Texas A&M Football: 2017 season preview, predictions

Texas A&M football hasn’t been able to break through since joining the SEC in 2012. Could this year be the year that Kevin Sumlin vies for a conference title?

The Aggies celebrated their fifth anniversary as members of the SEC on July 1. Since joining the conference the Aggies have taken down a No. 1 Alabama team in Tuscaloosa and redefined what offense looks like in a conference that used to be all ground and pound. In doing all that they’ve yet to find a way to win in November.

The 2017 Texas A&M football team will be judged almost entirely on what happens in the last four weeks of the season. Fair or not, Kevin Sumlin has to beat LSU this year. The Aggies are 0-5 against the Tigers since joining the SEC despite several close games that were winnable for the maroon and white. Last season ended like the previous two before it: losses.

Unfortunately for the Aggies, the conference hasn’t gotten any easier. Alabama, Auburn and Florida have all been featured in just about every preaseason poll. Texas A&M plays all three of them this year. ESPN ranks Texas A&M’s schedule as the 16th toughest in the nation. That’s a tough slate, but it also presents plenty of opportunities. After they lost to Alabama last year the Aggies debuted at No. 4 in the inaugural College Football Playoff rankings. A loss here or there won’t doom the Aggies, but several could spell the end for Sumlin.

Their expectations won’t be quite as high as last season, but they’ll still be a threat to upset the balance of power in the SEC. Which players are poised for a breakout season and what games should you circle on your calendar?

Offense

The Aggies are going to have to reload on the fly in 2017. They will have to replace their leading receiver (Josh Reynolds), starting quarterback (Trevor Knight) and two offensive lineman (Jermaine Eluemunor and Avery Gennesy). They do have one thing working in their favor: All-American wide receiver Christian Kirk.

Kirk has already broken the Texas A&M record for career punt return touchdowns with five in his first two seasons. He was also voted first team All-SEC as a receiver in addition to the threat he poses in the return game. Kirk had 83 receptions last year and that number is going to go up in 2017. That’s partly because of the lack of proven options beyond him.

Texas A&M has to replace 136 receptions from last year’s squad. To do that they’ll turn to several new faces including four new recruits from the class of 2017: Jhamon Ausbon, Roshaaud Paul, Camron Buckley and Hezekiah Jones. Ausbon put up an impressive showing at Friday Night Lights and Paul should see some work in the slot.

Must Read: Roshauud Paul could be Texas A&M's secret weapon

The quarterback battle

It might not matter who is catching passes if the Aggies don’t find a quarterback. There are three guys vying for the job of replacing Knight and each comes with their own set of pros and cons.

Jake Hubenak is the veteran. He was the first man off the bench when Knight was injured late last season. Nick Starkel is the arm. A redshirt freshman, Starkel spent last season be groomed for the starting job. He’s got a cannon and seemed to be a bit more mobile in the pocket than Hubenak in the Aggies spring game. Then there’ the wildcard: true freshman Kellen Mond.

Related Story: Who wins the Aggie quarterback battle?

Freshman don’t often start in the SEC. But Mond’s arm and quickness have some people remember another Aggie freshman (albeit a redshirt freshman) that led the Aggies to great things in 2012. It’s going to be a competitive race and there won’t be a resolution before Texas A&M kicks off their season in the Rose Bowl on September 3.

Defense

Five Aggies were selected in the 2017 NFL Draft, including number one overall pick Myles Garrett. Texas A&M doesn’t have a replacement for Garrett, no one would. But they do have a few guys that should be able to keep the pass rush coming. JUCO transfer Michael Clemons will slide into one side of the line to replace Garrett. Daeshon Hall‘s absence will be bridged by seniors Jarrett Johnson and Qualen Cunningham.

The real strength of the Aggie defensive line will be between the ends: Daylon Mack, Zaycoven Henderson and incoming freshman Jayden Peevy. The Aggie defense allowed 191.8 yards rushing per game in 2016. If those guys don’t step up it’s going to be another long November. Their help will come from stud linebacker signee Anthony Hines.

Must Read: Could Anthony Hines be the next great Aggie linebacker?

Hines was the No. 2 linebacker in the Class of 2017 and the prized defensive recruit of Texas A&M’s most recent recruiting class. He’ll slide right into one of the starting spots from day one. Freshman linebackers don’t often start in the SEC, but Hines might be one noteworthy exception.

A pair of elite safeties

The front seven should be serviceable, but it’s the secondary that has all the makings of an elite defensive unit. Armani Watts should following in the footsteps if Justin Evans who was a second round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Bucaneers last year. Alongside Watts is fellow senior Donovan Wilson. Wilson can best be described as a ballhawk. He’ll take some risks and miss a tackle or two, but he’ll also seal a win with a well timed rush out of the nickel position.

Defense has never been the hallmark of any Texas A&M team under Kevin Sumlin. The 12th Man might like to chant “Wrecking Crew” from the stands, but it hasn’t materialized in full – not yet. This unit is a mix of young talent and NFL-caliber coverage guys. They should be good enough if some unheralded player can break through. Keep an eye on guys like Tyrel Dodson and Larry Pryor.

2017 Texas A&M Schedule and Predictions

Sumlin’s team has gotten off to fast starts in each of his five seasons with the Aggies. The schedule sets up for another favorable run in 2017. They’ll kick things off with a Sunday night, prime-time game in the Rose Bowl against UCLA. Early odds have the Bruins as a slight favorite, but given how dominant Sumlin has been in season openers it really should be a toss up.

After UCLA, the Aggies are favored in their next four games according to ESPN FPI. That could set up for another matchup of undefeated teams when the Alabama Crimson Tide come to town on October 7. One of these years the Aggies will break through, right?

There might not be many chances if Sumlin can’t solve the Crimson Tide or the month of November. Athletic Director Scott Woodward has gone on the record, saying that Sumlin “has to win this year.” Whether or not that was all talk remains to be seen, but the truth remains that the Aggies are 2-7 against SEC opponents in November over the last three seasons.

What’s next for Texas A&M?

Texas A&M has the facilities, talent and fan base of a top-of-the-line, national title contending team. They haven’t lived up to those expectations. 2016 looked to the year that they were going to do it. The Aggies started 6-0 and led Alabama 14-13 in the second half of their game before another Crimson Tide defensive touchdown put the game out of reach. Things don’t look as favorable on paper in 2017, but if Sumlin wants to save his job he’s going to have to figure something out.

Next: Predicting every game of the 2017 A&M Football season

Prediction: 9-3

This November will look different. The maroon and white won’t reach the last few weeks of the season unscathed, but they’ll do enough to save Sumlin’s job. Texas A&M will finish the season with a few wins in November (Auburn and/or LSU, perhaps) and momentum headed into 2018.

***Stats from Sports Reference, NCAA, ESPN***