With fall camp in the rearview, there are still battles on the interior
In a Collin Klein offense, the play of the interior could be just as important as the play of the tackles. Klein is creative with his schemes in the run game and will pull linemen from all across the formation, so he needs guys who are light on their feet. In addition, A&M needs to do a much better job at sealing off pressure on the interior and providing a clean pocket for QB Conner Weigman.
The pieces are there for a productive unit, let’s take a look.
Who did we lose?
The Aggies lost a pair of three-year starters on the interior in center Bryce Foster and right guard Layden Robinson. Foster transferred to Kansas over the summer, while Robinson was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
Who do we bring back?
- Chase Bisontis: As a freshman, Bisontis was forced to play out of position. After Reuben Fatheree was sidelined with an injury last spring, Bisontis started every regular season game at right tackle. It was an up-and-down season for the New Jersey native as he allowed a team-high 31 QB pressures according to PFF (8 more than the second most). Since moving to left guard in the spring, Bisontis has looked like a completely different player than the one we saw in 2023. He was terrific in the spring game, playing with confidence and putting his strength on display. Bisontis is locked in as the starter at left guard and should have a breakout season this fall.
- Mark Nabou: The redshirt sophomore started 12 games last season, with 11 of those coming at left guard and one at center. Nabou spent most of the spring taking reps at center, but has split time between center and right guard this fall. The 6’4 325-pounder is a steady presence inside, but playing with a little more aggression would take his game to the next level. Nabou is a strong bet to be one of your starting five, but at what position remains to be seen.
- Kam Dewberry: A top-100 prospect in the 2022 class, the big lineman from Atascocita will be a valuable piece on the offensive line even if he doesn’t start. While Dewberry has technically only started eight games at A&M, he has nearly 850 career snaps over two seasons and, like many, looks to have benefited from the addition of S&C coach Tommy Moffitt. He missed the spring while recovering from shoulder surgery and isn’t projected to be a starter, but he is a guy that can keep the machine humming if called upon this season.
What other names should we know?
- Armaj Reed-Adams: We talked about the Kansas transfer in our offensive tackle preview as the A&M coaching staff is still trying him out at both right guard and right tackle. He is going to be one of the five starters on the OL, the only question is where. If he does end up at right guard, Reed-Adams and Bisontis would make a heck of a duo at the guard spots.
- Koli Faaiu: Transferring in this summer after three seasons at Utah, Faaiu is a true center who checks in at 6’3 and 330lbs. He started eight games at center for the Utes last season and is competing with Nabou to start at center for the Aggies. Where Faaiu, Nabou, Reed-Adams all end up is one of the more intriguing storylines of this team.
- TJ Shanahan: The redshirt-freshman missed all of last season while recovering from a knee injury he suffered during his senior year at Austin Westlake. However, the former blue-chip prospect was a full participant in the spring and looks ready to contribute. Shanahan is listed at 6’4 and 330lbs and plays with a nasty disposition. Along with Dewberry, he is one of the key reserves on the interior.
Overall Grade: B-
After two years of very poor offensive line play, it is only reasonable to be skeptical of this group. Under Steve Addazzio, A&M’s interior was out of position time and time again, allowing free rushers through the A gaps at a completely unacceptable rate. However, I think the addition of former Duke offensive line coach Adam Cushing could have an even bigger impact on the interior offensive line than I do the tackles. A&M has plenty of options with the physical skillset to field an above-average to good unit on the interior, they just need improved coaching in their footwork and technique. I expect Chase Bisontis to play at an all-conference level this season, so A&M just needs two of their four upperclassmen options to step up at center and right guard. Depth looks to be improved across the entire offensive line, it would have to be a complete disaster for a true freshman to start a game on the OL this year.