Sports Illustrated USA – August 12, 2019

84

It’s rare that

specialists are

game-changers, but

punter BRADEN MANN

is one. In the

Aggies’ 20–14 OT

win over Kentucky

last season, for

example, Mann

notched an

82-yard punt, the

school’s longest in

74 years—and that

was after booming

a 65-yarder the

same night, another

punt that flipped

the field in a close

game. Mann—who

had five punts

against Alabama

for 304 yards, a

60.8 average—set

the FBS season

record for punting

average at

51.0 yards a boot.

Mann passed on

the NFL draft; he

wants to improve

his 38.0% success

rate on punts inside

the 20-yard line. In

a conference where

the margins are

razor thin, an even

better Mann will

give the Aggies a

distinct advantage.

X-FACTOR

2019

SCHEDULE

THE BIG STORY Before last

season, Texas A&M made a

bold investment in Jimbo Fisher,

hiring him away from Florida State

with a monster $75 million

contract. The early returns were

promising: The Aggies won nine

games for the first time since 2013,

beat LSU for the first time in eight

years and notched their first bowl

game win since ’14. A&M has the

look of a power in the making.

CAN’T MISS Fisher showed

great success at turning

QBs into stars at Florida State,

and Kellen Mond could be next.

He burst onto the scene last

season with the Aggies’ near

upset of Clemson. He was

erratic overall despite putting

up impressive numbers:

3,107 passing yards and a 24/9

TD/INT ratio. The dual-threat

QB will be given more freedom

as a junior, with QUARTNEY DAVIS as

his top target.

KEY QUESTION The Aggies’ run

defense, a strength of the

team last season, will take a step

back this year after losing its top

six tacklers (and that doesn’t

include defensive lineman Daylon

Mack, drafted in the fifth round by

for the Aggies in the season opener.

The Aggies do have highly touted

recruits on the roster—but can they

make an immediate impact?

KEY MATCHUP

BIGGEST GAME

SI RANKING

AUG. 29

TEXAS STATE

SEPT. 7

@ CLEMSON (2)

SEPT. 14

LAMAR

SEPT. 21

AUBURN (17)

SEPT. 28

ARKANSAS

OCT. 12

ALABAMA (1)

OCT. 19

@ OLE MISS

OCT. 26

MISSISSIPPI STATE

(20)

NOV. 2

UTSA

NOV. 16

NOV. 23

@ GEORGIA (3)

NOV. 30

@ LSU (8)

THE RUNDOWN

3

6

9

12

15

8 –5 8 –5 7– 6 9 – 4 8 – 4

WINS

After an underwhelming

stretch under Kevin Sumlin,

the Aggies are trending the

right way with Fisher—who

continues to bring in elite

talent with top recruiting

YEAR 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019* classes—at the helm.

*SI PROJECTION

5 -YEAR TREND

8.5

The Aggies are

talented, but the

schedule ranks as one of the most

treacherous in the country: road

games at Clemson, Georgia and

LSU, with the latter two closing

out the regular season. Oh, and

Alabama comes to town as well.

OVER OR UNDER

FRO

M LEFT: JO

E RO

BBIN

S/GETTY IM

AGES; JO

SEPH CALO

MEN

I/M

ARIN

MEDIA O

RG/CSM

/SH

UTTERSTO

CK

Texas A&M

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