Texas A&M announced its new 12th Man on Saturday.
Long snapper Connor Choate will wear the Aggies most prized number for the 2021 season, the program said.
Choate has been a key member of the special teams unit for a couple seasons.
Last season, Choate played in all 10 games as the team’s primary deep snapper, and was named Special Teams MVP. In 2019 as a freshman, he played in all 13 games as the team’s primary deep snapper, and earned the Special Teams Newcomer Award at the annual team banquet.
Choate replaces Braden White, who was the 12th man the last 2 seasons, and he came after the popular Cullen Gillaspia who wore the number for 3 seasons.
The 12th Man tradition dates to 1922, when E. King Gill, the original 12th Man, was called from the stands to suit up in case the injury-riddled Aggies needed him. Now, the label refers to the entire Aggie student body, former and current students alike.
#12thMan, introducing your new 12th Man. 👍
Congratulations, @connorchoate1! #GigEm pic.twitter.com/XOIwyeLjGM
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) August 28, 2021
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
