Pair of Texas A&M Legs Named to Preseason Watchlists

When thinking of Texas A&M football stars, names that come to mind are typically guys like quarterback Marcel Reed, running back Le’Veon Moss, cornerback Will Lee III or linebacker Taurean York.

No matter how good they may be, specialists tend to be some of the most forgotten positions on any team. 

Heading into 2025, kicker Randy Bond and punter Tyler White have been named to the preseason watch list at their respective positions. 

Texas A&M’s Boots

Bond was named to the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Preseason Watch List, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced on Friday. The award is named for Lou Groza, a Pro Football Hall of Fame kicker who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, revolutionizing the position. Each year, the Lou Groza award is given to the nation’s best place-kicker. 

Last season, Bond. Was a Lou Groza award semifinalist. He made a 15th-ranked 20 field goals on an 83.3 field goal percentage. He converted on all 46 PAT attempts and accounted for 106 points on the season. 

The 20 semifinalists will be announced Nov. 18, the top three finalists will be announced Nov. 25 and the award winner will be announced on Dec. 12 during the Home Depot College Football Awards. The award recipient is determined by a panel consisting of FBS head coaches, sports information directors, media members, former Groza Award finalists and current NFL kickers. 

Bond was not the only specialist to be named to an award watchlist. White, A&M’s punter, was named to the Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List, the Augusta Sports Council announced Friday. Ray Guy was the first and only punter drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. The award is awarded to a punter who displays leadership, self-discipline and has a positive impact on the team's success.

The Guy Award has a similar selection process to the Groza Award. In mid-November, the Ray Guy Award Committee will announce its 10 semifinalists before announcing the winner at the same award show as the Groza Award. 

White was a semifinalist last season and averaged 44.9 yards per punt, good for fifth in the SEC. He pinned 25 punts within the 20-yard line and had five downed inside the five-yard line. Only three of his 46 punts were returned for a total of 14 yards. Entering his sophomore season, White seems to be in a good spot. 

The Aggies are set to host the UTSA Roadrunners on Aug. 30 to kick off the 2025 season.