Why 2023 is an impact year for Texas A&M

Texas A&M must succeed this year. If it fails to do so, the program might not have another chance for a long time.

After going 5-7 last season and 2-6 in conference play, the Aggies are feeling the heat. And, frankly, they should be. From 2019 to 2022, Texas A&M had a top 10 recruiting class yearly. Further, the Aggies had the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation in 2022.

On3’s own JD PicKell discussed the dangers of underachieving with so much talent.

“If you’re Texas A&M and you’re trying to recruit Johnny Five-Star, Johnny Five-Star is probably going to have a little hesitation because he sees other five stars in his position go to Texas A&M and either, one, transfer out. Or, two, they don’t get developed to the degree you’d hope they’d get developed.”

The Aggies have seen their fair share of transfer exits. This offseason, A&M lost 31 players to the transfer portal, including four former four-star recruits. Head coach Jimbo Fisher and Co. only brought in nine transfers to heal the losses.

Although Texas A&M is currently losing recruits due to poor performance, the program will face another obstacle in the near future. With Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC in 2024, A&M will no longer be the sole Texas program in the conference.

In the past, Fisher could run recruiting in the lone star state. If a recruit wanted to play in the SEC, but stay close to home, they had one option: A&M. Suddenly, those kids, who would’ve been Aggies, might decide to suit up for the Longhorns.

A&M can’t afford this nightmare to become a reality.

“If they can win eight games, that shows a little bit of improvement, a little bit of progression,” PicKell said. “It’ll be more in line with what you expect from their roster and you can pitch that to recruits going forward.”

For outsiders who aren’t buying into the trouble in paradise, simply looking at last year. After four years of recruiting dominance, A&M had just the 15th best recruiting class in 2023. It isn’t a coincidence the subpar class came on the heels of a subpar season.

Luckily for the Aggies, PicKell believes A&M is better than what it showed last season.

“You haven’t recruited at that level. You don’t have a head coach that coaches at that level,” PicKell said. “The bar is set much higher in College Station than what they’re achieving.”