Texas A&M Football Season Preview: 2024 Predictions, Impact Transfers, More

hello again we are Chris Lee and Chase Robinson of South Eastern 16 continuing our previews of all 16 SEC football teams for the coming football season today we get to the Texas A&M agies say should be an interesting year on College Station when you're removed from a coaching change I feel like this is one of the most interesting teams in the SEC this year um we we got so used to seeing A&M under Jimbo Fisher and it's going to be so different to see someone else on the sideline for A&M this year and I think Mike Elco was a fantastic hire for A&M but then you look at the roster and it's a typical you know first year under new coach with a lot of change and he's having to adjust things kind of as they go as far as the roster and so this is one of the most intriguing intriguing teams to me this year in the SEC so we'll dive in head first to the agies but first let's tell you about bet online the world's most trusted betting platform and your number one source for everything online sports betting right now you can receive a 50% Free Bet of up to $250 on your first deposit to bet on anything from the Olympics to baseball to Formula 1 racing bet online has every stat every matchup and even live odds and spreads while the games are being played when the game's over head over to the online casino get in on a game of blackjack or poker unwind with one of the over 150 slots games you can head over to their website today to get in on the action and you can use promo code believe bav for your 50% Free Bet credit on your first deposit up to $250 bet online the game starts here Chase let's talk about the offense what do you like what do you maybe not like or have some questions about well I mean we like to start with quarterback and I tell you what I like Conor Wegman um I feel like you know he's he's just had an up and down career there uh just injuries have have plagued him and I thought he was off to a really good start last year and he had that injury in what game four I think it was and uh the the foot injury and so again he great he started great last season though um so I think he's going to be ready this year um I think he is a good quarterback I think this year he has a couple of of good targets to go to uh but I think it's a good place to start for a& him to have a veteran guy you're not having to break in a new quarterback if you're Mike Elco and his new staff you've got a guy who's been in the program who believes in what you want to do and if uh you know if you want to pick a quarterback to to lead you in this year one I think Conor Wegman's a good guy to go to and so I think uh I think that's a good place to start and we'll get to the skill guys in just a minute but I want to talk offensive line for a second Chris and and the fact that they got a couple of of solid guys on that left side but I cons I'm my big concern is the right side of the offensive line they have several guys who are returning from last year but I think they very well could get beat out uh by some of these transfers that are coming in uh I'm talking araj Reed Adams from Kansas uh on the right side I think he could be a positive there on the right side of the line um you've got uh uh the uh guy from I know you're talking guy from Utah who is uh is on the depth chart there at Center uh I'm not even gonna try to uh to pronounce that uh but yeah I I think the the right side of the line could be a struggle and when you aren't as deep in other positions at the skill positions which they do have some depth but not quite the uh the depth that um you would expect Maybe from from a team like Texas A&M and the quality guys uh you need to have a good offensive line and I think this right side really needs to hold up Trey uh Zoom II third on on the left side left guard Chase bison those two guys they're solid just had a typo in there yeah yeah they are uh they're solid there on that left side and so I think they're in good shape they they still need to develop some on that offensive line that that's a con concern for me I think on this offense before we before we start talking about the skill guys that offensive line I think may be a concern well let's here's the way I like to approach offensive line kind of the what we know the what we think and the the what we don't know and the left side treyzon III Chase bantis have both gotten some preseason all SEC love now it's not first team all SEC this is a pretty good pretty tough year to be a left tackle in the SEC if you're looking for accolades but that's a good start those guys both started 13 times a year ago bantis actually started 12 and I think when you're moving a a tackle inside the guard a lot of times that either means you're operating from a problem or position of strength it feels like it's a position of strength with this team I think inside's going to be interesting Mar Mark I guess it's Nebo has gotten most of the depth charts I look at he's their first team but the kid from Utah last year started eight times Utah generally puts out some some Mashers on the offensive line so I would I would think Common Sense would say either he's your starter or Neo's pretty good and then you got the kid from Kansas Reed Adams who started 11 times for what was a pretty good line last year um on the right side you got Ruben FY who started nine times a year ago I don't I don't look at this group and think it's a bad group I mean it it's not Georgia who is but I'm I'm probably I don't know I'm I'm probably a little bigger on their line than their skill guys but I'm not I'm not gonna say that with certainty yeah and and I understand that and and uh I know that's the focus for Mike Elco and that has to be heading into this year is getting that offensive line ready uh but when it does come to skill guys Chris I mean we'll start with running backs um Ruben Owens back with the Aggies Amari Daniels back uh with the aies both of those guys uh you know had some production um I know Mari Daniels averaged like 5.1 yards per carry last year he had six touchdowns uh I feel like these guys need a need a little more production this year I mean they're they're good strong Runners uh but you know maybe upping that average a little bit I know the offensive line can help with that uh you know providing some some holes for him but I think that's something I'm looking for this year is is to kind of up these averages for these running backs where they can really rely on the Run game get that established earlier on in the season hey Chase if you're just making a list of guys who produced at skill positions a year ago whether they were at their current school or other place amm would would be up there in the league you've got a lot of guys that that fill the stat sheet for somewhere between 300 600 yards of of rushing or receiving or whatever but nobody that that stood out was an all guy I guess um Ruben Owens and moose muhamad have been getting some preseason all SEC love um Owens to me is hard to figure right now he came in as a very highly talented guy a year ago but average under four yards a carry that that's not a you know that that's not super comforting when you look at it the guys behind them Amari Daniels le' and Moss both average five yards a carry or more again I don't know if that was situational garbage time those numbers can vary whether you're playing mop-up time against tlon state or or playing crunch time against Alabama um yeah so there's that and in the receiving room Muhammad didn't put up big numbers a year ago but they brought in Cyrus Allen who had 778 yards last Street Louisiana Tech jabis Barber who had 999 yards J Juday Walker rury doesn't get talked about a lot had 590 yards a year ago and then they got Donovan Green back who was good as a freshman two years ago um had 233 yards worth the receiving over four starts he didn't play last year and oh by the way they added Trey Watson from Fresno State who was a pretty good tight end there had almost 400 yards receiving four scores so I see a lot of pieces here but I don't see a guaranteed Superstar and here's the other question how much of this was just operating under the curse of Jimbo Fisher like how many these guys are are ready to break out and yeah they're better players than the numbers of shown because I mean everybody knows offense was an issue there and that's one reason Jimbo Fischer got fired right and I like moose Muhammad um I you know I think he's going to be one of the main Targets this year another guy Cyrus Allen I had uh doing some play-by-play last college football season I had Louisiana Tech I remember his name because I called him a lot uh he was a go-to receiver there at latch and so I think he'll fit in nicely uh at A&M with with Conor Wegman throwing the ball and and um you think of uh jay walker uh and and these guys Noah Thomas who are back they've played they have reps like um I think I I think yes there's there's not like three or four standout guys but there's enough Playmakers in there that's gonna help Wegman out um yeah and and moose muhamad I think being the main target but um there there's enough guys who can make plays to where they can spread the ball out they can put other guys in it's it's not going to be one or two guys that they threw through every time I think it's going to be a collection of guys that catch balls for A&M this year and it's going to have to be um with with the defenses that they'll be up against they're going to have to spread this out some and by the way one other thing if something goes wrong with Connor Wegman they've got two backups who played and played pretty well in in spot Duty so there's also that that's a nice little thing to have in your back pocket it really is uh Jaylen Henderson right behind Wegman and then Marcel Reed uh yeah both have played both have have have gotten some some time in the game so yeah that absolutely helps and when you have a injury-prone quarterback like Wegman he struggled with injury in the past hopefully he avoids that this year but you always have to be ready especially for the quarterback position to have some good backups and I think they I think the quarterback room is is is fairly strong there in College Station all right Chase let's talk defense defense has not been the reason that A&M has not won games recently um now they do lose it seemed like they had a bunch of really good defensive backs who' been there forever they lost some of those guys they get one of them back in Tyreek Chapel added three pretty significant pieces in the portal on the secondary side they added three pieces at linebacker in the portal and added one huge piece in the portal at defensive end um I I think this is a talented group you you do have a we look up and down we say hey the guys return you don't have a lot of guys that were like all SEC dudes but Tory New York played a lot of ball for them last year I think started all the games one of their leading tacklers they've got a really nice combination of experience and and Landing some dudes in the portal who'd really produced other places you know I think one of the biggest strengths of this entire team is the defensive line and I think it starts with Edge runer uh Nick scorton who has come to Kyler station by way of Purdue in the transfer portal uh I think he is going to be uh a big big piece to Texas A&M this year uh but you look around the offensive line as well Shamar Turner uh The Tackle coming back he's played a lot of games uh DJ Hicks has played in a lot of games uh Shamar Stewart's played in a lot of football games you know that's a very veteran defensive line and uh they they picked up uh Johnson from Wisconsin as well who's on the depth chart and and uh you know he he may see some time as well but I really like the defensive line I think this is a huge strength one be just because the amount of football that they played like uh these are experienced guys you have up front and it starts with uh scouton he's gonna be huge he's gonna be huge for Texas A&M this year and that was a huge pickup to get him uh to come down he led the Big 10 in sacks with 10 uh last year he had a great spring in the spring game if you watch that and uh you combine him with Shamar Turner and Shamar Stewart who also combined for uh let's see seven and a half sacks and 12 tackles for loss last year that's combine those three guys together and that they're they're gonna be dangerous this this is gonna this is a great defensive front yeah and the back Seven's going to look a lot different Scooby Williams presumably will occupy one of the linebacker spots Florida's defense wasn't exactly outstanding a year ago so I guess you have to throw some blame around I don't know how much that goes on him or Jaden Hill there starting nickel who they also got from Florida but I mean I think secondary where they haded some pieces will Lee the third from Kansas State really productive Marcus Radcliffe from San Diego State started 11 times at safety I had a pick Lee had what two picks a year ago um Dez Rick's a really highly regarded I think a former festar at Alabama who didn't really much see the field there a year ago and BJ May from uh UAB who had a couple of picks and 10 pass defended um I feel like I don't know who's going to pop there but I feel like you really need depth at corner against these high-paced offenses guys that have played a lot of ball and I feel like they did a good job of getting that they did and and they knew they had to go to the portal to get that and so they got some really quality guys uh you mentioned Tyreek Chapel I think that was huge uh to to retain him to keep him on the roster to play for Mike Elco but yeah the guys they went and got I think are are really good those are great pickups they bring some experience uh to the uh to the secondary there I tell you one player I'm really looking forward to seeing this year for Texas A&M is safety Bryce Anderson I think he he his experience is gonna be very valuable for A&M this year uh he had 55 tackles and seven tackles for LW Lo last year um I I think he's going to be huge in that safety position and uh again his his veteran experience will definitely help A&M this year but I I really like the pieces that they've gone out and gotten now you know is it going to translate to the field we'll just have to wait and see but the the guys they went out and got are very quality guys and let's keep in mind um Mike elelo is a defensive Mastermind I mean he was a great coordinator when he was in Texas A&M uh and and he was a great head coach when he was a Duke but he is a his scheme his scheming on defense is really good and it throws a lot of offenses off and so uh I'm excited to see what he can do with these pieces being the defensive mind that he is yeah I'm excited to see that opener against Notre Dame I feel like that's gonna give us a good gauge of how they are now A&M schedule look you never get an easy SEC schedule but they they avoid Al abama they avoid Georgia avoid Tennessee avoid Oklahoma I mean feels like a lot of the top half of the league they don't get and it feels like the road trips you know Florida Mississippi State South Carolina Auburn all teams that we'd probably say are in the the bottom eight of of the 16 Team league feels like the and I think we did the schedule maybe in a different video but it feels like the schedule again not that it's ever easy was rather favorable I'm looking here and they're only really they're they the computers have them in Underdog do Notre Dame uh I think the bookmakers have got them favored by a point or two so they flipped that um LSU is basically a toss-up game that's in College Station and then the trip to Texas um you know that that's going to be the one the end of the year actually they host Texas excuse me but I mean this schedule is kind of interesting because if they take care of business they got a sh to play Texas with a lot on the line at the end of the year yeah this is uh again to me this is one of the most interesting teams in the SEC because uh one their roster but two the schedule there are so many tossup games uh there are so many games that we're just going to have to really figure out what this team is about really before you start trying to predict these games but yeah we'll learn a lot quickly uh with this Notre day matchup and I know we'll be previewing that game uh very soon here on the channel you can hear our thoughts on the A&M Notre Dame match up uh but yeah that's going to be huge that that we'll learn very quickly uh where this team is at what they're what they're doing and and uh I think this should be an interesting season for A&M I think it could be a good season in year one for M Elco um you know if if they stay healthy and if all these pieces work well together I think they will I think they could be a surprise team uh in the SEC for sure um they're they're in College Station they've been waiting on this you know they they've been they've had a bad taste in their mouth the last couple of years it's not gone how they wanted it to to go and I think now they have a chance to to get back up to the prominent Texas A&M that they were several years ago yeah it it feels like they're do a break too right I mean I remember going to Media days in Nashville last year and and seeing Jimbo Fisher speak and going oh boy this this might not go well offensively because he got a a question about who's going to run the offense and then gave a three-minute answer when and that should have been about a 5-second answer and perhaps not so coincidentally we know how the season went he is no longer coaching but they also lost an an ordinate amount of close games I don't know if there's a power five team over the last two or three years that lost more games it were a field goal or a touchdown so um yeah you know this is a school due to catch some breaks the schedule was a little bit easier on him um you speaking of Harbinger games that game that in Gainesville week three against the Florida team I think is going to be a little better than maybe people think that'll be their first road trip that'll be interesting so yeah I I really we talk about teams if you just followed a team for a season just because you got a lot of interesting games I think A&M would be in the top half of that list in the SEC just in terms of you know storylines and games of interest and all kinds of stuff this year yeah and uh I again I think they're they're due for a break like I I think this could be a good year I think this could be the start of something good now will they you know be at the top of the SEC in year one under Mike Elco probably not but this is a this is a team this is roster this is a coach that I think can get them back to where they want to go so I like where A&M's at right now as they kind of rebuild this program back up yeah I think it's a better league if A&M gets to the heights that A&M has always thought it to you say the same about Texas too and Texas got there last year so I think I think that makes it interesting of course the you know now the now the Dy Dynamic of Texas and Texas hman s League adds even more yeah and that'll be a fun rivalry uh there in the the final week of the regular season that is for sure yeah well uh thanks to everybody for watching our Channel U we cover SEC baseball basketball and football with equal enthusiasm we we literally cover every sport every week every year we got baseball shows in the offseason every week same with basketball so make us your home for South Eastern Conference Sports uh that's what we do we're fanatical about it and and we try to give you information on analysis and not hot takes so we hope you like our brand if you do subscribe tell a friend hit that like button those things help our analytics and if you're interested in advertising um you can see where to contact at the bottom of the screen anyway I'm Chris Lee we are sou Eastern 16 presented by bet online