Texas A&M Preview: Will ‘The Chief’ Change The D?
Texas A&M’s 2014 was an interesting one. After slaughtering South Carolina on the road, their QB Kenny Hill trademarked his nickname to “Kenny Trill”, and subsequently sucked. So much so he had to be replaced by Kyle Allen. The Aggies could have easily gone 7-6 instead of 8-5 — with a two SEC wins — if Arkansas hadn’t choked at JerryWorld. This was a pretty ugly season, so head coach Kevin Sumlin (possibly to deflect anger from pissed-off Aggies fans) had to make some changes….
OFF-SEASON
Mark Snyder, as we’d be saying for a good couple of seasons, finally got the boot. Texas A&M – in true Texas fashion – had to go big, so they did, getting LSU defensive co-ordinator John Chavis, who promptly took his previous and new employer to court over contract issues. Nothing’s been settled yet, but the more it goes on, the more Chavis looks like the greedy, moustached pig.
He also hired Dave Christensen, the former OC at Utah, to improve the running game, which was awful in 2014.
Anyway, Sumlin was also quick to tell everybody Kyle Allen was going to be the starting QB, and as usual, the Aggies recruited exceptionally, picking up 5-stars DT Daylon Mack, WR Christian Kirk, and dual-threat QB Kyler Murray. The team was re-loaded on both sides of the ball, and now came the question: “What can we do with the talent with assembled?”
Oh, and WR Frank Iheanacho was arrested for shoplifting, and Texas A&M was cited for having the third-most arrests in the last five years (22), trailing Florida (24) and Washington State (31).
Sooooo…..
WHAT’S THE CHIEF GOING TO DO DIFFERENTLY?
If John Chavis can do one thing better than Mark Snyder, then A&M will be changed to the good. And that’s teaching them how to tackle. The amount of missed tackles by these Aggies was just staggering.
Look, Chavis had a poor couple of years with LSU. That was a factor of almost all of his ‘D’ running off to the NFL in back-to-back years, but not talent. Some of them are still starters in the pros. Upon his arrival, he’s got a future superstar in Myles Garrett, who can do just about anything. He tied the freshman SEC sacks record with 11 last year, and had 49 tackles – including 12.5 for a loss. He also defended a pass. This is the new J.J. Watt, people.
But seriously, we expect Mack to start immediately. He’ll make a big splash. There will be pressure on LBs Otaro Alaka and Juco Claude George to show up, and the pass defense – which was woeful in 2014 – should be improved with Armani Watts and Justin Evans at safety. Should.
AND OFFENSIVELY….
There hasn’t been a lot to hate about A&M’s offense under Sumlin, and 2015 will be a continuation of that threat. Expect Kyle Allen – armed with great WRs in incumbents Speedy Noil and Josh Reynolds. Christian Kirk will provide a helluva 1-2-3, won’t it?
And on the floor, the running back system has to improve. The Dallas Morning News noted that the Aggies were 82nd nationally in running, adding that things should be better with Christensen’s hire. Tra Carson and James White have been described as “thunder and more thunder”, while Brandon Williams’ speed may provide lightning, unless he goes to DB (He’s a good each-way player). Could Kendall Bussey play?
THE SCHEDULE: YUCK
The Aggies play in the SEC West, so the schedule was always going to be brutal. Throw in a game against a flying Arizona State, and it’s even more so.
Sep. 5 – Arizona State (@Houston)
Sep. 12 – Ball State
Sep. 19 – Nevada
Sep. 26 – Arkansas (@JerryWorld)
Oct. 3 – Mississippi State
Oct. 17 – Alabama
Oct. 24 – at Ole Miss
Oct. 31 – South Carolina
Nov. 7 – Auburn
Nov. 14 – Western Carolina
Nov. 21 – at Vanderbilt
Nov. 28 – at Louisiana State
We think the Aggies open the season with a really exciting LOSS against Arizona State before crushing Ball State and Nevada. They lose at JerryWorld to a revenge-fuelled Arkansas before beating Mississippi State, losing to Alabama at home, and going to Ole Miss and wining that one too. South Carolina’s visit to Kyle Field sends them home winless, but Auburn wins in front of a packed afternoon crowd wanted blood. The Aggies beat Western Carolina and Vanderbilt before losing at Tiger Stadium to LSU.
PREDICTION
A&M finishes 7-5, and it’s not particularly pretty. But this is Chavis’ first year, and with Mack and Garrett working fully together in Year 2, watch out for this team in 2016.