Spring football practice has officially arrived for Texas A&M. Today, the Aggies hit the field for the first time in 2017, entering their sixth SEC season and their sixth under coach Kevin Sumlin.
With several key players from their 2016 team gone and plenty of new faces on the roster, there are numerous question marks for the Aggies. Here are three we'll be paying attention to in the coming weeks:
1. The quarterback battle
For the fifth time in six years, the Aggies enter spring not having an already-established starting quarterback. This time, however, the person who wins the job could wind up being a multi-year starter. Senior Jake Hubenak, who has three career starts but has served mostly backup duty since arriving in 2015, will have an opportunity, especially since he's the only one with collegiate experience. But the two quarterbacks most outsiders will be paying attention to are redshirt freshman Nick Starkel and true freshman Kellen Mond. Starkel, a 2016 recruit whom the Aggies signed in the wake of the transfers of Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray, is a strong-armed pocket passer. Mond, the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback recruit in the 2017 class, is a gifted runner and proficient passer who enrolled in January.
2. Who steps up at defensive end?
Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall are no longer roaming the sidelines; they're pursuing pro careers. They were mainstays at defensive end for the Aggies the past three years but now Texas A&M must turn to new faces for a pass rush. Veterans Qualen Cunningham and Jarrett Johnson, who have backed up Garrett and Hall the past three years, have enough playing experience to step in but whether they can match their predecessors' pass-rushing prowess remains to be seen. To help soften the blow from the dynamic duo's departure, the Aggies signed ESPN JC 50 defensive end Micheal Clemons in their 2017 class, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound prospect. Clemons isn't expected on campus until the summer, but either way, the spring is a critical time for the Aggies to develop some depth beyond Cunningham and Johnson at the position.
3. New starters at offensive tackle
The Aggies lost starting offensive tackles Avery Gennesy (an All-SEC selection) and Jermaine Eluemunor to graduation, so new faces will be bookending the offensive line. Koda Martin, a junior who has played sparingly the past couple of seasons, figures to be a starter at one of those spots, most likely left tackle. The other spot is up for grabs, and there's no shortage of candidates, as the Aggies have recruited linemen heavily in recent recruiting classes. Whether it's someone who has been waiting in the wings, like Tank Davis, moving a starter from another position (guard Colton Prater, possibly) or throwing a redshirt freshman into the mix (2016 ESPN 300 recruit Kellen Diesch comes to mind), there are several possibilities to fill out the spot. Finding the right one is key.
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