Texas A&M matchup thoughts

[jgphillips3]

I see us winning 35-28.  I think they are going to be better than they were last year, but I think we will be more improved and it will be just enough to pull it out this year.

[Theolesnort]

From the look of Spring I see a fifth year qb and a smoothed and polished offense vs a hit and miss explosive big play offense on the A&M team. I can see Smith's defense getting into the gear work of the A&M offense to cause them big trouble, just enough to disrupt their plans. This will be a very interesting game to say the least.

[gmarv]

I think it also plays to the strengths of our DL as well, which is just get up the field in a hurry and put pressure on the backfield to make the decision on what to do.

I think the game will be one of the more physical games on either of our schedules this year. I really do wish that we would go back to a Home and Home though. I hate it being at Jurra world.

not sure about it being one of our more physical games,but it will surely be one of ya,lls more physical games.should be fun for us.

[WorfHog]

Sorry, but I have to call you out here, You obviously know nothing about Chavis or what is going on with our Defense. Chief has dramatically simplified our schemes. The players have all commented on how simple the scheme is now and that they used to have to do the equivalent of football calculus on the every play to determine where they needed to be and now it is more of a "just beat the man in front of you"

Sounds a lot like what we heard last season about the work Rob Smith was doing.  It worked for us.  I'd say the defense he had at LSU last season was comparatively better than what he'll have at A&M this season. Chavis certainly didn't help LSU beat us last year though, so I don't think the guy is a magic bullet (same way I feel about Muschamp at Auburn).

[btt_stv]

Ag here. Here is a few thoughts form my uninformed maroon perspective.

1. Sumlin done NOT call plays. His OC does and always have. He obviously wants a certain offense but has been willing to modify or tweak it as needed. See UH vs Johnny vs Kyle Allen (current QB and "pro style").

2. Christensen was not unemployed when hired. He was OC for Utah. He clearly wants to be in the SEC. He was hired to run a more down hill run game. He did really well running Mizzoo offence and Sumlin wants more of the way he does it. For example our guards and of course the center will now use three point stances much more often.

3. Conditioning. You will not out work this team.  We will have one of the best conditioned team in the country? Why? Because the D has to practice against it everyday and our S&C Coach is one of the best in the country. We went the entire 2012 season playing 16 players on D. Not once did I see any of them holding their waists.

4. Chavis will not be at peak form this year but we do not need a top 10 defense, just middle of the pack will do. Our 2012 D was 50-60 ranked and we did very well that year. And yes I know we had lots of help from Johnny.

Here is my breakdown of our team.

QB - two 5 stars. Yes our starter will by young but he was the number one pro style AQ in the country and when we play you he will have 9 D-1 games experience. He is backed up by Texas best QB, maybe ever.

RB- Serviceable. One pile driver 6.2 230 lbs. Backed up with a little more nimble 6.0 and 218 back that is slightly more shifty. Then we go unkowned with 2 freshman.

Oline - This will be a strength. Yes we lost 2 to the draft but we are replacing them with experienced and highly recruited players. Our LT was one of the highest rated JUCO and in his 3rd year of college. The RG is replaced with either another high rated JUCO (Bret recruited hard, Eliminour (SP?) or a 5th year senior who is huge. Our line may not be as good as past but still has another 1-2 second round RT, A senior C who is a Mathews kid (Bruce Mathews son). LG seasoned and returning senior.

TE - unknown. True freshmen and will probably used similar to what you guys do.

WR - We are loaded! our standard set is 4 WR. Of those? How about 2 sophs that were 5 stars coming in. Add another 5 star added this year and enrolled early. Our least rate starter? A JUCO in his second year who led our team in catches, yards and broke the team TD record. So a 5 star throwing to 3 5 stars and our best returning WR.

Here is where Chavis has to earn is 1.75MM. Its starts to get dicier.

DT - We are finally getting enough guys to rotate on a regular basis. And I mean SEC type players. Big, fast and adding the best DT in TX with freshman Daylan Mack. He will play day one and be drafted first round in 3 years. 6.2 and 325 lb.

DE - Miles Garrett is nick named Superman for a reason. He has a SM body that is not just a suit. Another 1st rounder, maybe even number 1 next year and broke Clowney's FR sack record. Very deep unit with almost as good DE on the right side. Plenty of young talented backups that will rotate in.

Bottom line your OL will have their hands full.

LB - OK here is the problem we have had. We had to play young kids who were not ready for SEC big boy ball. Most or our starters got hurt last year but all are coming back. Supposedly they are coming in with 230-240 lbs so we should have a serviceable unit IF we stay healthy. Big IF there since they all got hurt last year. You guys will be there first big test.

SS - Looking like a very good unit. Freshmen starter returns, we add the number 1 JUCO at the position last year and a couple of Freshmen that were highly recruited and should see some mop up duty (Sumlin rarely redshirts excepts OLine).

CB - Oh man. Weakest part of the defense. One senior starter on one side and have no idea who the other will be. Chavis likes to play one on one at these positions, and frankly, I do not see the talent and experience in this unit to really run what he wants. That could change after seeing the product on the field but until then Chavis needs to earn his paycheck.

Special Teams. All in all should be good with the question mark field goal kicker. One senior who lost his jobs for getting the yips on his kicks and a highly rated but true freshmen that has not kicked in front of 100000 fans.

Kinda hard to compare our units to yours since I do not know much about the Hogs, especially your defense. It should be a good to great game with different styles playing each other. Someone mentioned we would only have a week to prepare for your Offense but you only have week as well. See you in Arlington

[hawg66]

A&M plays ASU, Ball State and Nevada, nothing there to prepare for a downhill smash mouth run game.

Arkansas plays Toledo and TTech the two weeks before A&M, the Aggies will be their third straight shotgun-spread pass first team.

And Garrett averaged 3 tackles a game that weren't sacks.  He's a great pass rusher but struggles to hold his own against physical run teams.  Arkansas abused him last year, as did Bama and LSU.  He had a total of 10 tackles in those three games combined.  He needs to bulk up.  SEC D-linemen need to look like the Hulk, not Superman.

[Lake City Hog]

So let me get this straight, you are "loaded" at WR and have 5* QB's known for their throwing ability, only "serviceable" running backs and Sumlin wants to go to more of a "down hill" running game? Makes perfect sense to me.

[longbore]

The hogs needed a 65 yard touchdown run by the punter to be in the game at the end of regulation last year. The offense needs to score more points and the pass defense needs to be at least average to win this year.

[Oklahawg]

The hogs needed a 65 yard touchdown run by the punter to be in the game at the end of regulation last year. The offense needs to score more points and the pass defense needs to be at least average to win this year.

And a couple of iffy penalties 50 yards behind the play could also be overlooked and UA wins in a blowout.

We forget how easily the college game can swing on emotions.

[longbore]

And a couple of iffy penalties 50 yards behind the play could also be overlooked and UA wins in a blowout.

We forget how easily the college game can swing on emotions.

The Aggies dropped at least two touchdown passes or it's a blowout the other way.

[SooiecidetillNuttgone]

Ag here. Here is a few thoughts form my uninformed maroon perspective.

1. Sumlin done NOT call plays. His OC does and always have. He obviously wants a certain offense but has been willing to modify or tweak it as needed. See UH vs Johnny vs Kyle Allen (current QB and "pro style").

2. Christensen was not unemployed when hired. He was OC for Utah. He clearly wants to be in the SEC. He was hired to run a more down hill run game. He did really well running Mizzoo offence and Sumlin wants more of the way he does it. For example our guards and of course the center will now use three point stances much more often.

3. Conditioning. You will not out work this team.  We will have one of the best conditioned team in the country? Why? Because the D has to practice against it everyday and our S&C Coach is one of the best in the country. We went the entire 2012 season playing 16 players on D. Not once did I see any of them holding their waists.

4. Chavis will not be at peak form this year but we do not need a top 10 defense, just middle of the pack will do. Our 2012 D was 50-60 ranked and we did very well that year. And yes I know we had lots of help from Johnny.

Here is my breakdown of our team.

QB - two 5 stars. Yes our starter will by young but he was the number one pro style AQ in the country and when we play you he will have 9 D-1 games experience. He is backed up by Texas best QB, maybe ever.

RB- Serviceable. One pile driver 6.2 230 lbs. Backed up with a little more nimble 6.0 and 218 back that is slightly more shifty. Then we go unkowned with 2 freshman.

Oline - This will be a strength. Yes we lost 2 to the draft but we are replacing them with experienced and highly recruited players. Our LT was one of the highest rated JUCO and in his 3rd year of college. The RG is replaced with either another high rated JUCO (Bret recruited hard, Eliminour (SP?) or a 5th year senior who is huge. Our line may not be as good as past but still has another 1-2 second round RT, A senior C who is a Mathews kid (Bruce Mathews son). LG seasoned and returning senior.

TE - unknown. True freshmen and will probably used similar to what you guys do.

WR - We are loaded! our standard set is 4 WR. Of those? How about 2 sophs that were 5 stars coming in. Add another 5 star added this year and enrolled early. Our least rate starter? A JUCO in his second year who led our team in catches, yards and broke the team TD record. So a 5 star throwing to 3 5 stars and our best returning WR.

Here is where Chavis has to earn is 1.75MM. Its starts to get dicier.

DT - We are finally getting enough guys to rotate on a regular basis. And I mean SEC type players. Big, fast and adding the best DT in TX with freshman Daylan Mack. He will play day one and be drafted first round in 3 years. 6.2 and 325 lb.

DE - Miles Garrett is nick named Superman for a reason. He has a SM body that is not just a suit. Another 1st rounder, maybe even number 1 next year and broke Clowney's FR sack record. Very deep unit with almost as good DE on the right side. Plenty of young talented backups that will rotate in.

Bottom line your OL will have their hands full.

LB - OK here is the problem we have had. We had to play young kids who were not ready for SEC big boy ball. Most or our starters got hurt last year but all are coming back. Supposedly they are coming in with 230-240 lbs so we should have a serviceable unit IF we stay healthy. Big IF there since they all got hurt last year. You guys will be there first big test.

SS - Looking like a very good unit. Freshmen starter returns, we add the number 1 JUCO at the position last year and a couple of Freshmen that were highly recruited and should see some mop up duty (Sumlin rarely redshirts excepts OLine).

CB - Oh man. Weakest part of the defense. One senior starter on one side and have no idea who the other will be. Chavis likes to play one on one at these positions, and frankly, I do not see the talent and experience in this unit to really run what he wants. That could change after seeing the product on the field but until then Chavis needs to earn his paycheck.

Special Teams. All in all should be good with the question mark field goal kicker. One senior who lost his jobs for getting the yips on his kicks and a highly rated but true freshmen that has not kicked in front of 100000 fans.

Kinda hard to compare our units to yours since I do not know much about the Hogs, especially your defense. It should be a good to great game with different styles playing each other. Someone mentioned we would only have a week to prepare for your Offense but you only have week as well. See you in Arlington

Thanks for the breakdown.  Lots of stuff I didn't know about your team.

Also, I gave you your first +1, so stick around.

[DeltaBoy]

We whipped aTm up and down the field for the majority of this game.

We couldn't close them out because:
1) Jim Cheney's goofy playcalling in the 4th Quarter. Too many called passes.
2) Cheap penalties that cost Arkansas two TDs. One would have made it 35-14. Game over.
3) Bad FG kicking. Couldnt even come close on a 44 yarder that would have won it.
4) Allen's fumbled snap on the last drive that set us behind the sticks when we were gashing aTm in the run game.

aTm has Chavis and a better QB but I think we take it to them this year regardless. Big time revenge game here.

This is correct and I was sick after that game.

[GoHogs1091]

Ag here. Here is a few thoughts form my uninformed maroon perspective.

1. Sumlin done NOT call plays. His OC does and always have. He obviously wants a certain offense but has been willing to modify or tweak it as needed. See UH vs Johnny vs Kyle Allen (current QB and "pro style").

2. Christensen was not unemployed when hired. He was OC for Utah. He clearly wants to be in the SEC. He was hired to run a more down hill run game. He did really well running Mizzoo offence and Sumlin wants more of the way he does it. For example our guards and of course the center will now use three point stances much more often.

3. Conditioning. You will not out work this team.  We will have one of the best conditioned team in the country? Why? Because the D has to practice against it everyday and our S&C Coach is one of the best in the country. We went the entire 2012 season playing 16 players on D. Not once did I see any of them holding their waists.

4. Chavis will not be at peak form this year but we do not need a top 10 defense, just middle of the pack will do. Our 2012 D was 50-60 ranked and we did very well that year. And yes I know we had lots of help from Johnny.

Here is my breakdown of our team.

QB - two 5 stars. Yes our starter will by young but he was the number one pro style AQ in the country and when we play you he will have 9 D-1 games experience. He is backed up by Texas best QB, maybe ever.

RB- Serviceable. One pile driver 6.2 230 lbs. Backed up with a little more nimble 6.0 and 218 back that is slightly more shifty. Then we go unkowned with 2 freshman.

Oline - This will be a strength. Yes we lost 2 to the draft but we are replacing them with experienced and highly recruited players. Our LT was one of the highest rated JUCO and in his 3rd year of college. The RG is replaced with either another high rated JUCO (Bret recruited hard, Eliminour (SP?) or a 5th year senior who is huge. Our line may not be as good as past but still has another 1-2 second round RT, A senior C who is a Mathews kid (Bruce Mathews son). LG seasoned and returning senior.

TE - unknown. True freshmen and will probably used similar to what you guys do.

WR - We are loaded! our standard set is 4 WR. Of those? How about 2 sophs that were 5 stars coming in. Add another 5 star added this year and enrolled early. Our least rate starter? A JUCO in his second year who led our team in catches, yards and broke the team TD record. So a 5 star throwing to 3 5 stars and our best returning WR.

Here is where Chavis has to earn is 1.75MM. Its starts to get dicier.

DT - We are finally getting enough guys to rotate on a regular basis. And I mean SEC type players. Big, fast and adding the best DT in TX with freshman Daylan Mack. He will play day one and be drafted first round in 3 years. 6.2 and 325 lb.

DE - Miles Garrett is nick named Superman for a reason. He has a SM body that is not just a suit. Another 1st rounder, maybe even number 1 next year and broke Clowney's FR sack record. Very deep unit with almost as good DE on the right side. Plenty of young talented backups that will rotate in.

Bottom line your OL will have their hands full.

LB - OK here is the problem we have had. We had to play young kids who were not ready for SEC big boy ball. Most or our starters got hurt last year but all are coming back. Supposedly they are coming in with 230-240 lbs so we should have a serviceable unit IF we stay healthy. Big IF there since they all got hurt last year. You guys will be there first big test.

SS - Looking like a very good unit. Freshmen starter returns, we add the number 1 JUCO at the position last year and a couple of Freshmen that were highly recruited and should see some mop up duty (Sumlin rarely redshirts excepts OLine).

CB - Oh man. Weakest part of the defense. One senior starter on one side and have no idea who the other will be. Chavis likes to play one on one at these positions, and frankly, I do not see the talent and experience in this unit to really run what he wants. That could change after seeing the product on the field but until then Chavis needs to earn his paycheck.

Special Teams. All in all should be good with the question mark field goal kicker. One senior who lost his jobs for getting the yips on his kicks and a highly rated but true freshmen that has not kicked in front of 100000 fans.

Kinda hard to compare our units to yours since I do not know much about the Hogs, especially your defense. It should be a good to great game with different styles playing each other. Someone mentioned we would only have a week to prepare for your Offense but you only have week as well. See you in Arlington

If yall's entire team was as talented as yall's Wide Receiver Corps, then yall would be legit SEC contenders, but since your entire team is not as talented, then yall shouldn't expect to win against Alabama and LSU this upcoming season (also may lose to Auburn; depends on if Muschamp can field a better Defense than what Ellis Johnson fielded the last 2 seasons).

Regarding John Chavis, it will be interesting to see how he does this upcoming season because he will be working with the least amount of talent than he ever has in the past.  Also, he has had a penchant in the past to have problems on 3rd Down.  That is why there is a segment of the Tennessee fanbase that calls him "3rd and Chavis."

It is thought that Chavis wasn't even Sumlin's first choice when Sumlin was looking for a new DC to replace Mark Snyder.

[bphi11ips]

LMFAO!

Arkansas has won 3 of 4 in Arlington and outplayed A&M last year.  Maybe A&M has overcome its past.  I'll believe it when I see it.  Arkansas is the better program and will be the better team in 2015.

[Aggie96]

A&M has won 3 out of the last 3 and hope that moral victory of "outplaying" us last year makes you feel better.

I will lay a bet for you...

If you hang 50 on us I will delete my name and change it to whatever you want until the next time we hang 50 on you. If you don't, I get to pick your new name and you only have to keep it until the next time you beat us.

And let's go even further. Winner gets to pick the loser's new avatar too.

[bphi11ips]

A&M has won 3 out of the last 3 and hope that moral victory of "outplaying" us last year makes you feel better.

I will lay a bet for you...

If you hang 50 on us I will delete my name and change it to whatever you want until the next time we hang 50 on you. If you don't, I get to pick your new name and you only have to keep it until the next time you beat us.

And let's go even further. Winner gets to pick the loser's new avatar too.

I didn't say we'd hang 50 on you, but you may be too young to remember the days we owned you.  Otherwise you'd have more respect for a program that has regularly kicked your ass.  I hope you've enjoyed the days of being a media darling.  If the Aggies don't start living up to the hype soon you'll slip back to where you belong.  There's a reason for Aggie jokes.

Did you hear about the Aggie who picked a 5 pound booger?








His head caved in.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

A&M has won 3 out of the last 3 and hope that moral victory of "outplaying" us last year makes you feel better.

I will lay a bet for you...

If you hang 50 on us I will delete my name and change it to whatever you want until the next time we hang 50 on you. If you don't, I get to pick your new name and you only have to keep it until the next time you beat us.

And let's go even further. Winner gets to pick the loser's new avatar too.

You know, you are "one of the boys" now in the SEC brotherhood (you should feel liberated that we allowed you to join and free you from the tyranny of Texas) so I could care less if we beat you by 50, by 5 or by 1. You are just another SEC team, despite our former history in the SWC. All I care about is winning, whether it is A&M or anyone else. I would take 8 of those 1 point victories in the SEC any day of the week.

[younghog]

I think Chavis reputation was built and sustained as much by the clock chewing power rushing games of Phil Fulmer and Les Miles as it was Chavis' own talent.  Even at that in 20 meetings with all variety of Arkansas teams his defenses have yielded a very ordinary 24 ppg. 

Paired with an offense that scores quickly or gives the ball back quickly Chavis' defenders are going to be just as susceptible to wearing down as the game goes along...especially against Bielema's offense.

With a good performance by the DB's and acceptable LB play Arkansas' chief risk is mistakes leading to self destruction.  Arkansas can give this game away but it is doubtful A&M can take it away.

I feel ya

~I really do

I'm going with a modest 42-13 Hog Win

[Aggie96]

I didn't say we'd hang 50 on you, but you may be too young to remember the days we owned you.  Otherwise you'd have more respect for a program that has regularly kicked your ass.  I hope you've enjoyed the days of being a media darling.  If the Aggies don't start living up to the hype soon you'll slip back to where you belong.  There's a reason for Aggie jokes.

Did you hear about the Aggie who picked a 5 pound booger?

His head caved in.

Yeah I went back and looked and that was Stillwater...

You can also hold on to those "Good Old Days" and talk the DeLorean smack if that makes you feel better too.

Speaking of Hype, I find it extremely amusing that everyone has you guys on this high pedestal when you lost your 3 most productive starters on Defense (Flowers, Philon, and Spaight) and you have won exactly 4 conference games over the past 3 years. We put 35 on you last year and the offense is going to be better this year after only losing 3 starters.
You only managed 28 (21 if you take away a fake punt) last year on the worst defense in the conference and one of the worst in the nation. A defense that will be much better this year that only lost 3 starters and only one of them was really good for us. The run was good for you last year and will be this year, but now you are going up against what was a young defense that has had another year to grow and now has a legitimate 2 deep on the line.

I think you are trending in the right direction and I don't think your team is a push over for anyone, but lets be real here. Those of you that are predicting this massive beat down are sorely mistaken.

At this point I am calling a 42-21 win for the Ags on this one.

[Aggie96]

You know, you are "one of the boys" now in the SEC brotherhood (you should feel liberated that we allowed you to join and free you from the tyranny of Texas) so I could care less if we beat you by 50, by 5 or by 1. You are just another SEC team, despite our former history in the SWC. All I care about is winning, whether it is A&M or anyone else. I would take 8 of those 1 point victories in the SEC any day of the week.

Giving you some rep for that one. We do appreciate that we are out from that dumpster fire of a conference and I agree 100% on the 8 1 point victories.

[SamBuckhart]

That loss to a n m last year really hurt. Bet CBB has this one circled on his calendar as a "bloody footin".

[MuskogeeHogFan]

That loss to a n m last year really hurt. Bet CBB has this one circled on his calendar as a "bloody footin".

I think he has several "circled" and I bet that prior to the season he sits the team down and goes over every single simple error and mistake that cost us a lead and a game to illustrate the need to stay focused and play with composure the entire game.

[mizzouman]

Here's the bottom line.

Both teams will be much improved.  Dave Christensen will light that offense up if he has any say at all.

I see A&M and Ark taking over where Ole Miss and Miss St were last year in the West. 

1.  Alabama
2.  Auburn
3.  Arkansas
4.  A&M
5.  LSU
6.  Ole Miss
7.  Miss St

Alabama is the best, enough said.  Auburn will be better.  Arkansas and A&M can flip flop, pretty equal.  LSU will be down, Miles will be on the hot seat.  The Mississippi schools had their year last year and will come back to reality.

As far as the game in Arlington, it will be one of the better ones all year in the SEC.   

[lefty08]

I look at aTm offense the same way I see Auburns. The more they score the more they give up. I say being it

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I look at aTm offense the same way I see Auburns. The more they score the more they give up. I say being it

We'll see Lefty. I think Chavis will improve their defense the first year to some degree and they certainly have talent in College Station. That's the thing about both Auburn and A&M, they invested in big time DC's to try to change how they play their games to an extent. How much help will the offensive scheme's give the defenses? It will be interesting to watch.

[lefty08]

We'll see Lefty. I think Chavis will improve their defense the first year to some degree and they certainly have talent in College Station. That's the thing about both Auburn and A&M, they invested in big time DC's to try to change how they play their games to an extent. How much help will the offensive scheme's give the defenses? It will be interesting to watch.

I think it may help, but I contribute their struggles more tonscheme than anything. Look what Smith down with our defense. The offense can make the defense better for sure. As long as they are scoring quickbthebdefense has to struggle . that's just my take

[lefty08]

By the way, LG makes a crappy phone and the spell check is horrendous

[jkstock04]

Aggies' posts read like a lot of the drivel that gets spewed on here constantly. Homerized koolaid drinking fans....with a lot of chest beating about the most inconsequential things.

[870hogfan]

Yeah I went back and looked and that was Stillwater...

You can also hold on to those "Good Old Days" and talk the DeLorean smack if that makes you feel better too.

Speaking of Hype, I find it extremely amusing that everyone has you guys on this high pedestal when you lost your 3 most productive starters on Defense (Flowers, Philon, and Spaight) and you have won exactly 4 conference games over the past 3 years. We put 35 on you last year and the offense is going to be better this year after only losing 3 starters.
You only managed 28 (21 if you take away a fake punt) last year on the worst defense in the conference and one of the worst in the nation. A defense that will be much better this year that only lost 3 starters and only one of them was really good for us. The run was good for you last year and will be this year, but now you are going up against what was a young defense that has had another year to grow and now has a legitimate 2 deep on the line.

I think you are trending in the right direction and I don't think your team is a push over for anyone, but lets be real here. Those of you that are predicting this massive beat down are sorely mistaken.

At this point I am calling a 42-21 win for the Ags on this one.

Actually it's going to be 42-21 Hogs.

[Biggus Piggus]

Speaking of Hype, I find it extremely amusing that everyone has you guys on this high pedestal when you lost your 3 most productive starters on Defense (Flowers, Philon, and Spaight) and you have won exactly 4 conference games over the past 3 years. We put 35 on you last year and the offense is going to be better this year after only losing 3 starters.
You only managed 28 (21 if you take away a fake punt) last year on the worst defense in the conference and one of the worst in the nation. A defense that will be much better this year that only lost 3 starters and only one of them was really good for us. The run was good for you last year and will be this year, but now you are going up against what was a young defense that has had another year to grow and now has a legitimate 2 deep on the line.

You have some problems here. 1. You won't notice the three "most productive starters" are gone. 2. The Aggies' Oline is not as good as they're used to having. 3. Won't go to overtime this time. 4. Very good possibility that Arkansas's offense has improved faster than A&M's defense has.

[AugustaHog]

I agree with the general vibe that HUNH, quick score offenses hurt the D to an extent.  If you have a good D, though, it will still do enough to stop the other team enough so that your high-powered, fast-paced offense will outscore the other team.  This premise is totally predicated on how effective that offense is.  It's kind of like when CBP was here.  When we were throwing up 45-50 pts., it didn't really matter that our D gave up 35.  However, when Bama was holding our ridiculous offense to 14-17 points, suddenly the effectiveness of the D became really important.  The really question will be whether guys like Chavis or Boom can live with their D's being effective and still middle of the pack.  These two are extremely successful, competitive guys that want recognition and accolades.  They can provide significant upgrade over their predecessors and still not have top 10 D's with the way those offenses function.  I suppose it all depends on what the W-L columns look like. 

[Russ22]

I bet we hang 50 on them this year.

How much? Although I am cautious about making these bets on here on this game because Hogville residents (e.g., Trashcan) don't pay up when they lose.

[lasthog]

Ag here. Here is a few thoughts form my uninformed maroon perspective.

1. Sumlin done NOT call plays. His OC does and always have. He obviously wants a certain offense but has been willing to modify or tweak it as needed. See UH vs Johnny vs Kyle Allen (current QB and "pro style").

2. Christensen was not unemployed when hired. He was OC for Utah. He clearly wants to be in the SEC. He was hired to run a more down hill run game. He did really well running Mizzoo offence and Sumlin wants more of the way he does it. For example our guards and of course the center will now use three point stances much more often.

3. Conditioning. You will not out work this team.  We will have one of the best conditioned team in the country? Why? Because the D has to practice against it everyday and our S&C Coach is one of the best in the country. We went the entire 2012 season playing 16 players on D. Not once did I see any of them holding their waists.

4. Chavis will not be at peak form this year but we do not need a top 10 defense, just middle of the pack will do. Our 2012 D was 50-60 ranked and we did very well that year. And yes I know we had lots of help from Johnny.

Here is my breakdown of our team.

QB - two 5 stars. Yes our starter will by young but he was the number one pro style AQ in the country and when we play you he will have 9 D-1 games experience. He is backed up by Texas best QB, maybe ever.

RB- Serviceable. One pile driver 6.2 230 lbs. Backed up with a little more nimble 6.0 and 218 back that is slightly more shifty. Then we go unkowned with 2 freshman.

Oline - This will be a strength. Yes we lost 2 to the draft but we are replacing them with experienced and highly recruited players. Our LT was one of the highest rated JUCO and in his 3rd year of college. The RG is replaced with either another high rated JUCO (Bret recruited hard, Eliminour (SP?) or a 5th year senior who is huge. Our line may not be as good as past but still has another 1-2 second round RT, A senior C who is a Mathews kid (Bruce Mathews son). LG seasoned and returning senior.

TE - unknown. True freshmen and will probably used similar to what you guys do.

WR - We are loaded! our standard set is 4 WR. Of those? How about 2 sophs that were 5 stars coming in. Add another 5 star added this year and enrolled early. Our least rate starter? A JUCO in his second year who led our team in catches, yards and broke the team TD record. So a 5 star throwing to 3 5 stars and our best returning WR.

Here is where Chavis has to earn is 1.75MM. Its starts to get dicier.

DT - We are finally getting enough guys to rotate on a regular basis. And I mean SEC type players. Big, fast and adding the best DT in TX with freshman Daylan Mack. He will play day one and be drafted first round in 3 years. 6.2 and 325 lb.

DE - Miles Garrett is nick named Superman for a reason. He has a SM body that is not just a suit. Another 1st rounder, maybe even number 1 next year and broke Clowney's FR sack record. Very deep unit with almost as good DE on the right side. Plenty of young talented backups that will rotate in.

Bottom line your OL will have their hands full.

LB - OK here is the problem we have had. We had to play young kids who were not ready for SEC big boy ball. Most or our starters got hurt last year but all are coming back. Supposedly they are coming in with 230-240 lbs so we should have a serviceable unit IF we stay healthy. Big IF there since they all got hurt last year. You guys will be there first big test.

SS - Looking like a very good unit. Freshmen starter returns, we add the number 1 JUCO at the position last year and a couple of Freshmen that were highly recruited and should see some mop up duty (Sumlin rarely redshirts excepts OLine).

CB - Oh man. Weakest part of the defense. One senior starter on one side and have no idea who the other will be. Chavis likes to play one on one at these positions, and frankly, I do not see the talent and experience in this unit to really run what he wants. That could change after seeing the product on the field but until then Chavis needs to earn his paycheck.

Special Teams. All in all should be good with the question mark field goal kicker. One senior who lost his jobs for getting the yips on his kicks and a highly rated but true freshmen that has not kicked in front of 100000 fans.

Kinda hard to compare our units to yours since I do not know much about the Hogs, especially your defense. It should be a good to great game with different styles playing each other. Someone mentioned we would only have a week to prepare for your Offense but you only have week as well. See you in Arlington

Shortly after  last year's game BB said something along the lines of "I look forward to getting another shot at these guys." 

Me too.

[Sulla]

Wow, great discussion here--from most of you, at least.

Not sure where comments like "Sumlin will never cede control of the offense to DC or anyone else" are coming from.  Our offense was installed by Kliff Kingsbury, and managed by Spavital and McKinney since Kingsbury's departure.  Sumlin has never called plays, nor functioned in any way as the Aggie OC.  Christensen was absolutely brought to A&M to evolve our offensive identity and emphasize more commitment to running the ball out of our spread.

As far as this year's game goes, I think there are some good arguments to be made in favor of A&M winning the contest, but at the end of the day I'm confident that A&M will win for the same reason a lot of you are confident the Hogs will prevail.  We're fans and we talk ourselves into believing what we're hoping for.  The reality is I don't have a clue what's gonna happen in that game, and neither does anybody else, and that's what makes it so damn fun.

Speaking of fun:  What your team did to the Longhorns in your bowl game was about as glorious an outcome as I could have hoped for.  59 yards will forever be the nutshell into which that complete and merciless embarrassment so neatly fits.

Peace be unto you, good sirs.  See you in Arlington.

[RebelW]

I'm going to enjoy seeing AC and JWill run it down their throats and beat the piss out of their 2nd level defense then 4th quarter comes and put KW in to finish the job.. Yes yall have good wide outs BUT.. Look at our secondary... They'll make yall earn it. Promise

[Sulla]

And by the way, I look forward to cheering your team on as they dismantle Texas Tech.  I hope you beat them so thoroughly they wind up in a genuine existential crisis.

Believe it or not, my disdain for that disease-ridden institution in Lubbock greatly exceeds my distaste for the pompous, bloated bovine currently decomposing in Austin.

If Texas Tech is a university, then there's hope for every ape in Africa.

I want you to destroy their team to the last man, then go after their families.

[Sulla]

I'm going to enjoy seeing AC and JWill run it down their throats and beat the piss out of their 2nd level defense then 4th quarter comes and put KW in to finish the job.. Yes yall have good wide outs BUT.. Look at our secondary... They'll make yall earn it. Promise

Is this the same secondary we threw for almost 400 yards on last year, averaging 18.4 yards per completion (over 9 yards per attempt), or do y'all have a new one? 

[The_Hog_Father]

Is this the same secondary we threw for almost 400 yards on last year, averaging 18.4 yards per completion (over 9 yards per attempt), or do y'all have a new one? 

I think A&M will be very surprised this year... The Hogs were their own worst enemy in last year's game. I wish both teams an injury free game.

Wooo Pig.  :razorback:

[Sulla]

We whipped aTm up and down the field for the majority of this game.

Hmm...  I see comments like this and I think, "A game is 60 minutes long."  (Or a bit longer given the OT period)

In any event, your offense was playing against a significantly worse defense than ours was;  nobody would dispute this.  Nevertheless, by game's end:

Our offense outgained yours 523 to 484 yards.
Our offense scored 5 touchdowns.  Yours scored 3. (plus a special teams TD.)
You gained one more 1st down than we did 22-21.
And, for as well you rushed the ball throughout the game, you couldn't move the sticks when it counted most.

I grant that you had a TD called back, and missed a field goal, but tripping a player is illegal, and you have to make the field goals for them to count.  I could argue that if our punt coverage team hadn't have been brain dead, you'd have scored one less TD and overtime  never would have happened.  Mistakes are part of the game.

(Believe me, though:  I relate.  In 2012, we had a TD called back against LSU for a very stupid penalty away from the play.  We also missed two field goals and an extra point.  We lost by 5 points.  Had we won that game, we'd have played Georgia for the SEC title, instead of Alabama.  I know how that stuff hurts)

But I digress.  I don't dispute that Arkansas held the upper hand well into the game, but by the time it was over, A&M had outperformed the Razorbacks on the field, in the stat columns, and on the scoreboard.

Can't wait to go at it again.  God I love finally being in the SEC.

[Sulla]

I wish both teams an injury free game.

Wooo Pig.  :razorback:

Hear, hear.   

[RebelW]

It's the same just seasoned and more depth.. Santos Ramirez.. Remember the name. He will be the cause of a few concussions..

[lefty08]

I don't think our new little friend wants to be here very long

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Hmm...  I see comments like this and I think, "A game is 60 minutes long."  (Or a bit longer given the OT period)

In any event, your offense was playing against a significantly worse defense than ours was;  nobody would dispute this.  Nevertheless, by game's end:

Our offense outgained yours 523 to 484 yards.
Our offense scored 5 touchdowns.  Yours scored 3. (plus a special teams TD.)
You gained one more 1st down than we did 22-21.
And, for as well you rushed the ball throughout the game, you couldn't move the sticks when it counted most.

I grant that you had a TD called back, and missed a field goal, but tripping a player is illegal, and you have to make the field goals for them to count.  I could argue that if our punt coverage team hadn't have been brain dead, you'd have scored one less TD and overtime  never would have happened.  Mistakes are part of the game.

(Believe me, though:  I relate.  In 2012, we had a TD called back against LSU for a very stupid penalty away from the play.  We also missed two field goals and an extra point.  We lost by 5 points.  Had we won that game, we'd have played Georgia for the SEC title, instead of Alabama.  I know how that stuff hurts)

But I digress.  I don't dispute that Arkansas held the upper hand well into the game, but by the time it was over, A&M had outperformed the Razorbacks on the field, in the stat columns, and on the scoreboard.

Can't wait to go at it again.  God I love finally being in the SEC.

You know, you are right, we literally gave you that game and your yards. I agree with you, it shouldn't have happened and we can't wait to go at it again with A&M.

[bphi11ips]

You know, you are right, we literally gave you that game and your yards. I agree with you, it shouldn't have happened and we can't wait to go at it again with A&M.

The OC who refused to take what A&M gave us in OT is gone.

[Biggus Piggus]

Tripping a player far behind the play should not eliminate the result of the play. That is goofy.

[jgphillips3]

Tripping a player far behind the play should not eliminate the result of the play. That is goofy.

Agreed.  It should be assessed from the spot the play finished at or on the extra point if resulting in a touchdown.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Tripping a player far behind the play should not eliminate the result of the play. That is goofy.

I don't disagree to an extent, but on the other hand, remember the play against Florida where their guy took a near blind shot at our guy and our guy got called on it for defending himself? Should have been a penalty on the kid from Florida regardless of the fact that it was away from the play. Of course we got dinged for it, but it still should have been called, just against the other player.

[rhames]

Arkansas should have won the game last year. Anyone with any sense could see that.



Also I wouldn't go around acting like someone hanging 50 on the Aggs is some impossible task



What was the score of the Alabama game last year?

[Hoggish1]

And by the way, I look forward to cheering your team on as they dismantle Texas Tech.  I hope you beat them so thoroughly they wind up in a genuine existential crisis.

Believe it or not, my disdain for that disease-ridden institution in Lubbock greatly exceeds my distaste for the pompous, bloated bovine currently decomposing in Austin.

If Texas Tech is a university, then there's hope for every ape in Africa.

I want you to destroy their team to the last man, then go after their families.

We don't dislike Tech that much. 

Believe me, we'll save some mustard for our Arlington game and then some...

[Hoggish1]

It's the same just seasoned and more depth.. Santos Ramirez.. Remember the name. He will be the cause of a few concussions..

Let's hope not.  We don't teach helmet to helmet.  That gets you removed from games...