LSU 2024 Opponent Preview: Texas A&M

Texas A&M has lived in the news cycle over the past 12 months, from their recruiting, to the Jimbo Fisher fiasco, to another sub-par season on the field, and an ensuing hiring of Mike Elko. The Aggies have one of the more entertaining programs in the country as they continue to try to spend their way out of mediocrity. LSU faces Texas A&M on Oct. 26 in College Station, a game with two teams looking to make a statement in the new-look SEC.

Here’s an in-depth look at Texas A&M and what we know about them going into the year.

Previous opponent previews: USC, South Carolina, UCLA, Ole Miss, Arkansas

Head coach: Mike Elko (1st season)

Offensive coordinator: Collin Klein (1st season)

Defensive coordinator: Jay Bateman (1st season)

Last year

In a dire situation, Texas A&M needed Jimbo Fisher to right the ship and get Texas A&M back to a competitive level near the top of the SEC. Unfortunately for the Aggies, it took just two games to realize that would not be the case in 2023, losing to Miami 48-33 in a marquee non-conference game. A 2-0 start with wins over Auburn and Arkansas were a facade as Texas A&M improved to 4-1 before losing three of the next four games all by seven points or less, putting the final nail in Fisher’s coffin as he was fired after the next week’s game against Mississippi State. Losses to LSU Oklahoma State ended the year at 7-6. Fisher was paid his ridiculous buy-out and Texas A&M moved on to hire Mike Elko from Duke. 

Offense

The quarterback position continued to be a massive disappointment, which was a persistent trend under Fisher. Injuries did not help the matter, but it was a year where four different quarterbacks attempted over 35 passes on the season. Max Johnson and Conner Weigman showed flashes, but were unable to take advantage of a talented receiving corps with Ainias Smith, Evan Stewart, and Moose Muhammad. The Aggies ended the year with the No. 50 offense in EPA despite having talent that most of the country would be envious of.

Defense

The Aggies defense was legitimately good for all but three games (Miami, Ole Miss, and LSU). They finished No, 19 in the country in defensive EPA and had talent to spare throughout the depth chart to help substitute in for injuries. Edgarin Cooper, McKinley Jackson, Demani Richardson, Walter Nolan, Shemar Turner, and Taurean York were all quality players on the defense and the front seven was one of the best in the country the entire year. The Aggies ranked top 20 in most statistical categories, including Sacks, TFLs, 3rd down defense, and rushing defense.

Key departures

Drafted: LB Edgerrin Cooper (45th overall). DT McKinley Jackson (97th overall), OG Layden Robinson (103rd overall), WR Ainias Smith (152nd overall)

Transferred out: DL Walter Nolen, WR Evan Stewart, IOL Bryce Foster, IOL Colton Thomasson, CB Deuce Harmon, EDGE Fadil Diggs, DL LT Overton, TE Jake Johnson, S Jardin Gilbert, LB Mannie Nunnery, CB Tony Grimes.

The loss of top-end defensive talent certainly doesn’t give Elko the type of runway he would have hoped for when taking the job, but getting talent at Texas A&M has never been the issue. Still, losing Nolen, Cooper, Jackson, Diggs, Harmon, among others is significant. Offensively, there’s so much work to do, I’m not too concerned with losing two top-end receivers and a couple of offensive linemen. In total the Aggies had 29 transfers out.

Important additions

2024 Class: ATH Terry Bussy, IOL Blake Ivy, DL Dealyn Evans, EDGE Solomon Williams, IOL Isendre Ahfua, WR Ashton Bethel-Roma, S Myles Davis, WR Cyrus Allen, CB Will Lee.

Transfers in: EDGE Nic Scourton, LB Solomon DeShields, EDGE Josh Celiscar, CB Dezz Ricks, IOL Dorian Hinton, EDGE Cashius Howell, CB BJ Mayes, LB Scooby Williams, WR Jabre Barber., CB BJ Mayes.

Defensive help was clearly a priority in the portal and the Aggies made a few big splashes there with Scourton, Ricks, Mayes, and others. The Aggies took in 27 transfers, but only 17 commits in its freshman class this past year. There was only one player ranked in the top 140 in their signing class, a steep drop off from where the high school recruiting has been in the Fisher years, but that’s not too surprising with a coaching change. Elko will have questions to answer on the recruiting front in the coming years, but this is not a class you can really hold against him going into year one. 

Going into 2024

Top returners: DL Shemar Turner, LB Taurean York, QB Connor Weigman, WR Noah Thomas, DE Shemar Stewart, RB Rueben Owens, WR Jahdae Walker, OL Chase Bisontis. WR Moose Muhammad

This returning core gives Texas A&M a really high floor this season in Elko’s first season. The defensive talent paired with a quality quarterback in Connor Weignman should have this team competitive in every game this season. The defense should be one of the better units in the SEC once again with Elko at the helm and this level of talent. Even in a year of transition, the Aggies won’t be an easy out.

Expectations

Texas A&M’s win total is at 8.5 in Vegas right now, which feels lofty for a team going into year one of a new coaching staff and a team that starts the season against Notre Dame. With that being said, the Aggies do have one of the easier conference schedules with only Missouri, LSU, and Texas as the most challenging games. One note is that all four of A&M’s toughest games are at home. With potentially 10 or 11 games where the Aggies will be favored, it sets up for a year Elko will want to take advantage of and get to 9+ wins in year one. Anything less will be a rocky start for the former Duke head coach as 2025 is likely a significantly tougher slate.

Early thoughts on LSU vs. Texas A&M

Similar to Arkansas, it’s a highly competitive series for LSU every year, splitting the last six meetings with Texas A&M. Last year was uncomfortable for LSU fans until the No. 1 offense in the country woke up. The Aggies will be set to make the contest uncomfortable and have enough talent on offense to challenge an LSU defense that at-best is extremely average. It’s always a big game from a recruiting perspective and something that will have a lot of attention with both teams likely coming in with only one or two losses. LSU will be tested at the line of scrimmage on both sides and we’ll see if the Tigers’ offense has enough firepower to wear down the Aggies like it did last year.

Texas A&M opened as a three-point favorite against LSU four months from kickoff and it certainly sets up for a challenging contest in the back half of the season.