3. Lack of established weapons in the passing game
Texas A&M’s biggest departures on the offensive side of the ball came with junior wide receiver Christian Kirk leaving early for the 2018 NFL Draft and senior wideout Damion Ratley running out of eligibility. Both Kirk and Ratley were the leading receivers for the Aggies last season as they combined for more than 1,500 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the next leading receivers for the Aggies didn’t rack up more than 600 receiving yards and three touchdowns individually last year. There is a certain level of expectation surrounding sophomore wide receivers Jhamon Ausbon and Camron Buckley in 2018. Yet, neither was as big of an offensive threat as Kirk.
Texas A&M could give the ball to Kirk in any situation, and he would be a threat to make something happen against the opposing defense. Opposing defensive coordinators also had to take the extra step to prepare for Kirk’s presence in the Texas A&M passing game. Losing that presence leaves a huge void in the receiving corps.
Pretty much every wide receiver for the Aggies that will get a significant number of targets in 2018 is not older than a sophomore. It’s a lot to ask of a receiving corps full of sophomores and one of two sophomore quarterbacks to be one of the best offenses in the SEC West in 2018. The ground game will need to pick up the slack big time.