Spring practice is winding down in College Station, but before attention turns to the 2017 season, we take a look at five things to watch for at the Texas A&M Spring Game.
As has often been the case under head coach Kevin Sumlin, A&M got off to a hot start in 2016. The Aggies started 6-0 and rose all the way to No. 6 in the AP Top 25. Despite a loss to No. 1 Alabama, the 7-1 Aggies squad debuted at No. 4 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, ahead of undefeated Washington.
Without much warning, the Aggies shifted from an air-it-out passing attack to a steady ground game. Texas A&M ran for 200 or more yards in the first six games of 2016 – the first time any Aggies team accomplished that since 1975. A&M averaged 274.3 rushing yards over that span, and topped 350 rushing yards in wins over Arkansas and Tennessee.
Running back Trayveon Williams averaged 6.8 yards per carry, rushed for 1,057 yards and scored eight touchdowns on the ground for the season, and Keith Ford added 669 yards and six scores. Quarterback Trevor Knight led the Aggies with 10 rushing TDs, and tallied 614 rushing yards.
Nevertheless, the second half was once again a disappointment as A&M lost four of its final five games, including three games decided by a single score. The lone win was a less than impressive 23-10 victory over UTSA. A&M averaged 152.2 yards on the ground over its final five games, and never topped 200 over that period.
Sumlin’s seat is getting hotter by the day, and though Williams and Ford are back, there are a lot of questions throughout the rest of the roster. As spring practice comes to a close, and the Aggies prepare for the April 8 spring game, there are five important storylines to watch.