What if I told you that having high expectations for Texas A&M ahead of the pivotal 2023 college football season was okay, especially after their disastrous 5-7 (2-6 SEC) 2022 campaign?
Well, I’m here to confirm that all of us in the Aggie media sphere aren’t the only ones in the hope business regarding the Maroon and White, as longtime CFB analyst Phil Steele, known for his annual season preview magazine, released his Top 16 most-improved teams ahead of the 2023 season, which happens to include Texas A&M who landed among the Top five teams listed.
Leading the SEC in returning production with eight starters returning on offense and defense, including veteran players such as wide receiver Ainias Smith, defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, and strong safety Demani Richardson, who will all take on important leadership roles not only on the field but also inside the locker room.
Led sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman who’s poised to take the next step in his development after finishing 2022 with 896 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions for a 132.3 passer rating in five games during the latter half of the 2022 season, is poised to take the next step in his development under play-calling savant and QB guru Bobby Petrino, who’s entering his first season as the program’s new offensive coordinator.
Here are the Top five teams poised to improve in 2023, according to Phil Steele.