SEC Snapshot: Texas A&M Aggies

Mike Elko, Texas A&M - © Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

We are in the middle of the Dog Days of Summer. SEC Media Days is right around the corner. Before we get into preseason mode, let’s get our minds right for the upcoming college football season by taking a 10,000-foot view of every SEC football team.

Texas A&M was a bit of a surprise during Mike Elko’s first season in College Station. After dropping a nail-biter to Notre Dame in week one, A&M was firmly in the CFP hunt at 8-2 before dropping the final two games of the season. Can Elko get them back in the hunt in year two?

SEC Snapshot: Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, LSU

Preseason Rankings

SP+: 15
Returning Production: 6
Andy Staples: N/A
ESPN: 23

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Who’s the Quarterback?

Connor Weigman was supposed to carry the load for the Texas A&M offense. He suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder in the season-opener against Notre Dame. It turned into a Wally Pipp situation when they eventually handed the keys of the offense to Marcel Reed.

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Reed is an exceptional athlete who has a knack for making plays, even if it looks a little helter-skelter at times. He used his legs to rush for 543 yards and seven touchdowns. Reed completed 61.3% of his passes for 1,864 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Now that the starting job is firmly in his hands, you can expect Reed to take a step forward this fall.

Main Storyline: Will the Defense Actually Defend?

Marcel Reed has an exceptional offensive line providing protection, and the Aggies got one of the best wide receivers in the transfer portal, Kevin Concepcion. Surprisingly, the offense is in good hands. Mike Elko, the man who rose to prominence as a defensive coach, has a porous defense.

The Aggies ranked in the bottom half of the league in every major defensive statistical category. They finished the season 1-4 because the defense allowed just shy of 35 points per game over the four losses, and that includes an inspired performance in a 17-3 loss to Texas. “I won’t watch a defense play like this ever again,” Elko said after their loss to USC in the Las Vegas Bowl. Getting stops must be a source of pride if Texas A&M wants to be a part of the CFP conversation.

Biggest Question: How Does A&M Replace a Loaded Defensive Line?

Texas A&M is returning more production than any other team in the SEC. The only significant losses are big ones. The Aggies had three players drafted in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft, and they were all defensive linemen. Nic Scourton, Shemar Stewart, and Shemar Turner combined for 8.5 sacks and 26 TFLs. Elko reinforced the trenches with transfers from Florida, Iowa State, and Colorado, but replacing that kind of talent is not easily accomplished in one offseason via the transfer portal.

Texas A&M Football Schedule

Date	Opponent	Location
Aug 30 (Sat)	UTSA	Kyle Field
Sep 6 (Sat)	Utah State	Kyle Field
Sep 13 (Sat)	at Notre Dame	Notre Dame Stadium
Sep 27 (Sat)	Auburn	Kyle Field
Oct 4 (Sat)	Mississippi State	Kyle Field
Oct 11 (Sat)	Florida	Kyle Field
Oct 18 (Sat)	at Arkansas	Reynolds Razorback Stadium
Oct 25 (Sat)	at LSU	Tiger Stadium
Nov 8 (Sat)	at Missouri	Memorial Stadium (Faurot Field)
Nov 15 (Sat)	South Carolina	Kyle Field
Nov 22 (Sat)	Samford	Kyle Field
Nov 28 (Fri)	at Texas	DKR‑Texas Memorial Stadium