It’s preseason, better known as “Talkin’ Season” by those who cover college football daily. Even though the summer is mainly filled with hot takes and season predictions with zero merits, it’s our job to weave through the mess and focus on the content based on realistic potential outcomes.
For Texas A&M, the Aggies are coming off of their memorably disappointing 5-7 2022 season, but as we all witnessed TCU’s incredible run to the National Championship game after going 5-7 in 2021, anything is possible for the Maroon and White, who possess one of the most talented rosters ahead of the 2023 campaign.
Heading into his sixth season with the program, head coach Jimbo Fisher is under immense pressure to not only turn things around ten-fold, but after bringing new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino into the mix, the future of sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman’s progression is now in his hands, but the job should be more seamless than rocky with the return of swiss army knife wide receiver Ainais Smith, paired with the standout of wideouts Evan Stewart and Moose Muhammad and one of the deepest running back groups in the SEC.
Though I may be on an island alone in believing that the Aggies can completely turn things around, 247Sports’ Brad Crawford placed Texas A&M among his Top 10 “most dangerous teams to watch in 2023,” coming in at No. 8 on the list.
Here is what Crawford had to say:
Why the Aggies are dangerous: There is a reason Jimbo Fisher’s team garners national acclaim despite last season’s failures. The roster, despite turnover, remains elite and the addition of Bobby Petrino has a chance to pay off in a big way for the Aggies offensively. With Evan Stewart and Ainias Smith — who many have compared to Deebo Samuel due to his versatility — are back, along with promising wideout Moose Muhammad III, there’s a lot to work with for Petrino if quarterback Connor Weigman is able to take the next step. With a couple sophomores expected to start along the offensive front, that might be the defining position group this fall as Texas A&M tries to find more potency on Petrino’s side of the football.
As the offense is slated to take a huge step, especially in the passing game, Crawford and I agree that the trenches may define this team from a consistency standpoint. Defensively, the Aggies are expected to dominate at the line of scrimmage due to a deep defensive line rotation, yet the depth at defensive back, despite the starting talent, remains an issue, leading to Fisher’s recent comment that more additions through the transfer portal are coming in due time,
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