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FPRC's 2014 Texas A&M Aggies Football Preview
Posted on 8/13/14 at 12:56 pm
Posted on 8/13/14 at 12:56 pm
The Football Power Rankings Committee presents to tRant:
2014 Texas A&M Aggies Football Preview
2013 Season Recap (9-4, 4-4 SEC)
A&M's second-ever SEC season came with much anticipation. After their surprisingly successful maiden campaign in 2012, which included a win at eventual national champion Alabama and culminating in waxing big12 co-champ OU, Coach Kevin Sumlin looked to orchestrate an encore performance with his Heisman-trophy quarterback, Johnny Manziel.
It would be an understatement to say that Johnny Football was the epicenter of the 2013 offseason. From casinos to courtside seats, impulsive tweets to frat party dismissals, Manziel was there, with the media putting his every move under a national microscope. The cacophony reached its peak when Manziel became involved in a pay-for-autographs scandal, which, after much brouhaha, resulted in the brash QB dodging a bullet by being suspended by the NCAA for only the first half of the Aggies' season opener.
While the TAMU offense garnered most of the attention, it became painfully apparent that the Aggie defense was woefully below par. Too often, monstrous offensive output was vital for A&M just to keep pace with league foes. Huge numbers put up by the offense at home were wasted as the Ags were swept by Bama and Auburn due in no small part to the fact that the A&M defense simply couldn't get a stop (the unit would go on to rank last in the SEC). There were bright spots aplenty, though, including A&M surprising the Razorbacks with a strong run game en route to a road win, and used a clutch performance late to steal another game at Ole Miss. Statistically, Manziel's 2013 season rivaled that of his Heisman year, and kept the Aggies afloat in many more games than they would have been in otherwise.
An injury late in the year to Manziel's throwing hand seemed to throw the Ags off-kilter. LSU shackled the Aggies' offense in a disastrous outing for A&M at Tiger Stadium--points-wise, it was the low water mark in the Johnny Football era. A&M couldn't shake their malaise in a trip to CoMo, either, when Mizzou did just enough to keep the Ags at bay while wrapping up the SEC East title.
Time off seemed to reinvigorate A&M as they readied for the Chik-fil-A bowl against Duke. When the Blue Devils came out swinging in the first half, however, the stunned Aggies found themselves in a daunting 38-17 halftime hole. A furious second-half comeback led by Manziel pulled A&M within 48-45 late in the fourth quarter, setting up Senior Toney Hurd, Jr.'s pick-6 for the go-ahead score. Nate Askew added an INT of his own moments later to seal the most dramatic (and final) victory of the Manziel era.
A 9-4 mark fell short of TAMU's aspirations entering the year, but remaining near the forefront of the national consciousness (thanks in large part to Manziel's presence) ultimately proved to be a boon for A&M's burgeoning recruiting efforts. Whether or not the Aggies can capitalize on such unprecedented exposure going forward remains to be seen, but the synergistic effects of the SEC move and the advent of Johnny Football will surely be felt for years to come in Aggieland.
Off-Season
Demolition and construction were the themes of the off-season, both literally and figuratively. The partial destruction of Kyle Field began the same night of A&M's final 2013 home game, kicking off a two off-season plan to renovate Kyle Field. At a cost of $450 million, the renovations will raise seating capacity at completion to 102,500 by bowling off the south side and corners of the stadium. Other highlights of what's been completed in 2014 include reconstruction of the East side (student side) first deck, canopy overhangs, a new 7,661 sq. ft., 1080p videoboard, and a redesigned strength and conditioning facility. Attendance records will be set this year as the 2014 version of Kyle field will have a temporary capacity of approximately 106,500.
Looking towards the newly completed south end zone, picture compliments of rugbyag
On the purely demolition side of things, there were several arrests (and one LSU grad student assault that has gone unpunished) over the summer. Shoplifting, felony armed robbery, and some other drug related shenanigans resulted in six total dismissals during the off-season. LB Darian Claiborne (89 tkls), DE Gavin Stansbury (47 tkls), and Isiah Golden (32 tkls) were the most notable losses.
While all dismissals were on the defensive side of the ball, transfers were the story on the offensive side. A handful of WRs and a freshman OT passed on rejoining their crowded positions, but the biggest move was QB Matt Joeckel. Joeckel started game 1 last season during JFF's undeserved one half suspension versus Rice. However, he was expected to run 3rd string in 2014 behind the younger QBs on the roster. Joeckel transferred to TCU and will have a chance at the starting job there.
2014 Texas A&M Aggies Football Preview
2013 Season Recap (9-4, 4-4 SEC)
A&M's second-ever SEC season came with much anticipation. After their surprisingly successful maiden campaign in 2012, which included a win at eventual national champion Alabama and culminating in waxing big12 co-champ OU, Coach Kevin Sumlin looked to orchestrate an encore performance with his Heisman-trophy quarterback, Johnny Manziel.
It would be an understatement to say that Johnny Football was the epicenter of the 2013 offseason. From casinos to courtside seats, impulsive tweets to frat party dismissals, Manziel was there, with the media putting his every move under a national microscope. The cacophony reached its peak when Manziel became involved in a pay-for-autographs scandal, which, after much brouhaha, resulted in the brash QB dodging a bullet by being suspended by the NCAA for only the first half of the Aggies' season opener.
While the TAMU offense garnered most of the attention, it became painfully apparent that the Aggie defense was woefully below par. Too often, monstrous offensive output was vital for A&M just to keep pace with league foes. Huge numbers put up by the offense at home were wasted as the Ags were swept by Bama and Auburn due in no small part to the fact that the A&M defense simply couldn't get a stop (the unit would go on to rank last in the SEC). There were bright spots aplenty, though, including A&M surprising the Razorbacks with a strong run game en route to a road win, and used a clutch performance late to steal another game at Ole Miss. Statistically, Manziel's 2013 season rivaled that of his Heisman year, and kept the Aggies afloat in many more games than they would have been in otherwise.
An injury late in the year to Manziel's throwing hand seemed to throw the Ags off-kilter. LSU shackled the Aggies' offense in a disastrous outing for A&M at Tiger Stadium--points-wise, it was the low water mark in the Johnny Football era. A&M couldn't shake their malaise in a trip to CoMo, either, when Mizzou did just enough to keep the Ags at bay while wrapping up the SEC East title.
Time off seemed to reinvigorate A&M as they readied for the Chik-fil-A bowl against Duke. When the Blue Devils came out swinging in the first half, however, the stunned Aggies found themselves in a daunting 38-17 halftime hole. A furious second-half comeback led by Manziel pulled A&M within 48-45 late in the fourth quarter, setting up Senior Toney Hurd, Jr.'s pick-6 for the go-ahead score. Nate Askew added an INT of his own moments later to seal the most dramatic (and final) victory of the Manziel era.
A 9-4 mark fell short of TAMU's aspirations entering the year, but remaining near the forefront of the national consciousness (thanks in large part to Manziel's presence) ultimately proved to be a boon for A&M's burgeoning recruiting efforts. Whether or not the Aggies can capitalize on such unprecedented exposure going forward remains to be seen, but the synergistic effects of the SEC move and the advent of Johnny Football will surely be felt for years to come in Aggieland.
Off-Season
Demolition and construction were the themes of the off-season, both literally and figuratively. The partial destruction of Kyle Field began the same night of A&M's final 2013 home game, kicking off a two off-season plan to renovate Kyle Field. At a cost of $450 million, the renovations will raise seating capacity at completion to 102,500 by bowling off the south side and corners of the stadium. Other highlights of what's been completed in 2014 include reconstruction of the East side (student side) first deck, canopy overhangs, a new 7,661 sq. ft., 1080p videoboard, and a redesigned strength and conditioning facility. Attendance records will be set this year as the 2014 version of Kyle field will have a temporary capacity of approximately 106,500.
Looking towards the newly completed south end zone, picture compliments of rugbyag
On the purely demolition side of things, there were several arrests (and one LSU grad student assault that has gone unpunished) over the summer. Shoplifting, felony armed robbery, and some other drug related shenanigans resulted in six total dismissals during the off-season. LB Darian Claiborne (89 tkls), DE Gavin Stansbury (47 tkls), and Isiah Golden (32 tkls) were the most notable losses.
While all dismissals were on the defensive side of the ball, transfers were the story on the offensive side. A handful of WRs and a freshman OT passed on rejoining their crowded positions, but the biggest move was QB Matt Joeckel. Joeckel started game 1 last season during JFF's undeserved one half suspension versus Rice. However, he was expected to run 3rd string in 2014 behind the younger QBs on the roster. Joeckel transferred to TCU and will have a chance at the starting job there.
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Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:00 pm to semotruman
2014 Offensive Preview (6 returners)
QB - This is a pretty simple position to cover as this year it is a two man competition between Sophomore Kenny Hill and true Freshman Kyle Allen. This one is wide open and as we all know from how 2012 turned out it's pointless to try and predict how this turns out. Kenny is more mobile, has experience with the system and played during 5 games last year. Allen on the other hand was highly recruited and has a great delivery. I think we are in decent hands however this turns out and trust Spavital and Sumlin to pick the right QB. If I had to choose, I would give the nod to Hill simply for experience with the system.
RBs - This is an underrated unit in the SEC and I think this year we really rely on our ground game more so than last year, especially with our inexperience at the QB position. Not sure many people realize this but every returning player averaged over 5 ypc last year with Trey Williams (pictured above) averaging a whopping 7 ypc.
Junior Tra Carson looks to get the bulk of the carries as a bruiser who actually displays agile feet. He really came along at the end of last year and with Malena gone will be our workhorse. Then we have the Williams duo of Trey and Brandon, both Juniors, who bring explosive speed. Trey especially has multiple touchdowns where it looked like he could have been tackled by 5+ players and ended up being touched by none. Brandon has an opportunity to insert himself into the picture after showing flashes of play making ability that earned him his 5 star status in high school. Redshirt Freshman James White will be fighting to get a few touches a game but unless he has a break out game or two will not be one of our main ball carriers.
Run blocking will need to improve as this was a strength of Malena's and not so much for the other players. This is especially true this year with less mobility at QB. One continued strength of the unit is the ability to catch out of the backfield.
WRs - For those thinking that we lost our only receiving weapon in Evans this year, let me introduce you to my friends Ricky Seals-Jones, coming off of a season ending injury last year, and Speedy Noil, whom some LSU fans may have heard of. I honestly don't see any drop off occurring this year as far as receiving is concerned, though I'm sure the rest of the league hopes there will be.
Our starters this year look to be Malcome Kennedy, a starter last year who had 60 receptions last year to Evans' 69, Noil, who is carrying a lot of expectations for a true freshman but who should meet them, Josh Reynolds, a junior college transfer who has really taken off since spring ball, and RSJ, who would have seen plenty of playing time last year until he was injured early on.
With RSJ at 6-5, Reynolds at 6-4, and then possibly 6-4 Edward Pope, 6-2 Kyrion Parker or 6-6 Frank Iheanacho, plus a speedster like LaQuvionte Gonzalez (who needs to learn how to catch everything thrown his way), this unit is very formidable not to mention stacked with playmakers. This year with an offensive scheme emphasizing tempo and space, anyone who thinks this receiving corps isn't up to the task of leading A&M's offense to the top spot is in for a surprise.
TE - Cam Clear also figures to factor into the offense in a big way this year, with his performance in the bowl game against Duke seeming to be a preview of what he is capable of. In this offense, he is a big target that we have yet to fully utilize and he may end up being one of our key weapons when this season is said and done.
OL - Last, but certainly not least, we come to the real strength of the Texas A&M offense. Having been the key to 2 years of record SEC offensive output, Coach Anderson and the gang will look to maintain an elite level here in order to give a new quarterback the best chance to succeed and for our team to win some games because God knows we'll need to score. With 89 returning starts and proven anchors and depth, this line should pave the way for a repeat of the kind of offensive fireworks we have been used to minus a Heisman trophy at the end of the year.
Penciled in starters are Cedric Ogbuehi at LT, after starting at RT last year (sound familiar?), Mike Matthews at C, and Germain Ifedi at RT. The guard position is where the most competition seems to be, with former starter Jarvis Harrison running 2nd string LG, which is as much due to coming back from shoulder surgery as anything, behind Garrett Gramling. Then RG is between Joseph Cheek and newcomer Avery Gennesy, a junior college transfer who is impressing with his footwork and athleticism.
2014 Defensive Preview (6 returners)
Only 2 returning starters in the front seven may seem bad for most teams, but for a Texas A&M squad that finished 112th in yards allowed per game, change is good. There is hope in College Station as experience builds and the highly touted incoming class steps foot on campus. The future looks promising as the 2014 squad hopes to return A&M to, at the very least, the middle of the road defense seen in 2012 (59th in yards per game).
D-Line - A youthful and undersized front seven seemed to be the most glaring issue of the 2013 squad. An inability to stop the inside run game (refer to the Auburn game) and an ineffective pass rush that overextended the secondary (refer to...every game) combined for the worst Aggie defense in recent memory. On the defensive line, 2-year starter SDE Julien Obioha is expected to lead the way for the developing group. Sophomore WDE Daeshon Hall contributed last year, but is expected to take on more of a starring role in 2014 as he has put on a significant amount of weight in the off-season and has another year of experience under his belt. However, the bigger story is the new blood being infused into the line. DE Myles Garret (5 star, 6'5 255 lbs.), the #2 rated recruit in the 2014 class, is expected to be a huge contributor. Word out of fall camp is that he is as or better than expected. DT Zaycoven Henderson (4 star, 6'1 280 lbs.), an early enrollee, is also another name to keep an eye on. Zay had a very successful spring working at NT and is another potential freshman starter.
LBs - The most uncertainty in the A&M defense again lies at linebacker. Claiborne's dismissal leaves no returning starters and a cast of unproven veterans vying for starting positions. Sophomore Jordan Mastrogiovanni has showed promise during spring practice, but struggled during games in 2013. Otaro Alaka (4 star, 6'3 210 lbs.) is the most promising incoming freshman, but his potential has yet to be fully evaluated. Whoever starts, A&M must find consistent linebacker play in 2014 to have a shot at a top 60 defense.
DBs - Although the backfield has four returning starters, there's still a good amount of uncertainty. We certainly gave up a large number of high yardage pass plays in 2013, but it was unclear how much was miscues by the DBs themselves and how much was poor pressure from the front seven. Safety play was especially poor last year and is a wide open competition going into this season. Nick Harvey (high 4 star, 5'10 180 lbs.) has the opportunity to grab a starting position and may see time at either CB or safety. Donovan Wilson (led LA in interceptions in 2013) is another freshman that has drawn praise in the early days of fall practice and is a potential piece of a backfield searching for consistency. Luckily, there's nowhere to go but up when it comes to A&M's safety play.
QB - This is a pretty simple position to cover as this year it is a two man competition between Sophomore Kenny Hill and true Freshman Kyle Allen. This one is wide open and as we all know from how 2012 turned out it's pointless to try and predict how this turns out. Kenny is more mobile, has experience with the system and played during 5 games last year. Allen on the other hand was highly recruited and has a great delivery. I think we are in decent hands however this turns out and trust Spavital and Sumlin to pick the right QB. If I had to choose, I would give the nod to Hill simply for experience with the system.
RBs - This is an underrated unit in the SEC and I think this year we really rely on our ground game more so than last year, especially with our inexperience at the QB position. Not sure many people realize this but every returning player averaged over 5 ypc last year with Trey Williams (pictured above) averaging a whopping 7 ypc.
Junior Tra Carson looks to get the bulk of the carries as a bruiser who actually displays agile feet. He really came along at the end of last year and with Malena gone will be our workhorse. Then we have the Williams duo of Trey and Brandon, both Juniors, who bring explosive speed. Trey especially has multiple touchdowns where it looked like he could have been tackled by 5+ players and ended up being touched by none. Brandon has an opportunity to insert himself into the picture after showing flashes of play making ability that earned him his 5 star status in high school. Redshirt Freshman James White will be fighting to get a few touches a game but unless he has a break out game or two will not be one of our main ball carriers.
Run blocking will need to improve as this was a strength of Malena's and not so much for the other players. This is especially true this year with less mobility at QB. One continued strength of the unit is the ability to catch out of the backfield.
WRs - For those thinking that we lost our only receiving weapon in Evans this year, let me introduce you to my friends Ricky Seals-Jones, coming off of a season ending injury last year, and Speedy Noil, whom some LSU fans may have heard of. I honestly don't see any drop off occurring this year as far as receiving is concerned, though I'm sure the rest of the league hopes there will be.
Our starters this year look to be Malcome Kennedy, a starter last year who had 60 receptions last year to Evans' 69, Noil, who is carrying a lot of expectations for a true freshman but who should meet them, Josh Reynolds, a junior college transfer who has really taken off since spring ball, and RSJ, who would have seen plenty of playing time last year until he was injured early on.
With RSJ at 6-5, Reynolds at 6-4, and then possibly 6-4 Edward Pope, 6-2 Kyrion Parker or 6-6 Frank Iheanacho, plus a speedster like LaQuvionte Gonzalez (who needs to learn how to catch everything thrown his way), this unit is very formidable not to mention stacked with playmakers. This year with an offensive scheme emphasizing tempo and space, anyone who thinks this receiving corps isn't up to the task of leading A&M's offense to the top spot is in for a surprise.
TE - Cam Clear also figures to factor into the offense in a big way this year, with his performance in the bowl game against Duke seeming to be a preview of what he is capable of. In this offense, he is a big target that we have yet to fully utilize and he may end up being one of our key weapons when this season is said and done.
OL - Last, but certainly not least, we come to the real strength of the Texas A&M offense. Having been the key to 2 years of record SEC offensive output, Coach Anderson and the gang will look to maintain an elite level here in order to give a new quarterback the best chance to succeed and for our team to win some games because God knows we'll need to score. With 89 returning starts and proven anchors and depth, this line should pave the way for a repeat of the kind of offensive fireworks we have been used to minus a Heisman trophy at the end of the year.
Penciled in starters are Cedric Ogbuehi at LT, after starting at RT last year (sound familiar?), Mike Matthews at C, and Germain Ifedi at RT. The guard position is where the most competition seems to be, with former starter Jarvis Harrison running 2nd string LG, which is as much due to coming back from shoulder surgery as anything, behind Garrett Gramling. Then RG is between Joseph Cheek and newcomer Avery Gennesy, a junior college transfer who is impressing with his footwork and athleticism.
2014 Defensive Preview (6 returners)
Only 2 returning starters in the front seven may seem bad for most teams, but for a Texas A&M squad that finished 112th in yards allowed per game, change is good. There is hope in College Station as experience builds and the highly touted incoming class steps foot on campus. The future looks promising as the 2014 squad hopes to return A&M to, at the very least, the middle of the road defense seen in 2012 (59th in yards per game).
D-Line - A youthful and undersized front seven seemed to be the most glaring issue of the 2013 squad. An inability to stop the inside run game (refer to the Auburn game) and an ineffective pass rush that overextended the secondary (refer to...every game) combined for the worst Aggie defense in recent memory. On the defensive line, 2-year starter SDE Julien Obioha is expected to lead the way for the developing group. Sophomore WDE Daeshon Hall contributed last year, but is expected to take on more of a starring role in 2014 as he has put on a significant amount of weight in the off-season and has another year of experience under his belt. However, the bigger story is the new blood being infused into the line. DE Myles Garret (5 star, 6'5 255 lbs.), the #2 rated recruit in the 2014 class, is expected to be a huge contributor. Word out of fall camp is that he is as or better than expected. DT Zaycoven Henderson (4 star, 6'1 280 lbs.), an early enrollee, is also another name to keep an eye on. Zay had a very successful spring working at NT and is another potential freshman starter.
LBs - The most uncertainty in the A&M defense again lies at linebacker. Claiborne's dismissal leaves no returning starters and a cast of unproven veterans vying for starting positions. Sophomore Jordan Mastrogiovanni has showed promise during spring practice, but struggled during games in 2013. Otaro Alaka (4 star, 6'3 210 lbs.) is the most promising incoming freshman, but his potential has yet to be fully evaluated. Whoever starts, A&M must find consistent linebacker play in 2014 to have a shot at a top 60 defense.
DBs - Although the backfield has four returning starters, there's still a good amount of uncertainty. We certainly gave up a large number of high yardage pass plays in 2013, but it was unclear how much was miscues by the DBs themselves and how much was poor pressure from the front seven. Safety play was especially poor last year and is a wide open competition going into this season. Nick Harvey (high 4 star, 5'10 180 lbs.) has the opportunity to grab a starting position and may see time at either CB or safety. Donovan Wilson (led LA in interceptions in 2013) is another freshman that has drawn praise in the early days of fall practice and is a potential piece of a backfield searching for consistency. Luckily, there's nowhere to go but up when it comes to A&M's safety play.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:03 pm to semotruman
Coaching
Only a few changes here for the Aggies but they are significant on both sides of the ball. For offense, Quarterback Coach Jake Spavital took over for Runningback Coach Clarence McKinney as the Offensive Coordinator starting in the bowl game last year and continuing into this year. Also Terry Joseph takes over as Secondary Coach after Marcel Yates bolted for Boise and tried to steal our entire defensive recruiting class.
It seemed like last year the offense lost its emphasis on tempo and an air raid mentality, relying on JFF to pull something out of thin air or Evans to go beast mode. With McKinney I think we can expect to see a return to the air raid mentality, even passing over the middle as crazy as that seems, and a running game that actually relies on the running backs. Based on what we saw during the bowl game I have full confidence that we will be towards the top of offensive production in the SEC again this year.
The addition of Terry Joseph is one that I think will pay dividends for the A&M secondary. For years the fans have been calling for a more physical attitude when it comes to covering receivers and this year we are going to get it. No more lining up 10 yards off a receiver, this year we finally get to see players try and knock a WR or two off their routes. Now if Joseph can do something with the Safety position this year the man will deserve a raise.
Schedule
Rated as a top 5 most difficult schedule, Texas A&M's schedule features three away games at preseason top 10 opponents (South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn) and a less, but still respectably, difficult gamut of home games with Ole Miss in October and Mizzou and LSU to close out the season. It's quite a test, but I'm sure LSU fans will still complain about how easy we have it.
Aug 28 @ South Carolina
Sep 06 Lamar
Sep 13 Rice
Sep 20 @ SMU
Sep 27 Arkansas @ Cowboys Stadium
Oct 04 @ Mississippi State
Oct 11 Ole Miss
Oct 18 @ Alabama
Oct 25 BYE
Nov 01 Louisiana-Monroe
Nov 08 @ Auburn
Nov 15 Missouri
Nov 22 BYE
Nov 27 LSU
Keys to the Season
Offense - Give the new QB the best chance to succeed, which with our OL and probable change in offensive play calling is very doable. What we need is for a young but talented WR corp to show up and make up for the loss of Evans and Labhart, which not many people will think this now but is very doable as well.
Defense - This is where the real questions lie with this team. Can we even get some hands on the opposing quarterbacks? Last year it didn't seem like it as we routinely failed to put any pressure on the pocket. Initial reports are that Myles is a beast, Hall is back in his natural spot, and coach Price has some quality but untested depth on the DL. So can they get to the QB and also stop the run, unlike so many games last year (Auburn comes to mind).
For linebackers, with the loss of Claiborne from the squad, can Mastro be the quarterback in the middle and lead the defense to some real improvement? Can they plug the gaps so that our safety's aren't also our leading tacklers?
For the secondary, as Deshazor said about the whole defense but it especially applies to the safety position...can they be any worse? I think we see some real physicality out of this unit with Joseph's coaching. The safety's MUST stop giving up the big plays and missed tackles, there's just no other way around it and last year it was terrible.
Overall - The offense needs to continue what it's done the past 2 years, put up points. That gets us 5-6 wins easy. It's up to the defense and possibly some good S/T plays to get us over the hump and to the other 2-3 wins we need to call this a successful season. The D is young again, but higher quality and with more depth at DL and secondary. Whether they can rise to the occasion remains to be seen.
Only a few changes here for the Aggies but they are significant on both sides of the ball. For offense, Quarterback Coach Jake Spavital took over for Runningback Coach Clarence McKinney as the Offensive Coordinator starting in the bowl game last year and continuing into this year. Also Terry Joseph takes over as Secondary Coach after Marcel Yates bolted for Boise and tried to steal our entire defensive recruiting class.
It seemed like last year the offense lost its emphasis on tempo and an air raid mentality, relying on JFF to pull something out of thin air or Evans to go beast mode. With McKinney I think we can expect to see a return to the air raid mentality, even passing over the middle as crazy as that seems, and a running game that actually relies on the running backs. Based on what we saw during the bowl game I have full confidence that we will be towards the top of offensive production in the SEC again this year.
The addition of Terry Joseph is one that I think will pay dividends for the A&M secondary. For years the fans have been calling for a more physical attitude when it comes to covering receivers and this year we are going to get it. No more lining up 10 yards off a receiver, this year we finally get to see players try and knock a WR or two off their routes. Now if Joseph can do something with the Safety position this year the man will deserve a raise.
Schedule
Rated as a top 5 most difficult schedule, Texas A&M's schedule features three away games at preseason top 10 opponents (South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn) and a less, but still respectably, difficult gamut of home games with Ole Miss in October and Mizzou and LSU to close out the season. It's quite a test, but I'm sure LSU fans will still complain about how easy we have it.
Aug 28 @ South Carolina
Sep 06 Lamar
Sep 13 Rice
Sep 20 @ SMU
Sep 27 Arkansas @ Cowboys Stadium
Oct 04 @ Mississippi State
Oct 11 Ole Miss
Oct 18 @ Alabama
Oct 25 BYE
Nov 01 Louisiana-Monroe
Nov 08 @ Auburn
Nov 15 Missouri
Nov 22 BYE
Nov 27 LSU
Keys to the Season
Offense - Give the new QB the best chance to succeed, which with our OL and probable change in offensive play calling is very doable. What we need is for a young but talented WR corp to show up and make up for the loss of Evans and Labhart, which not many people will think this now but is very doable as well.
Defense - This is where the real questions lie with this team. Can we even get some hands on the opposing quarterbacks? Last year it didn't seem like it as we routinely failed to put any pressure on the pocket. Initial reports are that Myles is a beast, Hall is back in his natural spot, and coach Price has some quality but untested depth on the DL. So can they get to the QB and also stop the run, unlike so many games last year (Auburn comes to mind).
For linebackers, with the loss of Claiborne from the squad, can Mastro be the quarterback in the middle and lead the defense to some real improvement? Can they plug the gaps so that our safety's aren't also our leading tacklers?
For the secondary, as Deshazor said about the whole defense but it especially applies to the safety position...can they be any worse? I think we see some real physicality out of this unit with Joseph's coaching. The safety's MUST stop giving up the big plays and missed tackles, there's just no other way around it and last year it was terrible.
Overall - The offense needs to continue what it's done the past 2 years, put up points. That gets us 5-6 wins easy. It's up to the defense and possibly some good S/T plays to get us over the hump and to the other 2-3 wins we need to call this a successful season. The D is young again, but higher quality and with more depth at DL and secondary. Whether they can rise to the occasion remains to be seen.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:03 pm to semotruman
quote:
and one LSU grad student assault that has gone unpunished
Link?
quote:
Shoplifting, felony armed robbery, and some other drug related shenanigans resulted in six total dismissals during the off-season. LB Darian Claiborne (89 tkls), DE Gavin Stansbury (47 tkls), and Isiah Golden (32 tkls) were the most notable losses.
There were only six total dismissals between the 2013 Cotton Bowl and today:
Isaiah Golden (2014)
Darian Claiborne (2014)
Kameron Miles (2014)
Jordan Points (2014)
Kenneth Marshall (2013, before the bowl)
Jordan Richmond (before the 2013 season)
Gavin Stansbury was not dismissed. He voluntarily left and is eligible to play immediately at Houston.
quote:
but the biggest move was QB Matt Joeckel
The biggest move was Stansbury, as stated earlier, who wasn't dismissed.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:09 pm to semotruman
quote:
Then RG is between Joseph Cheek and newcomer Avery Gennesy
Avery Gennesy is Ogbuehi's backup. Jermaine Eluemunor is at right guard.
quote:
D-Line - A youthful and undersized front seven seemed to be the most glaring issue of the 2013 squad. An inability to stop the inside run game (refer to the Auburn game) and an ineffective pass rush that overextended the secondary (refer to...every game) combined for the worst Aggie defense in recent memory. On the defensive line, 2-year starter SDE Julien Obioha is expected to lead the way for the developing group. Sophomore WDE Daeshon Hall contributed last year, but is expected to take on more of a starring role in 2014 as he has put on a significant amount of weight in the off-season and has another year of experience under his belt. However, the bigger story is the new blood being infused into the line. DE Myles Garret (5 star, 6'5 255 lbs.), the #2 rated recruit in the 2014 class, is expected to be a huge contributor. Word out of fall camp is that he is as or better than expected. DT Zaycoven Henderson (4 star, 6'1 280 lbs.), an early enrollee, is also another name to keep an eye on. Zay had a very successful spring working at NT and is another potential freshman starter.
-Henderson is 315 lbs.
-No mention of Jay Arnold or Justin Manning at 3-tech?
quote:
LBs - The most uncertainty in the A&M defense again lies at linebacker. Claiborne's dismissal leaves no returning starters and a cast of unproven veterans vying for starting positions. Sophomore Jordan Mastrogiovanni has showed promise during spring practice, but struggled during games in 2013. Otaro Alaka (4 star, 6'3 210 lbs.) is the most promising incoming freshman, but his potential has yet to be fully evaluated. Whoever starts, A&M must find consistent linebacker play in 2014 to have a shot at a top 60 defense.
-Alaka is 225 now.
-No mention of WILL starter A.J. Hilliard, the sophomore transfer from TCU who had to sit out last season?
quote:
DBs - Although the backfield has four returning starters, there's still a good amount of uncertainty. We certainly gave up a large number of high yardage pass plays in 2013, but it was unclear how much was miscues by the DBs themselves and how much was poor pressure from the front seven. Safety play was especially poor last year and is a wide open competition going into this season. Nick Harvey (high 4 star, 5'10 180 lbs.) has the opportunity to grab a starting position and may see time at either CB or safety. Donovan Wilson (led LA in interceptions in 2013) is another freshman that has drawn praise in the early days of fall practice and is a potential piece of a backfield searching for consistency. Luckily, there's nowhere to go but up when it comes to A&M's safety play.
Early reports are that Harvey is close to taking one of the starting corner/nickel positions. No mention of the improvement of Devonta Burns and Floyd Raven, nor the fact that Howard Matthews is in danger of losing his starting spot.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:11 pm to CGSC Lobotomy
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:11 pm to CGSC Lobotomy
Take it easy. Maybe you should have volunteered to write it.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:12 pm to semotruman
quote:
It's quite a test, but I'm sure LSU fans will still complain about how easy we have it.
LSU does not care about your schedule. Be quite Little Brother, you are not Alabama.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:17 pm to ctiger69
quote:
It's quite a test, but I'm sure LSU fans will still complain about how easy we have it.
LSU does not care about your schedule. Be quite Little Brother, you are not Alabama.
This.
Hey, I can respect an OOC road game at..... SMU
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:18 pm to CGSC Lobotomy
Set the record straight !!1
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:21 pm to ShaneTheLegLechler
Haha yeah. Sorry I tried to find as many practice reports as I could to get the OL right but still messed up.
I know that there are lots of moving parts right now outside of the 3 starters I mentioned based on what I've been reading, which is why I wrote the summary that way highlighting them. Really a strength of our OL that quite a few players can move around on the line if need be.
I know that there are lots of moving parts right now outside of the 3 starters I mentioned based on what I've been reading, which is why I wrote the summary that way highlighting them. Really a strength of our OL that quite a few players can move around on the line if need be.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:27 pm to semotruman
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:30 pm to leoj
our 2-deep at OL looks like
LT - Ogbuehi, Gennessy
LG - Gramling, Harrison
C - Matthews, Compton
RG - Cheek, Eleumunor
RT - Ifedi, Lindblade
LT - Ogbuehi, Gennessy
LG - Gramling, Harrison
C - Matthews, Compton
RG - Cheek, Eleumunor
RT - Ifedi, Lindblade
Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:32 pm to leoj
it's not a big deal. I was being sarcastic Posted on 8/13/14 at 1:34 pm to ShaneTheLegLechler
I know, was laughing at lobotomy. It's all good
Posted on 8/13/14 at 2:06 pm to leoj
These write ups are amazing.
Classic that Ags think there will be no drop off at WR with a busted seals and a true frosh Noil
Classic that Ags think there will be no drop off at WR with a busted seals and a true frosh Noil
Posted on 8/13/14 at 2:07 pm to IceColdBeer
Explain.
Posted on 8/13/14 at 2:09 pm to TbirdSpur2010
quote:
Explain.
Busted Knee Seals and a true frosh Noil that has never caught a pass
Posted on 8/13/14 at 2:09 pm to IceColdBeer
quote:
Busted Knee Seals and a true frosh Noil that has never caught a pass
By that logic, how is there no drop off at running back for LSU when Fournett has never touched the football at the college level?
Posted on 8/13/14 at 2:10 pm to IceColdBeer
Troll. Per par for you.
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