Texas A&M Football: Auburn preview, predictions, and players to watch

Three Aggies to watch

1. Christian Kirk, WR

Coming into this season everyone knew Christian Kirk was going to be a key part of the Aggies offense. It was going to be important to get the ball into Kirk’s hands and let him work his magic. For whatever reason though, something isn’t clicking.

The junior is averaging 13.8 yards per punt return and has no punt return touchdowns this season, which is significantly less than the last two years. Eight games into the season he only has 34 receptions. The Aggies will need to find a way to get him going to be able to stay with Auburn.

2. Kellen Mond, QB

Kellen Mond, for all of the progress he’s made in the last few weeks, definitely took a few steps back last week.

He had 56 yards on eight completions and two interceptions before being pulled in the fourth quarter for after a late hit. Because of his inability to get anything going in the passing game, the running game wasn’t clicking either.

Mond can still be an elite quarterback, and has shown flashes of it this season, but his receivers are going to have to give him a lot more help for him to be effective through the air and everything else to fall into place.

3. Armani Watts, DB

While the offense struggled against Mississippi State, senior Armani Watts was all over the field making play after play. He ended the night with 11 tackles, eight of them solo, and half a sack.

The combination of Watts, linebacker Tyrel Dodson, and linebacker Otaro Alaka has been extremely effective this year. The trio combine for 186 tackles, 10 sacks, and eight interceptions. Watts will be called on again this week to limit the big plays through the air that Stidham is capable of, but he can use all the help he can get from Dodson, Alaka, and the rest of the Aggie defense.