SEC Kickoff Preview: Texas A&M Aggies 

The heat is on in Texas and I’m not talking about scorching summer temperatures in the Lone Star State. Jimbo Fisher is in win-now mode in College Station after a lackluster and underwhelming 5-7 season a year ago. 

There’s no other way to put it, Texas A&M underachieved and was not a good football team in 2022. The Aggies had many problems. A historic signing day class didn’t pop. Fisher’s offense was antiquated, predictable, and mostly stagnant. A&M averaged a lowly 22.8 points per outing, which was good, or bad enough to finish 100^th in the nation. The A&M defense was the team’s strength. But, it, too, was inconsistent by finishing 123rd in the nation against the run while leading the SEC vs. the pass. It was that kind of year in College Station. 

There are also peculiarities and fascinations in the construction of Fisher’s coaching staff. Bobby Petrino was named as the offensive coordinator. The former Louisville and Arkansas head coach left both programs in a somewhat less than flattering fashion. His offenses were once considered powerful and innovative. But, that was a while ago. Is hiring the controversial play caller worth the drama and attention? Is Petrino’s system that different from Jimbo’s? We’ll see. I don’t understand the hire, but hey, it’s not my call. Could work for the Aggies. Also could be a disaster. This is one of the most interesting aspects of Media Days 2023. 

To make matters better, or worse, Fisher hired Steve Addazio to lead his offensive line, which was the team’s weakness a year ago. Addazio is another character that joins Petrino in the offensive staff room. It gets better. The well-traveled James Coley will act as Petrino’s co-offensive coordinator. Oh, by the way, DJ Durkin is the team’s defensive coordinator. Can’t make this up if I tried. 

Staff peculiars aside, there is still a plethora of talent on campus. Youngsters are joined by high-character, proven veterans that chose to stay in college rather than enter the NFL Draft. Is it enough to lead the Aggies to Atlanta? I don’t think so, but we’ll see. Can Texas A&M at least return to bowl eligibility? Yes, but the West is not a place that’s friendly for azimuth corrections. Let’s get into it.

Thanks to Kroger, the KSR crew will provide you the most in-depth and at times ridiculous coverage from SEC Media Days. Kroger is your hometown community spot for all your shopping needs. Let’s Go Krogering!

OFFENSE

Jimbo Fisher has been the primary play caller for his teams at Florida State and Texas A&M. His system was proven to be effective in the past, but the modern-day, fast-breaking schemes have passed by his mostly methodical methods. I’d think that in the state of Texas that the Aggies would gravitate toward a spread-heavy scheme. Nope. Enter Bobby Petrino. 

The former Louisville, Atlanta Falcons, and Arkansas head coach will have two quarterbacks to work with in fall camp. Former 5-star prospect Conner Weigman threw 8 touchdowns and zero interceptions as a true freshman. LSU transfer Max Johnson is a crafty SEC veteran. 

It won’t matter which quarterback is on the field if the offensive line isn’t improved from last season. Guard Layden Robinson had a drop-off in 22. Center Bryce Foster didn’t participate in spring practice after missing time due to an injury last season. He’s a quality interior offensive lineman when available and healthy. TE Donovan Green could see an increase in production, given Petrino’s emphasis on multiple TE sets. 

A strength of the offense lies at receiver. Senior Ainias Smith is a veteran and versatile playmaker. 6’0, 180-pound sophomore Evan Stewart displayed the potential to be a “One” receiver and could develop into a consistent all-conference performer. Joining them is Moose Muhammad III. The trio will be called upon to increase explosiveness in the passing game. 5-star freshman RB Reuben Owens and Amari Daniels Jr. will be 1-2 at RB. In what order has yet to be determined. 

Best Offensive Player: WR Evan Stewart 

Stewart earned Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC honors a year ago. He played in 10 games with 8 starts. Stewart finished 2022 with 53 receptions and a freshman-best 65-yard per game average. The true sophomore is the present and future at A&M. His fellow receivers should be forceful enough to prevent double teams and rolled coverages. 

Most Important Offensive Player: QB Conner Weigman or QB Max Johnson

Weigman is a former 5-star prospect. Johnson is a crafty veteran transfer from LSU. The quarterback competition, if it indeed exists, may run through fall camp. The quicker that Petrino, Coley, and Fisher can make the call the better. Regardless of which signal caller wins the job, an improvement at the position is mandatory if the Aggies are to have any chance in the SEC West.

DEFENSE

Coordinator DJ Durkin, another Fisher staffer with an interesting past, is actually a darn good football coach. He has the athletes at his disposal to field a quality SEC defensive unit. First things first, he has to improve the run defense. The Aggies surrendered an eye-popping 206 yards on the ground in 2022. That number ranked 123^rd in the nation and last in the SEC. Ironically, the pass-defense led the league. The most talented defenders lie in the secondary but that number could be viewed as teams leaned on the run more than the pass when facing the Aggies. 

Texas A&M was an average SEC defense in 2022 after finishing 7^th in total defense. It only gave up 21.2 points per game a year ago, which was listed as 4^th in the league. The Aggies also recorded 19 QB sacks which is not a high number and resulted in a 13th-place finish in the conference. 70 tackles for loss was a drop from 80 the year prior.

Best Defensive Player: Demani Richardson

I have to preface this paragraph by saying that I truly enjoyed researching Demani Richardson. The super-senior with exceptional leadership qualities and the high motor is slated to be a fifth-year starter. I am a fan. He’s played in 44 games and has recorded 246 career tackles. That’s a great deal of college football. Richardson’s 73 tackles ranked second on the team a year ago.

A proven entity on the field and in the locker room, Richardson returned for an additional season to lead the Aggie defense. Richardson’s leadership is exactly what Jimbo Fisher and DJ Durkin need to stabilize a once proud but now wobbly program. Richardson earned the team’s Leadership and Toughness Awards in 2022. That honor accompanied Mr. Dependable Award to go along with Strength and Conditioning Top Conditioned Athlete Award. It’s apparent that coaches and teammates think the world of the Aggie defensive back. Every team in the SEC is better with players and people of his caliber. Respect. He’s got my vote. 

Most Important Defensive Player: McKinnley Jackson 

There’s a leadership and character theme in my two picks in the Best and Most Important Defender categories. Jackson was a team captain in 2022. He played in 8 games, including 7 starts. He was awarded Defensive MVP, Aggie Defense Leadership Award, and Strength and Conditioning Defensive Award. Texas A&M has talent. I think we’ve established that point. But, the team needs leaders and mature locker room influences to bring the talented rookies into the fold. Jackson and Richardson provide both. 

2023 Schedule Overview 

Much like LSU, Texas A&M faces an ACC opponent in early September. The Aggies go to Miami to take on the Miami Hurricanes. Those two programs mirrored each other in 2022. Both are led by recognizable head coaches with loaded rosters that include talented newcomers. The U and A&M entered last season with a great deal of hype but fell flat on the actual game field. Underachieving and underwhelming make for accurate descriptions for both in 2022. 

The Miami game is sandwiched between two gimme home contests against New Mexico and Louisiana Monroe. A midseason stretch that includes Auburn, Arkansas (Arlington, TX), Alabama, at Tennessee, South Carolina, and at Ole Miss is asking a great deal from Fisher’s squad. It gets better, or worse depending on your stance, when A&M travels to LSU for the season finale. The Tigers will be out for revenge after dropping a game in College Station last season. If that game is at Tiger Stadium is at night, look out. 

2023 PREDICTION: SEC West, 3rd 

What Does All This Mean? 

Jimbo Fisher makes 9 million dollars a year. His teams have finished 8-4 and 5-7 in consecutive seasons. That’s just not getting it done at a place like Texas A&M where resources, support, and investments appear to be unlimited. A new offensive coordinator could free up the head coach to manage the overall program, which may help.  Fisher’s staff construction also wreaks of a win at all cost mentality or one that is viewed as a sinking ship which limits the candidate pool. Regardless, it’s a topic that I want to hear more about from the head coach. 

Make no mistake, Texas A&M is talented. Very talented. There’s no denying that. But, rising in the West is an awfully daunting task. 2023 may be a make or break season for Jimbo Fisher. Or maybe not given his monstrous buyout. 

Aggie fans are the best non-UK fans in the league. They’re nice, loud, passionate, loyal, hospitable, and highly knowledgeable. I actually want them to succeed based on that fan base alone. But, a breakup between the administration and head coach may be looming if things go south this fall they did a year ago. Jimbo is placing a great deal of trust in Bobby Petrino’s ability to keep pace in the fast-break SEC West. Maybe he will, maybe he won’t. Regardless, Texas A&M is currently the most interesting program in the league and that’s not based on wins and losses or X’s and O’s. Lots of drama in College Station.