White Earns 33-19 Victory Over Maroon; Aggies Spring Football Takeaways, Observations
Following a full 60 minutes of gameplay, the Texas A&M Aggies have officially completed their Maroon & White game.
Mixed with different fan interactions and even a "legends" flag football game featuring past alumni at halftime, the spring game gave fans a chance to connect with this season's team, especially with the new faces set to hit the field in the fall.
Likely starting quarterback Conner Weigman, backup Max Johnson, new recruit Rueben Owens, Evan Stewart and Ainias Smith headlined the Aggies' offense, while Demani Richardson, Tony Grimes and even Sam McCall brought pressure from the defensive side of things.
While there are still questions remaining and concerns to be addressed, there was a lot to unpack during the Aggies' first look, some of which were at the top of the offseason list.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from Saturday's showdown between Texas A&M's Maroon and White teams:
The Weigman-Stewart connection is real, and so is Weigman
Both returning members of the Aggie offense, Weigman and Stewart have had time in the Aggies' system to build both their chemistry and their skillset.
The former was especially apparent Saturday, as Stewart quickly became Weigman's favorite target. Though Stewart went without a touchdown, his presence commanded the defense to place its top defenders on him, which Stewart took advantage of.
The receiver made quite a few athletic catches — though a couple were ruled out of bounds — to solidify his status as the Aggies' go-to receiver. His elite playmaking ability is likely to draw some of the conference's top defenders as well, which could spell trouble if Weigman begins to rely too heavily on the connection with Stewart.
Though Weigman had a strong outing, one part of his game that proved to be a struggle was moving the offense in the red zone. The Aggies had seemingly no issues getting within 20 yards of the end zone, but scoring was a different story. Early on, the Maroon offense, led by Weigman, stalled out on back-to-back possessions.
Last season, Texas A&M finished in the top-25 of FBS teams in red zone scoring percentage, so Weigman's ability to score in scoring position will be crucial, especially with a talented receiving core spearheaded by Stewart.
It still remains to be seen where Weigman stands officially compared to his more experienced competition, but if one thing is certain, the young quarterback looked much improved, with a strong group of receivers to rely on come September.
Max Johnson is solid, but not perfect
At first glance, it appeared that Johnson was going to run away with the spring game, especially after his early highlight-worthy pass to Micah Tease in the first quarter.
The former LSU quarterback had his chance to showcase his talent and prove to Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher why he belonged at the starting position. He did that early on, finding Tease multiple times, along with other receivers to move the ball down the field.
Johnson proved to be mobile as well, escaping pressure while also showing his ability to roll out, though that did create a few problems.
The rising junior had an obvious pocket presence, and strong dual-threat ability, though his rollout attempts sometimes ended with a poorly decided cross-body throwback to the middle. In the first half, Johnson was picked off during one such throw.
So while Weigman may have already won the competition for the starting role, Johnson made a strong case for himself Saturday. And if he does end up with the job, his experience will undoubtedly play into that.
Rueben Owens is a star in the making
Saturday proved that the role of RB1 is far from official.
The Aggies entered their spring game with multiple options at running back. Two of them were returning players with experience, Le'Veon Moss and Amari Daniels, while one was a new, but highly recruited prospect, Rueben Owens.
From the get-go, Le'Veon Moss showed why he deserves snaps next year, regardless of where he falls on the depth chart. His build is nearly identical to Owens, and his toughness during contact makes him that much more explosive. Multiple times during the game, Moss dragged a couple of defenders with him while he went to gain a few more yards.
Owens, on the other hand, made his speed known right away. The incoming freshman showed quickness through gaps and did not go down easily, though his position flexibility is what sets him apart. Next season, Owens has a solid chance at being the Aggies' starting running back and kick returner, while also filling as a reliable set of hands-on screen passes, which he executed a couple of times.
Even Daniels got in on the running back clinic that the Aggies put on, scoring a touchdown late in the first half to give his team a boost.
Overall, the Texas A&M running back room is looking scary, and while it will be missing the pure speed that Devon Achane brought, the Aggies will not be lacking in the rushing department.
Final Thoughts
The Aggies put out two solid groups Saturday, both showcasing different aspects of the roster that will all need to be well-oiled in order to compete again with the SEC's level of talent.
Talent is not where the Aggies lack, but rather injuries, inconsistency and even immaturity at times, as multiple players found themselves suspended.
With structural changes in place, as Fisher is seemingly loosening up his grip on the play-calling efforts, Texas A&M will be able to hone in on both sides of the ball, as well as recruiting and off-field discipline.
Saturday's game proved that there is as much depth as there is talent from the offense to the defense, setting up the Aggies to be a true force next year. Fans will just have to wait and see how the team continues to develop ahead of its season opener against New Mexico.
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