Today is an exciting day for Texas A&M Student Radio. Our broadcaster of the Brazos, DJ Pecos, got access to the sidelines and press box of Kyle Field for the Annual Maroon and White Game. This spring game is held to showcase the off-season developments of your Fightin Texas Aggies as they prepare for the upcoming season. Today's game left Aggieland wondering what the future holds for the 12th Man as they enter the Fall with the 9th-best recruiting class in the nation.

Last season proved difficult, as the Aggies encountered numerous challenges towards the end of their season. Both road losses to Auburn and South Carolina placed the Aggies in a tough place. They had to beat the visiting “t-sip” Texas Longhorns to remotely have a chance at making the inaugural twelve-team playoff bracket. Their opening weekend loss to Notre Dame didn’t help morale either. Also, don’t ask about USC… we tried. All of that to be said, Battered Aggie Syndrome is real.

The coin toss resulted in the White Team winning and choosing to receive in the first half. In the first quarter, freshman Miles O’Neill took center stage with fellow Fish Izaiah Williams to bring the White Team to the first score of the game. The drive started strong with several complete passes by the duo until they reached the Maroon Team’s 17 where Nate Boerkircher went in for O’Neill’s pass to fall incomplete. At 4th and 16 the White Team then decides to kick for a field goal. The 35-yard field goal was completed to set the score 3-0 with the White Team taking the lead.

As the Maroon team took over in the remainder of the First Quarter, a sequence of penalties began that would plague them for the rest of the game. This did not seem to concern Head Coach Mike Elko, who said in the post-game press conference that the penalties weren’t particularly alarming as most veteran players didn’t incur any. The real question is if this would impact these new freshman players' ability to see the lights of Kyle Field.

Into the second quarter, the White Team kept prevailing with a starting drive that brought them thirty-one yards down the field to kick from the 49-yard line and set the score 6-0. While the ability of the White Team to score was greater than the Maroon Team there was one key factor in play, their defense. This was because of the diligent work the Maroon Team did on Defense. The White Team was 1-4 on third downs for a majority of the game proving that our established players on the Maroon could come under threat this season by our tougher opponents. The play of the quarter though had to be Reed's pass intercepted by #54 for the White Team Jordan Lockhart. This further set the Maroon Team back in their pursuit to score. The quarter ended 9-0 with the White Team ahead following another complete field goal.

During halftime there must have been a switch that flipped in the Maroon Team’s drive. Maroon kicked it into high gear and within minutes scored a touchdown. The first drive set them 2-4 on third downs and after a 22-yard pass from Reed to freshman wide receiver Bethel-Roman Maroon set the score 9-7. Even with this temporary victory, the White Team still managed to maintain their stride with O’Neil leading them to score again and setting the score 16-7. By the end of the quarter, the White Team kept the Maroon held in their own territory, not passing the Maroon 18 at one point.

Into the final quarter, the White Team scored again with a Field Goal by #99 Jared Zirkel and left them 19-7. While the Maroon Team did have an interception in the final three minutes orchestrated by #20 Adonyss Currie, it wasn’t enough to finish the game.

The final score was 19-7 with the Texas A&M White Team prevailing over the Maroon Team. Coaches had a unique take on the game upon its conclusion. Coach Mike Elko is excited about the summer training. This is the point where he can identify issues that can be remediated before the Fightin’ Texas Aggies take the field in August. He claims that like every team in America, they have a long way to go. Specifically, he mentions Marcel’s pockets during the Maroon and White game weren’t great. These issues will most likely be of discussion and work this summer. As for the next person to fill the spot of backup quarterback… it is to be determined. Those will be determined in internal meetings and have yet to be publicly released. Aggieland will wonder who will be by Reed’s side as we open the season.

On recruiting, he says they added some quality players on the front because of the departures but overall is satisfied with the students who stepped up. These players taking leadership were not necessarily surprising, but more of a proud moment for Coach Elko as he looks to the future of the program. The Texas Aggies are using “quiet recruitments” as he said in the press conference. Not necessarily the flashiest recruits that make the news but with mentorship and growth will become assets to the program here in College Station.