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Texas A&M Football

A Rebel's Blueprint: A&M's case in the '15 SEC race

February 12, 2015
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Discussing Southeastern Conference football can be like arguing with your wife.
 
Emotion may override logic. Facts may be ignored. Double standards may apply.
 
Such was the case in a recent conversation with a Mississippi colleague, who was relegating Texas A&M to the SEC West dungeon in 2015.
 
My retort: Why not expect a big year from a team that went 8-5 the previous season, won a bowl game and had 15 returning starters?
 
True, that team was shut out by Alabama the previous season, but would be playing at home against the Tide and Auburn this time around. That team appeared solid at quarterback, very good at receiver and had perhaps the nation’s once-most heralded defensive end recruit entering his second year at the collegiate level.
 
That team, of course, was Ole Miss.
 
Matt Sachs, TexAgs In 2014 the Rebels fit a profile nearly identical to the 2015 Texas A&M team, and it paid off in what was a spectacular season until late. {"Module":"photo","Alignment":"left","Size":"large","Caption":"In 2014 the Rebels fit a profile nearly identical to the 2015 Texas A\u0026M team, and it paid off in what was a spectacular season until late.","MediaItemID":47249}
The Rebels finished 9-4 in 2014, but were in the thick of the national championship discussion until star receiver Laquon Treadwell suffered a season-ending knee injury in a 35-31 loss to Auburn.
 
Those Rebels had an experienced team coming back from an 8-5 campaign in 2013. Quarterback Bo Wallace was by no means spectacular, but was solid. Treadwell headed up an impressive group of receivers. Defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche, once the nation’s top recruit, had a good freshman year in ’13 and was expected to have a breakout season as a sophomore.
 
Therefore, why would anyone — especially someone from Mississippi — discount Texas A&M in 2015?
 
The Aggies, who finished 8-5 and defeated West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl last season, have 16 returning starters. That’s one more than Ole Miss had last season.
 
The Aggies are solid at quarterback with Kyle Allen. They have an impressive array of receivers. Defensive end Myles Garrett, the top recruit in the nation at his position last year, set freshman sack records. He figures to be even more dominant as a sophomore.
 
Indeed, there are at least five factors that illustrate A&M should not be dismissed in the SEC race next season.

The quarterback factor: Allen isn’t spectacular. Yet. But he was very good as a true freshman and figures to get better. In fact, he steadily improved after being thrust into the starting lineup late last season. He threw three touchdown passes and just one interception against Missouri. He threw four touchdown passes and just one interception in wins over Auburn and West Virginia. He threw 13 touchdown passes in five games as a starter. Ole Miss’ Wallace threw 22 touchdown passes all of last season.

Frankly, Allen has more upside entering his sophomore season than Wallace ever did. And Allen isn’t even assured of starting. He’ll have to compete with star recruit Kyler Murray for the job.

The receiver factor: Whoever emerges as A&M’s starting quarterback in 2015 could have a stellar group of receivers to throw to. A&M returns four receivers that caught at least 30 passes for 450 yards and four touchdowns last season. Three of them will be entering just their second year at this level.

Josh Reynolds had 52 catches for 842 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first season at A&M. That’s more yardage than Ole Miss’ Treadwell has accumulated in either of his two collegiate seasons. It’s almost more touchdowns than Treadwell has scored in his career. Furthermore, Reynolds isn’t even A&M’s most highly-regarded receiver. Most think sophomore Speedy Noil will emerge as the Aggies’ primary threat.

Matt Sachs, TexAgs The return of an experienced and highly talented offensive line gives A&M a leg up in a conference that demands excellence in that area. {"Module":"photo","Alignment":"right","Size":"large","Caption":"The return of an experienced and highly talented offensive line gives A\u0026M a leg up in a conference that demands excellence in that area.","MediaItemID":47207}
• The offensive line factor: Cedric Ogbuehi and Jarvis Harrison are gone, but A&M still returns three starters in the offensive line. That’s one more than Ole Miss did in 2014. Mike Matthews will be an All-SEC candidate at center. Junior tackle Germain Ifedi is said to have NFL potential. Also, highly-regarded junior college transfers Avery Gennesy and Jermaine Eluemunor redshirted last season and are expected to move into the starting lineup.

They will have to prove themselves, but A&M’s line won’t be a liability and could be a position of strength — especially with new offensive line coach Dave Christensen adding a measure of toughness up front.

The Chavis factor: John Chavis, one of the most respected defensive coordinators in college football, left LSU to take over A&M’s defensive unit. That in itself is reason to believe the Aggies defense will show vast improvement.

But Chavis also has good young talent with which to work. The Aggies started four true freshmen on defense in the Liberty Bowl; it probably would have been five had linebacker Josh Walker not been injured. The list included Garrett, who set an SEC freshman record with 11.5 sacks last season.

The arrival of heralded recruit Daylon Mack figures to make Garrett even more dangerous; the Aggies struggled in pass defense in 2014, but junior college transfer Justin Evans projects to make an immediate impact at safety. In other words, there is a lot of young talent on defense for Chavis to develop.

The schedule factor: The Aggies leave the state of Texas just three times in 2015. A&M has seven games at Kyle Field and faces Arizona State in Houston and Arkansas in Arlington. The Aggies’ only road trips are to Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and LSU. A&M has yet to post an SEC win over Alabama or Auburn at Kyle Field, but getting them in College Station is still preferred. A&M also has an open date before facing Alabama on Oct. 17.
 
That’s not a prediction that the Aggies will win the division, but to count them out doesn’t make sense. That should be especially obvious in Mississippi. {"Module":"quote","Alignment":"left","Quote":"That’s not a prediction that the Aggies will win the division, but to count them out doesn’t make sense. That should be especially obvious in Mississippi.","Author":""}
So, there are several reasons not to dismiss A&M as a serious contender in the SEC West race next season. That’s not a prediction that the Aggies will win the division, but to count them out doesn’t make sense.

That should be especially obvious in Mississippi.
 
Of course, some will dismiss my argument as the irrational ravings of a “homer.” Detractors might say my points are skewed by emotion.
 
But there is no emotion involved.
 
My argument is based on logic and facts.
Discussion from...

A Rebel's Blueprint: A&M's case in the '15 SEC race

10,441 Views | 11 Replies | Last: 9 yr ago by Swing Your Saber
Olin Buchanan
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Staff
S
A Rebel's Blueprint: A&M's case in the '15 SEC race
texag86
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SoTxAg
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AG
Nice analysis. Gonna be a long off season.
kmg982
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himynameismason
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Buck Nasty
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AG
Capt. America
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Tressels Vest
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AG
Pump that koolaid!
tbirdspur2010
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RebelAggie
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Don't know who your "Mississippi colleague" is but he's missed the mark on this one.....
Aggie Joe 93
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Swing Your Saber
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