re: How Bad is Texas A&M going to be next year?

They are going to suck. They would not have one SEC victory without Manziel.

7-5.

I can't believe there are people on here saying Johnny is coming back. That is insane. Not happening, in any universe.

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That said, next year might be an anomalous down year if the defense doesn't improve significantly and JFF heads to the NFL.

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I think you'll see a few things happen next year.

1. A&M will rely more on the run game. While I like Ben Malena, the only reason he's starting right now is because he's a senior. In terms of everything except touchdown runs, he's our LEAST productive runner. Tra Carson averages almost 6 yards per carry and Trey Williams averages 7 yards per carry. Add that to a currently redshirting James White (6'0 210 right now) and Brandon Williams if he can ever get his shite together and you have a nasty rushing attack.

2. Matt Joeckel will always be a backup QB, regardless of whether Manziel is on campus or not. While neither Kenny Hill nor Kyle Allen are the threat to do anything, anytime, anywhere like Johnny Manziel is, they are not statues in the pocket. Plus, they are less likely to TRY to do anything, anytime, anywhere like Manziel does.

3. Mike Evans will be nearly impossible to replace. Fortunately, the combination of Ricky Seals-Jones, Kyrion Parker, Sebastian Larue, Jeremy Tabuyo, and Jaquay Williams should make up the difference.

4. We only lose Jake Matthews off our starting line. I say "only", but we went from Joeckel to Matthews. Next year, we go from Matthews to Ogbuehi. By 2015 though, we will lose both Ogbuehi and Harrison, so that will be the first major O-line dropoff.

5. Currently, there is only a 6-man rotation on the defensive line (Golden, Obioha, Stansbury, Williams, Hall, and Robinson). Kirby Ennis' injury was the back-breaker in terms of the defensive line. If Obioha can move back to SDE, you will see a rotation of Obioha, Hall, Golden, Manning, Williams, Robinson, Stansbury, Walker, and true freshman Myles Garrett and D'Shawn Washington.

6. If Snyder is smart, he moves Howard Matthews from SS to SAM, as he clearly can't cover anyone bigger than a fullback but he is our leading tackler. That would solve our SAM problem and allow Kameron Miles (would have played this year if not for a shoulder injury) to start at SS.