Camp Opens: March 31
Spring Game: April 28
Texas A&M couldn’t wait to get out of the Big 12 and join the SEC West. Now the Aggies get to do battle against the likes of Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Arkansas. I’m not even sure A&M is ready for Mississippi State.
Are the Aggies really ready for this challenge? This spring is an important first step to getting prepared as every player on the team must make a transition. Long-term, the Aggies will need to do a better job recruiting to become a threat.
Stability Factor (1 = chaos; 5 = rock solid): 2.0
First-year coach Kevin Sumlin is installing a new, spread offense just one year after a talented A&M squad floundered to a 7-6 season, which cost Mike Sherman his job.
Add in the pressure of playing a tougher SEC schedule and the Aggies are clearly on shaky ground this spring. Luckily, Sumlin will be given some latitude for at least one season.
Under the Microscope: Defensive Line
SEC teams like to pound the ball on the ground, so A&M needs to shore up its defensive line. The only returning starter is Eddie Brown Jr. so there is a lot of work to do.
Tackle Gavin Stansbury played in all 13 games and finished with 15 tackles, while Ivan Robinson is healthy after battling injuries last season. Kirby Ennis and Jonathan Mathis will also battle for playing time as well as six recruits.
Another guy who could make a serious difference is Shayvion Hatten, who red-shirted last season. At 6-4, 286 pounds he’s just what A&M needs in the SEC.
Locked and Loaded: Offensive Line
Texas A&M’s offensive line is easily the one place the Aggies are ready to hold their own in the SEC. The group that opened the holes for 1,000-yard rusher Cyrus Gray and 900-yard rusher Christine Michael are back in 2012.
Jockeying for Position: Quarterback
With the graduation of Ryan Tannehill, the Aggies must find a triggerman to run Sumlin’s more wide open offense in the fall. So the spring will be an open audition for Jameill Showers, Matt Joeckel, Johnny Manziel and Matt Davis (an early enrollee).
There’s a good chance A&M will wrap spring without a clear-cut choice. So this battle could be decided in the fall.
Name to Know: Nate Askew
Jeff Fuller was the go-to receiver the past two years, so now Nate Askew has a chance to become that guy.
Askew wasn’t very productive last year as he caught just six passes for 85 yards and one score in 13 games. So the 6-4 speedster will need to step up his game a bit, and Sumlin needs someone like Askew to become a match-up problem for opponents.
Spring will be a success if…: A&M learns to play SEC football
This is not meant to be a slam on Big 12 football, but there’s just something different about playing an SEC schedule and A&M needs to learn this.
Sumlin and his staff are still learning as well. How much can they gain in the spring is still unclear, but it’s a start.
