Texas A&M's kicking woes may be over with new talent
Texas A&M's kicking game, a weakness last season, gets a major upgrade with transfer David Olano and freshman Asher Murray.
As soon as the offseason began, third-year head coach Mike Elko assessed his roster, focused on adding starting-level talent and depth at nearly every position, while the Aggies' kicking struggles finally received attention from the transfer portal after veteran Randy Bond and Jared Zirkel missed at least one field goal attempt in eight of A&M's 13 games last season. For those who feel that special teams isn't that important to a team's overall success, no matter the situation, flipping the field with a long punt, or possessing the ability to kick a 45-plus yard field goal if the offense fails to move the ball in low-scoring defensive showdowns, can decide a game on any given Saturday. Last season, Texas A&M's 16-10 win over Auburn included three Randy Bond field goals, including a 49-yard kick, but he would end up being benched in favor of Jared Zirkel after going 0-3 on 50-plus yard attempts, while finishing 12-19 overall.
However, Zirkel wasn't much of an upgrade, finishing 4-7 from the field, while his early miss against Miami in the first round of the CFP helped result in the Aggies' 10-3 home loss. These struggles led to Elko landing a commitment from Illinois transfer kicker David Olano , who hit 87% of his field goal attempts, including 7-8 from 40-plus yards, and did not miss an extra point last season. Combined with freshman kicker Asher Murray , who was considered a five-star prospect at the position, both players showed off their leg strength and accuracy, combining to hit kicks from 53, 39, 33, 29, and 28 yards during the Maroon & White Game .
This isn't just a good sign, but potentially changes the trajectory of new OC Holmon Wiggins' offensive approach, knowing that he can count on the kicking game to go nearly anywhere on the field. Texas A&M’s kickers missed at least one field goal in 8 of their 13 games last year. They were 16-for-26, and 61.
5% was the second lowest team percentage among P4 teams. Today, David Olano and Asher Murray were a combined 5-for-5. They hit from 53, 39, 33, 29, and 28 yards 👍 pic.