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EARLY
BIRD 2007 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
RELEASED DECEMBER 2006 |
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TEXAS
A&M AGGIES |
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OFFENSE
- 9 |
------RETURNING
STARTERS------ |
DEFENSE
- 8 |
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KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Courtney Lewis-RB, Chad Schroeder-WR, L'Tydrick
Riley-WR, Grant Dickey-OG, Layne Neumann-K |
DEFENSE:
Marques
Thornton-DT, Bryce Reed-DT, Justin Warren-MLB,
Melvin Bullitt-SS |
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Running
Back/Offensive Line |
Former
All-Big 12 picks Elder and Wallace
will keep making holes inside
while Jorvorskie and newcomer
Goodson run through them and
defenders. |
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Receiver |
The
Aggies lack a big time receiver
on the outside to stretch defenses
so the option can open up. TE
Martellus Bennett is the best
receiver on the roster. |
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TE
Martellus Bennett |
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DE
Chris Harrington |
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* DEPTH CHARTS were only designed as a simplistic
gauge for listing players that departed and players
that received the most playing experience (consistent
starters). NationalChamps.net recognizes the importance
of missing personnel data not listed such as redshirts,
transfers, injuries, incoming recruits, back ups
and alternates. Their coverage will begin with our
full 2007 Preseason Preview due out this coming
spring. |
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TEXAS
A&M 2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Stephen
McGee-Jr |
.. |
FB |
Chris
Alexander-Sr |
.. |
RB |
Jorvorskie
Lane-Jr |
Mike
Goodson-So |
WR |
Kerry
Franks-Sr |
.. |
WR |
Earvin
Taylor-Sr |
Pierre
Brown-Jr |
TE |
Martellus
Bennett-Jr |
Joey
Thomas-Sr |
OT |
Corey
Clark-Sr |
.. |
OG |
.. |
.. |
C |
Cody
Wallace-Sr |
.. |
OG |
Kirk
Elder-Sr |
.. |
OT |
Travis
Schneider-Jr |
Yemi
Babalola-Jr |
K |
Matt
Szymanski-So |
.. |
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DEFENSE |
DE |
Jason
Jack-Sr |
Cyril
Obiozor-Jr |
DT |
Henry
Smith-Sr |
.. |
DT |
Red
Bryant-Sr |
Kellen
Heard-So |
DE |
Chris
Harrington-Sr |
Michael
Bennett-Jr |
SLB |
Misi
Tupe-Sr |
Mark
Dodge-Sr |
MLB |
Matt
Featherston-So |
.. |
WHIP |
Brock
Newton-Sr |
Japhus
Brown-Sr |
CB |
Danny
Gorrer-Jr |
Marquis
Carpenter-Sr |
CB |
Jordan
Peterson-So |
Arkeith
Brown-Jr |
SS |
.. |
.. |
FS |
Devin
Gregg-Jr |
.. |
P |
Justin
Brantly-Jr |
.. |
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QUICK
ANALYSIS |
The
Aggies are back!!! Four years of iffy results
were replaced in 2006 by QB Stephen McGee
and a steadiness that has the whole team
ready to again challenge for their tough
Big 12 South division half. McGee, as a
sophomore, led the nation with only two
picks, and when you factor in the fact that
he finished third on the team for net rushing
yards, you see a bright future and even
more improvements to the nation’s
19th-ranked total offense. The Aggies also
rode the back/feet of freshman phenom Mike
Goodson, a surprise at RB as he displaced
Jorvorskie Lane and departing senior Courtney
Lane to lead the team in rushing. Goodson’s
6.9 ypc average was second in the nation
only to Clemson’s C.J. Spiller for
freshman. With FB Chris Alexander returning
as a senior with a 6.3 ypc clip (no yards
lost in ’06, only two lost his entire
collegiate career), the running game will
continue to pull eight defenders into the
box so passing possibilities can expand.
Besides Cody Wallace and Kirk Elder on the
inside to push opponents, fellow-senior
Cory Clark has McGee’s blindside to
solidify an already-tight OL. McGee loses
field-stretcher Chad Schroeder, so Kerry
Franks and Earvin Taylor – with only
26 combined catches - have to step up. TE
Martellus Bennett (6’7”) plays
a key role in opening up the outsides by
constantly going over the deep middle, so
his health is important for establishing
the WR roles (also in the running game).
The defensive numbers from ’06 reflect
a well-rounded result for the nation’s
37th-ranked total effort. Still, with nine
starters returning (six seniors), they will
have to dig deeper to topple the South division’s
stronger foes. They can hopefully build
on what they did to Texas (won 12-7) via
four senior linemen who already know how
to work together. A&M lost three games
by a total of six points or we might be
talking about a top ten team here. But this
Aggie squad (finished third-best in their
division half) will continue to improve
in ’07 while they again sneak up the
polls and could be in the conference championship
come late November.
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TEXAS
A&M
2007 SCHEDULE
9-15
@ Miami FL
9-29 Baylor
10-6 Oklahoma State
10-13 @ Texas Tech
10-20 @ Nebraska
10-27 Kansas
11-3 @ Oklahoma
11-10 @ Missouri
11-23 Texas
TBA 3 non-conference opponents
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