On the field, The #8 Aggies will be taking on #7 Oklahoma State in a top ten matchup that will surely prove to be the most compelling conflict of the weekend. Attention ESPN, even with your increasingly obvious Longhorn bias and anti-aggie agenda, you missed the boat big time by not hosting Gameday in College Station. Anyway, with that big said, the on-field dramatics of Saturday will certainly overshadow the superb work going on behind the scenes from the staff of both Mike Sherman and Billy Kennedy in what could prove to be the biggest single day in Aggie sports in over a decade.
Currently, Texas A&M is set to host one of the biggest recruiting events that i have seen in years, and it couldn't be on a better weekend. The atmosphere at Kyle Field will one of the best in recent memory, and while all ninety thousand (potentially) members of the twelfth man are important, there are a few that Aggie sports fans should know about.
First off, Mike Sherman and staff will be hosting a slew of current 2012 commitments on their official visits, including four-star commits WR Bralon Addison, RB Trey Williams, LB Jordan Richmond and QB Matt Davis (who has been actively hyping A&M to other recruits). Also on hand for the game will be high profile 2012 prospects DT Aziz Shittu, WR Kendall Sanders, LB Denzell Devall, and JUCO RB Marion Grice, along with a trio of 2013 prospects.
Devall is a four-star LB from Bastrop, Louisiana that Sherman has been targeting for a while. A&M is currently in a fierce battle with LSU and Alabama to win his commitment. He is a key recruit for Sherman at a need position, and could further entrench A&M's recruiting presence in talent-rich Louisiana, as they prepare to enter the SEC.
Kendall Sanders is rated as a four-star athlete and projects as a corner or receiver at the next level. Not only is he a great athlete, but he is also currently committed to Oklahoma State, and a win on the field could help the Ags steal a key recruit from the Cowboys. Marion Grice comes from nearby Blinn C.C. in Brenham, and is rated as a four-star running back by Rivals.com. Although not really a need position for A&M, he is a talented player and could provide great depth for next season.
The star of this group is five-star DT Aziz Shittu from Atwater, California. Shittu is the 3rd ranked defensive tackle nationally, which is a major need position for A&M, and is the 21st ranked overall player nationally, which makes him one of the most important recruits of the class of 2012. Shittu has been reporting his fondness for A&M and the coaching staff via twitter, and once he sees Kyle Field on game day, a commitment could be imminent, which would be a major recruiting coup for Sherman and his staff.
As if that wasn't enough, basketball coach Billy Kennedy and his ace staff have put together an all-star lineup of visitors of their own. Highlights include star 2012 commit J-Mychal Reese of Bryan, four-star 2012 commit Alex Caruso, and 2013 commit Kendrick Nunn. But, the big news is the two uncommitted players who will be in attendance, SF Shabazz Muhammad of Las Vegas and PF Jabari Parker of Chicago.
Muhammad is possibly the most high profile basketball recruit to ever visit A&M, and the Ags have a legitimate shot at landing him thanks to superstar assistant coach Glynn Cyprien. Muhammad is listed as 6'6" and 215 pounds and is rated by Rivals.com as the #1 overall player nationally for the class of 2012. He is a dynamic player the likes of which the A&M basketball program has never seen, and could push Aggie basketball into the national spotlight much like Kevin Durant did for Texas. Not far behind him is Jabari Parker, who is ranked as the #2 overall player nationally for the class of 2013. Kennedy has his work cut out for him, but he and his staff have done a job that is nothing short of miraculous on the recruiting trail. A commitment from either of these two players would be the most significant in Aggie basketball history.
Saturday will be a landmark day for Aggie sports, and a win on the field could bring far more benefit to A&M than positive national exposure. So... beat the hell outta OSU.