Texas
Does Texas A&M Have a Kicker Problem?
Texas A&M completed the largest comeback in program history after storming back from 27 points down to miraculously pull off a 31–30 victory.
But before the celebration, the Aggies dug themselves into that deep hole, and it wasn’t just turnovers and flat-out bad football. One of the biggest reasons Mike Elko’s squad fell behind was the rough afternoon from its starting kicker, Randy Bond.
Bond, a graduate student, missed a 45-yard field goal that would have cut the deficit to 10–6. To make matters worse, he later pushed a freebie 24-yard field goal that kept South Carolina ahead by 17 points. That attempt came immediately after a Dalton Brooks interception that breathed life back into the Aggies. In one kick, that momentum evaporated.
Bond has been notorious for struggling in the 40 to 49 yard field goal window. Across his four years as a starter, he is 18 for 31 from that distance, a 58 percent clip. Before today, he was 4 for 6 in that range. Make that 4 for 7 after today.
To put that into perspective, a 58-percent probability is technically “likely,” but it is barely better than a coin toss. Here are a few things more likely to happen than Bond hitting from the 40-49 yard range.
The inconsistency has been there throughout his career. In 2023, he went 26 for 36, including six misses from that infamous 40 to 49 yard range.
He followed that with an impressive bounce-back year in 2024, making 20 of 24 attempts. He went 7 for 9 from the 40 to 49 range, which suggested he may have finally erased that weakness.
But in 2025, the issue has resurfaced, and this time it has spread beyond the long-range kicks. Bond has attempted 15 field goals and has made only 10 of them, a 66.7 percent mark.
At the beginning of the season, Elko announced that Georgia transfer Jared Zirkel would be the starter. Elko even said Zirkel had been “phenomenal” throughout the offseason and won the kicking job “by a wide margin.”
After Zirkel suffered an injury, Bond reclaimed the starting duties.
Whether it was a confidence hit after losing the job or just a continuation of an old flaw, the struggles have been apparent since his first start of the season against Notre Dame. Bond missed a 52-yard field goal that would have extended the halftime lead to 7. The trend continued against Auburn, where he missed two kicks on back-to-back drives, then another 40-yard attempt against Florida, and now two costly misses against South Carolina that made an already difficult comeback even harder.
But hey, on the bright side, if he hadn’t missed those two, the Aggies wouldn’t have pulled off the biggest comeback in school history.
Texas
Texas Football Opt-Outs: Who’s Likely Playing and Who’s Out for the Citrus Bowl
At this point in time, opting out of bowl games is nothing new, but Texas is going to have more opt-outs in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan than many—self included—expected. This problem pales in comparison to what’s going on in Ann Arbor, but the amount of lost experience will be something for Texas to overcome, primarily on defense.
Texas
Latest in recruiting war for elite 2028 QB has Texas Football joyful
Neimann Lawrence list the Longhorns as one school that is standing out
As the Longhorns continue to build for the future, one of their targets is four-star prospect Neimann Lawrence. The Miami native is one of the best quarterbacks in the 2028 class and is attracting interest from some of the nation’s top programs. On Monday, Lawrence revealed the schools that have stood out so far, including the Longhorns.
While Mondays update was encouraging, Texas was not the only school Lawrence mentioned. He also highlighted Michigan, Miami, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Tennessee. That is not an easy list of schools to go to battle with; the Longhorns have time to make themselves stand out.
Currently, the Miami Northwestern High star is ranked as the fourth-best quarterback in is class by 247Sports. They also rank him as the ninth-best player from Florida and the 39th-best player in the nation. With collegiate debut still over a year away, those rankings could change.
At the moment, the Longhorns do not have a commitment in the 2028 class, but they have made offers to some of the top recruits. That includes Brysen Wright, Jalanie George, Jamarios Canton, Micah Rhodes, and King Pitts. Landing any of those players would give Texas a bright future.
With a decision still months away, Lawrence will be a player to watch. A lot could change as his recruitment continues, but it is a good sign for Texas that they are standing out early on in the process.
Texas
Orange County wedding photographer deported on way to job in Texas
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – An Orange County photographer is speaking out after he was deported as he was heading to Texas to photograph a wedding.
What they’re saying:
“I was trying to do it the right way, the legal way and it just feels like they don’t care about that,” said Adan Caceres.
Caceres came to the United States under asylum in 2014, fleeing a violent El Salvador.
“My mom’s sister was murdered and she was thrown in front of our house. She also was abused sexually before they murdered her and then my brother and I were threatened by the gangs,” said Caceres.
He says he never received the deportation order that was issued in 2018 and only learned about it in 2023. He then started the process of reopening his case.
“I was paying my taxes. I’m a business owner, I’m a wedding photographer. I’m also married,” said Caceres.
In October, Caceres was going through security at John Wayne Airport, heading to a job in Texas, when he was detained. He says from Santa Ana, he was sent to the Adelanto Detention Center then one in El Paso, Texas where he says the conditions were inhumane.
“We’re not even asking ‘hey let us out’ we’re asking for water, we’re asking for us to be able to use the restroom, these are basic human rights,” said Caceres.
He says now that he’s back in the country he once fled, he’s most concerned about his wife back in Orange County.
“I was providing a lot of income for our household and now my wife has to take care of all of those things on her own; paying car insurance, the rent, all the bills,” said Caceres.
Caceres says he had no criminal history and feels he was on the path to citizenship when it was ripped away from him, leaving his future with his family uncertain.
“I don’t know if I’m going to see them. I don’t know when I’m going to see them,” said Caceres.
The other side:
FOX11 reached out to the Department of Homeland Security asking about Caceres’ case but had not heard back at the time this story aired.
The Source: Information for this story came from an interview with Adan Caceres.
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