Here you go.
And here are my responses to his questions.
QB Conner Weigman has started to receive some NFL Draft buzz heading into the season. How good do you expect Weigman to be immediately this year?
I expect him to be very good. He's been excellent all summer. He's got a lot going for him: accuracy, arm strength, a quick release and even better mobility than he's given credit for. He was off to a really good start last year in a lousy offensive scheme and a bad offensive line, so I expect him to be at that level or better.
Which offensive weapons, aside from Weigman, need to have a big game against Notre Dame?
They're going to be using a lot of guys at receiver and tight end, as Collin Klein is wont to do, but a few stand out. Running back Le'Von Moss is RB1, and he'll get most of the carries. Like Weigman, he's effective when healthy (5 YPC last season). TE Tre Watson, a transfer from Fresno State, has been impressive since he arrived. He could see a lot of passes thrown his way. Wide receiver Noah Thomas is another guy who is really good when healthy, and can give corners trouble with his size (6-foot-6, 200 pounds). If you're looking for a wildcard, look for WR Cyrus Allen, who averaged 18 yards a catch at Louisiana Tech and has shown a knack for big plays in the scrimmages they've had so far.
What is the biggest concern about Texas A&M’s offense heading into Saturday?
The offensive line. Weigman is a quality starter; Moss, Amari Daniels and E.J. Smith (Emmitt's son) should be sufficient at running back. They have plenty of good tight ends. Thomas, Allen, Jahdae Walker, Moose Muhammad and maybe 5-star Terry Bussey can do things at receiver. But if the offensive line hasn't improved after two terrible years under Steve Addazio, none of that will matter.
How would you describe the talent level of Texas A&M’s defensive line? And in which ways do you expect that to show up against Notre Dame?
Elite. That's a word that gets bandied about loosely, but in this case, I think it's accurate. They've got excellent players throughout the two-deep and plenty of versatility. The starting four of Nic Scourton, DJ Hicks, Shemar Turner and Shemar Stewart can hang with anyone. And I would be surprised if they didn't attack what appears to be a pretty inexperienced offensive line for Notre Dame right out of the gate.
If Texas A&M loses on Saturday, what will be the most likely cause?
Notre Dame's offensive line holds up better than A&M's does and the Aggies make a mistake or two in the secondary. The back end is very talented, but will start a lot of transfers. Will they have enough experience working together to make things work? That's the question.
And here are my responses to his questions.
QB Conner Weigman has started to receive some NFL Draft buzz heading into the season. How good do you expect Weigman to be immediately this year?
I expect him to be very good. He's been excellent all summer. He's got a lot going for him: accuracy, arm strength, a quick release and even better mobility than he's given credit for. He was off to a really good start last year in a lousy offensive scheme and a bad offensive line, so I expect him to be at that level or better.
Which offensive weapons, aside from Weigman, need to have a big game against Notre Dame?
They're going to be using a lot of guys at receiver and tight end, as Collin Klein is wont to do, but a few stand out. Running back Le'Von Moss is RB1, and he'll get most of the carries. Like Weigman, he's effective when healthy (5 YPC last season). TE Tre Watson, a transfer from Fresno State, has been impressive since he arrived. He could see a lot of passes thrown his way. Wide receiver Noah Thomas is another guy who is really good when healthy, and can give corners trouble with his size (6-foot-6, 200 pounds). If you're looking for a wildcard, look for WR Cyrus Allen, who averaged 18 yards a catch at Louisiana Tech and has shown a knack for big plays in the scrimmages they've had so far.
What is the biggest concern about Texas A&M’s offense heading into Saturday?
The offensive line. Weigman is a quality starter; Moss, Amari Daniels and E.J. Smith (Emmitt's son) should be sufficient at running back. They have plenty of good tight ends. Thomas, Allen, Jahdae Walker, Moose Muhammad and maybe 5-star Terry Bussey can do things at receiver. But if the offensive line hasn't improved after two terrible years under Steve Addazio, none of that will matter.
How would you describe the talent level of Texas A&M’s defensive line? And in which ways do you expect that to show up against Notre Dame?
Elite. That's a word that gets bandied about loosely, but in this case, I think it's accurate. They've got excellent players throughout the two-deep and plenty of versatility. The starting four of Nic Scourton, DJ Hicks, Shemar Turner and Shemar Stewart can hang with anyone. And I would be surprised if they didn't attack what appears to be a pretty inexperienced offensive line for Notre Dame right out of the gate.
If Texas A&M loses on Saturday, what will be the most likely cause?
Notre Dame's offensive line holds up better than A&M's does and the Aggies make a mistake or two in the secondary. The back end is very talented, but will start a lot of transfers. Will they have enough experience working together to make things work? That's the question.
