Could Coaching Changes at UCLA and Alabama Benefit Texas A&M Football?
Chip Kelly is leaving UCLA to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, while Ryan Grubb is rumored to be joining the Seahawks. Will Texas A&M football have any portal pickups?
Strange Coaching Changes Could Give Texas A&M Football a Portal Windfall
Texas A&M football has been cleaning up in the portal so far this year, putting together the second-best transfer class of the
cycle as of the writing of this piece. Many Aggie fans have been really pleased with how that aspect of things has played out this
year, but there are still certain positions on the roster that might be deeper—one in particular, receiver.
With that in mind, some intriguing developments this week piqued the interest of Texas A&M football fans. First, after Bill
O’Brien was hired away from his new Ohio State offensive coordinator job to become the head coach at Boston College, Chip Kelly resigned his position as UCLA’s head coach to take his place in Columbus.
That move is unique and unprecedented on several fronts, but most importantly for Aggie fans, it opens the portal to Bruins players for 30 days.
Then, earlier today, it was announced that Ryan Grubb, a Kalen DeBoer follower who was previously thought to be taking the OC
job with the Tide, is returning to Seattle to be the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator. This will not open the portal because he was not the head coach, but there will be another opening after the spring.
The bottom line is that both of these rosters include receivers with whom the Aggies are familiar. J. Michael Sturdivant, a transfer from the 2023 cycle, is currently at UCLA after initially choosing the Aggies over the Bruins.
Sturdivant, a Texas native, has not only a name that sounds like the actor-director of an award-winning Sundance film from 2008, but also high-level productivity at the X receiving position. If he enters the transfer market, the Aggies will undoubtedly be interested.
The other player is Ryan Williams, a recent Alabama signee. After leaving the Tide when Saban retired, Williams paid a visit to
College Station. He ultimately recommitted and signed with Alabama during the late signing period, but Grubb’s decision to leave town may cause him to reconsider. If that happens, it’s reasonable to for the Aggies to go after him again.
I’ll add that this is purely supposition at the time. Neither player is in the portal, and Williams will have to wait until the end of
spring practice to decide whether to go in. Nonetheless, this is the present state of college football, and given the organized
system that Mike Elko has put in place, you have to believe they are fully aware of these trends and are closely monitoring them.
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