Texas A&M Football Spring Review/Fall Preview

by ccmachine on Jul 7, 2011 1:01 AM CDT in Oklahoma Sooners Football

A weak non-conference schedule and a three game losing streak cost Texas A&M the opportunity to play for the Big 12 Championship in 2010. That's not to say they didn't look every bit the part of the Big 12's elite, they were the only team in the conference to beat both Oklahoma and Nebraska. Now the Aggies enter 2011 ready to make a run to win their first Big 12 title since 1998. They've got nine returning starters on offense and eight on defense with key returners at the skill positions. That doesn't mean we don't have questions though.

1. Can Christian Michael return to form? If the spring was any indication then the answer is a resounding yes! The Aggies have a legitimate opportunity to have two 1,000 rushers this season. Michael had rushed for 631 yards before breaking his leg last season and Cyrus Gray ran for 1,133 yards. A two back system with a healthy Christian Michael puts Texas A&M with possibly the best rushing attack in the conference.

2. Can Damontre Moore be Von Miller? The Aggies are losing the heart of their defense in linebackers Von Miller and Michael Hodges. There's a chance Hodges will be replaced by a true freshman in Donnie Baggs but the key is going to be maintaining (or coming as close as possible to maintaining) the production of Von Miller. That job has been left to Damontre Moore who played well when Miller was ~~cramping up~~ injured last season but will need reproduce Miller's 10.5 sacks to continue drawing comparisons.

3. Can Ryan Tannehill lead the Aggies to the promised land? Last season Jerrod Johnson was tabbed as the Big 12's pre-season Offensive Player of the Year only to be benched in favor of Tannehill midway through the season after falling flat on his face. Now the pressure is on Tannehill who led the Aggies to six consecutive wins to end the season. Can Tannehill perform on a consistent level for an entire season or will we see more of the two touchdown/three interception performance we saw against LSU in the Cotton Bowl. That performance may have been an anomaly or it could have been time allowed for defensive coaches to prepare. The latter would worry me a bit.

Tweet Comment 18 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Did it make you laugh

To type the word elite in an A&M review? All kidding aside, their RB duo should be great, and Jeff Fuller is awesome. Just my opinion, but nobody is replacing Von Miller, at least not this year.

New Orleans, here we come.

by KratosWasASooner on Jul 7, 2011 1:13 AM CDT reply actions

I agree

I think it’s very hard to “replace” a guy like Von Miller. I just don’t think it’s possible. I hope we’re able to run it down their throats this year.

"Let’s hang half-a-hundred on ‘em."
-Barry Switzer

by OUPest on Jul 7, 2011 3:17 AM CDT up reply actions

+1000

A couple nice goal line a$$ kickings would be good as well

"You see we got another championship banner up? It’s not a South Division one, either." Bob Stoops

Crimson and Cream Machine - There's only one Oklahoma!
Listen to Sooner Nation, the #1 podcast for OU fans

by Jordan Esco on Jul 7, 2011 6:29 AM CDT up reply actions

Even if we win 77-0 this year

The aggie fans will never shutup. They will always be arrogant.

Follow on Twitter @LLAdamJ7

by dasoonerman on Jul 7, 2011 8:06 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

OU-A&M game is one I’m really anticipating. It should be 2 teams in the top 10, if not top 5 when we play.

Key will be how A&M replaces the losses on Defense. While not a lot of bodies lost, they were still HUGE loses.

by Redhawk on Jul 7, 2011 8:29 AM CDT reply actions

What does suck...

Both OSU and TAMU can’t be undefeated when we play them — unfortunately. But I really hope TAMU is undefeated when they come to Norman. I love seeing my TAMU buddies upset when they loss, as if they aren’t used to it.

"Let’s hang half-a-hundred on ‘em."
-Barry Switzer

by OUPest on Jul 7, 2011 9:01 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Neither will be....

A&M hype this year will still bite them in the butt…

by OU JJ on Jul 7, 2011 5:58 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

I don't see..

Missou or TAMU being close at all. Ask the Tech fans what’s it like to play a revenge game in Norman.

by jbb10 on Jul 7, 2011 9:10 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

Tannehill wasn't really that impressive...

He just wasn’t nearly as much of a liability as Jerrod Johnson was. Then again, Johnson had a bum shoulder that never was 100% last year. Tannehill is the definition of game manager. Exhibit A: Nebraska. Tannehill threw for 172 yards on 19/29 passing with 0 TD’s.

Q: Can Damontre Moore be Von Miller?
A: No. He’ll be a significant step down. Of A&M’s three sack leaders, two are now gone. Who do you think offensive lines are going to start keying on now?

by NateHeupel on Jul 7, 2011 9:22 AM CDT reply actions

Q: Who do you think offensive lines are going to start keying on now?

Hopefully the end zone… sure as hell couldn’t get us there last year.

by captfoss on Jul 7, 2011 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions

Well said.

Tip of the hat to you, captain.

by NateHeupel on Jul 7, 2011 12:45 PM CDT up reply actions

A&M is the team in conference that scares me.

And I don’t think “elite” is a bad word to use in describing them.

Take the team they have right now. If you also up and gave them Jermaine Gresham at tight end, but Dennis Francione was still their coach, I’d still put them middle-of-the-pack. Sherman has chops. (So does Tuberville, but he doesn’t have the horses yet.)

Any investor will tell you that past performance does not guarantee future results. The second that our boys believe that playing in Norman guarantees a win will be the day our streak ends.

In the immortal words of Socrates, "I drank what?"

by SaintSooner on Jul 7, 2011 12:38 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

True. But

it doesn’t take a genius to know OU plays thier best football on Owen fuel esp mistake free. And if you watched both conference losses in which mistakes killed OU. I am more worried about a Texas or a game away from home.

by jbb10 on Jul 7, 2011 1:19 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions