What to Expect from Texas A&M Football in 2023

What could go wrong for Texas A&M football?

This Texas A&M football squad has a lot of potential, but it seems that this can be said every year. Because of this, many are skeptical of the 2023 Aggies. But what are the reasons behind it?

While Texas A&M’s pass defense was one of the best in the country last year, they had one of the worst run defenses. DJ Durkin’s defense gave up 208.8 yards per game on the ground last year and on average gave up 1.1 touchdowns per game. A strong run game gives a team control of the line of scrimmage, and if the Aggies want to win, they need to clean this up. While the linebacker core has become slightly better with the addition of freshmen Taurean York and Daymion Sanford, as well as the transfer Jurriente Davis, the linebacker corps overall is very thin, and depth could prove to be an issue if any injuries appear this year. The defensive line also struggled against the run; however, some of this could be attributed to injury. Texas A&M is still loaded with talent at the line, especially with the addition of 2023’s #1 defensive linemen David Hicks. Durkin will need to elevate his game plan and overall play from last season if he wants to be a respected elite defensive team in the SEC.

Another position that fell victim to injury last year was the offensive line. The full unit has never started a game together, and when they were on the field they struggled heavily in pass protection. There were encouraging flashes last year from some players however, especially from the freshman Kam Dewberry, who started halfway through the season and excelled from then on. Jimbo Fisher also brought in 3 offensive linemen in the last recruiting class along with 2 transfers to fix the depth issue, however the ability of the unit together remains to be seen. In a new offensive system, Steve Addazio will need to get his guys ready or the offense can get very ugly very quickly.

Finally, the Aggies could have depth issues if they have another season full of injuries. This preseason has been much healthier than the last; however there are still many positions that have issues if injuries occur. While the transfers that Texas A&M had might not have affected production, they did affect depth, especially in defensive backs, defensive line, and offensive line. There were a multitude of injury issues last year, which caused many to question whether the strength and conditioning coach Brandon Sanders was the right hire for the job; however, Jimbo Fisher defended him, saying that it has nothing to do with the strength and conditioning of the team. The Aggies have already lost star tight end Donavan Green to an ACL tear in a fall scrimmage and Texas A&M will have to stay healthy this year if they are going to win games.

What can we expect from Texas A&M football?

Texas A&M has an extremely high ceiling, but also a very low floor. If Jimbo Fisher can put the team where they need to be, the team could realistically win 10+ games, however after last year there were still many holes in the roster and the team that, if not approached and corrected, could lead to another losing season. Many are debating how to evaluate the Aggies, but most who closely follow the program have said that the Aggies will finish around 9-3 on the year.

Jimbo Fisher is entering his 6th season at Texas A&M and seems to be at a tipping point in his career, with this season being a bellwether for the future of this team. Texas A&M University and their fans have done all they need to do, and are now just waiting for their $95 million dollar coach to fulfill his promises.