Kellen Mond discusses his commitment to Texas A&M

“It has been insane since my commitment to Texas A&M.  My phone has been blowing up.  I am just blessed to be an Aggie.”

 

“I feel like the mental aspect of football is most of the game.  You can’t go into a football game, especially at the quarterback position, without any knowledge or really even knowing the position.  Just having that smart factor with you sets you apart from everybody else.”

 

“I felt like Coach Sumlin and Coach Mazzone can put me in a great position to succeed.  I feel like at A&M there will always be weapons around you so you never have to worry about that.  Also the education is one thing that sets A&M apart.  Being in Texas and playing in the SEC are also big factors.”

 

“Reopening my recruitment really hasn’t been that stressful.  A few schools started talking to me and A&M, Ohio State, and Auburn were some of them.  I definitely felt like Texas A&M was the right choice for me, and Coach Mazzone and Coach Sumlin played a big role.  Also the fan base at A&M is by far the best in college football.”

 

“I just felt like the resources at IMG were so far ahead of what any other high school can offer.  There are coaches and staff there that played in the NFL, along with coaches who coached in college and the NFL.  Having those guys on the staff, you can only make your game better by going up against 4- and 5-star players everyday in practice, too.  It is almost better than any game that you are ever going to play in.  I definitely feel that IMG is going to prepare me better for college having to live on my own and becoming a more independent person.”

 

“I miss the food from Texas.  No doubt.  Also, being with my family.  Really those are my two big things that I miss.  I feel like being in the same boat as a lot of guys at IMG, you kind of come together and form a brotherhood down here in Florida.”

 

“I have definitely seen development within myself not only on the physical side. Once I got to IMG I think I gained about 10 pounds of muscle.  I think having 4- and 5-star guys there; being the quarterback teaches you to be a better leader.  I think that is one of the characteristics that have gained since I have been there.”

 

“A lot of people didn’t think Santino Marchiol was that good at first.  Once he put pads on and once we got to know each other, he is as good as you can get.  He is definitely a good addition for the Aggies.  Whenever we were down at IMG I didn’t really know he talked to A&M.  Once we started visiting with each other and went down to A&M together, we thought A&M was the right place for both of us to have success and build our relationship even better.”

 

“I would definitely say that my strengths as a quarterback are having a strong arm, being able to read defenses, and also being able to extend plays with my feet and being a dual threat quarterback.”

 

“Coach Mazzone has compared me a little bit to Brett Hundley, but he still says there are differences.  We have different running abilities and our passing is a little bit different, but he definitely says that he like the way I throw the ball and extend plays.  He says that extending the play is one thing that a quarterback needs to have, especially in the SEC.”

 

“I think Coach Mazzone’s offense is the best offense for me.  It is almost like a pro-style offense that runs out of the shotgun.  Coach Mazzone has coached some of the best in the game in Philip Rivers, Brett Hundley, Brock Osweiler, so I definitely trust him to prepare me for the next level.”

 

“I’ve known Trevor Knight for a really long time.  We used to workout when he was still back in high school.  Since he got to A&M we have talked a few times.  Just talking about the people who are at A&M.  He gave me a call last night to congratulate me and I definitely respect him for that.  I really wish him the best of luck this upcoming season.”

 

“I think Coach Sumlin was the main guy that I talked to.  He said that if I had any questions, or I ever needed to talk, to not be hesitant to call him.  Definitely those two, Coach Mazzone and Coach Sumlin, were the two who were recruiting me the hardest and stayed on me.  The kept giving me information on how I would fit into the offense and about College Station.  I definitely took it to heart and I’m glad that I am an Aggie.”

 

“I think that we could be one of the top recruiting classes in the country.  It always helps when you get a few solid guys to commit.  I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few more receivers, linebackers, and any other skill position players that start committing in the next few weeks in July.”

 

“The goal is to definitely get more guys on board.  My dad and I talked about it.  Next spring is a time to start recruiting these players because those are the guys that I am going to be playing with in the future.  I definitely need to get on guys like Toniel Carter, CeeDee Lamb, and also Hezekiah Jones.  We need to start that Texas trend and get them on board.”

 

“It is great to have the commitment behind me.  My plan was to be committed by the time that I get to IMG.  I leave in three weeks so I can start recruiting for the Aggies. It is definitely a blessing to be able to be a part of this group of people and also be an Aggie ... Thank you and Gig ‘em.”