Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame Preview with Billy Liucci of TexAgs

intro [Music] well it's one of the biggest games of the weekend Texas A&M hosting Notre Dame so who better to get on the show and Billy Luchi from texags Billy thank you so much for making the time always Mike you know that where Shane at today I think he's a Cracker Barrel right now if I'm being he's he's fueling up for tonight's show hey nothing that a The time David Nuno tried to help Cousin Shane few b a few biscuits can't hope he's not listening to nuno's advice and he's want like me I'd go in there and get some chicken and dumplings from Cracker Barrel to kind of set the tone for the season yeah so hey a little backstory I I I don't think David will mind me sharing this but uh so he reached out to Shane about a year ago and said hey you know let me help you try to try to get into shape here and cousin Shane was all about it and then apparently they had a phone call and um he said man as he mentioned egg whites he knew Shane said I was I was out like how do the egg like I'm with you right up until you said white you told me I had eat aund eggs a week I'm white he's the king of unsolicited uh health and fitness advice so I was on him about that when Shane brought it up on air at SEC media days I'm like what are you doing claims that Shane like asked but it was really not an ask but he interpreted it as an ask he felt like Shane was like putting out the signal like like you know hey whoever's willing to help me out here to get me on this path and Nuno just in yeah well that that's the most Shane thing ever but um hey I I really want to ask you because no one's got a better pulse on A&M than you but it this feels Predicting what this A&M team will do like the most unpredictable team that I can ever remember coming out of college station do you feel that way as well I I really do I feel like the floor ceiling of this thing is so wild and and I feel like the floor to them as a football team is not very low I think with with Mike oo Colin Klein and this staff and what Tommy moffets meant for the off season and kind of the culture I don't think it's a low floor in terms of what they're going to put on the field but I think if they're at around that floor then so many of these games are toss up football games for year one I think their ceiling is really high it really I think and I'm not saying they get in there but I think their ceiling is like playoff high again we're talking ceiling um I think their ceiling is you're nine and two going into the Texas game with a chance to you know get into that field again this is what happens you and I get on here you know the world are getting mced that's there like if everything goes right their potential they'd have to win a lot of close games um and I think there's going to be about five at least five handful of these games that come down to a final possession or two and I think Saturday night's going to be one of those one of those games how A&M does in in in those closing moments of games we'll be telling but here's what's interesting Mike is four of probably their five toughest games are at Kyle Field maybe their four toughest Auburn in November is going to have a say in that and I think Florida in a couple weeks will have a say in that because it's either going to be a skyh high Gator team that beat Miami or it's going to be truly back against the wall for Napier because if he goes on two against Miami and then A&M at home and both of them at home uh I think that tenure might be done and I think Florida's better than that I'm I'm not I don't think they're going to be World beaters but I think that's an underrated football team because everyone's focusing on the pressure so my point of all that saying is is most of their toughest games are at home I'm not sure on a neutral field if you put Texas A&M versus whoever they're playing not neutral but LSU's coming in here Missouri's coming in here Texas coming in here Notre Dame's coming in here Saturday this is a massive HomeField Advantage at this place as you and most people around the SEC know um when A&M's a solid top 20 football team you better come in here as a national title Contender an SEC Champion Contender to get out of here with a win and before you make the App State joke understand that Jimbo who who didn't get it where it needed to be here and was ultimately fired I think in each of the last Four Seasons or four the last five he beat a top 10 team at home so to get your toughest games at home I think they're going to be really well coached under Mike Elco and just go look at what Elco did in year one at Duke and by the start of year two he's beaten Clemson at Duke and he's taken Notre Dame to essentially what they need a fourth and 18 to win that game with Riley Leonard hurt so there's a lot of opportunity for the aies I think their talent level is not uh I don't think it's top three in the SEC but it could be I think there's a world you can look at say it's top five or six you know upper echelon Talent level in the SEC and I think they did a great job through the portal well yeah I'm glad you said that because I I did want to ask you about Mike ELO who I think even the biggest Mike Elko the most underrated SEC coach? A&M fan would not rank Mike Elko today as a top five coach in the SEC just because he's only had two years as being a head coach and he did a hell of a job at Duke but if they do reach at that ceiling let's let's say they they win nine games and and they and they make the playoff or maybe more realistically 10 games and make the college football playoff I think that would certainly cement Mike Elko as a top five coach in this league because quite frankly there I think there is a uh with Nick sain leaving and and and just a massive turnover yeah there's just there's not a there's a not there's there are good coaches in this conference but I don't know how many Elite are I think it's fair to say if if A&M makes the playoffs in year one elco's a top five coach in the SEC would you agree with that yeah if they did that but and I think even like you said n if they go nine and three on this schedule in year one uh I think that's a hell a coaching job I mean I think that would be an incredible coaching job and then if you looked at what he did at Duke in those two years and you combine it with year one at A&M you go okay this is his three-year body of work and if you're here in agyan you got to feel really good I feel really good as it is today just watching him I'm out there watching practice watching him Coach but I'm watching him interact with his players I'm watching his other coaches interact and coach and motivate uh I'm watching in the offseason what that expectation level is I saw how he navigated the portal how he's dealing with nil and and that space and roster retention and recruiting and everything about it you're going okay he not only gets it he he he's just and he he's understated but man that is a passionate dude about football about the job about his his players obviously his family but just he he's ball coach too I think people forget you mentioned two years as a head coach he's 47 years old he's actually a pretty young head coach to be I he was younger than Kevin Selman was when he took the job he's younger than Jimbo was when he took the job obviously Mike Sherman and Fran probably the youngest coach to take this A&M job since maybe going all the way back to RC slokum I don't know how old RC was when he when he took over when Jackie Cheryl but he's really young and I think uh just from staying in touch with the Mike when he was at Duke just really impressed with kind of his vision and where he saw college football going and I think you know this was indeed the dream job for him this isn't a coach that's going to be looking elsewhere or trying to leverage other jobs to get more money from here this is a coach that I think was this was like the destination job for him and I think while he was at Duke he was coaching Duke and this would have been applicable there too but he's just looking at college football and where it was heading and and he had a lot of foresight into what it was going to take to be a head coach in 2024 and in the next few years and that that to me was particularly impressive and I think that's what stood out about him uh you know throughout that search process I'm glad things went the way they did you know Kentucky can be happy with Mark Stoops and that's fine and they should be you know but with what he's done while he's there but this worked out absolutely I think the best for for Texas ANM what do you think Saturday Biggest home opener in modern Aggie history? night is the biggest home opener for A&M since uh they debuted in the SEC what that that that Florida game uh I because I I went down the list of there's not many candidates I mean 2014 but that was at South car that was the first SEC network game there's a couple UCLA games but this this feels a lot bigger than those games this feels a lot bigger and I I'm with you there's that Florida game um and you're talking about home opener I don't even know what the home openers have been over the I think but opener season opener like buildup I think over the years and I go all the way back like they opened up against Chris winkey and Peter Warick in Florida State in in the Meadowlands years ago you had guys like Dan Campbell Dante Hall playing on on that football team so that's how long ago that was um I said I might have said Charlie Ward it was Peter War Chris winky that Florida State team that played for the national title that year lost to T Martin in Tennessee um had cousin a baby cousin Shane probably years his diaper crying celebrating that balls national title but honestly since then I think it's been the the 2012 Florida game and this would probably be second in all those years because it's Notre Dame it's a top 10 Notre Dame Team Notre Dame came in here back in like 2000 or 2001 they weren't very good um this is a highly ranked uh some believe playoff Notre Dame team regard so this is a massive game for the Irish right when you look at the rest of their schedule this is a huge game for them to come on the road to Kyle Field if they could get a win what does that do for their playoff chances um for Texas A&M it's game one under Mike ELO it's it's Notre Dame it's it's a lot of question marks on this A&M team but also a ton of potential I feel like a lot of people around the country are waiting to see what both of these teams look like I mean that I believe it to be the most intriguing game in college football this weekend and maybe the most pivotal if Georgia beats Clemson Clemson still has a pretty clear path on how to get there right um A&M Notre Dame it's like if Notre Dame wins this game you can already kind of look at them and go man they're going to have a hard time getting knocked out of this playoff field if A&M wins you start looking at A&M's schedule these next few weeks okay Florida they might go into that one now a slight favorite um the next big game they're playing in terms of exposure is Missouri coming to Kyle Field like you start looking at that I think the team differently particularly if it's an impressive win either way like Riley Leonard or Connor wigman both have the potential to kind of be the talk of the college football weekend on Sunday um maybe that's either the quarterbacks uh USC or LSU are going to put on the field I feel like that's kind of similar in what's GNA happen in Vegas but if if either Conor wigman or Riley Leonard show out against really they're both playing I think really good defenses in particular like outstanding defensive fronts the agies and the Fighting Irish if either of these QBs show out and kind of are the MVP of their team Saturday night I really do believe they're the talk of College college football they're the most talked about QB in the country coming out of week one because I think they they both have so much to gain with with a big game and if Riley Leonard does it and looks good against dline with all these NFL guys and Mike ELO coach defense you start going what kind of numbers is he going to put up in South Ben this year under Mike Den Brock if Conor wigman does it Mike we're sitting here going like this that's the guy we saw at the beginning of last year that's the guy we saw beat LSU and almost outd duel Jackson Dart and Old Miss as a freshman had he not got hurt this last year we'd have been talking about him ERS in Dart as the first team all quarterback and so if he goes out and has a game against Notre Dame defense then that's the will A&M run Conner Weigman, if need be? conversation surrounding number 15 will there be any hesitation to run wigman if they have to in this game because I know Colin Klein loves to run the quarterback in certain spots will there be any hesitation there do you think I don't think so and you know it's somebody asked me the other day they've got a couple other quarterbacks that can really run and and Jaylen Henderson and Marcel Reed and they said would you envision any switching out just to implement some QB Run game I don't think so I guess it's not off the table but I wouldn't think so and and Connor can really run uh I watched him all through high school he's got it's more of that and I'm not saying he's momes um but it's more of that Mahomes running style than say a riy Leonard or going back A&M like a Johnny Manzel he it's not going to go hit the 60-yard touchdown run or or make three guys miss it's more subtle and he kind of knows when he's going to take off where trying to get and he can run and get you first downs you go back and watch oh miss go watch uh go watch him against LSU at the end of his freshman year watch him against Miami in that losing effort last year he'll run to get you what he needs and he's really good at evading the pressure and stuff but in that design Run game I think you'd see a ton of it no do I think they'll be scared to do it no any concern that &m lacks explosive Playmakers with after losing Do the Aggies have enough explosive playmakers? Owens yeah I do I you know that was that was one of the things I talked about a lot when they lost Ruben because I I'm a big fan of Le'Veon moss and look that's another thing Le'Veon moss and maroon white and Jeremiah Love for Notre Dame that was a guy I think picked Notre Dame over A&M out of the St Louis area um those two dudes are really really good running backs I believe I also think they'll both be kind of part of a committee but either one of them could have a 100 yard game against a really good defense so with that said though Ruben Owens was very explosive and I think explosive weapons were what what this defense has been I mean what this offense has been looking for and needing Noah Thomas certainly has big play potential um I think before long they'll end up getting jab Barber back that's what they're really hopeful about he's a transfer from Troy that's pretty electric and had was really turning heads in Spring but you know Terry bus's a guy that they've talked about that's had work on both sides of the ball a five star he's another one that I think maybe it's on special teams this week uh he's a guy that's very explosive that I'd keep an eye on throughout the season uh because I think they've got a pretty good situation at corner and he's been getting work on both sides but they're they're looking Mike they're looking for that home run explosive threat I think they've got some big play threats like Sloan uh I keep saying SL Noah Thomas down the field Cyrus Allen the Louisiana Tech transfer and moose muhamad when he's on can go get give you a hundred you just it's been you don't know when that is but I do think in this game and at Florida if I've got a concern offensively it's like where are the big big plays going to come from who's going to scare the defense as a game goes on and that's something I think Klein and Elco are going to kind of find out along with the rest of us in these first couple of big games do you do you anticipate the agie offense or defense who has a better showing, the offense or the defense? having a better showing on Saturday night I mean I think I think this is a defensive game for both teams I think both teams you know barring either of these two quarterbacks just having themselves they're in the zone kind of game these are two really good college football defenses Notre Dame proved that last year they've got an elite secondary they've got you know their their defensive tackle position I think is is as tough as a& mlc this year at least on the inside but Mike Elco is working with more than he did at any point in his tenure at A&M last the last four years or one year led the SEC in Total Defense I think twice they were in the top 10 I think they led the country in run defense at one point along the way there he's got he's got NFL defensive lineman on the second team right now potential first-rounder and Nick scorton Shamar Turner turned down the NFL to come back uh and then Shamar Stewart is a guy that NFL Scouts and uh the agents and even a couple of GM types have been telling me with the right year this is a guy that could soar up the draft boards and that's just it doesn't even count a bunch of dude like they brought in the the the big 10's leading sacker and they brought in the max leading sacker in cashes Howell to go with a dline that was already featuring some NFL Talent they've got a really good linebacker in torian York I do think Notre Dame with a with a completely rebuilt offensive line might line up and say hey let's just try to run right at them and like test their manhood a little bit early on you know rather than let them finesse us and beat us with pass rush moves and put our quarterback I could see them doing that and and seeing how it works I think this dine versus Notre Deo line with six career starts is a really rough matchup for Riley Leonard and the Irish A&M offensive line has a lot to prove as well um you know they've been bad the last two years they got a new position coach a new scheme believe it or not I think they'll try it out there with about a 100 plus starts amongst the amongst the group you when you count uh at other schools as well you know other power five School couple of transfers in there that might start so the experience on the o line goes to A&M side but I think both these units have a lot to prove against really strong defensive front so to me this is like one of those 2320 you know Rock fight type football games where it's like who's the most physical who's going to run the ball the best you know which set of quarterback and receivers are going to have those three or four big plays that kind of flip the game all right moment of truth Billy who you got who's going to win the game are the Aggies gonna go one and0 under Mike Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame prediction hco I I think A&M 2320 I said it you know and if that game was in South Bend Mike I think I'd go the other way I think it's that I think it's that competitive I think that evenly match you've got two playmaking quarterbacks I think you've got quality running backs I think you've got receivers on both teams that you know need need to show that hey these passing games are going to be explosive this year um and I think you got two potentially Elite defenses and it's at night it's at Kyle Field it it's big-time college football and both teams are used to it you know Notre Dame they're used to this spotlight they're playing players are Texas A&M you're playing in the SEC you're used to that Spotlight so I don't think either team's going to Flinch or Wilt under the pressure but I just think there's going to be a hell of a lot of good defense and D lineman winning a lot of battles and drives being killed and I think it's going to be just like kind of a survival of the fittest let's see who can walk out of here on top lock the gates and I think again A&M with that home field advantage with that def you know how it is the defense playing up and feeding off that 12th man and then uh the counter of that which is that crowd and it's it's pressure it's going to put on the inexperienced Irish o line and Riley Leonard at QB I think they're going to make it really tough on him and that's just that little bit of difference that that I think is going to have A&M at one and0 and Notre Dame going back still plenty to play for we'll see though I think it's a I think it's a coin flip type game and I think it's a final possession typee of thing but I like the Texas A&M record prediction Aggies in this one at home all right last thing for you Billy really appreciate your time if that happens if A&M goes one and0 what can can I get you to give me a season record prediction for for A&M it's funny you say that because I think if the Aggies go one and0 in this one if they beat Notre Dame that's how I get this team to n and three that's my that's my prediction there I think Notre win to me I'm looking at that Notre Dame in Florida and I'm going damn if they if they were to pull both of those out then I think we need to kind of really take a step back and re-evaluate A&M as a as a playoff Contender I think that's a really tough order to win both those games one at home one in the swamp your first road game an opener in game one under a new head coach against a very experienced Notre Dame team that's a much taller task than people think and if A&M can pull that off then you look at the rest of the schedule and you go these team their toughest games are at home outside that trip to Auburn but I don't think A&M's at this type level mik this year where you can Overlook Arkansas and in Dallas South Carolina in Columbia at night uh Florida and Auburn on the road Mississippi State even on the road with with leby and Blake shap and the cowb all of those games are going to be dangerous for a football team like this I think they beat Notre Dame I think they navigated enough to go nine and three and have one of those uh they're one of those teams that you go man Mike OKO did an incredible job and they're really going to be one to watch moving forward all right thank you so much Billy uh I really really really appreciate it and I I've already let my audience know but I'll let them know again here that I'm going to be joining texags weekly during the football season up uh but I I can't tell you how excited I am to do that hey No shots at Texas? did you and I just make it through a whole segment without stirring up the the bands down in Austin I mean feel free to go ahead and say whatever you want about him but I mean I think we we kind of made it I we'll save it for next week I think I think Texas uh we'll wait and see how they do up at Michigan I think they should go win that game if they don't then I think that's a team you re-evaluate significantly and in terms of if they don't go in against that team that lost like 18 starters and Jim Harbaugh and has all that other stuff going on right well I've not I've not caught I've not caught the uh Texas fever I don't buy the coming out of Austin so uh I I would not even be surprised if they lost that game quite honestly to me I I think I've got them I'm looking at them as a potential like 10 and two yeah with floor being eight and four and nobody I think their ceilings higher but think I'm a pick him at 10 and two but like they played a lot of close games in the Big 12 last year I know they went and beat Bama that's more than A&M did that's more than anyone in the SEC did they lost a l they won they lost a couple but they won a lot of close football games against far inferior opponents not playing in the toughest of environments not having to do it week in and week out and week in and week out and I just I'm not I'm sold that they're good I'm sold that they're pretty damn good I'm not sold that they're Elite and great Ricky Williams said something the other day I don't know how many times I've agreed or disagreed with Ricky but I saw I read where he said something like I'm to like the ba and back I I need to see the CK before I'm all the way that's kind of how I feel with them like I'm like okay definitely improved some real high-end top tier Talent they lost a lot Mike they lost a lot of exceptional players that were playing against teams with a lot less uh to work with than they were and they played a lot of close games and lost a couple against I think teams with a lot less to work with than they had and they lost a lot so we'll see yeah and I think Florida State just showed us you can't just plug and play these transfers as much as fans want to assume you can you just can't do it Y no doubt I think they'll be a fun one to watch this year as well and everybody's writing off OU I've kind of been down on OU uh but the more I look at their schedule they got a lot of toss-ups too A&M Tennessee OU and and LSU okay Conor wigman Nico Jackson Arnold Garrett nus who are those four quarterbacks ascends at the end of the year forget stats when we look at those dudes and go okay if one of them you can say he if everyone can agree that dude was the best of those four it ain't no question if that ends up being how it goes if one of those four is clearly better watch that team make the college football playoff I think one of those four comes out of the SEC and reaches the playoff this year and it's going to be Whoever has the best quarterback yeah no I I can't wait for man I'm I'm so done talking about it I want to see it we're going to get it here just a couple days all right buddy well we'll talk to you this week