamis in the four team playoff. They they pounded Jameis. I'm trying to think of who they. Obviously, they lost to an SEC game.

[A]

2010 and 2014.

[C]

Okay, who'd they lose to in 14?

[A]

I'm Ohio State. They lost 42 to 20 and they lost to Auburn 2219.

[C]

Yeah. And that was one they probably should have. They should have won. Cam Newton willed them to that one. But point being, they've played for two national titles. They've been in a couple of additional playoffs. Who. Who they lose to. They got drilled by Ohio State and then they got drilled by Indiana. They've been to the last two playoffs. So minimum, we don't need to do all the research, but a minimum of four playoffs in the last 15 years. And so. Yeah, and that's again, they've had some coaches dip, you know, Taggart, Crystal ball. They had Chip Kelly and they had the guy after Chip Kelly that rode his way for a second. So they haven't. It's not like they've had their Nick Saban. And so that's where you look at A M. You'd love them to be.

[A]

There's three and three in the playoffs

[C]

all time, like in Oregon, where they can. Where they're starting to consistently get there. But really what you really want to be, obviously, is Georgia, what they've been. You want to be like a Clemson, what they were. You don't want to be LSU one year playoffs once. Now you want to have their national titles, but that's spread over 25 years and three different coaches. But since you've joined the SEC, you would trade for that one. Joe Burrow, year. Don't get me wrong, but year in and year out, LSU is not a playoff team. You're looking at. Who are the teams that are there year in and year? Alabama, Georgia, somewhat Oregon, I think A and M. It's funny, like, how much different are we talking about A and M and Miami? If the Aggies win that football game, if they punch it in from the five, we go to overtime, they win that game. I'm not saying A and M would have made a run to the final. They could have. They could have beaten Ole Miss. Of course they could have. Anybody that says they couldn't have beat Elaine Kiffin list Ole Miss. I think that's crazy. I think that would have been a shootout. Miami beat the brakes off of Ohio State. I mean, I think. I think A and M as weird would sound to me. I said it all year, too. I thought A and M would be a better matchup with Ohio State. I Wasn't sold on them last year as being as great as people thought. Wasn't sold on their O line, wasn't sold on their run game. I thought a really good pass rush would get after saying, which is exactly what we saw in the Cotton bowl with Miami. They just weren't quite to the level. I think an A and M Ohio State game was a close defensive game down to the wire. But my point is how much different. It's funny though because we're not talking that much differently about the two programs nationally. No people that listen to this, you know, you got the Aggie fans, you got the self loathing Aggies that just don't think A and M can sustain it and they're just like I gotta see it to believe it. Which is a miserable way to be. And then you've got the A and M haters that listen, two thirds of that group won't understand this because they think it's us talking. I would suggest to the 2/3 of the group to go listen to what everyone else around college football saying, what everyone SEC Media day said, what the SEC preseason projection said, which is basically what everyone around the league is saying, what they're saying nationally, what the preseason polls are saying. They're going to have Miami, what

[A]

6

[C]

or 7 A&M in the probably 8 to 10 range. Like they're kind of viewed pretty similarly. And I think Miami and A and M&ou, I've said it many times and Ole Miss, but I just don't have faith in that one long term. Even if they get back this year. But I think Miami, OU and A and M are three programs that it's like which one slash ones of you are going to break through and be that team and become that college football brand. I know OU and Miami are always going to be a brand, but I just mean the current, current landscape of people look at the programs and they go ma', am, there's Georgia, there's A and M, there's, you know, I'm saying if they get in there, Georgia, A and M, Oregon, Indiana I think has just rapidly forced their way through Ohio State. And the other one that's interesting to me is Texas because we all expect them to get and they're again, they're like OU and my they're always going to be a brand. They're all and they're number one in the deal. They'll probably stay there. You're probably not pushing them out. They're always going to be a brand. But I'm saying Like in the college football brands today, right now, they either shoot right up there, right at the top with a couple other teams or what happens if they don't make the playoffs in two years in a row, like preseason top three, they miss out altogether. Their brand is not necessarily going anywhere, but that is a big hit to their current program momentum and I do think would put Sark on a pretty warm seat going into the next. Not like, hey, he's getting fired, but just dissatisfaction. Just dissatisfaction in Austin. And I'm not, I'm predicting them to go to the playoffs. I, I hope, I wish I wasn't, but I am going to Predict, I think 10 and 2. I think they're getting carried away. They think they're just going to roll through, But I think 10 and 2. But if they don't because there's it ain't that much of a difference between 10 and 2 and 8 and 4 as they saw last year with overtime wins in Lexington and Starkville. A and m saw that 11 and 1. You escape Fayetteville, you escape South Carolina. Fourth down play to beat Notre Dame. It is a fine line for everyone. So if Texas were to not make it, I don't think he's on the hot seat risking getting fired in 27, but I think dissatisfaction within the fan base, the message boards, I think the people paying the money would be pretty high if two years in a row you don't get MBM preseason number one and let's say preseason number three with the you can argue it, you can lie to my face and tell me if you, if you down there on the inside and think you want to correct me, feel free to text me your payrolls. Fairly positive. It's over 50 million. Nothing wrong with that. But it is if you're the people funding that and you're not getting results. But I also think if you look at what they've got and they can spend a ton of money in the portal, but I really don't see Arch Manning coming back another year camp Coleman, Goosebie, like all these get Colin Simmons, all these guys we're talking about, they're gone after this year. This is the year. This is why you see Texas and Sark pushing all in my so my point of all that is they don't make the playoffs, where do they fall in the current brand in the, you know, kind of like Q rating amongst the public, the media and most importantly recruits and transfer people. I, I, it's, it's an interesting thing but A and M, Oklahoma, Miami are The three I think that stand to gain the most I don't think, I think maybe ou, but I don't think A and M doesn't fall off the map if they go 9 and 3 and don't make the playoffs. Ou in what year? 6 under Venables is that much? At least 5. Check Brent Venables. It's at least 5. They got to get back. They got to get back. They got, they got their quarterback, they're talking up this defense. They've allegedly changed things in the run game and the O line. Like they've got to get back because five year, five under venerable. So he's one playoff in five years. I don't think that's what they want in Norman, especially considering that some of the off years have been pretty big dips.

[A]

I want to read this because I think this is aimed at the self loathing ags. So from pko, Coach Yelkel talked about being excited about the direction of the program, everything trending in that positive direction and we have not gotten over the hurdle of winning what we're trying to win, but says it's okay to get excited and break through. Oh, is this real? Is this going to be okay or are we going to be disappointed? Again, reminding folks, enjoy the journey, which he did last year as well, but he's reminding us again like, this is fun. Let's enjoy it while we have it. While we have it.

[C]

Well, I said it's the mountain thing for fans. I've said it before. Like you're climbing a mountain and you can either climb it with the team and have some setbacks and have some times where, you know, you have to, what is it called? Base camp and you have to sit there and be patient and it's a ton of hard work that goes into it and you go with your team through the highs and lows and then, you know, or you can take the gondola up to the top and just be sitting there. Or the tram, I guess is what you take to the top of the mountain and just be sitting there and everybody gets there and go, man, this is fun. And you just won't enjoy it as much as the people that were along for the ride. So you know, those people don't get on the tram until they really feel safe where it's like, the weather's clear, no wind, everything looks good. In other words, by then we all know that A and M is going to get there and they shoot on up and they're sitting there like, hey, here we are and it's not. That's not fandom to me. That's not to me, like, that's not fun to me. The fun part is this. And I think he's telling that it's okay. He said it like this, guys. It's okay to acknowledge that last year was a breakthrough season and that A and M football accomplished a lot of things they haven't accomplished in a long time. In some instances ever. It's okay to say that the program took a big step forward. You don't have to dwell on the last two games. It doesn't change the fact that, yes, we, you know, they're not happy with it. They're not happy with inning. They, they could have played better in the second half against Texas and against Miami and they know it. And they let left something on the table and you'll never know like what it could have been. You could have skipped steps with the way that playoff was last year. Again, like, Ohio State was not invincible by any stretch. Ole Miss certainly wasn't invincible without Kiffin and without. Without. Well, they did have Charlie Watts, but they weren't invincible by any stretch. So could have been something pretty special. Right? But all told, like you, you don't have to dwell on that part and say it's got to get better. What did we accomplish? We all get that. Like, that's the whole point is it's going.

[A]

You.

[C]

You're committing resources, you're getting players, you're paying coaches for it to get better. That's the plan. So far it has gone according to plan and then some. And you can enjoy the process of it going according to plan and actually exceeding, you know, kind of accelerated curve.

[A]

So to me, it's not always linear either. Like there could be a plateau or a little bit back. But where are you going over five

[C]

years, mountain thing, remember?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

The base camp, the.

[A]

Well, I think it's a different way of saying.

[C]

It's the exact same thing said in

[A]

a different way and probably mountains even more eloquent.

[C]

Why is it more eloquent that you're

[A]

saying it came from my voice.

[C]

You said the word plateau.

[A]

Plateau? Yeah.

[C]

Among mountains. Better than a plateau. Plateaus like a. It wouldn't be chopped off mountain that nobody really cares about. No, I think they care name plateaus.

[A]

That's a good point.

[C]

I think they do, but yeah.

[A]

Do they name plateaus? You want to Google that?

[C]

They name mountains. So anyway, point of all this, David, is you can enjoy the season. It doesn't. You don't have to Check in your sports knowledge card like, well, no, no, man, it's. You got to get it done, you know, what did they accomplish? You didn't get a word of the ring, man, where we got to win it at some point. Well, no. BLEEP what? They used to say something about Sherlock. Yeah, we all get that, man. But if you couldn't have enjoyed beating Notre Dame and racing out to 11 and oh, and even the games that you were supposed to win that were closer than they should have been, if you didn't enjoy those and like, hey, we eked out one against Auburn, but it was fun that day and you kept the winning streak alive. And you open, you know, SEC play with a, you know, whatever it was. If you can't enjoy those things along. If you could enjoy the build up to the playoff selection and all the talk about A and M, where they should be ranked down the stretch, should they be number three, number two, like when they lost a game, how far should they drop? When we were waiting to see the seeding and the build up to that Miami game and that, that final drive, going down the field and setting it up to maybe tie it. Like, if you can't go back and say, man, that was, they accomplished a lot, then I think you're judging this whole thing wrong weather break.

[A]

We'll come back. 25 and 25, number 25 on the other side. Right now we're talking Heritage Films. Farm and ranching families do think different. They're not just working for today. They're thinking about the generations to come. And that's why Heritage Films created Farm and Ranch Films, a division of Heritage Films, where they tell the story about your farm and your ranch. They documented so many different types of stories, from timber farmer operations in Washington to cattle ranches in Texas and agricultural legacies across the United States. These aren't just documentaries. They're cinematic time capsules that capture the unique relationship with the land and a family. Make sure you reach out to Chancellor McLean and his team to tell your family ranch story or just to tell your family story. Chance could be an eye in the sky and tell that your dad's story, your grandfather's story, your mother's story, whoever it may be. Visit YourHeritageFilm.com that is YourHeritageFilm.com or click on the farm and Ranch part of the website. Call them up. 713-893-8341. It is Heritage Films.

[C]

Listen to the Zone at radioagulant.com thanks to loyalty, plumbing, the pros At Loyalty Plumbing are ready to serve you Aggieland. Visit them@loyaltyplumbing llc.net the best song for

[A]

what we were just talking about a moment ago during the break.

[C]

What was it about, Nick? Swimming laps at the hotel pool.

[A]

No, there's no. I actually would have done a lap

[C]

pool or a regular.

[A]

Yeah, it was a lap pool. Yeah, it was a lot. Yeah, no, it was. The song's called Can I Kick It?

[C]

I'm just wondering, what did y' all do? Yeah, I got Nick over there, probably in like a. One of those, like, swimming caps and a speedo, ripping laps at a pool that probably is not. It's probably a pool that people sit in and drink. And he goes in there and nobody was there. Start swimming laps like he's damn Michael Phelps. And then I've got you thinking you're Cuban. Bruce Lee.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Kicking a heavy bag.

[A]

Lopez. Bruce Lopez. What's wrong with kicking a heavy.

[C]

Kicking a heavy bag. What's wrong with that in a hotel gym? Just work out, man. Nobody wants to see some guy kicking a bat.

[A]

I'm sorry. It's 5:45 in the morning. Nobody was in there.

[C]

But one guy, Paul Feinbaum talked about it on his show. Yeah. For the world to hear.

[A]

And now Paul would never try to fight me.

[C]

Yeah. Because you definitely needed to worry about that.

[A]

Can we do 25 and 25 or you want to embarrass me more?

[B]

Go ahead.

[C]

I'm not embarrassed. I'm embarrassed. I'm not embarrassing you guys. It's like, hey, what'd the Texas do? Well, one of them put a skull cap on him, was swimming laps in the drinking pool, and the other guy was kicking a heavy bag in a tiny little hotel.

[A]

Who else can we make fun of now?

[C]

Me, because I went to the beach. I ubered to the beach, got out, bought a $30 swimsuit at some surf shop, went by the Hulk Hogan store because I saw that pose with his NWO belt.

[A]

Did you post? Did you post it?

[C]

I picture, I'll send you all. And then. And then, you know, walked out to clear water, which is not clear water, which is disappointing. But I said, you know, we're down here, we're going to get in the ocean. So I went out there, waited out, braved the sharks because it is Shark Week. I've been watching what's going on and where they're at. They're all over Florida.

[A]

Yes, they are.

[C]

More so on the Atlantic side, I would say. But went out there and just went out water like some put my stuff in my shoes and put a shirt over it and hope nobody was going to steal it. Hoped I put it far enough back that the waves didn't wash it all in and went out there and just went past the breakers and then kind of just solo body surfed my way in.

[A]

There you go.

[C]

Went and got a little grouper sandwich and went back to Tampa.

[A]

And you came during rush hour, right? Didn't you come back during rush hour?

[C]

Yeah, unfortunately. Took about hour and 20 minutes. But if you'd seen my hair that night, it was salt water. Salt water hair.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Terrific.

[A]

On point.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Let's hit a break here because we wasted all that time making fun of people. Right now we're talking Fratella Italian Cafe in Bryan. They are family owned and they're all about fresh. If you haven't been, you're missing out. Homemade cooked craft with love in every single ingredient. From recipes passed down through generations to locally sourced ingredients, every dish does deliver when you go to that taste of Italy. And what makes them unique is that signature frittella. It's like a calzone, but fried to golden perfection. Stuffed with marinara, mozzarella and your choice of a delicious filling. They have daily lunch specials from 11 to 3. An awesome atmosphere. So when you go there, you're going to love the food, you're going to love the environment. Stop by fratella Italian Cafe, 3901 South Texas Avenue in Bryan, that is 3901 South Texas Avenue in Bryan and discover why it's more than a meal. It's a tradition. It's Fratella.

[C]

Make sure to get the podcast of Texags Live, the Louie Bellina show or Chip Howard sports Talk daily at zone1150.com and everywhere you get your podcasts.

[A]

All right, time for 25 and 25 presented by Paragon Financial Advisors and Aggie owned independent fee only fiduciary serving families and business owners nationwide. Visit paragon-adv.com and Billy number 25 is Lamont Rogers.

[C]

And interesting one.

[A]

I told OB like, I had a hard time with this one because it's more projection more than anything else. And we don't even know if this guy's going to be a starter, but we expect him to play quite a bit. So that made it hard for me. But based on the way you've talked about them that I know how they feel across the street. Like he's definitely a riser.

[C]

Yeah, he had a. Okay, couple things. First of all, if we're doing 25 players. There's room for projection and to kind of otherwise we would just say here the 22 starter plus three. The 22 starters plus your kicker, punter and holder. Like I mean we're not doing that with this. There are some. It's kind of. It should be when you combine like what you did, Olin did, I did and the fans. It should be a mix of what you know, what you think you know what limb you want to go out on. And I don't think Lamont Rogers would be considered a limb. Like I think you're talking about a five star slash, borderline five star depending on the service. You're talking about national top I don't know what is probably national top 60. Even last year one of the top offensive line prospects in the country coming out of high school. It was a enormous get for A and M. He got here last year. He got himself into in the over the course of the last year under Tommy Moffat he's gotten himself into much better shape and then really went out in the spring and I think was one of the guys if I'm doing a short list of players who helped their stock. Not that his stock was low within the program in terms of where he was going to put develop and you know where he would be but in terms of potential for the 2026 season and you're talking about stock up. He was on a very short list. You know I've mentioned many times the type spring Terry Bussey was have like there's a few guys on that list. It was a very short one though in terms of returnees. There weren't many that I think may have helped them their stock more so than Lamont Rogers. Now he's got a battle on his hands because you've got Wilkin Formby who I'd be very surprised if he wasn't your right tackle. And then on the left side there's Tyree Adams and then you know, Lamont. I could certainly see Lamont. He may already be tackle number three. He might be competing for tackle number two, which means the starting job. I think he will compete for a starting job in fall camp. So it's up to him and up to the competition on how high he could end up on this list because he's going to get playing time in September. I think, you know, if he has a good fall camp regardless. So maybe, maybe the two transfers are just further along than him and they've played a bunch of SEC football and maybe they end up being the Guys, he still, if he has a good fall that matches kind of the spring and that trajectory, you're going to have to put him out there just to see how he handles it, what he can do throughout September. So this guy's going to get chances early. His ceiling is freaking through the roof just like it was when you recruited him. So nothing you've seen in a year plus has changed that. The only question is his timetable. You know, that's the only question. And this guy, by the way, was. He's so big. He can still even get in better shape, but he's so big. He's so like agile for a guy a size really, really long arms, light feet and just a ton of size. If he, if he can put it all together and just over the next couple years, get, get the body right and be ready for the next level, he's a high round potential guy at tackle. The other thing, he's one of these players on the A and M roster that we, we talk about who went in the portal, who you got from the portal, who you tried to get and didn't get from the portal. This is a prime example of who you kept in the portal. Okay? Guys like him and Blake Ivy and Robert Bordon are three that really stand out along the O line that were heavily pursued and tampered with. And this is not me crying. I don't, I know tampering is just part of the thing now, but just factually, heavily pursued and tampered with, those three guys by teams that you will see on A and M schedule this year in the conference, like they were courted and pushed really hard. So again, a lot of people are well aware of the Lamont Rodgers talent, none more so than Mike Elko and Adam Cushing. And I think this is a guy that, you know, it could be where we're a year away from him, really making, you know, making a statement on where he's heading, you know, in terms of his football trajectory, which to me is high level SEC alignment on into the NFL. Or we could be looking at this by the end of the year and go, man, why crazy? We had him so low. So he's got a ton of raw ability and talent, but they got it. But this is what I love about what Mike Elko and Cushing and company did on the O line. They said there's a lot of talent with those guys I mentioned and guys like, you know, Thomas and McGuire and some of these young linemen. But. But we don't want to force it until they're ready. So we've got to go get two portal tackles and two portal guards and a guy like Con Eccles that can be a swing guy. We've got to go get that in case any or all of these guys aren't quite ready. So the real question is going to be how ready is Lamont, you know, when September rolls around.

[A]

I think this is kind of fits in with one of the quotes from Elko at PKO when talking about the big takeaway from spring. And it goes into the quality of players that they have, he says, the quality of competition in our program. I don't know who the 22 starter is going to be, but it's not that I don't know because I am worried if we have enough SEC talent. I don't know which of the very talented SEC players that we have are going to ultimately rise to the top. And that goes exactly to what we're talking about with Lamont Rogers.

[C]

Well, and I meant we talk about O line, but you also like say, take for example, the secondary. We mention all the usual suspects, but like, okay, what about Brandon Arrington or Adonis Curry or Miles Davis or at nickel, Is it, is it Jordan Shaw? Is it, you know, is it, you know, you got, you've got so many options at these positions, right? Is it Bryce Anderson? Can you move somebody over there? Is it a veteran that's been here forever, like Abraveon Rogers? Like, there are a lot of guys that you don't even talk about. We weren't talking about Jordan Shaw much until he came in the game and did a great job against Malachi. Malachi, Tony against Miami.

[A]

Uncle talked about that.

[C]

You know, so, so there just look at, is it Julio Humphrey or is it Ricky Gibson? Because we're all, you know, when you sign a Ricky Gibson, you're assuming. And then Julio Humphrey says, no, I'm going to stay and I'm going to really bust my ass to get back to that player that picked Georgia out of high school and started at Georgia before losing that job. So depth and keeping players from leaving to create that competition and that type of, that level of depth that you need. And he mentioned that too, in the nine game SEC schedule, now more than ever, you're going to need that depth. Absolutely going to need that depth. Because A and M, yeah, there's no Notre Dame, but you're still playing in asu, who, you know, was in the playoff a year ago or, you know, a year prior, you're still playing an Arizona State. And then you're adding a ninth SEC game. So it's, it's still, even without Notre Dame, it's still much tougher than it was last year in terms of just, just simply put, number of games you have to get up for this year it's 10. Last year it was nine. It's a big difference.

[A]

Well, I was going to say two of the teams on A and M schedule that we just think automatically A and M should win. Arizona State. Kentucky. Yeah, we don't know because. We don't know because both those teams did excellent in the portal. According to 247. Kentucky was number 10 on there and I thought Arizona State was somewhere on this. Yeah, 22nd. So they have 25. So we don't know how that's going to gel. Which goes back to something else. Elko said. Nobody knows.

[C]

He added, what, like Nick Anderson from lsu, they got the linebacker from, from Texas that he was a big deal as a recruit. A year ago they, they got heard from Tennessee who a lot of people pick as a first team, all conference tackle Minchi. Like there's Kentucky. I think they, they added quite a bit.

[A]

I'm looking at it. Nick Anderson, Brock Kaufman, Kadian Ferguson. Elijah Barnes is a Texas Barnes.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Xavier Daisy. So yeah, an Ohio State guy. They added a lot of. So back to the we just don't

[C]

know point being when you're assuming, when you're looking at the schedule and there's so many tough ones that you have to look at and just assume, okay, we'll be Kentucky, Arizona State, Arkansas at home. Because they're at home. Well, you better, you better because if you lose one of those and they're not, especially those first two, they're not givens because there's some holdover in talent at Kentucky, first of all. And there's going to be a lot of newness and excitement for Will Stein and that group. And again, a quarterback that was in a real battle with CJ Carr right up until the end in South Bend last year. And then in the case of Arizona State, Dillingham's done a tremendous job there. They've got a winning culture. They got some real players in the portal, including Kentucky's old quarterback who gave Texas all they wanted last year in Lexington.

[A]

Right.

[C]

And quite honestly outplayed Arch Manning. That's factual. We can do a debate on that all day. There's no, there's no denying that, especially when you consider the 2 difference in the 2 defenses each quarterback was facing. So yeah, the, the real wild card, though, is what is A and M playing like in September? What is their adjustment period look like in terms of what they've brought back versus what they've brought in and meshing all that, that rebuilt offensive line, that rebuilt defensive line, what do they look like in September? Because if it's an A and M team that, that puts it together pretty early, then I think those two games, yeah, I think they, they're just, just going to flat out be better than them. But if it takes a few games to kind of put it together and get it all to mesh in today's day and age of the portal, those could be, you know, those could absolutely be tough games early season. You'll see it throughout the sec. You'll see it around college football. You just hope that A and M is not it now. And again, thank goodness those games are at Kyle Field and not in Lexington where they'll be going crazy over new coach, their first big game under new coach, or in Tempe where you just don't have the 12th man behind you. And so again, I think the schedule lays out nicely in September, but you have to be playing good football in September, which the Aggies were last year. So that's, that's a good sign.

[A]

We had a break here. Final segment here on Tech Sachs Live. If you're looking for real peace of mind when it comes to your money, check out Aggie owned Paragon Financial Advisors. They're an independent fiduciary serving clients all across Texas. No sales pitches, no commissions, just honest financial planning and investment management. And what really sets them apart is the over nine CFPs, the CFA and the CPA all on staff. They take their credentials seriously and they work tirelessly to help you build a future that you can feel good about. Go to paragon-adv.com or give them a call. 979-693-3907 to schedule your free consultation today. It is Paragon Financial Advisors. Integrity, expertise and trust. Paragon Financial Advisors the Money Machine the

[C]

Money Machine is open now.

[B]

Let's go.

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[A]

Come on. Final segment of the program, Tech Sags Live, presented by David Gardner's Jewelers Rollo Insurance Studio. Billy, I don't know if you've been paying attention, but Nick Saban has some nice words to say about A and M and Coach Elko on the Pat McAfee Show. And I'm trying to think back and maybe Gaither can help me out here. Is Saban complimentary of everybody now? I mean, the kind of compliments I think matter, too. Like what he talks about with Elko, I think stands out to what we all have told you about what we've seen from him. But does he. Is he critical of people still or not still at all? I don't know.

[C]

I mean, I don't pay attention to what. Not in a bad way. Like, I just don't pay attention to a lot of, like, college game day on Saturdays. Just being busy. And I watch a little of it, but not enough to know. I don't. I don't follow all of Nick Saban's content.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay. So I have no idea how to answer that question. I do think that, no, he's not complimentary of everyone. He may not be critical of programs and coaches, but I think he would be selective on who he is complimentary of to where his compliments still carry a lot of weight. And that, to me, is that that's probably more how Nick Saban would do it. He is one that has never really. You know, I don't think he just flows out compliments that he doesn't believe in.

[A]

Sure.

[C]

And I think his body language and facial expressions, he won't be able to hide things that he disagrees with when he's sitting up there on the panel. I think if you pay attention, you could see that as well. You just probably choose to be quiet rather than say something. So my point is, if he's saying things, he believes them and he's observed them. And I think his opinions should still carry a hell of a lot more weight than most when it comes to analyzing and evaluating football and coaches and teams and programs.

[A]

So here's part of what he said on the McAfee Show. He's one of the best defensive coaches in the country, scheme wise, I think. And I think they've reloaded. I think they've got some really good players coming back. I think Marcel Reed is a really, really good quarterback who puts a lot of pressure on the defense. And I think they did a good job in the portal. They did a good job of recruiting. I think they're going to be one of the teams that people need to contend with in the sec.

[C]

Yeah. And I think he's right.

[A]

I think.

[C]

And I think we've said all of those things throughout the off season. And I think a lot of people recognize that, you know, around the country and around the sport now, like Elko said the other day, like, they have to go out there and do it and they have to, you know, again, like they can enjoy last year and they can enjoy the rise in profile and how they're the change in perception, but you can, you can enjoy that and be proud of that. But also you will not, and I think he talked about this, you will not sustain and maintain that and continue to build if you don't, if that doesn't motivate you to work even harder. And it sounds like that's what he's most proud of the team for this off season is the leadership and what they've done both on their own and in terms of when the coaches can be present.

[A]

Billy, thank you, sir.

[C]

Hi Dave.

[A]

Appreciate you. All right, that's gonna do it for Tech Sacks live here on a Monday morning. Our thanks to Blake Topmeyer from USA Today joining the show Olin and of course Billy. We will talk to you guys tomorrow with another world class TexActs live. You know what? It sucks to be bored. But when I get on my phone and play real casino games on spinquest.com the time flies by. That two hour wait at the DMV seems like 10 minutes. Play your favorite slots, live blackjack, live craps with a live dealer. New players $30 coin packs are on sale for 10 bucks. Play spinquest.com and you'll never be bored again.

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