Texas A&M Aggies Preview 2022: Offense
The Aggies have the talent, they have the athleticism, and they have the experience and depth. Now they need to be more explosive and even more consistent.
The style is to control the clock and dominate the tempo, but A&M didn’t do that as much as it would’ve liked to last year. The O was 11th in the SEC averaging 392 yards and 29 points per game, and there’s no reason to not hit 400 yards on a regular basis – it only did it six times – with the playmakers in place.
This will take all of fall camp to cement the quarterback situation, and it still might not be 100% settled in the early part of the season. Haynes King has the talent to be the slim favorite for the job – he threw three picks but lit up Kent State in the opener before getting hurt against Colorado – but LSU transfer Max Johnson looked ready this offseason to take over.
They’re both likely just buying time until super-recruit Conner Weigman is deemed worthy of making the gig his – that might be sooner than later.
The receiving corps has to be turned loose. A&M has a slew of downfield threats who need to be able to start stretching the field more.
Leading yardage receiver Jalen Wydermyer is gone at tight end, but Ainias Smith is a dangerous wideout who needs the ball in his hands even more – he led the team with just 47 catches with six scores. However, he was arrested on charges of DWI and unlawful carrying of a weapon – his situation is fluid.
Elite recruit Evan Stewart has to be a part of fun right away, Jalen Preston averaged 15 yards per catch, and Chris Marshall and Noah Thomas are two other great recruits who might be too good to keep off the field.
A&M doesn’t have another Wydermyer at tight end, but veteran Max Wright should be more than serviceable.
Leading rusher Isaiah Spiller is done, but track star Devone Achane led the team with nine touchdowns runs with 910 yards averaging a gaudy seven yards per carry. He’s the most dangerous back, Ainias Smith will get his share of carries, and Amari Daniels is a nice young back who finished third on the team with 119 yards.
The offensive line was okay at keeping defenses out of the backfield, and it paved the way for over five yards per carry. Three starters are expected back – not including Aki Ogunbiyi, who might be a breakout blocker in the interior if he can stay healthy.
As is, it might not be a star-studded front five, but it’ll be terrific around 6-4, 320-pound guard Layden Robinson, a pro prospect who’ll likely stick at right guard.
Texas A&M Aggies Preview 2022: Defense
How fast can the new guys be ready to roll? The Aggies finished 14th in the nation in total defense and third in scoring D as the the group had an unfair burden to carry. A&M was 7-0 when it allowed fewer than 20 points, and 1-4 when it didn’t.
The pass rush was great, the secondary made a lot of plays, and the run defense was good enough despite a few rough spots. Again, though, will the new stars be ready?
The Aggies lost just about all the stars off the defensive front, but Walter Nolan, Shemar Stewart, Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, Anthony Lucas, and Lebbeus Overton are all NFL-caliber prospects who take center stage among the epic A&M haul of talent this recruiting season.
There might be veterans in place – McKinnley Jackson is a 325-pound potential wall in the interior and Tunmise Adeleye and Fadil Diggs need to shine on the ends – but the freshman invasion is coming.
The linebackers don’t get enough of the spotlight, but Andrew White is a good-sized hitter in the middle – he made 57 tackles last season – and Edgerrin Cooper can get all over the field from the outside.
The freshmen linebackers aren’t as talented as the linemen, but Ish Harris is a great-looking young linebacker who just needs to bulk up a bit, and Martrell Harris was an elite get for the outside.
Speaking of the new parts …
The secondary is the one area on the defense that doesn’t need the infusion of talent right away, but it got four great prospects in corners Bobby Taylor and Denver Harris and safeties Jacoby Mathews, Smoke Bouie, and Bryce Anderson – Harris and Mathews are the most promising of the bunch. They’re the depth, though.
Safety Antonio Johnson was second on the team with 79 tackles, Demani Richardson third with 65, and corners Jaylon Jones and Tyreek Chappell combined for 15 broken up passes.
There were a few rocky moments – Arkansas and LSU hit too many big plays – but the defensive backs allowed just 13 touchdown passes with ten picks.
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