By Matt Smith
SouthernPigskin.com

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Matt Smith takes an in-depth look at the Texas A&M Aggies.

SEC Season Preview: Texas A&M
Head Coach: Jimbo Fisher3 fourth season at Texas A&M; 12th season overall (17-8 SEC, 111-33 overall)
Offensive Coordinator: Darrell Dickey (fourth season)
Defensive Coordinator: Mike Elko (fourth season)

2020 Recap: 9-1 (8-1 SEC); defeated North Carolina in Orange Bowl
2020 was the year Aggies fans were pointing to since Fisher arrived in College Station in 2018. The team lived up to the hype, but it had the unfortunate situation of being in the same division as an all-time great Alabama team. Texas A&M won its last eight games by double digits to finish 9-1, but an early blowout loss to the Crimson Tide kept it out of the College Football Playoff. With the season teetering early on, the Aggies rallied past No. 4 Florida to avoid a 1-2 start and never looked back. Kellen Mond had a great senior season with 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions despite a slew of receiver injuries, and the defense had some early 890s Wrecking Crew vibes, allowing just 22 points per game.

2021 Schedule
Sept. 4 3 KENT STATE (8 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
Sept. 11 3 vs. Colorado (Denver) (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX)
Sept. 18 3 NEW MEXICO (Noon ET, SEC Network)
Sept. 25 3 vs. Arkansas (Arlington)
Oct. 2 3 MISSISSIPPI STATE
Oct. 9 3 ALABAMA (8 p.m. ET, CBS)
Oct. 16 3 at Missouri
Oct. 23 3 SOUTH CAROLINA
Nov. 6 3 AUBURN
Nov. 13 3 at Ole Miss
Nov. 20 3 PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
Nov. 27 3 at LSU

Under Center
After Mond looked to have plateaued as a junior, his huge senior season was the key driver in Texas A&Ms rise from a mid-tier program in the SEC to the second-best in the conference. Monds strength was his patience, and that will be the challenge for his replacement. Sophomore Zach Calzada and freshman Hayes King are battling throughout August to replace the four-year starter.

King is a higher-pedigree player with more mobility, but Calzada has a bigger arm. Fisher is a demanding coach, and mistakes are not tolerated. This wont necessarily be a skill set decision. Fisher will go with the guy who wont force throws and is comfortable living to see another day. If King is making smart decisions about when to deploy his legs, he should have an edge, but this will be a long competition and perhaps the most interesting one in the SEC as the season beckons.

In The Trenches
Texas A&M had as good of an offensive line as anyone in the country last season, Alabama included. Four of the five starters have moved on leaving Kenyon Green as the lone veteran as he gets set to move to this third position (left tackle) in as many seasons. Grabbing Jahmir Johnson out of the transfer portal after the mass exodus from Tennessee was a big win to try to stabilize the other tackle position. The interior positions are young, with center Luke Matthews hoping to continue the tradition of Matthews brothers being standout Aggie linemen.

Both levels of the front seven have to replace a fourth-round NFL Draft pick, but the Aggies have upped their recruiting under Fisher and have one of the sports best coordinators in Mike Elko. End DeMarvin Leal was an All-SEC performer in 2020 and anchors this group that finished No. 3 in the SEC in run defense. The depth chart is muddy, but thats not a bad thing. There are plenty of talented bodies.

On The Edge
The offensive skill position arsenal in College Station may be the best in the SEC this year with all the departures at Alabama. Isaiah Spiller topped 1,000 rushing yards in 2020, while speedy Devin Achane emerged as a dangerous No. 2 option. Ainias Smith is the proverbial Swiss-army knife who will line up both in the backfield and in the slot. The receiving corps is led by tight end Jalen Wydermyer, who was overshadowed by Kyle Pitts last season but is now tops at his position in the SEC. The return of wide receivers Caleb Chapman and Cam Buckley from injuries will be a key to this unit reaching its ceiling.

Alabama and Florida had success against the Texas A&M secondary in 2020, but every other Aggies opponent struggled to move the ball through the air. This group is going to be really good again, but the challenge is now to rise to the occasion against the leagues best offenses. That will require making more splash plays, as Texas A&M intercepted only 10 passes a year ago. Early games against Kent State (no joke), Arkansas and Mississippi State will provide good tests for this unit prior to the Alabama game.

Ranking The Units
1. Running Backs
2. Defensive Line
3. Receivers
4. Defensive Backs
5. Linebackers
6. Offensive Line
7. Quarterbacks

Schedule Analysis
SEC Rank: 12
National Rank: 47
Its hard to have a schedule ranking this low playing in the SEC West, but the Aggies manage to thanks to missing Florida and Georgia, having Colorado as the only Power Five non-conference game, and playing just three true road games. Anything short of a 5-0 start before Alabama comes to town would be highly disappointing. The only other games in which a loss wouldnt be seen as a big upset arent until mid-November at Ole Miss and Thanksgiving weekend at LSU. Nine wins wouldnt be a failure, but this schedule is perfectly set up for the teams first 10-win regular season since 2012.

Season Prediction
Fisher is a really good coach who can win a national title in College Station, but this wont be the year. I think the 2020 Aggies could have beaten 2021 Alabama, but thats not how the stars aligned. There are just enough concerns, most notably at quarterback, to hold off on this finally being the year Texas A&M conquers the SEC West.

Despite not earning their first ever CFP berth, the Aggies will have a great season, losing only to Alabama and LSU, and earn their second straight New Years Six bowl bid. After being a fairly methodical offense a year ago, this years Texas A&M team could be a more entertaining product with a ton of skill talent. If it all comes together, the Aggies are good enough to beat Alabama, but they havent even had a close loss to Alabama in recent years, and that may be an interim step that is required before ultimately dethroning the Tide.
Record: 10-2 (6-2 SEC)
CFP Ranking: 8
Bowl: Sugar Bowl vs. Iowa State