2014 College Football Preivew: Texas A&M Aggies And Life After Johnny Manziel

Texas A&M looks to prove to everyone that Aggie football is more than just Johnny Manziel this upcoming season. Manziel helped to put Texas A&M back on the map, now Coach Sumlin is set on proving that they are not going anywhere anytime soon.

There was an oddity of the 2014 NFL Draft that Kevin Sumlin hit on this past week when he spoke at SEC Media Days. "We had three guys drafted in the first round," Sumlin pointed out. "Now, that's the good news. Bad news, that's the only three guys we had drafted."

The Aggies fell short of expectations last year due to the underachieving performance by their defense throughout the season. But it was Johnny Manziel and Mike Evans, along with the rest of the offense, that provided the Aggies with a thrilling come from behind win against Duke in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl to finish the season 9-4.

The squad finished the season ranked No. 18 in the AP poll and is 20-6 in two seasons under Sumlin, but they will now have to adjust to life without its superstar quarterback.

Offense

Coach Sumlin has picked Kenny Hill, who has one year of experience, as his starting quarterback for the 2014 season over freshman and 2014 number one quarterback recruit, Kyle Allen. Hill's clearly cut from the Manziel cloth while Allen has been painted as more of a stand-and-deliver passer. Sumlin has chosen to go with experience and the quarterback who poses more of a dual threat with his passing and running ability.

Schematically, the biggest change in existence post-Manziel will be the recreation of a more back-driven running game. Look for the backfield to do most of the heavy lifting on the ground. Tra Carson is A&M's most dependable back across the board, whether as a runner or protector, and has earned the nod as the Aggies' top carrier. But the offense will continue with a by-committee approach, essentially splitting carries between Carson and juniors Brandon Williams (269 yards) and Trey Williams (407 yards), three relatively interchangeable parts with one common asset: they will make defenders miss.

Rumors of any projected decline from the offensive line are greatly exaggerated. A&M brings back four starters and has another first-round left tackle set to explode, meaning this group will remain among the SEC's best. The big change comes on the blind side, where senior Cedric Ogbuehi makes the transition from right tackle; he's going to be positively superb. Elsewhere, A&M will shift sophomore Germain Ifedi – another star on the rise – from right guard to tackle, replacing Ogbuehi, while senior Jarvis Harrison and junior Mike Matthews return at left guard and center, respectively. Do not be surprised if all four linemen earn all-conference recognition.

The receiver corps is as athletically blessed as any in college football. It is also young, unfortunately, though that is not a substantial concern. Speedy Noil seems ready to roll as a true freshman and Ricky Seals-Jones is prepared to do the same after taking a redshirt, and A&M can temper this youth with senior Malcome Kennedy (60 receptions for 658 yards) – he is going to have a huge year – junior Sabian Holmes (17 for 210) and sophomores LaQuvionte Gonzalez (21 for 240), Edward Pope and Josh Reynolds, the latter a junior college transfer.

The real story here might be Noil, the sort of athlete that has the Aggies' staff simply salivating at the possibilities. Seals-Jones is a little different; he's a bigger guy, one that needs to learn how to use his body to full effect, so Noil strikes me as the far more likely of the pair to make a distinct impact as a rookie. Another thing that should change this fall is A&M and coordinator Jake Spavital are going to vastly increase the role of the tight end, meaning senior Cameron Clear could begin his season off the SEC's radar but enter December with all-league honors.

Defense

With such a high-flying offensive attack last season, the Aggies' clear downfall last season was the poor play of its defense, which allowed 32.2 points per game and 475.8 yards per game (last in the SEC and 111th nationally), but the good news is that, unlike the offense, the defense has plenty of returning continuity with seven starters coming back.

The interior of the line will be nearly as reliant on youth. Junior Alonzo Williams returns, as does senior Ivan Robinson, but we may have passed the expiration date on each player matching his potential. So what the Aggies need – and simply must have – is ready-for-prime-time performances from true freshman Zaycoven Henderson, who already looks the part, and redshirt freshman Justin Manning, who has worked hard to transform his body to handle the rigors of SEC play. A wildcard is Jay Arnold, who is probably best fit as a bigger end against the run, but could be a quick-twitch weapon along the interior. As things are currently situated, the line – and let us remember it is without two would-be starters in Stansbury and Isaiah Golden – will call on three freshmen in vital roles: Garrett as the rusher, Henderson and Manning in the middle. There is a bright future here, but more growing pains on the horizon.

That the secondary is the strongest link in the chain does not inspire confidence. The good news is that A&M returns all four primary starters and most of the second tier, so simple experience could mean an uptick in consistency. Deshazor Everett (73 tackles) enters his senior season expected to be a stopper, the Aggies' glue-like substance on the outside, and seems ready to take on the pressure of running on an island. This author does not think A&M can afford to hand De'Vante Harris the full-time job on the other side, given his issues hanging with the SEC's bigger receivers. He will be useful, but look for Harris to share time with redshirt freshman Victor Davis and sophomore Tavares Garner. A healthier back end should mean fewer downfield breakdowns, hopefully. Seniors Howard Matthews (90 tackles, 3 interceptions) and Floyd Raven (38 tackles) will serve at strong and costless safety, respectively, with Raven likely set for a nice level of improvement in his second full season at the position. There is a hole at the nickel cornerback position. Toney Hurd fit the bill last fall, so junior Devonta Burns and sophomore Noel Ellis will be under the microscope this month.

Special Teams

Josh Lambo returns as the kicker after knocking through 8-of-10 field goal attempts and 50-of-51 extra point tries a year ago. Drew Kaser (47.4 yards per punt) is back as the punter.

Trey Williams was an impressive kickoff return man in 2013 with 28 runbacks for 706 yards, but his involvement in special teams might be toned back as he earns a bigger role in the offense. Freshman Speedy Noil, one of the nation's top receiving recruits, will likely get an opportunity to make plays in the return game early in his career.

2014 Season Outlook

Any team with these issues on defense and road games against three of the nation's best –South Carolina, Alabama, and Auburn – is going to hit a bump or two on the road through the regular season. However, it will be interesting to see how the season unfolds. Texas A&M has as much pure talent as any team in the conference, but not the requisite experience, both on offense and defense, so every two steps forward might be accompanied by a matching step back. Against most of the schedule, talent alone – and some terrific coaching – will be enough for A&M. Against some teams, however, the Aggies seem to lack balance. To this author, this paints 2014 as a season in the middle, stuck between the hopes of fighting for the top spot in the West Division and the realities of bringing a gifted roster up to speed.

There is going to come a time – and it is coming quickly – when A&M will have talent and experience, the two qualities needed to fend off the cream of the SEC's crop and earn a spot among the five best teams in college football. The pieces are certainly in place, as Sumlin and his staff are building a potential powerhouse and teams in this conference should be anxious about the program's potential once the younger core catches up with the curve. For now, this team is dangerously raw at five positions: quarterback, wide receiver, defensive end, defensive tackle, and linebacker. At the same time, the lion's share of depth comes in younger bodies, particularly on defense. At some point, this same core group is going to bash heads, but for now, they are going to have to tread water.

A&M's going to probably lose four games during the regular season. One is South Carolina, a terrible team to face in the opener. The other pair are Alabama and Auburn, both on the road, and a fourth – and perhaps a fifth – comes from the group of Mississippi State, Mississippi, Missouri, and LSU. It is well within the realm of possibility that this team goes 7-5 in the regular season. Texas A&M fans are just banking on talent overcoming the issues with speed, aggressiveness, and potential eventually keeping A&M right next to Mississippi as the fourth-best team in the West Division. If the Aggies can go 8-4 during the regular season it will mean this program is ready to explode in 2015.

Dream season: A&M finishes 10-2, losing only to LSU and Alabama.

Nightmare season: The Aggies barely squeeze into the postseason at 6-6.