AggieYell Mailbag, sponsored by Tres Hermanos 1850

It's time for this week's AggieYell Mailbag, sponsored by Tres Hermanos 1850, a hunting ranch with native and exotic game, near Gatesville, Texas. Check out their website here.

Q: How are things with you, Mark?

A: I’m ok. My stress level has gone way down since I stopped working two jobs, but finding revenue streams to replace that lost income creates a different kind of stress.

Is Cody enjoying school?

Cody is good. She’s a fourth grader now and has found her niche in theater. She will be Woodstock in a Charlie Brown Christmas in November.

Are you ready to start the season?

You better believe it.

O/U on turnover ratio this season? Im ready to get back to the wrecking crew days and seeing big hits and defensive TDs.

If they can get back into the positives, say even a +5, they’ll be in good shape. They really struggled to force turnovers last year and it was a problem.

What’s all the hype with Tennessee? Are you buying it, or are they the 2022 version of us? (6.William.bs)

I don’t know about Tennessee. I need to watch a couple of games to make a real educated guess. But all this hype around Joe Milton makes me think they could be in for a disappointment.

Q: Will you be in the press box or the sideline?

A: Depends on the game. Most times I’ll bounce back and forth. Auburn and Alabama I’ll be on the field all the time.

Have you heard any further on Petrino & Durkin being sideline or press box?

I would think Petrino will be upstairs and Durkin downstairs. But it’s just a guess.

In an ideal world, who’d (specific player) you like to see score the first TD?

I honestly don’t care. I would kind of like David Bailey to punch one in from a yard out because I like seeing the big back barrel through the line.

Let’s assume Durkin holds everyone’s Xanax prescription off a bit and we see 4 down linemen. Does he like blitz ever with LB’s & Safeties? (Tsipdespiser)

Yeah, he has in the past and I think he probably will do more of it this year. Just a hunch.

Q: 4 star OL Kai Greer just decommited from Stanford. He visited the good guys, right? Will we make a run at him? (Hogtide)

Greer committed to Arkansas a few hours after decomitting from Stanford. A&M is done adding linemen anyway.

Q: 1) Do you expect the defense to attack more this year? Last year it seemed we were bend don't break (for a variety of reasons)

A: I do think he’ll be more aggressive— if he has more faith in his players to handle those situations. Considering they’re all a year older or have significant experience elsewhere (save for Taurean York), I think he will attack more.

2) Do you expect Petrino to try and settle in at the start of the NM game and establish the run, or try to be more explosive with the offense from the start? (Maddog83)

I think we may see run, run, go for broke right out of the gate. With Miami on the horizon, there’s no real opportunity to just mess around and be vanilla. You have to see what you can do.

Q: Are there any real insights we can get from the NM game and how the rest of the season should play out? (Submarine Ag)

A: Absolutely, and they’re very simple: is the offensive line taking care of business and is the defensive line stuffing the run? Those were issues we noticed right out of the gate against Sam Houston last year.

Q: I think the Miami game will define our season. I should probably wait until next week to ask but what do you think? (h273)

A: I don’t know about defining the season, but it can have a big impact on their confidence, good or bad.

Q: What defensive adjustments are needed this year to keep opposing QB’s from scrambling for first downs on third down situations? Too often no containment last year. (Racer Rod)

A: Two things, really. First, you can't give up the edge on the pass rush. Way too often last year, A&M's ends would sense an opportunity and try to go underneath the tackles, and that gave the quarterbacks a clear path out of the pocket. Second, the linebackers have to stay home. They can't run themselves out of position, and they did that a lot.

Q: So…. How hard is it to write “season opening” offense/defense articles with zero knowledge of what is actually happening within the other program? (Not really a follow-up) was Jimbo right when he commented on “the first game of the season is always hard”? Seems like writing your first previews should be equally as difficult if not more so. (JPhillips97)

A: Jimbo was 100% right when he called opening games a pain. Now, imagine a team that basically took their starting 22 and kicked them all out the door and changed their offense. You just described New Mexico. I've watched game film of UAB, scoured depth charts thinking, "who the hell is this guy?" and been amazed at the lack of returning production. So everything you say is an educated guess.

Q: Any feel for when Atkins might announce. (AgNok)

A: No, not really. He could whenever he feels like it. He hasn't given much of an indication that he's prepared to make a move, even though everyone knows it's coming.

Q: Do you think Josh Heupel is a better Head coach than Jimbo? Why or why not? (Big Smoothie)

A: Come on, you seriously expect me to touch this one? Not happening. But one has a natty and the other doesn't.

Q: Who got cut from NFL teams that you think have a chance to get picked up? (BVOSUX)

A: Germain Ifedi was a late cut by Detroit, and Buffalo already had him in for a visit and I think were going to sign him. Hopefully, someone will pick Jace Sternberger up.

Q: The national SEC bloviators seem to think Jimbo may be on the hot seat. I think not, but if not Jimbo then who? (Aggie1983)

A: This seems like a tricky way to get me to speculate on a job I don't think is in danger, which I'm not going to do.

Q: If we land McKinley and Bussey, this class would probably jump into a top 5 range, with a handful of scholarships still available and several months to go. Who would you see the staff focusing their attention on over the next several months for those last few scholarships? (Thepassag)

A: You still need another corner, so that makes Kobe Black an obvious target. Then I'd be looking for another defensive end, a running back or two and get Deebo Atkins to close the deal and flip. After that, I'm looking at the best players I think I can get.

Q: Your ranking of all-time A&M head football coaches? Not simply on record alone, but including recruiting, game prep, on-the field coaching, etc, (TAMU-83)

A: I can't answer this one. I don't know enough about things before 1994.

Q: Kool Aid Heat Check: If you compare our last two 10 win teams (2020, 2012), what are the similarities and differences between the teams? Beyond a Heisman winning QB, what else do we need to go similarly for A&M to have a surprise good year? Or reword this into a more fun version of a comparison question. You are the editor. Edit away (Jeffmc)

A: I think there are a few similarities, at least on paper. First, you've got depth and talent at running back. In 2012, they had Christine Michael, Ben Malena and Trey Williams; in 2020, it was Isaiah Spiller, Devon Achane and Ainias Smith. Second, you had veteran defenses on both of those teams. The corners on those squads were very underrated. Both teams had veteran offensive lines, save one guard -- Cedric Ogbuehi was a redshirt and Kenyon Green a true freshman.This line is not as experienced, but four of the five have started multiple games and three of them have been starters for at least a full year.

This applies more to 2012 than 2020, but you've also got a deep receiver corps. A&M had Ryan Swope, Mike Evans, EZ Nwachkwu, Kenric McNeal and Malcome Kennedy on that team. A&M can go 5-deep this year too. Now, if Weigman would like to go absolutely nuts and take over games like Johnny did, that would be just fine.

Q: 1. Could some presumed starters rest because of the heat, competition and another week to heal up?

A: No.

2. Any new RB or CB options for '24?

Nope.

3. Favorite national pundit to have a beer with? (JustAvgIllini)

I drink with several, so I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.

Q: Is Crownover at 6'7" really only 235 pounds as reported HERE? That's awfully skinny for a two deep offensive tackle? (KeithDB)

A: Keith, that is from his recruiting card from three years ago. He is now 315 pounds, as reported here.