4 x 4 Preview: Texas A&M
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By Matt Smith
SouthernPigskin.com
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Texas A&M is hoping to leave the offseason drama behind and focus at a potential run at the SEC title.
4 Household Names
1. QB Johnny Manziel (So.) – For simplicity’s sake, let’s assume he plays the entire season. Perhaps no player in the history of the sport has garnered the type of attention that Manziel has – some for his play, but more for his off-the-field life. We’ll limit this to his on-field actions. Can he duplicate his 2012 season with a Texas-size target on his back? We’ll find out on Sept. 14 when Alabama comes to College Station.
2. WR Mike Evans (So.) – Manziel’s unprecedented debut overshadowed Evans’ stellar redshirt freshman season in 2012. He finished with over 1,100 yards and five touchdowns. He was the steal of Mike Sherman’s final recruiting class in 2011 (Manziel, although a steal, was much more highly rated). He’ll need a complement with the reliable Ryan Swope no longer around, but he’s an athletic specimen at 6’5” and 225 pounds and has great chemistry with Manziel.
3. OT Jake Matthews (Sr.) – The son of NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews flips to the left side this year to replace Outland Trophy winner Luke Joeckel. He’s started 33 games at right tackle, but the transition to Manziel’s blindside should be seamless. He may not be selected as high as Joeckel was (No. 2 overall), but he’ll be one of the top players in the 2014 NFL Draft.
4. CB Deshazor Everett (Jr.) – Had Alabama not climbed back into the top two of the BCS Standings last year, Everett would be a certified villain in Tuscaloosa for his game-clinching interception against the Crimson Tide. The junior has developed into the leader of a secondary that loses a pair of starters from a year ago. He’ll get an early test against preseason All-SEC wide receiver Amari Cooper and Alabama on Sept. 14. A pending legal issue that also involves safety Floyd Raven is yet to be resolved, but no significant discipline is expected.
RELATED: The Johnny Manziel Situation is a Sign of the Times
4 Relative Unknowns Who Will Become Household Names
1. RB Brandon Williams (So.) – The Aggies backfield is loaded thanks to the addition of two transfers, including Williams, who played at Oklahoma in 2011. He’s bigger than incumbents Ben Malena and Trey Williams, and he should allow Texas A&M to do more downhill running than it did a year ago. He’ll also help take some of the burden off of Manziel.
2. WR Malcome Kennedy (Jr.) – Kennedy caught the game-winning touchdown pass against Alabama last year, one of just two scoring plays in his sophomore season. With Evans the only one of the Aggies’ top four pass-catchers from 2012 returning, Kennedy’s role will increase dramatically until a talented group of freshmen begin to adapt to life in the SEC. Even once they do, there’s no certainty that any of them will be more productive than Kennedy this season.
3. OG Jarvis Harrison (Jr.) – Overlooked the past two seasons by Joeckel and Matthews, Harrison is another Aggies offensive lineman destined to play on Sunday. He earned a starting role midway through his freshman year and hasn’t relinquished it. At 6’4” and 320 pounds, he’ll team with Matthews to make up the best left side of an offensive line in the SEC.
4. S Floyd Raven (Jr.) – After a strong spring, Raven is ready to take over at free safety for the departed Steven Terrell, assuming he avoids missing time from the spring incident with Everett. His size will allow him to help against the run, much as Terrell did a year ago. He could also could play cornerback in a pinch. His sophomore season was a bit of a disappointment, but the position switch should help him show drastic improvement in 2013.
4 Must-See Games
1. Sept. 14 vs. Alabama – It’s fairly safe to say that no September game in the history of college football has received more hype than this game will. With both teams having friendly non-division schedules, the winner puts itself in great position to take home the SEC West title. Five of the past six SEC West winners have played in the BCS Championship Game. So yeah, the stakes really are that high.
2. Sept. 28 at Arkansas – This game marks the Aggies’ first visit to Fayetteville since both teams were in the Southwest Conference. This will also be Texas A&M’s first road game (and first outside of Texas) since the memorable win in Tuscaloosa last November. If the Aggies can upset Alabama, they will almost certainly enter this game ranked No. 1. Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema upset No. 1 Ohio State in 2010 in his only other game against a top-ranked team.
3. Oct. 12 at Ole Miss – Safety Tony Hurd said at SEC Media Days that the Aggies’ come-from-behind win last year over Ole Miss was the turning point in their season after blowing five double-digit leads in 2011 and a 17-7 lead to Florida in their 2012 season opener. The teams will meet in Oxford for the second straight season, where the Rebels will be hoping to exact a bit of revenge for last season’s near-miss. Having two weeks to prepare should benefit Texas A&M.
4. Nov. 23 at LSU – First of all, thank you SEC for finally scheduling a big game on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, a week that has become known for cupcake feeding prior to rivalry games. This won’t be a night game, but expect a well-lubricated Tiger Stadium to make the atmosphere as miserable as possible for Manziel. If one of these teams has beaten Alabama, this game will have national title implications for one or both teams. Oh, and some advice for Manziel – keep your cell phone turned off that week.
4 Bold Predictions
1. Manziel will return to New York City. He won’t become only the second player to take home two Heisman Trophies, but he will become the first player since Tim Tebow in 2008 to be a Heisman finalist in the year after winning it. He won’t top 5,000 yards in total offense again, but will top 30 touchdowns after throwing 26 a year ago. Criticize his off-field lifestyle all you want, but it won’t affect his play this season.
2. Brandon Williams will lead the team in rushing. Manziel had 600 more yards than any other Aggie last year, but the addition of Williams will help the Aggies limit Manziel’s carries this season after 201 attempts in 2012. The coaching staff must do all they can to prevent an injury to Manziel, and Williams may be their best solution. Manziel wouldn’t be Manziel without his legs, but Williams should help them stay fresher this season
3. The Aggies will lose to both Alabama and LSU. It’s hard to call a 10-win season a disappointment when you’ve done it just once this century, but that will be the case this year when Texas A&M stumbles in both of its big games. Manziel will have success against the Tide, but the defense won’t hold its own against AJ McCarron and the Alabama offense. 10 weeks later, a 7-3 LSU team needing to salvage its season will rise up at home to end any hopes the Aggies had left for a national title.
4. Texas A&M will play Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. The Aggies were destined for New Orleans a year ago before Florida rallied from a second-half deficit to defeat Florida State and claim the SEC’s second BCS berth. This year, a 10-2 Aggies team will get the nod to play in the Sugar Bowl. They’ll face Ohio State, who will surprisingly fail to win the Big Ten and finish with two losses. Storylines will be aplenty here, especially when Manziel inevitably makes his way to Bourbon Street.
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