After about nine months, Texas A&M football is back and revamped. The staff has been overhauled from the head coach to the offensive and defensive coordinators, and on Saturday, the 12th Man will be treated to a top-20 evening game against No. 7 Notre Dame. With a ranked clash in store, here’s a look at how the Aggies’ offense matches up against the Fighting Irish’s defense.
In the first order of business, A&M’s offense will be led by newly-minted offensive coordinator Collin Klein. The mastermind behind Kansas State’s No. 10 scoring offense in 2023 brings an all-around scheme and will look to replicate the utilization of multiple players in the offense. No one will benefit more from the mind of Klein than sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman.
However, the biggest concern for the Cypress native and former five-star recruit is his health. Though Weigman’s previous year was cut short due to a season-ending foot injury, his production prior to the injury was a bright spot for the Aggies, throwing for 979 yards and eight touchdowns to just two interceptions. With potential to finally break out barring injuries, Weigman and Klein will grow an offensive partnership that the Maroon and White haven’t seen in awhile.
Though A&M lost key players with the departure of receivers Ainias Smith to the big leagues and junior Evan Stewart to Oregon, the receiving corps is still a force to be reckoned with. Junior Noah Thomas and senior Jahdae Walker bring back both height and experience to help Weigman.
However, one player everyone will be looking at is freshman Terry Bussey. The No. 1 athlete in the 2024 class comes in as a Travis Hunter-esque player, where he is almost positionless. Though his listed position is cornerback, don’t be surprised if Klein slots the talented freshman as a receiver or even a running back.
With all the excitement and potential for A&M offensively, its first test is a mighty difficult one to pass. Led by defensive coordinator Al Golden, the Fighting Irish are essentially locksmiths with how airtight their defense is, and the numbers back it up. In the 2023-24 season, they ranked No. 4 in passing yards given up per game, No. 8 in total yards given up per game and No. 8 in points given up per game. Though its weakness is in stopping the run, Notre Dame can breathe a quick sigh of relief as A&M’s key sophomore running back Rueben Owens suffered a season-ending lower body injury on Aug. 11.
Spearheading the monstrous defense is graduate safety Xavier Watts. Watts broke out last year, leading the NCAA with seven interceptions along with a career-high 52 combined tackles. He also had back-to-back weeks with a pair of picks, showing off his ability to be a ballhawk to opposing quarterbacks. After a breakout year, Watts won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top defensive player.
One more player vital in stopping the air attack is junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison. In many people’s lists, he is a top-three cornerback in the country, if not top-two — and for good reason. In Morrison’s freshman year, he collected six interceptions, with half being against Boston College. Though his season was cut short due to injury, he led the team in passes defended and is projected to be one of the first cornerbacks to be taken in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Come Saturday, Kyle Field should be treated to a close showdown as A&M shows off its offense against one of the country’s best and most-proven defenses in Notre Dame.
