Texas A&M True Freshman Making Surprise Push for Starting Kicker Job

Texas A&M appeared to have a pretty straightforward solution to its kicking problems entering 2026:

Bring in an experienced veteran from the transfer portal and hand him the job.

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However, a true freshman might be making that second part a little more complicated.

Asher Murray has emerged as a legitimate challenger to Illinois transfer David Olano for Texas A&M's starting placekicking job, with Mike Elko yet to name a starter between the two midway through preseason camp, according to KBTX's Travis L. Brown.

"I think they've been really, really good," Elko said Tuesday. "I think they've been more consistent. I think we've got range and depth, which has been really good. So, yeah, I think both those guys are kicking at a really high level."

Olano arrived in College Station as the more experienced option after spending three seasons at Illinois, where he converted 37 of his 43 field-goal attempts and 82 of 83 extra points.

He also earned All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition in each of the past two seasons and brings a career-long field goal of 50 yards.

Texas A&M didn't bring Olano in without expecting him to have a real opportunity to fix a problem.

The Aggies certainly had one last season.

Randy Bond and Jared Zirkel combined to make just 16 of their 26 field-goal attempts, including five of seven attempts from 20 to 29 yards.

Elko acknowledged in February that A&M's special teams weren't "quite up to standard" in 2025 and described retooling the room as an important offseason priority.

Olano was one piece of that solution. Murray was the other.

And "big leg" might be the easiest way to describe what the freshman brings to the competition.

Murray didn't even become a full-time kicker until his junior year at C.E. Byrd High School in Shreveport, Louisiana, after initially playing quarterback and kicking behind his older brother Abram.

It didn't take long for his leg to start attracting attention.

Murray connected on a career-long 56-yard field goal during his senior season, tying a share of the school record and finishing four yards shy of the Louisiana state record, according to KBTX.

He also converted 76 of 84 extra-point attempts and sent 78 of his 97 kickoffs into the end zone.

By the end of the recruiting process, 247Sports ranked Murray as the No. 3 kicker in the 2026 class.

Now he's already pushing a veteran transfer for playing time.

Olano's experience still gives Texas A&M an established option, and Elko hasn't indicated that Murray has won the job.

There's also another potential path onto the field.

Murray could factor into A&M's plans as a kickoff specialist even if Olano ultimately handles field goals.

But the fact that there's still a competition at all is noteworthy.

Texas A&M opens its season against Missouri State on Sept. 5, leaving Elko a little more time to decide which kicker will get the first opportunity.

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The Aggies entered the offseason needing a better answer at the position.

They might have found two.