Since Mike Elko joined Texas A&M football, he has emphasized the importance of recruiting top talent from within Texas and fostering strong relationships with the state’s high school coaches. This strategy appears to be yielding dividends once again.
Colton Chmelar, a kicker from A&M Consolidated, announced today that he will be joining Texas A&M football as a preferred walk-on. Despite this being a walk-on role, it marks a significant acquisition for the team—Chmelar is highly regarded not only for his kicking abilities but also for his skills as a receiver and soccer player.
Fans of Texas A&M football understand the pivotal role that strong special teams can play, particularly in the performance of kickers. Past games have seen outcomes influenced by both their own and opponents’ kicking performances—such as the memorable “Oink Doink” incident against Arkansas a couple of years ago—underscoring the importance of maintaining a high standard at this position.
#AGTG I'm officially 1000% COMMITTED to Texas A&M @AggieFootball Thank you @Coach_Dougherty @CoachKLars @CoachMikeElko @CoachTroop_ for the opportunity to call @TAMU home! I'm super grateful for my family, teammates, coaches and fans for believing in me and supporting me… pic.twitter.com/lNarmfQg7j
— Colton Chmelar (@ColtonChmelar) June 22, 2024
Personally, I applaud this decision. It’s always beneficial to retain local talent when they bring value to the team, and Colton’s kicking prowess promises to enhance the special teams unit significantly.
Beginning with the 2023 recruiting class, Texas A&M has increasingly focused on recruiting from within the state, partly due to challenges in national recruitments. This strategy resulted in signings like Chantz Johnson and Taurean York, which have been considered successful moves for the program.
