Five burning questions facing Texas A&M football in spring camp: How A&M must improve

Five burning questions for Texas A&M football as spring practice begins: Areas where Ags need biggest improvement

The collapse at the end of last season for Texas A&M football was nothing short of disastrous; however, in retrospect, it's almost more impressive that this staff was able to build the team up to that 7-1 record in the first place. It's the collapse that people will remember, though, and it was one that exposed plenty of issues with the Aggies.

So as spring football begins and the Aggies look forward to 2025, there are plenty of issues to address. Mike Elko has begun to do so already, through the portal and certain staff moves, but this is where the rubber meets the road.

Here are the five biggest questions facing the Aggies in spring football.

Will Marcel Reed take another step?

This is, without a doubt, the biggest ingredient to improvement next year. Marcel Reed started off his season in the second half against McNeese with a shaky day throwing the football, and though he led the Aggies to a dominant win against Florida in the Swamp, his abilities as a passer didn't exactly blow anyone away.

Things didn't look great against Bowling Green, either, nor did they against Arkansas. Even so, the Aggies were able to squeak out wins against both programs, and Conner Weigman took the starting mantle back up the following week.

When Reed was handed the reins against LSU, he looked absolutely electric. His spark fueled the Aggies to a huge win over the rival Tigers as A&M climbed to their highest ranking of the entire season.

Counterintuitively, though, as he began to show improvement as a passer down the stretch, the Aggies just kept losing. That had more to do with defensive collapses and an injury at the running back position— Reed actually showed up big time in several moments, including against Auburn and USC— but it was certainly frustrating.

The hope is that what we saw in shadow in the last few games of 2024 we will see in substance in 2025. If Reed can get better command of the aerial attack, this could be a nigh-unstoppable offense in the upcoming year, thanks to his elite ability on the ground. This is a storyline to watch carefully in this spring.

Who will emerge at receiver?

A quarterback's improvement is only half the battle with a passing attack, though. You also have to have receivers that can, you know, actually get open.

Those have been in short supply for the Aggies over the last few years, but it looks like A&M may be on the upswing in that department. Even with the departure of Micah Hudson, the Aggies still brought in a bevy of talented pass-catchers, with KC Concepcion being the highlight of that group.

With Noah Thomas, Cyrus Allen, and Jabre Barber all out the door, there is precious little returning production for the Aggies, but that could be a blessing in disguise. The Aggies weren't exactly bursting at the seams with receivers that could get open against SEC defenses, so an overhaul was needed.

There's been some positive chatter already about Concepcion and Mississippi State transfer Mario Craver, not to mention redshirt freshman Ashton Bethel-Roman. If the Aggies hope to indeed have an upgraded passing attack, an upgrade in play at the receiver spot is a must.

Just how good will OL be?

Texas A&M football is set to bring back the most experience on the offensive line since they did in the offseason preceding 2020— and we know how well that group played. That 2020 team was led by a senior-laden group up front, one that paved the way for a dominant rushing attack and barely allowed any sacks all year.

If the Aggies can manage that level of play this year— a tough ask, but this is probably an even more talented group, top to bottom— then this will be a successful season for the Aggies. One issue there is that Ar'maj Reed-Adams, maybe the best offensive lineman for the Ags, will miss the spring with an injury.

There's an obvious silver lining there in that Reed-Adams is already as polished as any OL on the roster, and so this could be an opportunity for another player to get some valuable snaps— like one of the highly-thought-of redshirt freshman group. But continuity and chemistry up front come at a premium, so Reed-Adams missing the spring may actually be rather deleterious for the group as a whole.

Aside from him, though, the Aggies have plenty of talent up front in Chase Bisontis, Mark Nabou, Dametrious Crownover, Rueben Fatheree, Trey Zuhn, and Koli Faaiu. This really has the chance to be a special group this year— one with the potential to lead this Collin Klein offense to new heights.

Can secondary make necessary improvements?

This was the biggest eyesore on the entire team last year, which was kind of surprising. Since Elko is a secondary coach by trade, I don't think anyone anticipated just how bad this unit would be for the Aggies. You could probably pin both the Auburn and USC losses on this unit alone, given how badly they played.

After a blistering evaluation of the secondary's ability in his post-bowl game presser, Elko went out and hired Lyle Hemphill as a new defensive assistant to help out with this issue. His impact could have them taking a huge step— or it could be too many cooks in the kitchen.

Returning both Will Lee and Dezz Ricks will help the Aggies, as their experience in the system continues to grow. Dalton Brooks is a stud at safety, as we know. Jordan Shaw, the transfer from Washington, is an intriguing piece as well. Whether Bryce Anderson can rebound from a disappointing junior season will be something to watch closely.

The new addition of Julian Humphrey and return of Tyreek Chappell could be a big deal as well. Chappell was getting a lot of buzz for the Aggies before he went down after week one, and Humphrey was a solid player for the Georgia Bulldogs last year.

This doesn't need to be a top-3 group in YPA allowed for this season to be a success. It just needs to be a group that can't get picked on by opposing quarterbacks, as they looked to be for a lot of the later part of last season. Improvement here is an absolute must.

Will touted DL prospects develop?

Finally, the position where the Aggies have the lowest amount of returning experience. Albert Regis and Cashius Howell are two big pieces to bring back, don't get me wrong— but losing Nic Scourton, Shemar Stewart, and Shemar Turner is a big deal.

The Aggies have a stud waiting in the wings, however, in DJ Hicks. A five star, top five player in the nation while in high school, Hicks has yet to see a ton of snaps for the Aggies, but he's certainly flashed in several instances.

If he can live up to his potential, it will go a long way in replacing Scourton, Stewart, and Turner. But he's just one guy; who else will step up? Tyler Onyedim from Iowa State was a big pickup in the portal, for sure, and he'll be a solid player at tackle.

Here's a freshman to watch: Marco Jones, the former four-star from California, has already got a lot of people talking. Whether he starts on day one is an open question, but he could end up being an answer for the Aggies at this spot by season's end.