Stand By: Talent & experience suggest Texas A&M is ready to compete

As far as waits go, Texas A&M’s wait for a Southeastern Conference football championship hasn’t been that long.

The Aggies are only entering their 12th season in the SEC. Arkansas and South Carolina entered the SEC in 1992 and are still waiting for a championship.

Tennessee hasn’t won since 1998. Kentucky shared the title in 1976. Ole Miss last won the SEC in 1963. Mississippi State’s only SEC championship was in 1941.

By comparison, A&M is standing by more than waiting.

The Aggies might not have to wait much longer.

Ditch the “next year” narrative. Right now, the Aggies have the talent to mount a legitimate challenge for the SEC title.

Perhaps more importantly, they have the experience that recent history shows is so vital to winning the SEC.

Of course, there are doubters. Last year’s 5-7 finish attracts skeptics like blood attracts sharks.

But not too much should be put into last year’s results because A&M’s lineup was infested by freshmen.

The last four national champions — all from the SEC — started a combined six true freshmen in the majority of their games.

Illustrious prospects, injuries, illness and ill-advised decisions resulted in A&M having to start more than a dozen true freshmen at different times last season.

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

Appearing in five games as a true freshman in 2022, quarterback Conner Weigman passed for 896 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions.

A&M started seven true freshmen against Arkansas alone.

Every team wants talented freshmen. No team wants to be forced to start them.

“You want to bring in all freshmen when they’re ready,” A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “You never want to destroy an athlete’s confidence. You never want to put him in a compromising position.

“You say, ‘Well, he’s got ability. But is he ready to play?’ Just because he’s athletic doesn’t mean he can play well. Just because he can play well doesn’t mean he can play winning football. There’s a difference.

“When you put a freshman in, it has nothing to do with his ability. If you’re forced to, you’re forced to. You want to put them where they can handle the situation.”

Some freshmen handled the situation better than others.

Receiver Evan Stewart earned freshman All-American acclaim. Guard Kam Dewberry helped the offensive line improve. Quarterback Conner Weigman showed flashes of brilliance. So did defensive linemen Walter Nolen, Shemar Stewart, LT Overton and tight end Donovan Green.

Growing pains of one year typically result in growth the next. Flashes of brilliance grow can into consistent excellence. Sometimes even dominance.

A&M started five true freshmen, two redshirt freshmen and eight sophomores in a season-ending 38-23 victory over LSU last year.

Less than one-third of A&M’s starting lineup were juniors and seniors. Compare that to recent national champs.

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

Walter Nolen played in 10 games as a true freshman, recording 29 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and one sack.

Last year, Georgia started 11 upperclassmen. Georgia started 15 upperclassmen in 2021. Alabama started 12 in 2020. LSU started 17 in 2019.

A&M projects to start 13 upperclassmen this season. That won’t guarantee success, but it does suggest the Aggies are more equipped to challenge for a championship.

Detractors might point out that A&M still figures to start at least eight sophomores. That could be viewed as reason to dismiss the Aggies as being a year away from true contention.

Except, Alabama started eight second-year players in 2020. Last year, Georgia started 10.

That would seem to add to the argument that A&M shouldn’t have to wait another year to legitimately contend for the SEC crown.