Mike Elko Confindent in New Kicking Game Ahead Of Fall Camp

A major piece to this fall camp will be the kicking situation going into fall camp.

There are several updates and options as the Aggies head into a hot August, and the competition between the kickers is still up for grabs. Head coach Mike Elko spoke about what he has seen from those men, along with the long snapper and punter.

“We feel like we addressed it,” Elko said. “We’re really excited with where we’re at. David and Asher have had really good summers — Both of those guys appear ready to go into this year and give us really strong kicking.”

No decision has been made at the moment for a starting kicker, but it will feature two intriguing stars that have the leg to put the football through the uprights. It appears that it will be a fun contest to watch between the Illinois transfer David Olano and the incoming kicker, Asher Murray.

No matter who wins this position, it is going to be of the utmost importance to nail the kicks necessary to stay in games and even possibly win games. There is no Randy Bond or Jared Zirkel in the picture anymore, so it is the next man up who has to take responsibility for the duties.

Kicking Competition

Illinois kicker David Olano kicks the game winning field goal against Tennessee | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Going to fall camp where plenty of eyes will be on how the kicking game goes, this is the time for one of the standouts to stand out more than the others because the coaching staff will not wait around for answers.

Olano has the experience of playing in the Big Ten and knows what it is like to play in those intense games where multiple people are relying on him to put the football through the uprights. The 5-foot-11 kicker had a field goal percentage that sat at 87 percent to end the 2025 season and was 100 percent on PATs.

He also was a 2025 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and 2024 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (coaches) recipient. He made 26 starts and logged 193 points, going 82-of-83 on PATs with a career-long 50-yard field goal two seasons ago.

Looking at what Murray brings, it is a fresh set of legs that has nothing to lose as a recent enrollee at A&M. As a senior in high school, he drilled a 56-yard field goal and connected on 18 of his 22 kicks.

“Asher had a really good spring,” Elko said.

Decisions will soon have to be made as the primary kicker, so it might boil down to who is more precise and uses their plant foot to their advantage, with good follow-through.

As for updates with the long snapper, Elko discussed what Tyler White, Shea Freibaum and Jacob Graham have brought, mentioning this about them.

“We’re happy with what Shea has been able to do at long snapper,” Elko said. “We feel like he’s going to be able to go in there and replace Jacob, and don’t forget Jacob is a three-year starter and gave us a lot of stability at the long snapper position — really happy with Tyler White’s development and so we feel good. Now we just got to go do it.”

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