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Texas A&M Aggies Spring Practice: Three Things We Learned
It’s a critical year for Kevin Sumlin … again. And Texas A&M is trying to move beyond 8-5 … again. The Aggies, seemingly stuck in neutral since Johnny Manziel left College Station, spent a big part of spring practice breaking 10 new starters into the lineup, including at quarterback … yup, again.
April 14, 2017
With Texas A&M’s spring practice in the books, here’s what we know and what we learned about the Aggies.
It’s a critical year for Kevin Sumlin … again. And Texas A&M is trying to move beyond 8-5 … again. The Aggies, seemingly stuck in neutral since Johnny Manziel left College Station, spent a big part of spring practice breaking 10 new starters into the lineup, including at quarterback … yup, again.
Texas A&M Spring Practice Redux
1. QB Race Won’t Be Decided Until the Summer
For the fourth year in a row, Sumlin is auditioning quarterbacks, undecided who’ll be his Week 1 starter. The coach got answers in the spring, but no resolution.
The staff has a definitive choice and set of options. It can either go with the steady, experienced veteran, Jake Hubenak. Or it can kick off an entirely new era with one of two rookies, true freshman Kellen Mond or redshirt freshman Nick Starkel. Mond is a legit dual-threat who’d bring new wrinkles to the attack. However, he’s raw as a passer and obviously inexperienced. And with Christian Kirk on the outside, A&M might be well-served to stick with Hubenak while getting Mond reps as a situational change-of-pace.
2. With the Ends Transitioning, Tackles Set To Spearhead D-Line
The Aggies are staring at a gaping hole at defensive end, a position that used to be occupied by Daeshon Hall and Myles Garrett, one of the best linemen to ever play in College Station. This year, the interior linemen are poised to pick up the slack.
A&M will have a new look on the edge, though senior Jarrett Johnson is eyeing 2017 as a chance to enhance his own profile. The collection of tackles, though, could be among the most disruptive in the country. Senior Zaycoven Henderson and junior Kingsley Keke return after quietly standing out a year ago. Daylon Mack, the former five-star recruit from 2015, is ready for liftoff now that he’s entering his junior year. And redshirt freshman Justin Madubuike will be tough to keep out of the rotation after bulking up this offseason, without losing his quick-twitch tendencies.
3. Newcomers Could Take Heat Off Kirk
Besides RB Trayveon Williams, A&M needs playmakers to complement Kirk, one of college football’s premier receivers. The team believes it mined options in a pair of Floridians.
Tight end Kalvin Cline, by way of Virginia Tech, and WR Jhamon Ausbon, by way of IMG Academy (Fla.), have earned the confidence of the quarterbacks. While Cline was quiet in his Aggie debut, catching just one pass, his role will increase this season. But few players consistently turned heads more than Ausbon, who’s already working his way toward a starting assignment. At 6-foot-2 and 219 pounds, he’s physically ready to make plays, and his development from the first to the final practice has the program gushing about where he might be by early September. A&M now needs to decide who’ll be delivering the ball to Kirk and Ausbon.
