Texas A&M football is 49 days away, and in the days leading up to the Aggie opener we’re answering the 50 biggest questions for the 2018 season.
Jimbo Fisher is not just a championship-winning head coach. The new head coach for Texas A&M football has also called plays for his teams, and he’s bringing an offense that will look much different than Kevin Sumlin’s.
Sumlin ran a spread, up tempo offense. It was great for teams with less talented offensive lines, and was especially great with a generational talent like Johnny Manziel.
But when facing elite defenses, like Alabama or LSU, it was rarely successful. It felt gimmicky at times. The offense was not built to sustain leads or keep its defense fresh, It’s what led to four blown leads in a calendar year (UCLA, Tennessee and Ole Miss in 2016 — even though they won those first two — and the UCLA collapse in 2017).
So what can we expect from a Jimbo Fisher offense? A more traditional offense that will focus on getting the ball north and south. It will use the run to set up the pass. But it will change week-to-week to take advantage of matchups. Fisher famously challenges his players mentally when he believes they are capable and it is definitely more of a pro-style.
It’s similar to what SEC powerhouses Georgia, Alabama and LSU run, and it should fair better than Sumlin’s against the elite defenses of the SEC.
Fisher will work wonders for dark horse Heisman candidate Trayveon Williams. The power, zone-blocking run scheme will open up holes for the back to utilize his shiftiness to make guys miss at the second level.
The passing offense is rooted in the option route, and uses mostly the same few plays but with the personnel having the flexibility to change. The offense can be run from any and all formations while keeping the core concepts about the same. This keeps defenses on their toes without having to overly complicate it.
The routes will change based on coverages. This requires a high level IQ from both the quarterback and his weapons. There could very well be a learning curve in the 2018 season.
One of the biggest changes from the previous regime will also be the use of the tight end. Jace Sternberger has been called the MVP of spring practices by Fisher himself, and he put an exclamation on that with eight catches, 147 yards and two touchdowns in the Maroon And White Game.
Next: Can the Aggies contend in year one under Jimbo Fisher?
The Texas A&M offense will be unrecognizable, but a welcome site for fans who have watched the last six seasons longing for the power football days of old.
Jeff Shull is the Site Expert for the Gig Em Gazette on FanSided. Follow him on Twitter, and be sure to follow the Gig Em Gazette on Facebook and Twitter.