Modern Family: New Life-Chapter 260: The future

"Texas A&M," Andrew replied, and the room fell silent.

Leonard was the first to react. "Texas A&M Aggies," he repeated, using the full name.

"Texas, huh!" Steve said with a smile that mixed excitement and challenge. "They say football is lived even more intensely there than in Missouri."

"Yeah... that’s what they say," Andrew answered, a strange expression crossing his face.

"Big 12, right?" Howard asked, raising an eyebrow as he took a sip from his glass.

Andrew was about to respond, but his two cousins spoke up almost at the same time.

"No and yes," Haley and Alex said in unison.

They looked at each other, and Alex continued. "This year they’re in the Big 12 Conference, but next season they’re moving to the SEC. Just like Missouri."

Andrew raised an eyebrow, amused. "You’re well informed."

"Ahem, we did a little research," Haley replied with feigned indifference. "It wasn’t that hard."

Leonard stepped in. "The Big 12 doesn’t actually have twelve teams anymore, right?"

"This season they lost two teams and dropped to ten. And next season they’re losing two more, so they’ll be down to eight," Steve said.

"Exactly. This season Nebraska left for the Big Ten Conference and Colorado for the Pac-12," Andrew added.

"Then they should change the name," Leonard said.

"Big-8 doesn’t sound very good," Howard commented with a half-smile.

"No," Jade interjected, "I heard my dad say that two more universities are joining next season. Wouldn’t that put them back where they were?"

Andrew nodded. "They won’t go back to twelve, but they’ll stay at ten. With Texas A&M and Missouri leaving for the SEC, and TCU and West Virginia coming in, the conference stays at ten like this season."

"So in the end that’s three colleges to the SEC and two to the Pac-12..." Leonard murmured to himself, thoughtful, hand resting on his chin.

Texas A&M didn’t just offer the same strategic advantage as Missouri, being the new face of the program during its transition to the SEC, it offered something even more powerful.

It was Texas. A state where football wasn’t just a sport. It was culture and identity. Almost a religious tradition. Even more visceral than in Missouri.

The downside, however, was that he wouldn’t have the Tucker side of the family nearby like he would in Missouri. And even less his close California circle.

Jade looked at him with interest. "Did you choose Texas A&M because they treat football like a religion there? Or because they joined the SEC and you can be the new face of the program?"

Andrew didn’t answer right away.

Texas A&M fit his personal standards. It wasn’t a currently dominant dynasty. It wasn’t a consolidated empire like Alabama.

But it wasn’t irrelevant either.

In its history, Texas A&M had won three national championships, though the last one dated back to 1939. More than seventy years ago. Even longer than UCLA, whose last national title had been in 1954.

As for conference titles, their last Big 12 championship came in 1998. Thirteen years without lifting the trophy. Too long for a program with tradition.

They had presence and prestige in historic bowl games. They weren’t small. But they weren’t a contemporary giant either.

Historically, Texas A&M was bigger than Missouri. But in current terms, it didn’t dominate either.

It was exactly the kind of program Andrew found attractive: strong, with history and potential, but not an already unstoppable machine.

"Both," he finally answered. "You always hear that football in Texas is lived differently. That’s real. But mostly because of the SEC."

He couldn’t tell them the full truth. That a deeply personal part of that decision was tied to something no one would understand.

In his past life, he had been Texan.

And like almost every teenage quarterback in Texas, his dream had been to play at the University of Texas at Austin. The Longhorns. A massive national brand. Huge stadium. Constant pipeline to the NFL. Frequent top-5 recruiting classes.

In that life, Andrew had dreamed of becoming part of the giant. But now his level, and his mindset, were different.

He didn’t want to be just another piece inside a historic dynasty.

He wanted to build something.

Besides, here the Longhorns were still in the Big 12 Conference, a conference going through obvious political instability: colleges leaving, others joining, constant realignments.

He wasn’t interested in investing his career in an uncertain environment.

Texas A&M, on the other hand, was making the jump to the SEC, the conference dominating the national landscape.

If he had to move away from home, he’d rather do it in the SEC. Always.

That’s why, in his five official visits, only Pac-12 and SEC universities were included. He didn’t see much sense in the other three Power Five conferences.

The Big 12 was already ruled out for structural reasons. Political instability. Constant realignment. Programs coming and going. Too much institutional noise for someone planning three decisive years.

The Big Ten didn’t appeal to him as a quarterback either. Historically associated with physical football, dominant offensive and defensive lines, harsh weather, and less open offensive systems for his profile. And geographically, it was far away.

And then there was the last of the Power Five: the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Since 1999, no ACC university had won a national title. Their last champion had been Florida State University, but in 2011 they were rebuilding. Not to be confused with the University of Florida, Tim Tebow’s school, which belonged to the SEC and had won recent titles.

The University of Miami was far removed from its dynasty of the 1980s and early 2000s. The rest of the conference had solid competitive teams, but no true national championship contender in recent years.

The contrast was clear.

The SEC constantly had four or five teams in the Top 15.

The Big 12 still featured feared and consistently competitive programs: the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, and the University of Texas at Austin.

The Pac-12 had Oregon and Stanford in the current Top 5, and USC as a historic brand, with its last BCS title in 2007, though later surrounded by controversy.

The Big Ten was pure tradition: Ohio State University, the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

The ACC, at that moment, simply wasn’t at the same national competitive level.

That’s why Andrew never seriously considered any ACC powerhouse.

Not because he couldn’t bring one back to glory. It wouldn’t be impossible.

In fact, with the knowledge of his past life, he knew that in theory it would happen, if everything stayed the same.

Florida State University returned to the top in 2013 with a perfect 13–0 season, won the BCS, and defeated Auburn from the SEC.

Jameis Winston, a quarterback from his same generation, had a historic year and won the Heisman.

Winston, in the present, was one of the few recruits comparable to Andrew in pure talent: five stars, the nation’s top dual-threat quarterback, top three overall player in his class.

He was considered true elite and was being aggressively recruited by the major powerhouses.

But even so, the difference with Andrew was noticeable.

Winston was an elite prospect.

Andrew was seen as something beyond that.

Not just the best in his class, not merely a dominant five-star, but the best high school quarterback prospect in history.

His hype was on another level. People didn’t wonder whether he would live up to it, they expected him to transform whichever program he chose.

That’s why, if he chose the ACC and dominated it, it would be expected in what was currently the weakest of the five conferences. Only if he won the BCS with an ACC team would he gain full legitimacy, on the final day.

"So how is Texas A&M doing this season?" Jade asked curiously, shifting closer to Andrew, their legs brushing slightly.

Andrew answered plainly. "Average. Almost disappointing. 5–5 overall and 3–4 in the Big 12."

In conference play they had a losing record. Out of conference they’d done somewhat better, but the issue wasn’t just the record. They had lost several close games after leading in the fourth quarter. The narrative was that they were a team unable to close.

"Yeah, I read the staff is under a lot of pressure," Steve added, his tone showing little concern that this might be Andrew’s next destination.

Andrew nodded. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

The head coach, Mike Sherman, was in his fourth year and on the hot seat due to the program’s inconsistency. The already announced transition to the SEC only added more tension. It was a delicate moment.

Jade crossed her arms. "You’ve chosen teams that aren’t having great seasons," she observed in a neutral tone, more analytical than critical. "Missouri, Texas A&M, and UCLA."

It wasn’t criticism, just an observation. Missouri had a losing record. Texas A&M was on the verge of competitive collapse. UCLA wasn’t in its best moment either, and its coaching staff was under scrutiny as well.

Andrew shrugged. "Yeah. But the other two are doing very well."

Stanford had a 9–1 record and was ranked in the national Top 10. Meanwhile, Georgia was 8–2, having lost its only games early in the season before putting together a strong winning streak.

He was balancing things out.

A couple of established, competitive programs, and others with potential, but in transition.

"Isn’t there a quarterback who put up numbers similar to yours in high school touchdowns and is now at Texas A&M? I can’t remember his name..." Steve commented.

"Yeah. Johnny Manziel. His senior year was last year. He had 75 total touchdowns: 45 passing and 30 rushing," Andrew replied immediately, knowing the information by heart.

Steve widened his eyes. "More than you?"

The others looked surprised as well.

Andrew had thrown 72 touchdowns in his junior year. Manziel had posted 75 in his senior season.

"That’s insane... why didn’t I hear more about him?" Leonard asked.

Andrew explained briefly.

The Texas high school system was organized into divisions based on school size: 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, and 1A.

5A was the state elite, the deepest and most competitive category. 4A was strong, but a step below in overall talent density.

Manziel’s school competed in 4A. Solid competition with good programs, but not regularly facing the state’s giants.

Andrew, on the other hand, played in the Trinity League within the CIF Southern Section, considered by many the toughest league in the country. Each season he faced programs like Servite, St. John Bosco, De La Salle, Long Beach Poly, and other rosters loaded with FBS prospects year after year.

The context wasn’t comparable.

A quarterback who dominates in 4A needs extraordinary stats or spectacular highlights to climb national rankings.

And there was also the offensive system.

Manziel played in a spread scheme, an open system that spreads receivers across the field, prioritizes tempo, simplified reads, and wide spacing.

It favors mobile quarterbacks who can improvise, extend plays, and accumulate production both through the air and on the ground. When it works, it tends to inflate statistics due to play volume and offensive opportunities.

That, combined with his level of competition, led to Manziel being evaluated as a three-star recruit.

Andrew, by contrast, operated in a system much closer to pro-style. Progressive reads, intermediate and deep throws from the pocket. While he also showed dual-threat capability and could run when necessary, his identity wasn’t based on constant improvisation, it was built on decision-making, accuracy, and arm strength.

For national evaluators, that was crucial. Rankings didn’t just measure touchdowns. They measured NFL projection.

A quarterback who runs too much and lives off improvisation often raises concerns about transitioning to the next level. In contrast, a passer who demonstrates advanced reads, anticipation, and mastery of structured passing concepts is seen as a cleaner professional prospect.

In a higher competitive context, facing defenses loaded with four- and five-star recruits, Andrew had produced 72 touchdowns.

Only three fewer than Manziel, but in a more demanding environment. That’s why the national perception was different.

"Well, that explains it," Howard said, more at ease.

"It was the only logical explanation," Haley added.

"Yeah, like the case of Maty Mauk," Steve commented.

Andrew nodded.

Mauk, at that moment a high school senior, had 66 touchdowns in just ten games. More than Andrew, who after his last game had reached 55. The raw numbers were impressive.

But no one placed him in the same conversation.

Mauk wasn’t playing in a comparable division, and his offensive system favored him, similar to Manziel’s situation. His stats drew attention, but he didn’t carry the same ranking status or national conversation as Andrew.

"And how is this Manziel doing in his first year in college? He’d be your competition if you go there, right?" Jade asked.

"Yes, up to now he hasn’t played in any official games. Most likely he’ll end up as a redshirt," Andrew replied.

In college football, a player has four years of eligibility to compete, but can remain in the program for up to five years. If he doesn’t participate in any games during a season, not a single minute, not even as a backup, he can preserve that year as a redshirt. In practical terms, he continues progressing academically while keeping his competitive eligibility intact.

That meant that the following year he would be considered a redshirt freshman, his second year on campus, but his first on the field.

Howard, Steve, and Haley downplayed it. If he hadn’t played a single snap, he didn’t seem like much of a threat or competition for Andrew if he went there.

Alex, more analytical, saw it differently: if the staff chose not to use him, they probably wanted him to adapt to the system, improve physically, and be fully prepared to compete at his highest level. Exactly in the year Andrew would arrive, though with one fewer year in the program, which was clearly a disadvantage.

Internally, Andrew agreed with Alex, but said nothing.

He couldn’t tell them that, if everything followed its original course, Johnny Manziel would become the starter in 2012 and end up winning the Heisman Trophy. He would be the first freshman to do so, though technically a redshirt freshman, not a true freshman.

That distinction mattered.

A redshirt freshman, even if he didn’t play a single official snap, has already spent a full year training at the college level. He knows the system and has gone through physical development. It’s not the same as arriving straight out of high school.

And even so, what Manziel did was historic. He became the first redshirt freshman to win the Heisman Trophy.

But in the entire history of college football, at least up to the future Andrew knew, around 2023-2024, no true freshman had ever won the Heisman.

None.

There had been national champions as true freshmen. There had been finalists and spectacular seasons. But winning the trophy in your first real year on campus, without a prior redshirt year, had never happened.

That put the challenge on another level.

If he chose Texas A&M, he wouldn’t be arriving at an empty program. He’d be stepping into one about to explode. He would have to compete directly against a quarterback who, in the original timeline, would become a Heisman winner.

Far from discouraging him, that excited him. Winning the starting job would be a real challenge. Not like at UCLA, Stanford, or Missouri, where earning the spot would be much easier.

And if he didn’t choose Texas A&M, then in theory Manziel would have his legendary season without interference and win college football’s highest honor. Although Andrew could change that. And he was already thinking about competing for the trophy himself, and becoming the first true freshman to win it.

"But let’s stop talking about my college future... what about you? Have you decided which university you’re going to?" Andrew asked, looking at Howard, Leonard, Haley, and Alex.

He already knew Jade’s answer.

Leonard spoke first. "My options are Princeton or Caltech. I’m not completely sure yet."

Howard let out a low whistle. "Nothing modest."

"They’re two solid options. Although Caltech is even more selective than Princeton," Alex commented.

Haley frowned. "How selective?"

Alex answered almost automatically. "Caltech is around a 2.7% acceptance rate. The lowest in the country. Then come Harvard, Columbia, MIT, and Stanford to complete the top five."

Leonard nodded.

Caltech, the California Institute of Technology, had an almost obsessive focus on pure scientific research. Physics, mathematics, engineering. It was smaller, which partly explained its extremely low acceptance rate, but that also made it more intense.

Princeton University was part of the historic core of the Ivy League alongside Harvard and Yale. It carried absolute prestige and long tradition. Its acceptance rate was low, though higher than Caltech’s.

"Princeton has always appealed to me," Leonard admitted. "But Caltech is more specific. More oriented toward hard research. And that’s what truly interests me."

The three of them then began discussing the technical and academic advantages and disadvantages of the two schools.

Steve looked at Andrew as if to say, what are they even talking about? Andrew just shrugged, not quite sure what to add.

"So basically you want to be a physicist, right?" Steve asked, trying to sum everything up in one word.

"Yes," Leonard replied with a slight smile. "A physicist."

Those were the two options he was seriously debating. Honestly, his first inclination had always been Princeton. It was the classic choice, and a bit of his mother’s preference. But lately, he’d been wavering.

Caltech was more aligned with his obsession with theoretical physics and research.

And it was in Pasadena, California.

Close to his friends. Honestly, he wouldn’t mind moving away from his parents. It might even feel like a relief, especially from his mother.

If Andrew chose UCLA, they’d practically be next door. He could keep going to his games and help keep the group united, since, at the end of the day, he was the link that connected them all.

But Leonard wouldn’t say that out loud. He might have an extremely high IQ, but he didn’t speak easily about sentimental matters.

’Either way, I’ll know what Andrew chooses in December,’ Leonard thought. He knew Andrew would graduate early and make his decision before most others.

And, though he wouldn’t admit it, that variable mattered. More than he was willing to recognize.

The room fell silent.

"So?" Andrew said. "Who’s next?"

He looked directly at Howard. It was unusual for him to stay quiet. Howard always liked to talk, especially when the subject could revolve around his bright future.

Howard cleared his throat. "Ahem... yeah. My first option is MIT. I’d need to improve my GPA a bit, but I still have enough time. My second is... UCLA. Engineering at both."

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, known simply as MIT, was, as Alex had already mentioned, one of the most selective universities in the country. On par with Caltech in technical selectivity. An absolute benchmark for anyone aspiring to become a top-tier engineer.

Alex nodded thoughtfully. "They’re good options, although there’s a difference between MIT and UCLA in engineering."

The difference was real.

UCLA had a strong engineering school, top among public universities nationally, with solid labs and global prestige. But MIT was in another category in terms of research, technical resources, and scientific culture.

"Yeah, I know," Howard replied. "But UCLA is still excellent."

He wasn’t saying it to convince himself. He had analyzed it.

UCLA demanded high performance for admission into engineering. It wasn’t easy. It carried academic intensity and international recognition. And it offered something MIT didn’t: proximity.

He would be close to home, to his mother, and to his friends.

If Andrew chose UCLA, Steve would go there too. Leonard, if he picked Caltech, would stay in Pasadena. Haley, as far as he knew, would also remain in Los Angeles.

The group could stay together, and though he wouldn’t say it out loud, that mattered to him. To his own surprise, his high school years, now nearing their end, had been glorious.

He hadn’t expected that at first.

In middle school, he had felt almost like an extra in his own life. A tiny social circle, practically limited to Leonard and a couple of nerdy classmates he got along with, but without real connection.

Everything changed the day he decided to go, without a formal invitation, to a gathering Andrew organized during freshman year. He heard about it through his cousin. He hesitated, but went anyway.

From then on, his social life exploded.

Two years at Palisades filled with games, sports events, occasional parties, Friday or Saturday meetups at Andrew’s place or someone else’s. And YouTube, of course, he always had a camera in his hand, filming and being part of what was happening in high school football, something that had never really been captured like that before.

And then, even after Andrew transferred to Mater Dei, the years became even more intense. More events. More sports culture and unforgettable moments.

Not because he had a massive group, the inner circle remained selective, but because the experience had been far richer than he ever imagined when he was about to start high school.

He had always tried to appear positive. He never let anyone see the insecurity he carried before that stage began.

’Either way, I’ll know what Andrew chooses in December,’ Howard thought, just like Leonard.

They talked a bit more about MIT, and then it was Alex’s turn. She answered without hesitation.

"Caltech."

There was no second option. No "I’m still evaluating." Just certainty. And she wasn’t even in her senior year yet, she was only finishing sophomore year.

Haley smirked slightly. "Oh, so you might end up with Leonard. Your own personal mentor."

Howard laughed. "That’s true! You’ll have a resident academic superior you already know."

Steve clapped. "The dynamic duo of Pasadena."

Leonard adjusted his glasses, staring off to the side with fake, absolute concentration on the coffee table.

Alex frowned. "Shut up."

Then she looked directly at her sister. "And you? Do you know where you’re going? Because so far you’ve only commented on everyone else."

Haley shifted on the couch, crossing her legs with a mix of confidence and light provocation.

"I’m aiming for Otis College of Art and Design," she replied.

The name hung in the air, and silence followed. They all looked at each other. None of them knew much about fashion.

"Is it good?" Steve asked, scratching his head.

Haley looked at him, offended. "Of course it’s good! It has strong academic prestige in design and art. It’s not top three in the country because the New York schools dominate that space, but in California it’s one of the best for fashion design. And it’s in the top five fashion programs in the country."

She crossed her arms elegantly and continued, "And getting in isn’t easy at all. Grades aren’t enough. You need a portfolio. There’s a real artistic evaluation."

Andrew looked at her with silent approval.

Since Haley had decided to take fashion seriously, her discipline had changed for the better.

Howard raised an eyebrow. "Well... looks like we all have big plans."

"Yeah..." Haley said thoughtfully. Two years ago, she never would have imagined herself speaking so seriously about her college future.

Then she turned to Jade. "What about you? Have you thought about any universities?"

The question carried barely concealed interest.

Jade looked up. Her pale, almost icy eyes settled on Haley with a neutral, slightly intimidating expression. Not hostile, just too firm.

To the surprise of several, Haley held her gaze.

"As I told your mother at the dinner at the pizzeria," Jade began in her low, measured tone, not slow, but controlled, "I don’t know. First I need to survive at least the first semester of school. Then I’ll decide which university I’ll waste four years of my life at."

"Yes, I remember..." Haley replied, keeping her tone polite, almost diplomatic. No irony. No open challenge.

Andrew and Steve exchanged a silent glance.

They understood instantly.

It was unusual for Haley to show so much patience with a girl Andrew was getting to know. Especially considering Jade wasn’t exactly warm. With her personality, Haley didn’t usually back down from strong or intimidating presences.

But this time she was being measured. And they already knew why.

"But you don’t even have a rough idea?" Haley insisted gently. "I don’t know... maybe UCLA? Your dad knows the university pretty well, and it’s close."

Alex lightly kicked her in the ankle. ’Don’t be so obvious,’ she thought.

Jade shook her head. "No. No idea."

The answer was short and closed.

"Oh... I see," Haley said, forcing a slight smile.

They moved on to lighter topics until a loud shout shook the house from upstairs.

"HOWIEEE! What time is this? It’s already late! Your friends need to leave! There’s school tomorrow!"

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