Texas A&M football's kick return unit could take huge jump from 2023 to 2024 thanks to these two players
One of the more underdiscussed drop-offs for this Texas A&M football team over the past two years is the one that has occurred in the kicking game. Despite the fact that the Aggies had a stellar unit in 2021, 2022 and 2023 saw significant regression in both punt and kickoff return numbers.
Of course, the departure of Devon Achane from 2022 to 2023 was bound to have a deleterious effect on how well the Aggies could expect to play in that facet of the game. However, this part of the game tended to track overall with a slump in special teams play more broadly from 2021 to 2022, meaning that—despite flashes of brillinace from #6—the Ags took a step back even before he left campus.
I think there's potential for that to switch up this fall. Even more than that, I think the Aggies have a chance to have the deadliest kick return unit in the nation.
Freshmen Terry Bussey and Ernest Campbell change everything in return game for Texas A&M football
There's been a lot of talk about star freshman Terry Bussey as he begins to get acclimated to college football. Mainly, it's been about where is best to get him on the field—his athleticism is undeniable, and Aggie fans want to see it utilized sooner rather than later for the Maroon and White.
That said, it seems unlikely that he breaks the rotation immediately as a wide receiver, given who he has in front of him. This is especially so given that he just arrived in the fall.
One place where I think he can shine immediately with the ball in his hands, though, is at punt returner. With the departure of Ainias Smith, the Ags are in need of a guy with speed, shiftiness, and explosiveness to return punts—all of which describe Bussey to a T.
For all the talk about Bussey, though, there's another freshman speedster for the Aggies who has been flying under the radar: Ernest Campbell. The young track star out of Refugio brings blazing-fast top speed to the Aggies, even if he is slight of frame at this point in his collegiate career.
Even so, his killer speed is such that the coaching staff needs to find a way for him to contribute, and I'd like to see him get a shot in the kick return game as well. With Campbell, it's his top gear rather than shiftiness that sets him apart, so I'd be intrigued to see him as a kickoff return man.
Under the tutelage of new Aggie Special Teams coach Patrick Dougherty, I think this freshman duo has a chance to put immense pressure on defenses with their natural gifts. Maybe it won't happen game one, but I think we see both of these guys making plays in the third phase for the Aggies at some point in 2024.