The 2019 Aggies will be looking to improve on an offense that was ranked 15^th in the nation last year in total yards per game.  They had the leading rusher in the SEC and an All-American, record-setting tight end, but struggled to make the most of their redzone chances.  The hope that is with their quarterback, four offensive lineman, and top three receivers returning, this offense can take a step forward from a solid first year under Jimbo Fisher.

Quarterback/Running Back

The Aggies will be starting a returning upperclassman at quarterback for the first time in eight years since entering the SEC (Trevor Knight was a senior, but only spent one year with the Aggies). Jimbo will now be able to open up the playbook even more since Mond will be in his second full year in the offense.  Throughout spring ball and even fall practice, Fisher has praised Mond’s improvement on the mental aspects that are required to be the quarterback of this offense.  With now a full season and second offseason under his belt with one of the best quarterback coaches in the game, the junior quarterback’s understanding and timing within the plays should be noticeably better.  Look for Kellen Mond to be more decisive with the ball instead of holding on to it and taking unnecessary sacks.  He also needs to realize when a play breaks down, it is better to throw the ball away than to the other team.  If he is willing to take off and use his legs to pick up some positive yards when the first few reads are not there, this will help stress the defense as well.  I expect Kellen Mond to improve his stats and throw for 3500+ yards, 28 TDs, 7 or less interceptions, and 500ish rushing yards.  Throw in a completion percentage north of 62% and I think this is a manageable expectation (3,107 yards, 24 TDs/9 interceptions, 57% completion percentage, 474 yards rushing) for him to attain this year. 

The backup job is an intriguing battle as redshirt sophomore Connor Blumrick, redshirt freshman James Foster, and true freshman Zach Calzada are fighting for the number two quarterback position.  From reports around fall camp, Blumrick, who is a gifted runner and has great arm strength, has been taking a lot of snaps with the second team.  By the end of the year, I think Calzada and his elite arm strength will impress Fisher enough for him to be the backup to Kellen Mond.

Replacing the leading rusher in the SEC and the top single season effort in school history will not be easy, but the Aggies do have some talent in the pipeline.  Sophomore Jashaun Corbin will be taking a majority workload and has drawn rave reviews from his head coach.  As great as Trayveon Williams was last season, I actually believe Corbin to be a more fluid runner and be more of a “home-run threat.”  He is also a great receiver out of the backfield and has the ability to bust a big play anytime he touches the ball (just look at his kickoff return to open the game against Arkansas last year).  My biggest area of concern is whether he can adequately replace the tough running that Trayveon displayed so often last year, especially when it matters most.  The second area that Williams will be missed is in the pass-blocking schemes.  He was great at picking up blitzes so it will be imperative for Corbin to learn that aspect quickly.  While Trayveon received a bulk of the plays, I expect a little more distribution among a crowded backfield this year.  The race for those extra carries is tight as big back Cordarrian Richardson (UCF transfer, 240 pounds) and Isaiah Spiller will be fighting with spring ball standouts Deneric Prince and Jacob Kibodi. 

X-Factor: I think Kellen Mond is the most important player on offense for this upcoming season.  If he makes those marginal improvements in his game, he can lead one of the top offenses in the country to one or two big time upsets:

Name to Remember: Cordarrian Richardson will be hungry to play after sitting out the 2018 season since he transferred from UCF.  As the largest running back on the roster, he could be vital in goal line and short yardage plays, as well as line up as fullback.    

Wide Receiver/Tight End

The three returning junior receivers spearhead the passing attack and each brings their own unique skillset to the team.  Jhamon Ausbon is a reliable guy who routinely moves the chain on crucial third downs.  With him slimming down and dropping 10-15 pounds, he should gain a step and be faster in and out of breaks.  Quartney Davis had a breakout season in 2018 as he tallied seven touchdowns and 585 receiving yards in his first year.  He is the one who runs best with ball in his hands and can add the most after the catch.  The third of the trio is Kendrick Rogers.  When he wasn’t battling injuries, he was making circus catches against LSU and Clemson.  He should be the go-to receiver in the redzone as he can use his big frame to overmatch defensive backs. The key for this group will be staying healthy as Jhamon missed a few games last season, and Kendrick Rogers has missed a lot of fall camp with nagging injuries.  There is talent behind them as redshirt freshman Caleb Chapman has been working with the first team in Roger’s absence.  Another big receiver at 6 foot 5 inches, he might be used inside as a mismatch on a slower linebacker or safety, or on the outside where he can out-jump any corner.  Cameron Buckley has also been known to make big time catches in key moments but will need to be more consistent as he has battled drops throughout his career.  The wild card in this group could be a couple of true freshman in Dylan Wright and Ainias Smith.  While Wright is a top rated, big-bodied receiver who is very athletic, I have heard great things about shifty Ainias Smith.  He was a high priority for head man Jimbo Fisher on the recruiting front and is pretty electric out of the slot.  Offensive Coordinator Darrell Dickey could get pretty creative in how he uses him, and he might just make an impact in the return game as well. 

Replacing All-American tight end Jace Sternberger will be a tall task.  The hope is that the receiving corps can take on some of his production and the rest can be picked up by a young, but talented group of tight ends.  Sophomore Glenn Beal will not be the receiving threat that Sternberger was but is an upgrade in the blocking game.  With five-star Baylor Cupp expected to miss significant time with a lower leg injury, true freshman Jalen Wydermyer will be counted on to play a role in the passing game.  Jimbo likes to use lots of two tight end sets in his offense, so we will see if Cupp’s injury decreases this, or if they will use Camron Horry to help out.  I think Jalen Wydermyer has the talent and athleticism to make some big plays, it just depends on how quickly he can learn the offense. 

X-Factor: If Quartney Davis can build on his breakout 2018 campaign, he can push for 1,000 yards receiving.

Name to Remember: Caleb Chapman/Jalen Preston; Chapman was set to start last year before an injury derailed his season.  If Kendrick Rogers can’t stay healthy, look for him to step up.  I am also high on sophomore Jalen Preston.  He didn’t make a huge impact last year even though he was one of the top players in the state of Texas as a recruit, but now that he understands the offense better, his talent might force his way onto the field.

Offensive Line

The Aggies return four offensive linemen with significant starting experience including both their starting tackles.  The big question will be who replaces Eric McCoy, who left early for the NFL draft.  Junior Ryan McCollum will be given the first crack at that task as he won Spring MVP for his efforts during Spring ball.  If he can just be good, not great like McCoy, then I think the offensive line will be stronger this year.  The simple facts are, they will not be facing a record number of first round draft picks on the defensive lines they see this year.  Also, the trial by fire method should make them all better after having gone against some of the best in the game last season.  With Dan Moore and Carson Green manning the tackle spots, Jared Hocker healthy again and playing left guard, and then McCollum seizing the Center role, the only spot left is right guard.  This looks like it will be filled by true freshman Kenyon Green.  He was ranked as the number three overall prospect by ESPN in the 2019 recruiting rankings.  That is not the third best lineman, that is third best overall player.  This will allow the Aggies to employ five 300+ pounders along the front which is what you want in the SEC.  I expect this group to be stronger in 2019, giving Mond more time to throw, and still opening up plenty of running lanes. 

X-Factor: How effectively can Ryan McCollum take over for the best center to suit up for the Aggies?

Name to Remember: Kenyon Green will eventually be a first-round pick at tackle, but he might follow the same career path as former first-rounder Cedric Ogbuehi, who started out inside before transitioning out to tackle.