With game day approaching fast, No.1 Clemson is expecting a heck of a match up against 12th-ranked Texas A&M. Jimbo Fisher and his squad are coming into Death Valley with a bad taste in their mouth after losing a close game to the Tigers at home. The question is, will the Aggies be able to capitalize on this opportunity for revenge?
The most effective way to preview the game is to look at the changes that happened since the two teams met last year. Trevor Lawrence’s appearance in the game, after Kelly Bryant was benched, was only his second time playing collegiately. He wasn’t the starter at this point, and really only had one big play: a 64-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins. Since then, Lawrence has grown tremendously. Now, we can expect him to rack up over 300 yards on average. Another huge change for the Tigers since playing A&M is the role that right guard Gage Cervenka has gained. Only playing one snap against the Aggies, he has now earned a starting job and a leadership role with being one of the oldest guys on the team.
For Texas A&M, Coach Fisher’s reputation to be a “quarterback whisperer” still holds true. He has historically been able to take middle of the road talent at the quarterback position, perfect their technique then release them to the NFL four years later. Kellen Mond is nothing short of a product of this coaching expertise. When you look at film of Mond from his last two years and compare it to the way he plays now, there are noticeable differences in the way his arm goes back after catching a snap, being more “release ready”. This change will allow him to throw the ball seconds faster, which will make a huge difference against Clemson’s dominate offensive line. Additionally, defensive tackle Bobby Brown III, who played but didn’t register a tackle last year, has also gained a huge role on the team. He’s expected to make a huge impact on the defensive line tomorrow. The Aggies lost three seniors on their D-line this year, but have only reloaded with Brown stepping into a bigger role and adding Tyree Johnson, Michael Clemons and DeMarvin Leal.
