BREAKING: Texas A&M transfer OL TJ Shanahan Jr. has Committed to Penn State, he tells @on3sports

The 6’4 315 OL played in 9 games this season for the Aggies (5 starts)

Will have 3 years of eligibility remaining https://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/ZmdyhLAvVs

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 10, 2025

Well damn. They're OL last night was impressive running the ball.

Pretty much

He must like turtle neck chics.

jt16 said:

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fla_agfan said:

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Why can't we keep players?

The NIL coupled with the portal is killing college football

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You think it's just A&M?

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No... but it seems to hit us harder.

Could be that a&m is the only team I follow... but we should be able to hold onto starters at least.

Are we losing players to better teams or strictly cash?

fla_agfan said:

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jt16 said:

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fla_agfan said:

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Why can't we keep players?

The NIL coupled with the portal is killing college football

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You think it's just A&M?

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No... but it seems to hit us harder.

Could be that a&m is the only team I follow... but we should be able to hold onto starters at least.

Are we losing players to better teams or strictly cash?

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How many key players did we lose?

Noah - sure
Tj - maybe

We return 21/22 projected starters. On the high end compared to most.

Last year was worse because it was a transition class. This year, Noah is the only starter we lost and the only guy that went into the portal we even tried to get back.

Depends how you define that....guys who played, then only a few. But we lost some pieces to be replaced via 'yet to be determined' in game action.

Time will tell.

90ags said:

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Depends how you define that....guys who played, they only a few. But we loss some pieces to be replaced by 'yet to be determined' in action.

Time will tell.

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Again what impact players did we lose?

Noah is the only one I can think of. We had others that we had high hopes on but they've been here 3 years and done nothing.

Our incoming OL recruits are very good and will provide depth.

Objectively, this is what we lost.

• Noah.
• Two guys who would have been fighting for 2nd string guard who both graded out as our two worst OL that played this year.
• Dindy who would have been fighting for 2nd string DT and was 3rd string this year.

Sure, it's possible any of Shanahan, Dewberry, Dindy, etc., end up good players. But we couldn't keep everyone. It just wasn't realistic mathematically.

As is, we have 86-87 guys on scholarship this spring, and ideally, we still need to add 2-3 more in the spring window. A DT, WR at the very least. Meaning we need to lose about 4-5 more to do that by fall camp.

fla_agfan said:

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Why can't we keep players?

The NIL coupled with the portal is killing college football

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I think some of these guys just want out. They had zero discipline under fisher and company. Now it's a much more tightly run ship with a coach who hasn't proved he can lead them to the promised land. I think some guys just want out.

sincereag said:

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Our incoming OL recruits are very good and will provide depth.

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injuries on the ol are almost a given. if you are counting on true fish ol for anything other than putting in a year of physical development, that's a bad sign.

He was not good in pass pro allowed some crucial sacks.

Sure, which is why many will be in a battle for their jobs. I'm not saying that 21 of the 22 projected starters will start. Some will be overtaken by a couple transfers, or maybe redshirts from last year.

Players also do develop. An 18 year old Dezz Ricks is not maxed out. DJ Hicks is not maxed out. Cashius Howell in a full time role can improve, etc.

Time to show that development and get some guys better. Having continuity in year 2 of a system also matters. There's a reason Marcus Freeman's defense in year 1 was not good, but in year 2 was very good.

It wasn't because they replaced all 11 of their starters, many of which who struggled in 2022. They made them better in year 2 than they were in year 1. Lets see if we can do that.

Think it can be determined by who signed players who entered the portal. Think TJ, Kam, Noah, D Green (personally believe he'll resurface if he's truly healed -- he's better than any of the TEs on the roster today), believe GBD will show up (he wanted to be a starter and not in a rotation), CW will show up, etc. If other power 5 programs are picking them up, then still means someone believes in their capabilities.

Everyone takes the view 'not productive', but TJ and Kam 'were' (regardless of all the BS on this board in practice vs X or Y). It's the money and what value we've put on all of them and what they think their mkt value is...period, it's nothing else.

Why the staff didn't eff this up this year by focusing on players from power 5 mainly vs mid-majors or smaller conferences. Hudson is an unknown and unproven (regardless of HS 5 star stature, hopefully he lives up to billing).

Green was rumored to be medically retiring. He has a better chance of that happening than being a big time contributor. Would have entered spring ball as our 4th or 5th string TE. Again, MAYBE he improves. Just like Shanahan and Dewberry who simply were not good this year. Our worst two who played out of 9 guys qualifying for PFF. The 7 returning all have graded out as better players.

I'd love for all of them to stay this spring and compete, but we can't keep 115 guys on ship and hope they improve. Decisions have to be made. We can only carry 85 (still the sec rule), and NIL just doesn't allow it. Can't be paying your 8th and 9th OL what they were demanding(IF they held off all 4 redshirts and Lamont Rogers. Could easily end up as our 10th, 11th or 12th best OL)

vander54 said:

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fla_agfan said:

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jt16 said:

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fla_agfan said:

---

Why can't we keep players?

The NIL coupled with the portal is killing college football

---

You think it's just A&M?

---

No... but it seems to hit us harder.

Could be that a&m is the only team I follow... but we should be able to hold onto starters at least.

Are we losing players to better teams or strictly cash?

---

How many key players did we lose?

Noah - sure
Tj - maybe

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I'd put connor in there as well. But to your point, this time around, but I'm not talking about this season alone.

Every season, we lose starters and players we need to keep.

We lost 1 this season. Few teams keep everyone projected to start. Overall, while losing Noah sucks, that should be seen as a win.

fla_agfan said:

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vander54 said:

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fla_agfan said:

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jt16 said:

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fla_agfan said:

---

Why can't we keep players?

The NIL coupled with the portal is killing college football

---

You think it's just A&M?

---

No... but it seems to hit us harder.

Could be that a&m is the only team I follow... but we should be able to hold onto starters at least.

Are we losing players to better teams or strictly cash?

---

How many key players did we lose?

Noah - sure
Tj - maybe

---

I'd put connor in there as well. But to your point, this time around, but I'm not talking about this season alone.

Every season, we lose starters and players we need to keep.

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I wouldn't put Conner on the list. He had plenty of opportunities and just couldn't thrive for some reason.

Also we may lose players but outside of transition years we have done really well when it comes to impact on the team.

He will be on IR for the next 3 years, book it

fla_agfan said:

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vander54 said:

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fla_agfan said:

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jt16 said:

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fla_agfan said:

---

Why can't we keep players?

The NIL coupled with the portal is killing college football

---

You think it's just A&M?

---

No... but it seems to hit us harder.

Could be that a&m is the only team I follow... but we should be able to hold onto starters at least.

Are we losing players to better teams or strictly cash?

---

How many key players did we lose?

Noah - sure
Tj - maybe

---

I'd put connor in there as well. But to your point, this time around, but I'm not talking about this season alone.

Every season, we lose starters and players we need to keep.

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We did not want Connor except as a clear and obvious backup to Marcel, and that was unrealistic to think he'd stay for that. So no, he should not be included.

Conner was supposed to be a key to success this season. Turns out he wasn't.

jt16 said:

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fla_agfan said:

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Why can't we keep players?

The NIL coupled with the portal is killing college football

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You think it's just A&M?

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Not a situation unique to A&M at all, but I agree it's ruining college football.

Coaches now have to recruit year-round, plus perform their duties during the season, and then re-recruit their own players at season's end. It's kind of ridiculous.

And there isn't supposed to be tampering, but there's no way that isn't happening and no one seems to be enforcing it.

Just Tired said:

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sincereag said:

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Our incoming OL recruits are very good and will provide depth.

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injuries on the ol are almost a given. if you are counting on true fish ol for anything other than putting in a year of physical development, that's a bad sign.

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They won't do any worse than what TJ provided us this year.

Wanted more than he is worth. It was obvious he would end up somewhere else that is run first because his pass blocking was putrid

***kin rediculous.

Bottom line… it's not good for recruiting when players transfer to a higher profile school.

Maybe he won't have as many drive-killing penalties there.