App State — Chase Brice , No. 7
Senior quarterback Chase Brice leads the Mountaineers as quarterback and he was named the Sun Belt Conference’s offensive player of the week after his record-breaking performance against North Carolina.
The quarterback is no stranger to performing under pressure as he threw a 28-yard touchdown pass with just 31 seconds left to tie the game against North Carolina. Brice concluded the game with a career-high 361 yards and set a school record for six touchdown passes to six different receivers.
App — Nick Hampton, No. 9
On the defensive end, junior linebacker Nick Hampton is a key player for the squad and could create challenges for A&M’s offensive line. Hampton is talented and skilled at making plays to get the ball back in the Mountaineers possession. He tallied 2.5 sacks, five total tackles and forced a fumble in the season opener.
App. State — Nate Noel, No. 5
Brice’s offensive leadership partnered with sophomore Nate Noel, a running back and last year’s leading rusher in the Sun Belt Conference, could be a challenge for the Aggies.
Noel had a career-high two touchdowns and had 116 yards on 14 carries to contribute to the intense matchup against North Carolina.
A&M — Jardin Gilbert, No. 20
Bringing fire defensively for the maroon and white is sophomore defensive back Jardin Gilbert. Gilbert matched a career-high five tackles and recorded the first interception of his career against Sam Houston State. Gilbert’s grit and toughness could provide the Aggies with a much-needed defensive edge against the Mountaineers. With an offensive line that can make huge plays and perform well under pressure, the Aggies defense will need to be set on its opponents and focused on containing Brice.
A&M — Evan Stewart, No. 1
Evan Stewart, a freshman wide receiver, made his debut, and his presence was made known with five catches for 57 yards in the season opener against Sam Houston. The five-star receiver’s skills and impact will be needed to disrupt the defensive game plan of the Mountaineers, if A&M’s offense is going to have success in Saturday’s matchup.
A&M — Yulkeith Brown, No. 8
Scoring the first touchdown to put the Aggies on the board against Sam Houston was sophomore wide receiver Yulkeith Brown, a wide receiver for the squad. The 66-yard pass was the first reception of Brown’s career.
“Evan [Stewart], I thought he did well,” Jimbo Fisher said. “I thought our young wideouts did a nice job in the game. Yulkeith [Brown] making those plays and being able to run and get the balls and the big plays, I thought was really good.” Brown’s speed and eye for the ball will be required to help the Aggies put up points and edge out the Mountaineers’ defense.
