3 New Mexico Defensive Playmakers for the Aggies to Watch For In Week 1
Ahead of their opening-night matchup against New Mexico, the Texas A&M Aggies will primarily be looking to settle in their offense.
A second-year quarterback mixed with a first-year offensive coordinator will make for a season-long storyline, as Texas A&M hopes to generate more yards and more touchdowns than it did last year.
Incoming freshman running back Rueben Owens will also play a large role in that, backed by a returning core of offensive lineman who are set to give both him and Le'Veon Moss room to run.
Before the Aggies' offense can fully realize its potential, however, they'll need to establish a rhythm first. On opening night, the Lobos will be aiming to prevent just that, utilizing these three defensive leaders to help them get the job done:
Linebacker Syaire Riley
Standing at 6-0 and weighing 235 pounds, Riley is on the shorter end of players at his position, but his bulk allows him to pack a punch that makes him the Lobos' leading returning tackler. Last season, he tallied 36 tackles and made his presence felt by every offensive player he faced. The senior had a chance to develop his game behind some of the other veterans on the team, and now due to the overwhelming turnover of tacklers, he will get his chance to prove his dominance against the Aggies in his first game back from injury — which kept him sidelined for New Mexico's final three games. If he continues to play like he did last season — or better — Aggie playmakers may be seeing his name multiple times as they get up from the ground.
Cornerback Donte Martin
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Despite missing significant time last season with a collapsed lung, Donte Martin proved his ball-seeking talents for the Lobos throughout the year. The fifth-year senior will be leading the New Mexico secondary after becoming the team's leading returning pass defender, recording an interception to go along with his fifth place all-time pass-break-up record in program history. Though he was thrown into a front-man role for next season, being a leader isn't anything new to him, as the cornerback already has four years of experience under his belt. The Aggies, while they try to get their passing game going, will certainly need to weary of poorly thrown passes in Martin's direction, as it could cost them points.
Nose Tackle Bryce Santana
Entering his fourth year with the team, Santana is looking to not just repeat his performance from last year, but improve upon it. The nose tackle did a little bit of everything for the Lobos, tallying 24 tackles, three sacks, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup in 12 games. Using his size, he made opposing quarterbacks feel his presence, and will certainly be looking to do the same against the Aggies, especially as they try to develop a rhythm behind Conner Weigman. If the offensive line takes any snaps off, they might just watch as Santana runs loose in the backfield, hoping to earn another sack on his season.
