Spring ball - What to watch for
Can’t have spring without Spring football. By: The Hammer
Spring ball is officially underway. Some people call it spring practice, but I prefer to call it spring ball because I am a football guy through and through. For the average fan, spring ball means very little. They check out during the offseason and will come back into the fold in the fall. And that’s okay. No shame in that, we welcome all college football and Aggie fans. But for the football maniacs like myself, and most likely you if you are reading this, spring ball is important.
It signals the first major step of the offseason. Spring football to summer workouts to fall camp and finally the season arrives - the first domino is spring ball. It’s the official beginning of the 2021 Texas A&M football season. Just that sentence has me fired up. Last year is now completely in the rear view and no one cares what you did last season any longer. Unless you are a Texas fan, then you cling to 2005 for relevancy like your life depends on it. All gas or something? I like to think of spring ball as the sunrise for the 2021 season. You can finally see the sun peaking over the offseason horizon, and it signals there is work to be done and progress to be made in preparation for the regular season. Can’t be wasting daylight, son!
Sunrise is Aggieland.
As we outlined in our latest posts where we projected the 2021 offensive and defensive starters, respectively, we know what players left for the NFL and where the opportunities for new blood are. These battles all begin in spring ball.
Most eyes will be on the quarterback position. We touched on this in an earlier piece as well, discussing the offseason quarterback battle. No doubt these guys have been competing in workouts and the film room since last season concluded with an Orange Bowl win, but now they get to show it on the field. Who will be ready when the pads are on and chin straps are buckled? Again, my gut says Haynes King emerges as the guy, but we will learn a lot this spring. Unfortunately, the practices are closed to the public so we will have to rely on press conferences and reports on who is looking good until the Maroon and White game on April 24th. I’m chomping at the bit to see King and Calzada perform in that one.
Other than QB, offensive line is the next biggest storyline. Where will Kenyon Green end up? Jimbo said in his opening press conference that Green can play any position on the line and I believe it. Green has first round of the NFL draft written all over him. But it will still be interesting to see where he lines up for the Maroon and White game. I think he will either make the move out to left tackle or possibly to center, depending on what the team needs more. Those are the two most important positions on the line, so it makes sense to have a guy like Green in one of those.
Photo: The Eagle
The rest of the line is anyone’s guess. I think we can count on seeing Layden Robinson at one of the guard positions but other than that who knows. The talent is there but experience is not. I’m excited to see how the competition shakes out and who rises above the rest to earn playing time. The offensive line is so critical in the SEC, so we need those guys to be ready come fall. It won’t matter who plays quarterback or how good our running backs are, if the offensive line can’t block, we’ll be doomed.
The wide receiver position will also be interesting to see. Chapman will remain out all spring as he is still recovering from the ACL injury suffered on his epic touchdown against Florida last season. But Cam Buckley should be back practicing, so who will get playing time? We did not have much production at wide receiver but now we have a lot of returning experience along with some young talent eager to earn their spot. I hope to see Demond Demas get some looks in the Maroon and White game. I just want to see what he can do. Throw him some 50/50 balls and let him go get it. It’s anyone's guess who ends up getting the bulk of playing time at wideout. Jimbo’s handling of that position puzzles me so I’m eager to see how it plays out next year.
Defensively, there is a lot less to keep an eye on as we return nine starters. I’m interested to see who steps in at linebacker and how the defensive line rotation shakes out. Depending on how they split the teams up, I would not be surprised to see the defenses outmatch the offenses in the Maroon and White game. Way more experience on the defensive side of the ball so they should be able to stop the offenses quite well in my mind.
At this point, I’m just glad football is back in the news. Aggie football players are on the field and the weight room preparing for next season and that gets me fired up. After a 9-1 finish in 2020, expectations are high. Jimbo is building something but the last thing anyone wants is to take a step back. It’s going to be hard but I trust Jimbo and they guys on that team to be ready to make some noise in the fall and it all starts now.
#BTHOSpringBall
