BYB Top 25 Countdown - #8 Texas A&M Aggies



Aggie tackle Jake Matthews


Look, I could use this preview as another opportunity to blast college football’s favorite celebrity clown as I love to do but that isn’t fair. It’s too easy. So here’s a Manziel free preview.

A&M did what everyone outside of Bryan/College Station thought was impossible going into the 2012 season – the Aggies competed for the SEC West Division title. The Ags beat college football’s best in Tuscaloosa. Years down the road when we look back and assess Alabama’s dynasty Texas A&M will be discussed just as Texas is whenever USC’s Pete Carroll era dynasty is brought up.

That said, the season wasn’t perfect as A&M was beat twice at home, by Florida and LSU. While Florida is gone from the 2013 schedule, LSU remains and this year the game is in Death Valley. That trip will likely be just as daunting as hosting the revenge showdown with Alabama.

Offensively the Aggies bring back the team’s top two backs, Ben Malena and Trey Williams, who should help lead a rushing attack that finished 11th in the country in 2012. Mike Evans is back at receiver and his tall frame ensures that no ball is out of reach.

The line is without Luke Joeckel, the #2 pick in the 2012 NFL draft, but Jake Matthews will shift over to the left side to guard the blind side and two other starters return from last year’s great line.

The Aggies will have to rebound on defense as the team returns only four starters from a year ago. The team will be relying on players like Kirby Ennis and Steven Jenkins to have strong returns from injury and for instant contributions from new additions like JUCO linebacker Tommy Sanders.

A&M was torched in pass defense last year and corners Deshazor Everett and De’Vante Harris will be needed to pull together an experienced group that will have to be the strength of the defense.

Assuming the QB Who Shall Not Be Named rises from the ashes of his Summer of Goon and is available to lead the team, I see the Aggies with no definite losses but with torturous push games against LSU and Alabama and the potential for failure in a trap game at Ole Miss.

If he isn’t around all bets are off as Arkansas, Auburn, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State immediately get upgraded to push games and LSU and Alabama become definite losses. With Manziel I have the Ags 9-1-2, without him it’s more like 5-2-5.

Not Anatomically or Politically Correct

"Rally round, Aggies! Ken® doll joins the Texas A&M cheer squad in a white jumpsuit and red athletic shoes with articulated arms ready to basket toss or build a pyramid. 'We're gonna beat you all to Chigaroogarem, rough, tough, real stuff, Texas A&M!'"

The doll sells for $24.95 at BarbieCollector.com. It notes A&M Ken was released on May 30, 2013.
Ken first hit the market courtesy of Mattel in 1961. Barbie was introduced in 1959.

The Yell Leader tradition at A&M dates back to 1907. There has never been a female yell leader elected.

Of all the ridiculous Aggie traditions (and there is a smorgasbord of them) the use of all male cheerleaders has to be the most outlandish. The entire idea behind cheerleaders is to have eye candy to stare out during timeouts. Who wants to look at a bunch of goofy looking crew cuts do choreographed routines in painter’s overalls?

Now TAMU gets the distinction of being the only school with a Ken doll. It would have been better if they gave him a $5 haircut, a 68 IQ and a stupid grin and called it the Rick doll. He'd be the most famous eunuch since Theon Greyjoy.

I’ve never understood the need for yell leaders anyway. Cheering is about the most natural human reaction so why does one need to be taught the act. Wikihow.com even has a How-To describing the proper way to do an Aggie yell. If you feel the need to click that the first step is to perform a lobotomy.

The one thing the Yell Leaders can’t teach is being inclusive. To date there have been no female Yell Leaders and to my surprise there have been some gals who wanted the opportunity.

I’m not sure what the excuse has been for keeping women out. It could be tradition; it could be coodies. Or the Ags may fear that Baylor’s bear may be attracted by the menstruation of a female Yell Leader.