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UCLA at Texas A&M: 3 Things to Watch

By Justin Melton

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The Texas A&M Aggies kick things off in a home showdown against the UCLA Bruins. It should be a great game. Below we list three things in particular that you should focus on. We believe they will not only be significant in this game, but also potentially in the long season ahead. Let’s get to it.

1. Which Trevor Knight Will Show Up?

Nov 21, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Trevor Knight (9) passes the ball against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 21, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Trevor Knight (9) passes the ball against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Trevor Knight went off against Alabama in the 2014 Sugar Bowl. Naturally, expectations for Knight went through the roof. The next season, Knight let Oklahoma fans down in a big way. He completed just 57 percent of his passes and threw 12 interceptions to 14 touchdowns. He then lost his job to Baker Mayfield.

Aggie fans are hoping that the Sugar Bowl superstar will return. Will he? We won’t have to wait much longer to find out.

2. Is James White the Next Tra Carson?

Nov 7, 2015; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies running back James White (20) carries the ball against the Auburn Tigers during the second quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2015; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies running back James White (20) carries the ball against the Auburn Tigers during the second quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

Last season Tra Carson was the workhorse in the Texas A&M backfield. He carried the ball 242 times, gained 1165 yards, and scored seven touchdowns. Carson graduated and is now fighting to try to make the Cincinnati Bengals roster.

The next man up for the Aggies looks to be James White. Last season White averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. It remains to be seen whether or not White can improve on that number with a heavier workload. If he can’t, Keith Ford may take over the starting role. The Aggies may even elect to go with more of a committee approach this season. We will see.

3. Can the Rush Defense Improve?

Sep 27, 2014; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers defensive coordinator John Chavis before a game against the New Mexico State Aggies at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2014; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers defensive coordinator John Chavis before a game against the New Mexico State Aggies at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

In year one of John Chavis’s tenure in College Station, Texas A&M couldn’t stop anybody on the ground. They allowed 214 yards rushing per game. That was good enough for 107th in the country. If the Aggies want to be a factor in the SEC West they are going to have to improve significantly.

The good news is that UCLA shouldn’t provide too much of a test. Paul Perkins moved on to the NFL after a very successful season last year. Nevertheless, the Aggies will need to take away the running game to put pressure on Josh Rosen. We will see if they are able to.

Conclusion

Sep 19, 2015; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Myles Garrett (15) in action during the game against the Nevada Wolf Pack at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 19, 2015; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Myles Garrett (15) in action during the game against the Nevada Wolf Pack at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

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Thank you for reading. Is there a key factor you think we missed? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to “like” us on Facebook and “follow” us on Twitter.