Aggies Drop First Depth Chart as Elko Nears Season Opener
Source: KBTX News 3 Sports. Casualplayhub News adds summary, context, and editorial framing while linking back to the original report.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko offered a moment of self-deprecating humor earlier in preseason camp when asked when he would finally lock in the Aggies’ depth chart for the season opener against Missouri State. “The depth chart is – I don’t know. Kat will put it out at some point and it won’t be right,” Elko said with a smirk. The veteran coach’s joke carried a kernel of truth. On Monday, Texas A&M football released its first official depth chart ahead of Saturday’s 6 p.m. kickoff, and while some starting roles have been settled, the majority of positions remain fluid, marked by the familiar “OR” designation.
Perhaps the most hotly contested role through camp was place kicker, a position that rarely grabs headlines but proved critical last season. In 2025, the Aggies’ duo of Randy Bond and Jared Zirkel converted just 16 of 26 field goals, including a middling 5-for-7 from 20 to 29 yards. Enter David Olano, a transfer from Illinois who earned the starting nod. Elko pointed to experience as the deciding factor. “I think we have a really, really strong kicking situation and we just decided to go with a guy who maybe has done it a bit more at the college level at this point,” he said. Over three seasons with the Illini, Olano hit 37 of 43 field goals and missed only one extra-point attempt in 83 tries. His career long is a 50-yarder against Kansas in 2024. The Naperville, Illinois, native has been remarkably consistent: 12 of 13 from 20-29 yards, 13 of 14 from 30-39, 11 of 14 from 40-49, and 1 for 2 from 50-plus. He earned all-Big Ten honorable mention in both 2024 (coaches) and 2025 (media).
Olano was pushed by true freshman Asher Murray, who set a school record with a 56-yard field goal at C.E. Byrd High School last fall. Elko praised both kickers. “He’s a really good kicker,” Elko said of Olano. “I think he was hurt in the spring and so he didn’t really get to kick much. And so, Asher got his opportunity and really did a nice job and then that created a competition, not because David didn’t do anything, but just because you had this other guy really step up all spring. So, they went back and forth and it was very, very close and very, very tight, because both guys were phenomenal.”
In the defensive backfield, cornerback emerged as another fierce battleground. Julio Humphrey separated himself as the top option on the boundary. The competition at field corner remains open between Dezz Ricks and Rickekky Gibson III. Defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill had earlier expressed a desire to keep the position rotational. Humphrey, a Georgia transfer who arrived before last season, recorded seven tackles and defended one pass last year, allowing two receptions on five targets. Elko said, “Tremendous work ethic. He’s been really, really consistent all through spring, all through summer, all through fall camp. I think he’s gotten really confident playing the ball, or more confident playing the ball. I think one of the things he struggled with at times last year was that final decision on the ball… I think he’s gotten a lot more comfortable and confident with what we’re asking of him and I think that’s shown through.”
Ricks returns for his fourth season in Aggieland after tallying 26 tackles and six pass breakups. Opposing quarterbacks targeted him a team-high 68 times, resulting in 30 receptions and a team-low 44.1% reception percentage allowed, per Pro Football Focus. Gibson, a Tennessee transfer, had his best season with the Vols in 2024, recording 32 tackles and five passes defended. He was targeted 39 times that year, with receivers catching 24 passes against him. A season-ending injury limited him to just one game in 2025.
On the offensive line, three of five spots are locked in for the opener: left tackle Tyree Adams, center Mark Nabou Jr., and right tackle Wilkin Formby. The two guard positions remain in flux. On the left side, Blake Ivy and Tyler Thomas are competing; on the right, Trovon Baugh and Coen Echols are vying for the job. Echols has also taken snaps at center and is listed as the backup behind Nabou. Elko said, “I think we’re getting closer to knowing what it’ll look like. I think it’s been a very, very competitive battle, which has been really, really good for us. It’s been really good to see some of the young guys – we’ve talked about this a lot – some of the young guys in our program really elevate and then see some of the new guys who are coming into the program and really being forced to elevate in order to win jobs… We’re still searching to figure out who the best five are and what that will look like, because you don’t really know until you get into those live game settings what it’s going to look like together.”
At running back, Rueben Owens II and Jamarion Marrow are both listed as co-starters, sharing the load. Tight end features a steady rotation among Micah Riley, Richie Anderson, and Houston Thomas, all listed as potential starters. Linebacker Daymion Sanford is a game-time decision for Saturday, so Noah Mikhail and Ray Coney appear to be the primary options at that position, with Mikhail listed at both linebacker spots. As Elko joked, battles will continue throughout the season, and no starting role is ever fully secure. But the players and coaches are ready to shift from practice to competition. “Finally, we get to stop talking about what things can be, what things can be about, and we get to run out of the tunnel and go play somebody else,” Elko said. “It’s beyond past the time to go do that. Our kids are really excited and fired up for it.”
Article commentary
The release of Texas A&M’s first depth chart marks the end of a long preseason and the beginning of a season filled with both promise and uncertainty. Head coach Mike Elko’s lighthearted admission that the chart would be “wrong” underscores a reality across college football: depth charts are fluid documents, often reflecting a coach’s hopes rather than a settled hierarchy. For the Aggies, this year’s first edition reveals a team in transition, with several key positions still open to competition. Perhaps the most telling decision is at kicker, where David Olano’s experience won out over a highly touted freshman. The Aggies’ kicking woes last season were glaring—a 61.5% field goal rate is simply not sustainable for a team with playoff aspirations. Olano’s proven track record at Illinois, including a 50-yard make and consistent accuracy inside 40 yards, offers a stabilizing presence. Yet the fact that true freshman Asher Murray pushed him so hard speaks to the depth Elko is building. The kicking battle, while resolved for now, may not be over; if Olano struggles early, Murray could see opportunities. In the secondary, the competition at field corner between Dezz Ricks and Rickekky Gibson III is particularly intriguing. Ricks, despite being targeted heavily last season, allowed a remarkably low completion percentage. That suggests he is often in position but may lack the ball skills to turn opportunities into turnovers. Gibson, on the other hand, brings a more proven record from Tennessee, but his 2025 season was cut short by injury. The winner of this battle will likely be tested early, as Missouri State may try to exploit the perceived weakness. The return of Julio Humphrey as the boundary corner gives the defense a reliable anchor, but the rotation philosophy Hemphill has hinted at could keep the group fresh and unpredictable. Offensive line uncertainty is a common theme for teams replacing starters, and the Aggies are no exception. Having three of five spots locked is a positive, but the guard positions remain a question mark. Elko’s emphasis on live game settings to determine the best combination suggests the coaching staff is still evaluating fits, not just talent. The depth at center, with Coen Echols cross-training, adds flexibility but also indicates that the ideal five-man unit hasn’t fully emerged. The running back rotation of Owens and Marrow, paired with a three-man tight end rotation, suggests the offense will rely on a committee approach, at least early on. This could be a double-edged sword: it keeps players fresh but may prevent any one back from establishing a rhythm. Elko’s final quote captures the mood of a team eager to compete. After weeks of internal battles, the Aggies can finally test themselves against an opponent. The depth chart, with all its “OR” designations, is a snapshot of a team still finding its identity. For fans, the real answers will come on Saturday—and the weeks that follow.