5 THINGS TO WATCH

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher made headlines in the offseason with one of the all-time rants of college football, this one directed at his former mentor Nick Saban.

Here are five things to watch as Fisher’s program tries to stay in the headlines for another reason — competing for an SEC title:

WILL QB(S) MOVE THE BALL THIS SEASON

1 The Aggies were bad last season on offense, where Fisher calls the plays, based primarily on the erratic play of quarterback Zach Calzada, who has since transferred to Auburn. Fisher is counting on Haynes King, who won the starting job a year ago before breaking his leg in Week 2, and LSU transfer

Max Johnson to carry the load this season. King will start the opener against Sam Houston.

SPEAKING OF SEASONING … THAT DEFENSIVE LINE

2 The Aggies also made offseason headlines by recruiting a defensive line with a whopping four five-star prospects. What Fisher is counting on, however, is veterans Fadil Diggs, Isaiah Raikes and McKinnley Jackson carrying the Saturdays early in the season while Walter Nolen and crew develop their massive college legs.

A&M opens with Sam Houston and Appalachian State, which should give the young bunch a little more time to develop before the Aggies host No. 16 Miami on Sept. 17. The Aggies must replace four starters on the defensive line.

DEVON ACHANE IN THE HEISMAN MIX

3 The Aggies haven’t had this electric of a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate at running back since ’Lectric Leeland McElroy himself in 1995. Unfortunately for the ’95 Aggies, McElroy was hurt early in the season and didn’t develop into a true Heisman candidate.

Achane like McElroy also excels in the return game (ask Alabama about that following Achane’s 96-yard kick return for a touchdown last season). The question is whether Achane at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds can stand the rigors of being the Aggies’ every-down back.

WHAT’S GOING ON AT CENTER

4 Sophomore Bryce Foster was figured to be the no-doubt starting center after holding down the fort at the position as a true freshman last season, but Foster did not take part in spring drills while competing primarily in the shot put for the A&M track and field team. That opened the door for redshirt freshman Matthew Wykoff to snap the ball, and he’s given a nicked-up Foster a run for his money in August camp as starting center. That means Foster, an All-America candidate, might be freed up to play his more natural position of guard.

Interestingly enough by late in camp Fisher still had not officially named starters at the two positions grasping the ball the most: center and quarterback.

SCHEDULE DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY

5 Fisher did what he felt like he had to do in defending his program after Saban said A&M “bought” its entire 2022 class (legally) through the new name, image and likeness (NIL) means of compensating players, but Fisher did no favors for the Aggies on Oct. 8 at Alabama.

Based on Fisher questioning Saban’s character and everything else, that setting in Tuscaloosa, Ala., is certain to be one of the most raucous of the year. Tucked away in the hype is the fact that the ballyhooed showdown is the third of four consecutive games for the Aggies away from Kyle Field starting in late September. (Second to) bottom line is if A&M truly is going to compete for a division title, that likely will occur in an odd year, when Alabama comes to Kyle Field. And that’s next year for the Aggies.