Texas A&M Aggies

GigEmNation writer Sam Khan Jr. chatted with readers on Friday about Texas A&M football and recruiting. Here's the full transcript of the chat. Here's an excerpt from the chat:

Kevin (Texas): Without Luke [Joeckel], will Texas A&M'S offensive line be as strong as last year's?
Sam Khan Jr.: I think it will take some time before they are that good. However, I think by year's end, the dropoff won't be very noticeable. Jake Matthews will make a great left tackle in my opinion and I think Cedric Ogbuehi has a lot of ability, so he could develop into a star at right tackle. And Mike Matthews at center will also be pretty good, I think. Jarvis Harrison is the lone player in the same position he was last year, so it stands to reason that he'll be better. The wild card is probably redshirt freshman Germain Ifedi. But playing right guard with his size (330+) should be just fine for the Aggies.

WaffleHouseAg (Plano): Which of the non early enrolled freshmen has the biggest impact next year?
Sam Khan Jr.: My guess is one of the two defensive tackles Isaiah Golden or Justin Manning. The Aggies were thin thin thin up front this spring (in part because of injuries) but they need all the depth they can get. I could see either of those guys in the two deep and getting into the rotation if they make quick progress this summer. I wouldn't be shocked to see any of these three offensive skill guys get on the field quickly either: LaQuvionte Gonzalez, Ricky Seals-Jones, Sebastian LaRue. I think you could see one or two of those guys have a role this fall.

Joel (Shreveport): What type of season do you see JFF [Johnny Manziel] having in 2013? Will he try to impress the NFL by staying in the pocket longer and throwing the ball downfield?
Sam Khan Jr.: I don't think he'll do that simply to impress NFL scouts -- he'll do that because it will be better for the Aggies and this offense if he becomes more proficient in the pocket. Is he still going to run? Absolutely. But the more hits he takes, the more of a chance you have of losing him. So the better he gets as a pocket passer, the more dangerous the offense becomes because then he won't have to scramble every time he tries to make a big offensive pass play. Also, year two in this particular offense is when a quarterback really takes off. See: Case Keenum, Geno Smith, etc. His grasp of it will be better and the Aggies will be better for it. So yeah, he'll do it, but not necessarily just to impress NFL scouts.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- On the surface, it's easy to surmise that there will be plenty of continuity in Texas A&M's offensive line as it transitions into a new season.

Three of five starters return from what was the strongest position group on the team in 2012.

But just because a few familiar names are still around doesn't mean things are the same. There is plenty of change for the Aggies' front five this spring.

Of the quintet, only one player -- junior left guard Jarvis Harrison -- returns to the same position he was in a year ago. The rest of the offensive linemen are stepping into a new role, either as a returning starter in a new position or as a first-time starter.

After having what was arguably the best offensive tackle tandem in the country last year, the Aggies wave goodbye to one of them (Luke Joeckel, who declared for the NFL draft) and welcome back another in senior Jake Matthews.

Matthews spent last season at right tackle but has moved to left tackle, Joeckel's old spot, to protect Johnny Manziel's blind side. Taking Matthews' place at right tackle is the Cedric Ogbuehi, who started at right guard a season ago.

"They've become comfortable, I think, pretty quickly as far as their footwork goes," offensive line coach B.J. Anderson said of the tackle tandem. "What we're working now is all the little things. Right now, Jake's changed his post hand. It's his left hand when he's on the right side and now on the left side he has to change his post hand. We've got to work through the little things.

"Ced's the same way. There's a lot more grass out there when you play tackle. But he's long and athletic and he's done a nice job and we'll just keep working on those little things."

Since the 6-foot-5, 305-pound Matthews has excelled as a right tackle, there are high expectations for him as he moves to the left side. Ogbuehi was a tackle in high school, so the move outside is natural fit for him as well.

"The biggest change is that I'm going against faster dudes, my sets are different," Ogbuehi said. "Other than that, it's the same thing really.

"I was excited and also sad that Luke left. But it's a big change for me to show what I can do, because I'm athletic. Playing guard, I didn't really showcase that. Playing tackle is going to show what I can really do and also show that I'm versatile, that I can play guard and tackle."

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COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M hit the field on a cool, foggy afternoon for its first open-to-the-public scrimmage of the 2013 spring football season on Saturday at Kyle Field.

There is plenty to take away from the first extended on-field look at the 2013 Aggies, but here are a few things that stood out:

Brandon Williams looks like a potential playmaker: The Brookshire (Texas) Royal graduate, who is nicknamed "Slim," showed some nice moves and ability when he was on the field Saturday. In a handful of touches, Williams showed good vision and speed and was able to beat a few defenders to the pylon for a touchdown run midway through the scrimmage. His initial action was with the second-team offense, but he received plenty of time with the first team as well. Naturally, Ben Malena was the traditional first-team back and Tra Carson got some repetitions as well [freshman Trey Williams, who has been injured all spring, did not participate]. But Williams looked a lot like someone who will get touches and be productive this fall.

Floyd Raven experiment at safety is showing progress: As defensive coordinator Mark Snyder and head coach Kevin Sumlin noted earlier this spring, there are two things Raven does really well that fit the free safety position: He has good speed and he can hit. On Saturday he showed a nose for the football, intercepting quarterback Johnny Manziel once and nearly doing it a second time later in the scrimmage. The junior certainly looks the part so far.

Youth is served, especially on defense: Injuries are keeping several key players on the sideline, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. (Projected starters Julien Obioha, Kirby Ennis and Steven Jenkins are all sitting out this spring.) So it's giving the Aggies a chance to work out some younger players at key positions. Redshirt freshman Tyrone Taylor, younger brother of junior Tyrell Taylor, lined up at defensive end with the first-team offense, as did sophomore Alonzo Williams, who played the last half of the 2012 season and started in the AT&T Cotton Bowl. True freshman linebackers Reggie Chevis and Brett Wade also had plenty of playing time Saturday -- Wade as a second-team weakside linebacker and Chevis at middle linebacker, getting snaps with both the first- and second-team defense. (Junior Donnie Baggs started the scrimmage as the first-team middle linebacker.) Sophomore A.J. Hilliard, who transferred from TCU in January, also saw time with the first-team defensive unit at outside linebacker.

Offensive line set? Whenever the first-team offense was out on the field, the same group of five was out there: Jake Matthews at left tackle, Jarvis Harrison at left guard, Mike Matthews at center, Germain Ifedi at right guard and Cedric Ogbuehi at right tackle. The primary battles going into the spring were to be at center and right guard and so far, it appears Mike Matthews and Ifedi have a solid grasp on those spots.

Positive signs from the kicking game: Sure, the scrimmage doesn't count, but fans certainly had to be happy to see Taylor Bertolet connect on his kicks. The only miscue in the kicking game was a mistake by the holder, punter Drew Kaser, that forced Bertolet to stutter step before a kick that was blockes. But every other field goal and point-after-touchdown attempt that Bertolet tried went through the uprights. The sophomore is looking to bounce back from an inconsistent 2012 season in which he was 13-of-22 on field goal attempts and 67-of-74 on extra point tries.

The stars are still the stars: Manziel made some nice throws and though he did throw three interceptions -- some of which might have been forced since he wasn't really running the football himself -- he overall had a solid day. He certainly remembers how to get the ball to the Aggies' best receiver, Mike Evans, who probably had the most impressive day of anybody, catching two touchdowns and picking up where he left off from 2012.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- You've seen the highlights.

Johnny Manziel runs right. Johnny Manziel runs left. Johnny Manziel runs a circle around Arkansas. Johnny Manziel runs into his own right tackle, Jake Matthews, loses the football, catches it and throws a touchdown pass to Ryan Swope against Alabama.

These plays help Texas A&M's redshirt freshman quarterback make the highlight reels that have accentuated his nickname, "Johnny Football." And in the vast majority of these instances, Manziel finds a lot of time in the pocket or in the backfield as his offensive line blocks and blocks and blocks and blocks some more.

"It gets pretty tiring," junior left tackle Luke Joeckel said, laughing. "There have been a few games where I feel like we're going on 15-second plays."

But left tackle Joeckel, right tackle Jake Matthews, guards Jarvis Harrison and Cedric Ogbuehi and center Patrick Lewis have conditioned for this. They've developed a chemistry with the young signal caller that has helped Texas A&M's offense rank fifth in the nation (543.7 yards per game) and put Manziel into the Heisman Trophy conversation.

All five have performed admirably this season, and NFL scouts have flocked to Texas A&M games to evaluate Joeckel and Matthews in particular.

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GigEmNation writer Sam Khan Jr. chatted with readers on Friday about Texas A&M football and recruiting. Here's the full transcript of the chat. The Aggies have a showdown with No. 1 Alabama on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Here's a sampling from the chat:

Josh (DFW): Chances the Ags pull off the upset tomorrow? If they play all out for all four quarters (especially the D), keep their foot on the gas, and play relatively mistake-free football, I like their chances.
Sam Khan Jr.: The key term in your prediction is "mistake-free." That's what they have to be. They could have beaten LSU if not for the turnovers. In some instances, LSU had something to do with that, but there were also some unforced errors by the Aggies. I think they have a decent chance. If I was putting an arbitrary number on it, I'd say 35 percent. They have to be able to run the football, hit some pass plays downfield and not turn it over. On the flip side, they'll have to be like they have been all year on third down and get off the field and that means that defensive front is going to have to shoot the gaps and not let the Alabama O-line dominate. But I wouldn't rule out their chances. The Aggies are a pretty good team.

Evan (CS): Outside of Johnny, who will need to have a big game for the Ags to pull off the upset?
Sam Khan Jr.: I think the interior offensive linemen: Patrick Lewis, Jarvis Harrison and Cedric Ogbuehi. The Aggies have to be able to run the ball to keep the Crimson Tide honest. They don't have to be great and run for 200 yards necessarily, but enough to where they can move the chains and keep the offense going. The Tide defensive line is big and strong and it's going to be up to those guys to win some battles up front and help find some running room for Ben Malena and Christine Michael.

Rene (College Station): Why doesn't Johnny get more run in the Heisman talk? He is the most exciting player in the country and is putting up stats better than most of the other competition in the SEC no less.
Sam Khan Jr.: Raif, probably because he doesn't have a signature win yet. He has some great plays and some amazing statistics but against the Aggies' two toughest opponents (Florida and LSU) that didn't happen and the team lost both games. Wins, and more importantly signature wins, matter. The way he can get more run is to beat Alabama this week and have a good game in the process. If that were to happen, he'd probably be at or near the top of the conversation.

Garett (Houston): How many big-time recruits do you think we can convince to come to Aggieland if we win tomorrow?
Sam Khan Jr.: Garett, I don't think recruits necessarily make decisions based on a team winning or losing a single game. That being said, an A&M win would go a long way in changing the way the public (recruits included) perceive the Aggies. It would send a message that they're immediate contenders now and potential SEC champions in years to come. That would be huge in recruiting.

For the second straight week, Texas A&M started quickly on the road and took a commanding lead, this time doing so en route to a 38-13 win over Mississippi State on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium.

It was over when: Johnny Manziel scampered into the end zone on an 8-yard option keeper with 5:59 left in the fourth quarter. That gave the Aggies a 25-point lead with little time left.

Game ball goes to: It sounds like a broken record, but how do you not give it to Manziel? The numbers he puts up and the plays he makes have made this offense go. On Saturday, he was 30 of 36 passing for 311 yards and finished with 129 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. That's 440 offensive yards for the redshirt freshman quarterback.

Game ball, Part 2: The Aggies' offensive line. The unit paved the way for another huge rushing day as the Aggies rolled to 361 yards on the ground. (Last week against Auburn, Texas A&M had 352 rushing yards.) And Manziel was sacked just once. The reason he has time to make all those plays is in large part due to the protection he receives from the quintet of Luke Joeckel, Jarvis Harrison, Patrick Lewis, Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Matthews. Also, credit to the defense is much deserved. The unit pressured Mississippi State quarterback Tyler Russell consistently and kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard in the first half to allow the Aggies to take a 24-0 lead. The unit held the Bulldogs to 85 yards in the first half.

Rising star: Ben Malena. Rising stars are often associated with young players, so it's hard to think of Malena in this way, but the junior running back continues to improve and produce on a weekly basis. He led the Aggies running backs again in rushing, this time with 112 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. He caught two passes for 23 yards and also had a special teams tackle on kick coverage.

What it means: This is the second straight resounding road win for the Aggies in the Southeastern Conference. It has become increasingly clear that this team is a legitimate threat in the SEC West. At 7-2 overall and 4-2 in league play, the Aggies take their perfect road record to a big-time showdown with No. 1 Alabama next week in Tuscaloosa, Ala. It will be the Aggies toughest game to date, but after playing two ranked SEC foes closely (LSU and Florida), this team looks like it has the ability to at least be a threat to the Crimson Tide.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Are they good enough?

That is a question that many fans, observers and pundits posed or tried to answer when Texas A&M initially announced it was moving to the Southeastern Conference.

Are the Aggies good enough to compete with the best the SEC -- college football's premier league -- has to offer? There were many skeptics and there still will be some after the No. 18 Aggies' 24-19 loss to No. 6 LSU on Saturday at Kyle Field.

But if you watched closely, one thing became evident as the events unfolded in front of the 87,429 in the building. Not only are the Aggies good enough to compete with a top-10 team from the SEC, they're good enough to beat said team.

The Aggies lost for many reasons, some self-inflicted, some imposed by the Tigers. But it wasn't because they were outclassed or simply weren't good enough. The Aggies proved to be more than up to snuff against the physicality of one of the SEC's traditional powers, LSU, a two-time BCS champion since 2003.

Saturday was evidence that Texas A&M, by the looks of it, is ready to go toe-to-toe with the SEC's big boys. But it was also evidence that the Aggies have a long way to go.

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