Texas A&M Aggies

2012 record: 11-2
2012 conference record: 6-2 (tied for second, West Division)
Returning starters: Offense: 6; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners

QB Johnny Manziel, RB Ben Malena, OT Jake Matthews, WR Mike Evans, DT Kirby Ennis, OLB Steven Jenkins, CB Deshazor Everett, S Howard Matthews

Key losses

LT Luke Joeckel, C Patrick Lewis, WR Ryan Swope, DE Damontre Moore, OLB Sean Porter, MLB Johnathan Stewart, FS Steven Terrell

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Johnny Manziel* (1,409 yards)
Passing: Johnny Manziel* (3,706)
Receiving: Mike Evans* (1,105)
Tackles: Damontre Moore (85)
Sacks: Damontre Moore (12.5)
Interceptions: Deshazor Everett* and Steven Terrell (2)

Spring answers

1. Johnny Football: The Aggies are in the rare position of returning the previous season's Heisman Trophy winner. Heading into his sophomore season, Texas A&M is hoping that quarterback Johnny Manziel can be even better than he was a season ago. This will be his second year in the offense and for quarterbacks who have played in this system, year two is typically a season in which they progress significantly as passers. That's one of Manziel's primary goals, even though he'll still run when the time calls for it. As long as he's healthy and playing well, things bode well for the Aggies.

2. Experienced secondary: Last season, the defensive backfield was young and inexperienced. This fall, there are still young players back there, but it is the most experienced unit on the Aggies' defense. Three of the four starters in the secondary from the AT&T Cotton Bowl are back: Deshazor Everett, De'Vante Harris and Howard Matthews. Junior Floyd Raven has moved from cornerback to free safety and appears to have the skill set (range and tackling prowess) to fit into the position well.

3. Loaded backfield: The Aggies have four good options in their offensive backfield for Manziel to hand off or throw to. Starting running back Ben Malena returns, as does Trey Williams, who returned kicks and received carries as a true freshman. Add to the mix a pair of transfer backs who sat out last season, Brandon Williams (Oklahoma) and Tra Carson (Oregon) and the Aggies have a quartet that gives them a multitude of options.

Fall questions

1. Front seven: The Aggies are looking for someone to replace the production that third-round NFL draft pick Damontre Moore brought last season. Moore led the team in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks a year ago. Also, with two senior leaders gone from linebacker (Sean Porter and Jonathan Stewart) Texas A&M not only has to replace the bodies but also the leadership. Because of injuries, the Aggies were thin up front in the spring but when all their key players return in the fall, it will ease at least some of those concerns. Keep an eye on names like defensive end Julien Obioha (who started opposite Moore last year), defensive tackle Alonzo Williams and linebacker Donnie Baggs as players who have a chance to see their contributions increase significantly this year.

2. New receivers: Only one starting receiver returns from last year's squad: Mike Evans. Four of the top six players in receiving yardage are no longer on the roster, including second-leading receiver Ryan Swope. So who will Johnny Manziel throw to? Keep an eye on guys like Malcome Kennedy, who caught a fourth-quarter touchdown against Alabama last season, Derel Walker, who had a strong spring game, Edward Pope, who was a star on the scout team when he redshirted last year and a host of recruits from the 2013 class like Ja'Quay Williams and ESPN 150 duo Ricky Seals-Jones and Sebastian LaRue. Developing other reliable pass-catching options is critical, so keep an eye on how they use the tight ends with newcomer Cameron Clear (6-7, 270) on campus.

3. Kicking game: One player who fans kept a close eye on this spring was kicker Taylor Bertolet. In his redshirt freshman season, the strong-legged kicker struggled with consistency, hitting just 13-of-22 field goal attempts and missing seven point-after attempts. With a new special teams coordinator (Jeff Banks) who has college punting and kicking experience around to guide him, the Aggies are looking for an improvement from Bertolet this fall. Also the Aggies are working in a new punter, Drew Kaser, who takes the reins after senior Ryan Epperson graduated.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- It was a little more than four months ago that Malcome Kennedy caught a pass that would long be remembered by Texas A&M fans.

The then-sophomore made what was arguably the biggest reception of the season hauling in a 24-yard touchdown pass from Johnny Manziel on a corner route that gave Texas A&M a 29-17 lead over No. 1 Alabama, a lead the Aggies wouldn't relinquish, eventually upsetting the Crimson Tide 29-24.

It was a brief moment in the spotlight and one of two touchdowns on the season for Kennedy, a product of tiny Cayuga, Texas, home to a Class 1A football program in East Texas. With seniors in front of him at the inside receiver positions -- Ryan Swope and Kenric McNeal -- Kennedy didn't have to shoulder a load as a go-to offensive option for the 2012 Aggies.

This year, that changes -- for Kennedy and several others -- as the Aggies have waved goodbye to three senior starters and are working in a new crop of receivers this spring.

"Well, I've got a lot of new guys out there, obviously," Texas A&M receivers coach David Beaty said Tuesday. "Lost three starters from last year and some guys that played part time are back with us. A lot of youth in there getting a lot of reps. This is valuable, valuable time. This is exactly what spring ball is for. You get to evaluate new guys, guys that haven't played a lot, so it's a good opportunity for us to get to see those guys that didn't get to play a lot last year, how they've developed, and for guys that did get to play, them moving into new roles."

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Welcome to GigEmNation's live coverage of national signing day for the Texas A&M Aggies. We'll be with you throughout the day providing up-to-the minute updates on A&M's class of 2013.

Watch live coverage on ESPNU | 2013 Texas A&M recruiting class

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COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- One game does not a recruiting class make.

Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin knows and understands this. So when thinking about the impact that the Aggies' clash with Oklahoma in the AT&T Cotton Bowl on Jan. 4 might have on recruiting, Sumlin prefers to look at the body of work the Aggies have put together this season rather than the results that will play out that day.

"I think people make a lot out of one game when it comes to recruiting," Sumlin said. "Very few guys that I have recruited have ever gone in and told their dad, 'You know what, Dad, I'm going to go to whoever wins this game tonight.' That doesn't really happen that much, but what does happen is over the course of time you build your brand."

The building of Texas A&M's brand is something that has happened rather quickly this season. With the Aggies going 10-2 in their first season of Southeastern Conference play, having a Heisman Trophy winner in Johnny Manziel and reaching the top 10 in the national rankings, the Aggies have very quickly become a force.

That much can be seen by their 2013 recruiting class, which has 34 commitments, five of whom signed letters of intent during the mid-year junior college signing period, which began Dec. 19. Those five were receiver Ja'Quay Williams, tight end Cameron Clear, linebackers Kenny Flowers and Tommy Sanders and tackle Jeremiah Stuckey.

"The junior college guys -- you guys know who they are," Sumlin said. "They're impact guys for us in positions of need. The reason that we were able to go out and recruit them from all over the country -- whether it was San Francisco, Arizona Western, you name it, Fork Union, that's east-to-west coast -- is because I think our brand has grown. I think guys understand where we're headed as a program. We go out, particularly from a junior college player or a prep school guy, we're looking to fill a hole. Those guys understand that, and that's why the quality of those guys to come into our program, we need that. I said, 'We need to upgrade our talent level, and we need to upgrade the profile of our team,' and I think the mid-year guys bring that to the table. And it gives them an advantage to come in here and compete in the spring and to go through Larry Jackson's whole workout and through spring practice. Those guys are trying to get on the field next year."

Texas A&M's class is ranked seventh in the country currently, and some serious punch has been added in the last few months, both in the 2013 and 2014 classes. Some of the highest-ranked players in the 2013 class and highly-touted players in the 2014 class are considering -- and even choosing -- the Aggies.

Oklahoma has built its brand well over the years, Sumlin said. That's where the Aggies are trying to get.

"Oklahoma has done a great job of that over time, and we're trying to catch up quickly," Sumlin said. "I think that us being in the SEC and having a strong year has built our brand very, very quickly. Either way, like I said, it gets back to playing meaningful games. This team, as I said earlier, has done that in putting us in a position to do that in the SEC. That's what brings you to Jan. 4 and playing Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl, and that's why that game becomes meaningful -- because of the atmosphere, because everything that's there, and it's still going to be a great venue and a great game."