2008 Texas AM
July 17, 2008
Mike Sherman drops down from the NFL to coach the college ranks at Texas A&M this season. He takes over a team that returns just 12 starters from a year ago, including their punter and kicker. The Aggies are in a bit of a rebuilding mode, but having a proven quarterback in Stephen McGee, a speedy tailback Mike Goodson, and a powerful fullback in Jarvorskie Lane on board should ease Sherman’s transition. Let’s see how this new head coach will fare with Info Plays 2008 Texas A&M Aggies football predictions and team preview below.
Offense:
The offense returns the trio of McGee at QB, Goodson at RB and Lane at FB for a nucleus that leaves opposing defensive coordinators in fear. This is one of, if not the best backfield trios in the Big 12. McGee passed for 4,606 yards the past two seasons and led the Aggies with 899 rushing yards in ‘07. McGee won’t be running as much in ‘08 with Sherman’s pro-style attack that features more drop-back passing. The zone-read play that McGee ran nearly 20 times per game last year has been scrubbed. Sophomore Jerrod Johnson pushed McGee in the spring, and competition will continue through the fall until Sherman finds his man.
The playbook will get a heavy dose of running plays, with Goodson a threat to go the distance every time he gets his hand on the ball. Lane will be exclusively used as a fullback, listed at 285 pounds, and will again be the short-yardage hammer. Lane has 44 career rushing touchdowns, tying a school record. Receivers Pierre Brown, E.J. Shankle, Howard Morrow and Roger Holland all show potential, but have yet to prove they can be playmakers on a consistent level. The only offensive linemen returning with any starting experience are Travis Schneider and Michael Shumard.
Defense:
Sherman has teamed up with new defensive coordinator Joe Kines to make several personnel moves in the spring to give the Aggies a much quicker look. Ball-hawking speedsters in outside linebackers Von Miller, Garrick Williams and Johnathan Haynes is where it starts. Juniors Matt Featherston and Anthony Lewis are battling for the starting middle linebacker spot. Both give the Aggies more speed than they featured last year. End Cyril Obiozor is the only returning starter on the defensive line. But he’s a big-time playmaker and a relentless pass rusher. Tackle Kellen Heard brings size to the middle at 6-6, 345 lbs.
The key to the defensive front will be senior Michael Bennett, an athletic end who has dominated foes at times, but hasstruggled to be consistent. A veteran group of defensive backs return in Devin Gregg, Jordan Pugh, Jordan Peterson, Altron Dixon and Arkeith Brown. This gives the Aggies a chance to succeed in a pass-happy Big 12 conference. Gregg is a tremendous leader in the secondary and Pugh shows great potential at one cornerback spot.
Texas A&M Aggies Predictions at Info Plays: 4th in the Big 12 South
The Aggies should be more unpredictable on offense under Sherman and offensive coordinator Nolan Cromwell. A&M featured enough firepower to knock off a Big 12 contender or two with a favorable schedule. The Aggies do not have to face new North Division heavyweights Kansas and Missouri , and meet two South Division favorites in Oklahoma and Texas Tech at home. But there are simply too many holes to fill to consider A&M a serious contender. We’ll have to give Sherman a year or two to recruit and see what happens.
Big 12 Wins Expected in ‘08: KANSAS STATE , at Iowa State , COLORADO , at Baylor
Potential Scares/Losses: at Oklahoma State , TEXAS TECH, OKLAHOMA, at Texas