Texas A&M Aggies: Post-spring stock report
With spring football in the rear view mirror, it’s time to fully embrace the Head Ball Coach’s “talkin’ season.” The transfer portal carousel has slowed, so while rosters aren’t totally finalized just yet, we at least have a sense of strong foundation for each SEC program.
So let’s take a stock report for every team in the conference, examining their offense, defense and overall outlook heading into the 2022 season.
Today we look at the Texas A&M Aggies.
TEXAS A&M OFFENSE — STOCK UP
The Aggies’ offense was fairly middling in 2021 — a unit chalked with playmakers but lacking the triggerman to consistently distribute the football.
Jimbo Fisher’s scheme notoriously demands a lot from its quarterbacks, so when Haynes King went down with an injury early in Week 2, it seemingly popped the balloon on the unit’s potential explosiveness. Texas A&M finished the season with the third-worst passing offense in the conference (just 208.8 yards per game, 6.8 yards per attempt).
Zach Calzada had one magical night against Alabama (285 yards and three touchdowns), but he threw for 250 yards in every other game the rest of the season.
But Calzada is now at Auburn and Fisher must pick a QB1 between LSU transfer Max Johnson, 5-star freshman Conner Weigman and King, who is healthy and ready to reclaim his spot. No one emerged as a true leader after the spring, with all three guys still in contention entering fall camp. Johnson beat Texas A&M last season and has the most experience of the group, while Fisher has always had a fondness for King’s intriguing set of tools. Weigman is a wild card with a big arm and major recruiting pedigree, and he definitely flashed his command of the huddle during A&M’s spring game.
Versatile playmaker Ainias Smith is back, and he should have more help on the perimeter this season with Moose Muhammad expected to make a leap in Year 2 and 5-star freshman Evan Stewart now on campus. There’s real buzz surrounding Stewart in particular, as the blue-chip prospect drew Jaylen Waddle comparisons this spring. Five-star freshman Chris Marshall will enter the mix this summer, too.
Texas A&M’s offensive line and run game were strengths in 2021 and could actually be even better this fall — despite two major pieces to replace.
All-American right tackle Kenyon Green is gone, but four other OL starters return and there’s some nice depth pieces, too.
At tailback, Isaiah Spiller (1,011 yards) is now off to the NFL, but his backup last season Devon Achane was actually more efficient carrying the football (7.0 yards per carry on 11 attempts per game) and might be the fastest RB in the SEC. He’s not Texas A&M’s only stud running back either, as Amari Daniels (who had a big spring game) and LJ Johnson, among others, will also compete for carries.
If the Aggies can improve their complete lack of explosiveness in the passing game (Stewart should really help here after Texas A&M had just 34 plays over 20 yards all last season), the unit should remain not only efficient but potentially potent.
TEXAS A&M DEFENSE — STOCK SLIGHTLY DOWN
Texas A&M’s defense mostly carried the team a year ago, ranking Top 10 nationally in a number of categories. DC Mike Elko is now the head coach at Duke, but Fisher plucked DJ Durkin away from Ole Miss to continue to run the ship.
The Aggies signed one of the most impressive collection of defensive linemen in the 2023 class, and they’re going to need a guy or two to step in immediately (hello Shemar Stewart and Walter Nolan) as their top four linemen from last season are no longer on the roster. There’s some optimism the unit won’t actually take a step back though with the ascension of former 5-stars Shemar Turner and McKinnley Jackson this spring, coupled with all the influx of talent.
There’s also excitement surrounding Tunmise Adeleye, a former top DL recruit who didn’t play at all last season but had a couple sacks in the spring game.
The Aggies shouldn’t have an issue getting to the quarterback again this season (39 sacks, 4th-best in the SEC in 2021), but even with all the new DL talent, they’re unlikely to be as stout against the run (just six rushing touchdowns allowed, only 3.6 yards per carry).
Linebacker depth is perhaps the biggest concern across all the unit, as Texas A&M’s secondary should be among the best pass defenses in the SEC. The Aggies are loaded at corner and safety, with safety/nickel Antonio Johnson Jr. a potential 1st Round pick and Demani Richardson and Jaylon Jones back as multi-year starters. Cornerback Tyreek Chappell also returns but he’ll have to hold off Deuce Harmon and 5-star freshman Denver Harris for snaps. The Aggies picked off just 10 passes in 2021 and I expect that number to rise a bit this fall.
With the youth at DL plus a schedule that includes some dynamic opposing quarterbacks (Bryce Young, Tyler Van Dyke, Spencer Rattler, among others), I expect just a slight drop in play from the Aggies’ defense in 2022.
2022 OVERALL OUTLOOK — STOCK UP
It’s easy to be bullish on Texas A&M entering the 2022 season as no team in the SEC outside of Georgia or Alabama has such a loaded roster.
There’s 5-stars littered across the board at multiple positions. If Fisher can find the right quarterback to build a more dynamic attack, why can’t A&M push for a potential playoff spot? The Aggies will be favored in every game outside of their ballyhooed Oct. 8 matchup at Alabama — and Fisher beat Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide with a backup quarterback just last season.
Still, while the Aggies’ overall outlook is up, they seem like a team that’s a year away from competing for a national title.
The more likely path is Fisher’s first 10-win season in College Station, with a New Year’s Six bowl game providing a launching pad for a potential 2023 championship run.
On3’s SEC Stock Report Series: