Texas A&M spent last season living with a kicking game that was more liability than asset, and it showed up in all the wrong places. The Aggies had a few timely moments early, including against Notre Dame, but the spot that should have been automatic kept turning into a problem. By the end of the year, it was fair to say the kicking situation was one of the biggest reasons things got so shaky.
That’s why the current reset matters so much. Texas A&M has added true freshman Asher Murray, who has already drawn praise from Mike Elko, but the bigger buzz is around Illinois transfer David Olano. The former Fighting Illini kicker arrives with a reputation for being one of the nation’s most accurate and dependable options, exactly the kind of answer Texas A&M needed after years of uncertainty.
Now Olano has been named to the preseason watchlist for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the country’s best kicker. Texas A&M Football highlighted the news on August 7, 2026, posting: “On the radar for the Lou Groza Award. @DavidOlano_ | https://t.co/2Y70PWAnna pic.twitter.com/83mJiz9yvn”
The move is a major shift for a program that finished last in the SEC in kicking percentage a year ago, going 16-for-26. Texas A&M still won 11 games because the offense and defense were strong enough to cover for the misses, but the kicking game was the clear weak link. Randy Bond had his moments, yet he and Jared Zirkel both faded in the biggest spots last season.
That kind of inconsistency changes how a coach handles the game. A fourth-and-6 from the 35-yard line might have pushed Elko toward a gamble instead of a field goal attempt, simply because the kicking game couldn’t be trusted. If Olano stabilizes that part of the field, Texas A&M suddenly gets more choices and fewer wasted possessions.
Illini fans weren’t thrilled to lose him, and it’s easy to see why. He had built a strong enough reputation in Champaign to land on the Lou Groza preseason list. For Texas A&M, the hope is simple: if Olano delivers the way the Aggies expect, this team can clean up its biggest problem and give itself a real chance to stay in playoff contention in November.
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