LOOK: Texas A&M athletic director calls out report alleging A&M avoiding Texas
Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork isn’t standing for any rumors that the Aggies are avoiding the Texas Longhorns. After a report alleged Texas A&M “made it clear” they don’t want to be in the same “pod” as the Longhorns, Bjork couldn’t stop laughing at the idea.
Laughing emojis. Shrugs. Sources between quotation marks. Bjork brought out all the stops to disparage the report that the Aggies are avoiding the Longhorns, as the program prepares to enter the SEC.
Prior to the Aggies joining the SEC, the two rival programs had a rivalry that spanned almost a century. Much to Texas A&M’s dismay, the Longhorns dominated the contests, as Texas leads the all-time series with a record of 76-37-5.
The last matchup between the two Texas-based programs came in 2011, when the Longhorns defeated the Aggies in a thrilling 27-25 showdown. One of the things most exciting about Texas joining the SEC will be the return of the longstanding rivalry, and it’s evident there’s plenty of juice remaining.
Texas A&M announces plans for new indoor football facility, track complex
In other exciting news, Texas A&M has announced some gigantic plans for some exciting construction as part of their Centennial Campaign. Celebrating the 100-year anniversary of Texas A&M’s iconic 12th Man tradition, the Aggies will be constructing an indoor football facility and indoor track complex, among other things.
“Driven by a shared goal to lay the foundation for a new era of excellence, Texas A&M Athletics and the 12th Man Foundation proudly announce the Centennial Campaign, a transformational initiative that will impact the academic and athletic development of all Aggie student-athletes,” announced Texas A&M. “Named in recognition of the 100-year anniversary of Texas A&M’s iconic 12th Man tradition, the Centennial Campaign will feature the construction of an Academic and Wellness Center, Football Indoor Performance Center and Indoor Track Stadium as well as a redevelopment of the Bright Football Complex.”
The renderings of the construction look wonderful, and could be a game-changer for Texas A&M. Continuing, Texas A&M Director of Athletics Ross Bjork stated that the Aggies are continuing their standard of excellence with the initiative.
“When we recruit student-athletes to Texas A&M, our goal is to develop them academically, athletically and in their personal lives,” Bjork said. “We are in the most transformational time in the history of college athletics, but at Texas A&M we are always going to hold ourselves to a standard of excellence. The Centennial Campaign is a commitment to that standard and an investment in our student-athletes.”
Moreover, donor contributions have been huge for the Centennial Campaign. According to Texas A&M, the 12th Man Foundation has committed to securing $120 million in donor contributions, which represents the largest philanthropic fundraising effort in the organization’s history outside of the historic redevelopment of Kyle Field.
On the field, Jimbo Fisher is attempting to build Aggies football into a championship-caliber squad. Evidently, he believes the Centennial Campaign will aid in his quest.
“Excellence requires commitment on every level, both on and off the field,” said Fisher. “The Centennial Campaign solidifies the Aggies’ dedication to the future of our program and student-athletes. Our goal is to develop our players academically, athletically, and personally and to be the best ambassadors possible for Texas A&M University. This campaign, along with what we already have in place, allows us to impact every student-athlete and firmly places us at the forefront of the evolving college football landscape.”
You can read more about the huge venture for Texas A&M in their official release here. It’ll sure to be a sight to see when it’s all said and done.