Five storylines to watch as Texas A&M takes on UL Monroe in Week 3

Will D.J. Durkin and the Aggies defense respond? Will Ainias Smith be more involved? These are just a few storylines to watch in Week 3 against UL Monroe.

As Texas A&M (1-1) welcomes UL Monroe (2-0) to Kyle Field this weekend, don’t let the talent disparity of the rosters fool you. This profiles as a must-win game for the Aggies, if they hope to steer the trajectory of their season back on track.

It’s been more than a few days since Texas A&M fell 48-33 to No. 23 Miami, with many of the takeaways highlighting areas to address. From better defensive play-calling to being more disciplined in the open field, Week 3 offers a chance to right the wrongs of last week.

Head coach Jimbo Fisher, as well as veteran leaders Ainias Smith and McKinnley Jackson, have spoken at length about how this team is prepared to handle adversity. It’s clear that they felt like they let one slip away against Miami, but their ability to fix the holes will speak to this team’s maturity level.

Those traits will be paramount as the Aggies prepare to shift toward the conference play of their regular season schedule, which begins Week 4 against Auburn.

Before we get to that point, here are five storylines to keep an eye on as Texas A&M takes on UL Monroe in Week 3.