Saturday, October 17
College Station
2:30 PM
Texas A&M
vs
Alabama
Game Day Preview: Alabama
Oct 14, 2015 | Football
| The Matchup: | (#10/9) Alabama (5-1, 2-1) at (#9/10) Texas A&M (5-0, 2-0) |
| Kickoff: | Saturday, Oct. 17 - 2:39 p.m. |
| Venue: | Kyle Field |
| Watch: | CBS (Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, Allie LaForce) |
| Listen: | Texas A&M Sports Network (Dave South, Dave Elmendorf, Will Johnson) | 12thMan.com - TuneIn - Sirius 93/XM 191 |
| Texas A&M Spanish Network (Pedro Vela, Noel Orellana) | 12thMan.com | |
| Compass Media (Gregg Daniels, Tony Hill) | |
| Live Stats: | 12thman.com |
| Game Notes: | Texas A&M | Alabama | SEC |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: #BAMAvsTAMU
- Texas A&M will be seeking its first 6-0 start of the Kevin Sumlin era and its first since 1994 when the Aggies opened the year with seven straight wins and finished the year with an undefeated 10-0-1 worksheet.
- A victory over Alabama would move the Aggies to 3-0 in conference play for the first time since 2004 when the team started the Big 12 schedule with four straight wins.
- Texas A&M will be seeking its first-ever win over Alabama at Kyle Field. Alabama leads the series, 5-2, with Texas A&M's wins over the Crimson Tide coming in Dallas (1968 Cotton Bowl) and Tuscaloosa, Ala. (2012). Alabama has two wins at Kyle Field (1988 and 2014).
- The Aggies' Oct. 17 tilt with the Crimson Tide will be the latest a ranked opponent has faced an undefeated Texas A&M squad at Kyle Field since 1975. In 1975, the 10-0 and No. 2-ranked Aggies beat No. 5 Texas, 20-10, on Nov. 28.
- Fourth-year A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin will be seeking his 10th victory over an AP Top 25 opponent when the Aggies battle the Crimson Tide. Among all A&M coaches, Sumlin ranks No. 3 in AP Top 25 wins behind NFF Hall of Famer R.C. Slocum (17) and Jackie Sherrill (10). Sumlin has compiled an 9-9 record vs. top 25 foes in his first 44 games at Texas A&M.
- With 40 rushing yards, senior RB Tra Carson would move past former teammate Trey Williams (1,343), John Kimbrough (1,357), Ja'Mar Toombs (1,360) and Thomas Sanders (1,379) on A&M's career rushing list.
- Sophomore QB Kyle Allen's next TD pass will make him the ninth passer in A&M history to connect on at least 30 career touchdown passes.
- Freshman WR/RS Christian Kirk needs 42 all-purpose yards to reach 1,000 for the season. The fastest any Aggie has ever reached 1,000 is six games by Leeland McElroy in 1995.
- Kirk needs 151 receiving yards to break Uzoma Nwachukwu's TRUE freshman school record of 670 receiving yards from 2009.
DIPLOMA CHASERS
By the end of the 2015 season, there will likely be more than a dozen graduates on the Texas A&M football roster.
- Five Aggies enter the fall semester with their degrees already in hand: TE Brandon Alexander, PK Taylor Bertolet, OG Joseph Cheek, P Drew Kaser and TE Caden Smith.
- Expected to receive their diplomas at Texas A&M's fall commencement include: DB Devonta Burns, RB Tra Carson, DL Isaac Flores, OL Ryan Lindblade, C Mike Matthews, 12th Man Sam Moeller, OL Jeremiah Stuckey, RB Blaine Townsend, QB Jordan Traylor and RB/CB Brandon Williams.
RARE TOP 10 MATCHUP AT KYLE FIELD
It will be a rare Associated Press Top 10 showdown at Kyle Field when No. 9 Texas A&M hosts No. 10 Alabama in a 2:30 p.m. contest on Saturday.
- The matchup will mark the sixth time that two top 10 squads have faced off at the Home of the 12th Man.
- The Aggies are 2-3 in the previous contests and the most recent top 10 battle at Kyle was the 2013 Texas A&M-Alabama game when the No. 1 Crimson Tide defeated the No. 6 Aggies, 49-42.
- Under Kevin Sumlin (since 2012), the Aggies are 12-3 when ranked in the AP Top 10.
- Since 1936, Texas A&M has compiled a 102-32-2 record (75.7 winning percentage) when ranked in the AP Top 10.
Top 10 Matchups at Kyle Field
2015 No. 9 TAMU vs. No. 10 Alabama
2013 No. 1 Alabama 49, No. 6 TAMU 42
2011 No. 7 Oklahoma St. 30, No. 8 TAMU 29
1975 No. 2 TAMU 20, No. 5 Texas 10
1951 No. 10 TAMU 14, No. 4 Oklahoma 7
1941 No. 10 Texas 23, No. 2 TAMU 0
HIGH OCTANE AGGIES
One of the opening periods of head coach Kevin Sumlin's practices is called "fast start." Occurring just after warmups, "fast start" features several live-action 11-on-11 series just like a game situation. He started implementing the period when his teams at the University of Houston were getting off to slow starts.
- The Aggies have scored 14 or more first quarter points in three games in 2015, including 28 vs. Ball State. In 44 games under Sumlin, A&M has scored at least 14 first-quarter points 21 times.
- Texas A&M has scored first in four of five games in 2015. Under Sumlin, the Aggies have scored first in 37-of-44 games.
- On its initial offensive possessions in 2015, the Aggies have scored three times (all touchdowns) in five games. Under Sumlin, the Aggies have scored 27-of-44 times on their first drive, with an impressive 26 touchdowns.
- The Aggies own a 63-20 scoring advantage in the first quarter in 2015. In first quarters under Sumlin (44 games), the Aggies have outscored their opponents 480-139.
- A&M has been outscored in the first quarter in just 11 games under Sumlin (once in 2015, 7-0 by ARK).
4TH QUARTERS VS. POWER 5 OPPONENTS
The Texas A&M defense has rose to the occasion in fourth quarters against Power 5 opponents in 2015. The Aggies, under the direction of defensive coordinator John Chavis, have allowed just 17 points in fourth quarters against ASU, ARK and MSU.
- Power 5 opponents have averaged 2.8 yards per rush (35 carries/98 yards) and 4.2 yards per offensive play (61 plays/258 yards) in the fourth quarter vs. the Aggies.
- Entering the fourth quarter, A&M led ASU (17-14) and MSU (27-10) and trailed ARK (14-13).
vs. No. 15 Arizona State (Pac 12)
Points allowed: 3
Rushing Yards: 6 yards / 12 carries
Passing Yards: 102 yards / 9-of-16 attempts
Total Yards: 108 yards / 28 plays
vs. Arkansas (SEC)
Points allowed: 7
Rushing Yards: 68 yards / 17 carries
Passing Yards: 0 yards / 0-0 attempts
Total Yards: 68 yards / 17 plays
vs. Mississippi State (SEC)
Points allowed: 7
Rushing Yards: 24 yards / 6 carries
Passing Yards: 58 yards / 6-10 attempts
Total Yards: 82 yards / 16 plays
Texas A&M-Alabama Connections
Despite having just six previous Texas A&M vs. Alabama games, the connections between the schools are extensive.
- Legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant coached the Aggies from 1954-57 before a long tenure at Alabama. Two of Bryant's proteges served as head coach at Texas A&M: Gene Stallings (1965-71) and Jackie Sherrill (1982-88). Stallings played for Bryant at Texas A&M and served as an assistant coach at Alabama from 1958-64. He would later coach the Tide from 1990-96, and led them to the 1992 national title. Sherrill played for Bryant at Alabama from 1963-65.
- John David Crow was the single Heisman Trophy winner of Bryant's career in 1957 at Texas A&M, and he was an assistant coach at Alabama from 1969-71. Crow passed away earlier this year.
- Current Texas State head coach Dennis Franchione served as head coach at both schools -- at Alabama from 2001-02 and Texas A&M from 2003-07.
- Alabama Assoc. AD for Media Relations Doug Walker is a 1988 graduate of Texas A&M and served as a student assistant in the SID office under Alan Cannon. ... Tide Director of Performance Nutrition Amy Bragg served the same capacity at A&M from 2005-10.
Team:
- Texas A&M has been turnover-free in its last two games, which hasn't happened in back-to-back games IN A SEASON since the first two games of 2012.
- Consequently, the Aggies have had a turnover advantage in past two games. Texas A&M is undefeated (14-0) when winning the turnover battle in the Sumlin era (since 2012).
- Texas A&M holds a healthy 121-37 scoring advantage in the first half, including a 63-20 bulge in the first quarter.
- Against Power 5 opponents, Texas A&M's defense has been stingy in fourth quarters in 2015. Versus ASU, ARK and MSU, the defense has given up just 258 total yards (4.2 yards/play) and 17 points in the final stanza.
- The Aggie defense ranks in the top 25 nationally in QB sacks (19.0) and tackles for loss (42.0).
- Texas A&M leads the SEC in home attendance with an average of 103,753 fans per game.
- Players earning weekly honors after the MSU win were: DE Myles Garrett (SEC DL of the Week, Lott IMPACT nominee), PK Taylor Bertolet (Lou Groza Award) and QB Kyle Allen (Davey O'Brien Award).
- Texas A&M is converting on third downs at a solid 45.2 percent rate for the season (up from 2014's 40.8 rate).
- Twenty-two players weighing 300 or more pounds dot the Aggies' 2015 roster, which is the most in school history. Leading the way were junior OT Germain Ifedi and freshman DT Daylon Mack, who tipped the scales at 335 pounds.
- After his first three seasons, Sumlin's 28 wins were a record for an Aggie head coach. The previous record was 27 victories by National Football Foundation Hall of Fame coach R.C. Slocum in 1989-91.
- Changes to the Aggies' 2015 coaching staff include the additions of John Chavis (defensive coordinator/LB), Dave Christensen (run game coordinator/OL) and Aaron Moorehead (WR). 2014 LB coach Mark Hagen, who served as interim defenisive coordinator in the Liberty Bowl, shifted his coaching responsibility to DTs. Terry Price, who oversaw the entire DL from 2012-14, now focuses on the DEs.
Offense:
- Sophomore Kyle Allen has started at QB in the Aggies' last 10 games (8-2 record in those starts, six straight wins).
- Since going 0-for-2 passing on the first drive in the season-opener against Arizona State, sophomore QB Kyle Allen has been a perfect 11-for-11 on first-drive passing in the past four games. In fact, since completing 6-of-10 passes in the first quarter against the Sun Devils, Allen has been scorching hot in the past four first quarters with an 82.3 completion rate on 28-of-34 passing (4 TDs, 0 INTs).
- In the last four games, the Aggies have passed for 12 touchdowns against just one interception, while completing 64.9 percent of their passes (87-of-134).
- The Aggies had a season-high 25 completions in the win over Mississippi State and have 20 or more completions in four straight games (19 or more in all five games).
- Allen has posted consecutive games of 300-plus passing yards (also the first two of his career), and he has strung together three straight 300-plus total offense games, including a career-best 387 vs. MSU.
- Allen has attempted 79 passes without an interception entering the ALA game.
- Allen had a career-high 387 total yards against MSU with 322 passing yards and a career-high 65 yards on the ground.
- Allen arguably had the most complete game of his career against Arkansas, establishing a then-career high in total offense (363 yards) and a career-high in passing yards (358), while completing 21-of-28 passes (75.0 percent) for two touchdowns with no interceptions.
- The Aggies are 6-0 since senior RB Tra Carson emerged as the Aggies' workhorse running back in last year's bowl game.
- Including last year's bowl effort (25-133), Carson is averaging 20.0 carries / 93.8 rushing yards in his last six outings.
- Providing depth behind Carson are senior former walkon Brice Dolezal and freshman walkon Kwame Etwi. Dolezal was called the "human victory cigar" by Sumlin because he only saw action when the game was in hand prior to 2015. Etwi was an invited walkon after being named the District 16-6A Offensive MVP in 2014.
- Carson's top backup James White has seen only limited action due to an undisclosed injury suffered after just two carries in the season-opener. Also providing depth is senior Brandon Williams, who converted to cornerback during the summer but remains an option at RB.
- The Scottsdale, Ariz., connection between Allen and true freshman WR Christian Kirk provided the winning margin over ARK when Allen and Kirk hooked up on a 20-yard TD catch in the first overtime period. Members of the 2014 and 2015 signing classes, respectively, Allen went to Desert Mountain HS and Kirk attended Saguaro HS. Both were early enrollees at Texas A&M.
- After just five career games, Kirk has already earned SEC weekly honors twice -- Freshman POW honors after the Arizona State win and Special Team POW after Arkansas.
- With three 100-yard receiving games in five games in 2015, Kirk has already matched the Texas A&M freshman record for season 100-yard games set originally by Uzoma Nwachukwu in 2009 and matched by Mike Evans in 2012.
- Entering the ALA game, Kirk leads the SEC in receiving yards per game (103.8) and punt return average (27.1). He leads all SEC freshmen in scoring (6.0/g), TDs (5), catches (6.4/g), punt return yards and average (190 / 27.1), kickoff return yards (227) and all-purpose yards (191.6/g).
- Junior WR Josh Reynolds, who set the season receiving TDs record with 13 last year, had 100-yard receiving games vs. ARK and MSU, including a career-best 141 on seven catches vs. the Bulldogs. It is the first time that Reynolds has reached 100 in consecutive games.
- Reynolds hit the 1,000-yard plateau in career receiving yards vs. ARK. It was just his 17th career game (fourth fastest in school history).
- Allen won the starting job out of August camp after a strong challenge from true freshman Kyler Murray.
- Murray arrived at Texas A&M in June with sparkling credentials, including a perfect 42-0 record as a starter at Allen High School (suburb of Dallas). He was also named the 2015 Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year. Kyler's father, Kevin Murray, was a record-setting passer for the Aggies and posted a 25-6-1 record as a starting QB from 1983-86.
- The Aggies' WR corps returns five players that grabbed 29 or more catches in 2014, including three that grabbed more than 40 -- Josh Reynolds (52-842-13), Ricky Seals-Jones (49-465-4) and Speedy Noil (46-583-5).
- The offensive front returns three of five starters from 2014, including All-America candidates Germain Ifedi (RT) and Mike Matthews (C).
- Ifedi, as a redshirt junior, could have decided to jump to the NFL after the 2014 season but elected to come back for his junior year. Texas A&M has had an offensive tackle selected in the first round of the last three NFL Drafts (Luke Joeckel, Jake Matthews and Cedric Ogbuehi).
- OL newcomer Avery Gennesy, a 2014 JC transfer that redshirted last year, is generally considered the Aggies' most athletic offensive lineman.
Defense:
- Texas A&M is one of only two FBS schools with two players ranked in the top 20 in QB sacks -- defensive ends Myles Garrett (7.5) and Daeshon Hall (5.0). Garrett says of the pair's friendly competition to get to the quarterback, "It's a race to get to the quarterback every time."
- The most prolific pass-rushing pair in Wrecking Crew history was the "Blitz Brothers" tandem of John Roper and Aaron Wallace. They combined for 29.5 sacks in 1988 (2.46 QBS/G). Garrett and Hall are just ahead of Roper and Wallace's pace with an average of 2.5 sacks per game.
- The physicality and play-making abilities of sophomore Armani Watts and Donovan Wilson and junior Justin Evans has been a huge boost for the defensive secondary and the trio are three of the team's top four tacklers. While Watts was a known commodity as the secondary's top returning tackler, the development of Wilson (one start in 2014) and addition of JC transfer Justin Evans have been crucial. Watts leads the team in tackles with 39 and has hit double digits twice (vs. ASU and ARK). Wilson is the team's No. 3 tackler with 29 stops and has filled his stat sheet with two pickoffs and three forced fumbles (both team bests), along with two sacks, 3.5 TFLs and a fumble recovery. The hard-hitting Evans has 27 stops and two pass breakups.
- After five games, the position change for senior Brandon Williams from RB to CB has to be considered an unmitigated success. A rare combination of speed, size and long arms for a cornerback, Williams has contributed 15 tackles and is tied for the team lead with four pass breakups.
- The athletic and competitive Williams was voted a team captain by his teammates. He started six games at RB last year and was a stalwart on the Aggies' kick coverage units.
- While generally being locked up with the opponent's top receiver, senior CB De'Vante Harris has been stacking up solid performances in 2015. Easily the secondary's most experienced player with 30 career starts, Harris is tied for the team lead with four PBUs, has a pick-six interception and has contributed 13 tackles.
- The Aggies' top freshman tackler is DT Daylon Mack, who has contributed 15 tackles and four TFLs in the first five games of his career. Mack leads the defensive tackle rotation in both statistical categories. Playing with great effort, Mack ran down a Ball State RB from behind after gain of 32 yards.
- The Aggies have already established Sumlin era highs for sacks (9 vs. Arizona State) and tackles for losses (16 vs. Nevada). The 16 TFLs vs. the Wolf Pack eclipsed the 14 from the ASU game, which was also a Sumlin era high.
- Texas A&M limits opps to 29.6 percent success rate on 3rd downs, which ranks No. 24 nationally. Last year, the Aggies allowed 40.0 percent.
- Sophomore DE Myles Garrett is tied for No. 4 nationally in QB sacks with 7.5 and No. 12 in TFLs (9.5). Last year Garrett broke Jadeveon Clowney's SEC freshman record with 11.5 QB takedowns.
- Nevada schemed for the challenge of facing Garrett by having its scout team defensive ends line up offsides in practice to simulate Garrett's quickness, according to the SEC Network TV crew.
- Despite the game-planning by Nevada and also having his wisdom teeth removed less than a week previously, Garrett matched his career high with 3.5 sacks against the Wolf Pack.
- Virtually every time Chavis has spoken to the media since being hired, he has spoken confidently about his starting DEs Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall. He raised eyebrows in August when he called the ends two of the best in college football. "That's a pretty big statement, but I'm not afraid to make that statement," Chavis said.
- The defensive front returns all four starters from 2014 -- Garrett, Obioha, DT Hardreck Walker and DT Alonzo Williams.
- A three-year starter at DE, Obioha has bulked up to 280 pounds and moved inside to DT for his senior season. He missed the first two games of 2015 due to a fall camp appendectomy.
- Injuries kept the Aggies' top four linebackers -- Otaro Alaka, Josh Walker, Shaan Washington and A.J. Hilliard -- from going through spring drills under Chavis.
- Washington was the team's top returning tackler with 64 stops in 2014, despite missing three full games and not making any starts. He has started the first five games of 2015 and ranks No. 2 on the team with 31 tackles.
- Slowed by a fall camp injury, Alaka has played in only three games in 2015. He missed the season-opener and the MSU game.
- Hilliard started the 2014 season-opener vs. SC at LB, but was lost for the season due to injury early in the third quarter after a strong start. Healthy in 2015, he has started the last three games and contributed 24 stops.
- Newcomer Justin Evans, who enrolled in January, has strengthened the Aggies with his physical play at safety (4th on team with 27 tackles). The 6-1,195-pound Evans earned all-conference honors at Mississippi Gulf Coast CC in 2014 (47 tackles, 5 interceptions).
- Sophomore DB Donovan Wilson, who made his first career start in last year's bowl game, has been a disruptive force in 2015 with 29 tackles, 3.5 TFL, two sacks, three forced fumbles and two pickoffs while starting three games at nickel.
- Sophomore safety Armani Watts led the team with three pickoffs in 2014 and also ranked as the top returning tackler in the secondary (59 tackles). He has picked up where he left off with a team-high 39 tackles, including a career-best 14 stops vs. ARK.
- The healthy return of Noel Ellis has given the Aggies more DB options. Ellis missed 2014 after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. With the disorder managed in 2015, he has contributed 14 tackles and recovered a fumble.
Special Teams
- Senior PK Taylor Bertolet has been successful on 29-of-31 placekicks in 2015 – 9-of-11 on field goal attempts and 20-of-20 on extra point tries. Bertolet leads the SEC in placekicker scoring with 9.4 points per game in 2015, and he ranks No. 3 in FGs per game with 1.8 and No. 4 in FG accuracy at 81.8 percent.
- Senior P Drew Kaser leads the SEC with a 51.0 punt average and is one of just two players in FBS averaging over 50 yards per boot.
- Senior DB Sam Moeller made his 31st consecutive 12th Man start against MSU, which gave him sole possession of the school record for 12th Man starts at Texas A&M. Nick Lamantia previously held the record with 30 starts from 2006-08.
- Kaser is a weapon for the Aggies at punter. He broke the school record for punt average as a sophomore (47.4 average), the school record for coffin corner boots as a junior (22) and is on pace to break the school career punting record.
- Seven of Kaser's 18 punts have been downed inside the opp 20, and 11 have been 50-yard+ bombs.
- Texas A&M ranks No. 5 in the SEC (No. 19 in FBS) with a 40.5 net punt average.
- Fifth-year senior PK Taylor Bertolet has returned to the starter's role on field goals and extra points after concentrating on kickoff duties the past two seasons. Bertolet was the Aggies' full-time PK as a freshman in 2012 and connected on 13-of-22 FGs and a whopping 67 PATs that season. He has four career 50-yard plus boots and 169 career touchbacks on kickoffs.
- Dynamic freshman Christian Kirk has handled the bulk of the Aggies' punt and kick returns in 2015. Kirk already has 79- and 56-yard punt returns.
- With Kirk leading the way, the Aggies lead the SEC with a 23.0 punt return average (9 for 207).
NIGHTMARE FOR QBs, OCs
Sophomore DE Myles Garrett is, arguably, the nation's most feared pass rusher.
- Garrett was named SEC DL of the Week after filling the stat sheet against MSU with seven tackles, a QB sack, two TFLs, a forced fumble and batted down pass.
- Garrett's sack and strip of ARK QB Brandon Allen forced overtime in the Aggies' 28-21 win over the Razorbacks.
- Garrett tied a career-high with 3.5 sacks vs. NEV despite having his wisdom teeth removed less than a week previously.
- Nevada schemed for the challenge of facing Garrett by having its scout team defensive ends line up offsides in practice to simulate Garrett's quickness, according to the SEC Network TV crew.
- His older sister, Brea Garrett, was a NCAA Champion thrower for the Texas A&M track and field team. His older brother, Sean Williams, has played for several NBA teams and currently plays basketball overseas.
- Among his measurables are 4.46 in the 40, 10' 9.5" in the broad jump and 38.5" in the vertical jump.
- Described as a "dino-geek," Garrett says of his post-football life: "I want to be a paleontologist, whether it's amateur or professional." (Sports Illustrated, July 27, 2015)
NCAA QB Sacks Leaders
Player, School QBS QBS/G
Carl Nassib, Penn St. 10.0 1.67
Steven Taylor, Houston 8.0 1.60
Myles Garrett, Texas A&M 7.5 1.50
Joe Schobert, Wisconsin 9.0 1.50
Emmanuel Ogbah, OK State 7.5 1.25
NEW BLITZ BROTHERS?
Texas A&M is one of only two FBS schools with two players ranked in the top 20 in QB sacks -- defensive ends Myles Garrett (7.5) and Daeshon Hall (5.0).
- The most prolific pass-rushing pair in Wrecking Crew history was the "Blitz Brothers" tandem of John Roper and Aaron Wallace. They combined for 29.5 sacks in 1988 (2.46 QBS/G). Garrett and Hall are just ahead of Roper and Wallace's pace with an average of 2.5 sacks per game.
- Garrett said of the pair's friendly competition to get to the quarterback, "It's a race to get to the quarterback every time."
- Hall came to Texas A&M on his recruiting visit in 2013 as a 208-pound "basketball player," according to head coach Kevin Sumlin. He has bulked up to 260 pounds as a junior.
- Hall's nickname is "Dae Dae."
- Hall moved from Seattle, Wash., to Lancaster, Texas in high school. His high school coach Chris Gilbert got his first glimpse of Hall playing basketball. "He was just like hammering dunks," Gilbert said. "He was a little thin, but I could tell he was strong. He said, 'Coach, I love basketball but everybody tells me they think I can play on Sundays, and I think I can.' '' (Dallas Morning News, Sept. 12, 2014)
- Hall's four-sack effort vs. ASU tied for second-most in a single game in school history, trailing only the five-sack performance by Alex Morris vs. Houston in 1987. Hall matched the sack total of three first-team All-Americans: Jacob Green, Ray Childress and John Roper.
RECORD-SETTING REYNOLDS
Preseason All-SEC WR Josh Reynolds keeps finding his way to the endzone. A&M's season receiving TDs record-holder, Reynolds has three in 2015 and will enter the career top five with his next receiving TD.
- Reynolds had 100-yard receiving games vs. ARK and MSU, including a career-best 141 on seven catches vs. the Bulldogs. It is the first time that Reynolds has reached 100 in consecutive games.
- Reynolds' 13 receiving TDs last season broke the school record of 12 originally set by Jeff Fuller in 2010 and matched by 2014 NFL first-round pick Mike Evans in 2013.
- Prior to the season, head coach Kevin Sumlin revealed that Reynolds set the record while playing through a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery. "Maybe we can get 26 touchdowns out of him this year," Sumlin said, smiling. "We're excited about him now that he's 100 percent and ready to go and not a one-armed guy out there." (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Aug. 28, 2015)
- Overlooked by FBS programs out of HS, Reynolds went to Tyler Junior College as a full qualifier and then transferred to A&M with three years of eligibility in 2014.
- Coaching staff was tipped off to Reynolds by A&M T&F coach Pat Henry, who had recruited Reynolds as a high jumper.
TAMU Career Receiving TDs
Player, Years TDs
Jeff Fuller, 2008-11 34
Ryan Swope, 2009-12 24
Uzoma Nwachukwu, 2009-12 19
Bob Long, 1966-68 19
Mike Evans, 2012-13 17
Josh Reynolds, 2014- 16
KASER REWRITING THE RECORD BOOK
Senior preseason All-SEC punter Drew Kaser continues his assault on the Aggies' punting record book. He is on pace to erase perennial NFL All Pro Shane Lechler's A&M record for career punt average (44.69 average on 268 punts).
- Kaser is one of just two FBS punters averaging over 50 yards per boot (51.6). His low punt average game of 2015 was 48.8 vs. ARK (on four punts).
- Seven of Kaser's 17 punts have been downed inside the opp 20, and 11 have been 50-yard+ bombs.
- Kaser's career average stands at 46.3 on 126 career boots. Lechler's school record was an NCAA record with a minimum of 250 career punts and remains No. 2 on the NCAA list. For NCAA record consideration, Kaser would need 150 career punts.
- As a junior, Kaser deposited 22 punts inside the opponent 20-yard line, which broke the old school record of 21 set by Lechler in 1998.
- As a sophomore in 2013, Kaser earned All-America honors and was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award after leading the SEC and breaking Lechler's season school record with a 47.4 average.
NCAA Punt Average
Player, School Avg.
Michael Carrizosa, San Jose St. 52.1
Drew Kaser, Texas A&M 51.0
Tom Hackett, Utah 48.4
Trevor Daniel, Tennessee 47.6
Cameron Johnston, Ohio State 47.2
SEC Pass Efficiency Leader
Sophomore QB Kyle Allen has started at QB in the Aggies' last 10 games (8-2 record in those starts, six straight wins). He leads the SEC in pass efficiency.
- Since going 0-for-2 passing on the first drive in the season-opener against Arizona State, sophomore QB Kyle Allen has been a perfect 11-for-11 on first-drive passing in the past four games. In fact, since completing 6-of-10 passes in the first quarter against the Sun Devils, Allen has been scorching hot in the past four first quarters with an 82.3 completion rate on 28-of-34 passing (4 TDs, 0 INTs).
- Allen has posted consecutive games of 300-plus passing yards (also the first two of his career), and he has strung together three straight 300-plus total offense games, including a career-best 387 vs. MSU.
- Allen has attempted 79 passes without an interception entering the ALA game.
- Allen had a career-high 387 total yards against MSU with 322 passing yards and a career-high 65 yards on the ground.
- Allen arguably had the most complete game of his career against Arkansas, establishing career highs in total offense (363 yards) and passing yards (358).
- Allen was the No. 1 rated pocket passer QB out of high school by ESPN. He was an early enrolle at Texas A&M in 2014.
SEC Pass efficiency leaders
Player, School Pass Eff.
Kyle Allen, Texas A&M 169.0
Chad Kelly, Ole Miss 166.8
Greyson Lambert, Georgia 158.8
Brandon Allen, Arkansas 151.5
Will Grier, Florida 145.4
SPEEDY IMPACT
Preseason All-SEC WR Speedy Noil's impact on the Aggies' receiving corps and return units were impressive in his first season with the Aggies in 2014.
- Noil has missed the Aggies' last two games.
- Last year, Noil was the Aggies' leader in all-purpose yardage and punt and kickoff return yardage, and he ranked third on the team in receiving yardage.
- Noil's 1,418 all-purpose yards ranked No. 4 by a freshman in school history.
- He was the fifth freshman (second true freshman) to reach the 40-catch plateau (46) and his 583 receiving yards ranked No. 5 in the freshman record book.
Freshman All-Purpose Yards
Player AP-YDs Year
Cyrus Gray 1,592 2008
Dante Hall 1,551 1996
Leeland McElroy 1,427 1993
Speedy Noil 1,418 2014
Johnny Manziel 1,410 2012
ABOUT THOSE WRs
- Texas A&M is the only school in the SEC with three returning receivers that had 40-or-more catches last season. Ole Miss is the only other school with more than one 40-catch plus receiver returning.
- Texas A&M is the only school in the SEC with four returning WRs that had more than 400 receiving yards in 2014.
- Texas A&M is the only school in the SEC with four returning WRs that had four-or-more receiving TDs in 2014. Junior Josh Reynolds, who had 13 receiving TDs last year, is the SEC's only returning receiver with double-digit scores.
RARE FRESHMAN
True freshman WR Christian Kirk has been a huge boost to an already-solid wide receiver unit that featured three returnees with 40 or more catches in 2014.
- Kirk's 17.4 yards per touch lead all SEC all-purpose players by a yard and a half.
- After just five career games, Kirk has already earned SEC weekly honors twice -- Freshman POW honors after the ASU win and Special Teams POW after ARK.
- Entering the ALA game, Kirk leads the SEC in receiving yards per game (103.8) and punt return average (27.1). He leads all SEC freshmen in scoring (6.0/g), TDs (5), catches (6.4/g), punt return yards and average (190 / 27.1), kickoff return yards (227) and all-purpose yards (191.6/g).
- Against ASU, Kirk became the first Aggie freshman in program history to hit the 100-yard plateau in receiving yards in his playing debut with 106 yards and a touchdown on six catches.
SEC ALL-PURPOSE YARDS LEADERS
Player, School A-P Yds. Avg./P
Leonard Fournette, LSU 1,063 8.6
Christian Kirk, TAMU 958 17.4
Nick Chubb, Georgia 779 8.1
Derrick Henry, Alabama 716 5.6
Alex Collins, Arkansas 704 5.5
SEC Receiving yards LEADERS
Player, School Rec. Yds.
Christian Kirk, TAMU 32 519
Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss 35 510
Trent Sheffield, Vandy 34 465
Malcolm Mitchell, UGa 28 456
Drew Morgan, Arkansas 27 428
TWO-WAY SLIM
Senior Brandon Williams is Texas A&M's first two-way player since the late 1960s. Williams starts for the Aggies at cornerback and also sees action at running back.
- Williams is the first two-way player at Texas A&M since future All-America and NFL All-Pro defensive back Dave Elmendorf and Ross Brupbacher saw action on both offense and defense for the 1968 Aggies. Elmendorf currently serves as A&M's color analyst on its radio network.
- Williams, who was strictly a RB his first two seasons at Texas A&M, made the position change to cornerback after spring drills. Williams started six games at RB and gained 388 yards on 87 carries in 2014.
- "I'm a football player," Williams said. "I'm not a running back. I'm not a cornerback. I'm not a D-end. I'm a football player. I love to play football, so whatever I need to do to help the team win and play football, I'll do." (Bryan-College Station Eagle, Sept. 16, 2015)
- A five-star RB recruit out of Brookshire-Royal HS, Williams said he hadn't played defense since pee-wee football "and even then it was at safety."
- Nickname is "Slim."
- "At 6-foot, 205, he's an average-to-slight build running back in the NFL. At 6-foot, 205, he's a big cornerback and a NFL prospect," Sumlin said. "He's physical, one of the fastest guys on the team, has long arms and he's strong. The sky is the limit for him. He helps our football team at cornerback, but he's also helping himself by showcasing where he can play at the next level. If he can improve his technique, he's gone from a free agent/late round to a draft pick. (The position change) helps him and it helps us."
WORKHORSE CARSON
The Aggies are 6-0 since senior RB Tra Carson emerged as the Aggies' workhorse running back in last year's bowl game.
- Carson has rushed for 430 yards and four TDs on 95 carries in 2015, which is more than 4x the carries of the next most active running back rusher (Brice Dolezal with 20 carries. QB Kyle Allen is the Aggies' second-leader rusher with 40 totes).
- Including last year's bowl effort (25-133), Carson is averaging 20.0 carries / 93.8 rushing yards in his last six outings.
- Carson had a career-high 29 carries (96 yards) and was on the field for a whopping 80 plays in the Aggies' season-opening win over then-No. 15 Arizona State.
- "He's a workhorse," Sumlin says. "He's 230 to 235 pounds, a big back, great blocker, trustworthy. He can do everything for us and he's a leader."
- The Aggies' 2014 RB-by-committee was pared down in the offseason when Trey Williams opted to enter the NFL early and six-game starter Brandon Williams shifted to defense.
- Prior to Carson's recent run, his career high for carries and yards came in his first game in the maroon and white (14 carries for 76 yards vs. Rice on Aug. 31, 2013). In fact, prior to last year's bowl game, Carson had just five double-digit carry games and no 100-yard rushing games.
- Carson transferred to Texas A&M in 2012 after playing his freshman season at Oregon in 2011. Carson rushed for 254 yards in 10 games of action for the Ducks.
- A three-star RB, Carson broke LaMichael James' school rushing record at Liberty-Eylau HS in Texarkana, Texas with 2,202 yards as a senior.
- Tra is short for Latravion.
The 12th Man
Senior Sam Moeller (San Antonio, Texas) owns the school record for 12th Man starts with 31. The previous record-holder, Nick Lamantia, had 30 starts from 2006-08.
- A special teams ace in general, Moeller is on virtually every coverage unit and is a valuable DB reserve. He is the only 12th Man in school history to block a punt (vs. MSU, 2013).
- Texas A&M's famous 12th Man tradition dates back to 1922 when student E. King Gill came out of the stands in the Dixie Classic in Dallas at the request of legendary head coach Dana X. Bible because of injuries to his football team. Gill never entered the game but "stood ready" in the Aggies' 22-14 win over the powerhouse Centre College Praying Colonels.
- In honor of the tradition, the Texas A&M student body "stands ready" to show their support of their team on the field.
- The 12th Man Kickoff Team tradition was started in 1982 by then-head coach Jackie Sherrill after being inspired by watching students build the famous Aggie Bonfire. "I knew that I could find, out of 40-some-odd thousand students, 11 guys that would cover kickoffs, but have no regard for their body and be tough as nails," Sherrill said. (Source: MyAggieNation.com) Beginning in 1991, a single 12th Man was chosen to represent the study body on the kickoff unit.
12th Man Starts
Player starts years
Sam Moeller 31 2012-
Nick Lamantia 30 2006-08
John Ray 23 2004-05
C.J. Jones 21 2010-12
Eric Stanford 17 1999-01
NO OPPONENTS FROM STATE OF TEXAS ON 2015 SCHEDULE
Although the Aggies play nine games within the boundaries of the state of Texas, Texas A&M will not face a single opponent from the Lone Star State for the first time in program history in 2015.
- The 2015 home schedule features seven home games at the redeveloped Kyle Field, including SEC contests vs. Mississippi State, Alabama, South Carolina and Auburn.
- The Aggies will face just three true road contests in 2015 -- vs. Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and LSU.
SUMLIN VS. TOP 25
In his eighth season as a head coach, fourth-year Aggie coach Kevin Sumlin has a career record of 12-10 against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 (9-9 at A&M).
Sumlin vs. the AP Top 25 (at TAMU)
Opponent, Year AP rank Result
Florida, 2012 No. 24 L, 20-17
vs. Louisiana Tech, 2012 No. 22 W, 59-57
LSU, 2012 No. 6 L, 24-19
at Mississippi State, 2012 No. 17 W, 38-13
at Alabama, 2012 No. 1 W, 29-24
vs. *Oklahoma, 2013 No. 11 W, 41-13
Alabama, 2013 No. 1 L, 49-42
Auburn, 2013 No. 24 L, 45-41
at LSU, 2013 No. 18 L, 34-10
at Missouri, 2013 No. 5 L, 28-21
vs. Duke, 2013 No. 22 W, 52-48
at South Carolina, 2014 No. 9 W, 52-28
at Mississippi State, 2014 No. 12 L, 31-48
Ole Miss, 2014 No. 3 (tie) L, 20-35
at Alabama, 2014 No. 7 L, 0-59
at Auburn, 2014 No. 3 W, 41-38
vs. Arizona State, 2015 No. 15 W, 38-17
Mississippi State, 2015 No. 21 W, 30-17
Alabama, 2015 No. 10 TBD
Sumlin vs. the AP Top 25 (at UH)
at East Carolina, 2008 No. 23 W, 41-24
Tulsa, 2008 No. 25 W, 70-30
at Oklahoma State, 2009 No. 5 W, 45-35
Southern Miss, 2011 No. 24 L, 49-28
MAROON GOONS...
Calling themselves the Maroon Goons since 2012, the projected starting lineup of tackles Germain Ifedi and Avery Gennesey, guards Joe Cheek and Jeremiah Stuckey and center Mike Matthews weigh in at 1,540 pounds, or 308.0 pounds per goon. Collectively, they are one of the top five heaviest starting groups in school history.
Here's the Beef
(Starters/Possible Starters by career starts)
Goon HT WT Starts 2015
Germain Ifedi, RT 6-6 335 29 5
Mike Matthews, C 6-2 290 28 5
Joseph Cheek, RG 6-7 305 15 5
Avery Gennesy, LT 6-5 305 5 5
Jeremiah Stuckey, LG 6-4 305 4 4
MAROON DEBUTS
Several members of the 2015 signing class are already making their impact felt at the collegiate level:
DB Deshawn Capers-Smith
TE Jordan Davis
DB Justin Dunning
LB Landis Durham
SS Justin Evans
LB Riley Garner
LB Claude George
QB Jake Hubenak
DT Kingsley Keke
WR Christian Kirk
PK Daniel LaCamera
OL Connor Lanfear
DE James Lockhart
DT Daylon Mack
QB Kyler Murray
WR Damion Ratley
OG Keaton Sutherland
LB Dwaine Thomas
EXPERIENCED AGGIES
With 16 returning starters, the 2015 Aggies have the most returning starters of the Kevin Sumlin era at Texas A&M.
- The Aggies return eight starters on both offense and defense.
- Texas A&M has 44 lettermen returning from the 2014 team that posted an 8-5 record, beat two top 10 teams on the road and defeated West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl. The 44 returning lettermen is typical of the Aggies during the Sumlin era, which has also had 47 returning letterwinners in 2012, 46 in 2013 and 51 in 2014.
- The Aggies' 2015 roster boasts 18 seniors, which is the most since Sumlin's first Texas A&M squad in 2012. Half of those seniors have started at least five games during their Texas A&M careers, including four that have started 20 games or more (DL Julien Obioha, CB De'Vante Harris, OC Mike Matthews and DT Alonzo Williams).
AGGIES ON NFL OPENING DAY ROSTERS
A total of 28 Aggie football players were NFL rosters on the opening day of the 2015 season.
- The longest tenured NFL Aggie is All-Pro punter Shane Lechler with the Houston Texans, who is in his 16th season.
- Former A&M walkon Don Muhlbach, is in his 12th season snapping in the NFL with the Detroit Lions.
- QB Jameill Showers, now with the Dallas Cowboys, earned his degree at Texas A&M before finishing out his college eligibility at UTEP.
- For the fifth straight year, the Aggies had a first-round NFL draft pick (Cedric Ogbuehi, No. 21, Cincinnati Bengals).
AGGIES ON NFL ROSTERS
Martellus Bennett, TE, Chicago Bears
Michael Bennett, DL, Seattle Seahawks
Randy Bullock, PK, Houston Texans
Cameron Clear, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers—reserved/injured
Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Deshazor Everett, DB, Washington Redskins—practice squad
Jarvis Harrison, OL, New York Jets
Tramain Jacobs, DB, New York Giants—practice squad
Tony Jerod-Eddie, DL, San Francisco 49ers
Luke Joeckel, OL, Jacksonville Jaguars
Josh Lambo, PK, San Diego Chargers
Jorvorskie Lane, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Shane Lechler, P, Houston Texans—16th Season
Patrick Lewis, OL, Seattle Seahawks
Johnny Manziel, QB, Cleveland Browns
Jake Matthews, OL, Atlanta Falcons
Christine Michael, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Von Miller, LB, Denver Broncos
Damontre Moore, DL, New York Giants
Don Muhlbach, DS, Detroit Lions—12th Season
Uzoma Nwachukwu, WR, Miami Dolphins—practice squad
Cedric Ogbuehi, OL, Cincinnati Bengals—reserved/non-football injury
Sean Porter, LB, Cincinnati Bengals—physically unable to perform
Jameill Showers, QB, Dallas Cowboys—practice squad (graduated from Texas A&M)
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Miami Dolphins
Steven Terrell, DB, Seattle Seahawks
Cody Wallace, OL, Pittsburgh Steelers
Trey Williams, RB, Washington Redskins—practice squad
Players Mentioned
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