While Johnny Manziel lives the good life this season—playing Pebble Seaside, taking batting practice together with the San Diego Padres and standing on Bourbon Street—the biggest question heading into the 2013 season is what he will do for an encore.
Fair or not, Manziel higher the bar for himself after passing for 3, 706 back yards and 26 touchdowns and rushing for 1, 410 yards and 21 touchdowns to be a redshirt freshman last year or so. His accolades last season—which led to the Heisman Trophy—are big rationality why Texas A& M finds itself squarely in the mix to be in the preseason top five on most major polls and a legitimate threat to intra-division enemy Alabama.
Manziel was simply magical on either designed runs and scrambles very last season, but if your dog tops the 1, 400-yard mark on the floor in 2013, something probably went terribly wrong with the Aggies.
Outside involving Tuscaloosa, Texas A& M boasts the deepest and most talented backfield in the SEC. Ben Malena returns to lead a comfortable that includes Oklahoma shift Brandon Williams, the lightning-fast Trey Williams and Oregon move Tra Carson.
But it isn't really just raw talent that makes this group so dangerous. The best part for Aggie fans is they all bring a little different to the table.
Malena, who rushed for 808 back yards and eight touchdowns recently, will be the feature back. The 5'8" 195-pound more mature led Aggie running backside in rushing last period and possesses the versatility it takes to become a star in the SEC. In addition to his act as a running back, he caught 18 gives for 111 yards and a touchdown out of your backfield a year past.
But it isn't just his assist the football that helps make him so effective. Malena's work in pass protection is what makes him a weapon for ones Aggies.
"What Ben has given us can be a steady guy who comprehends everything, who is a potent threat together with the ball in his hand together with a pass-catcher and a defender, " head coach Kevin Sumlin instructed ESPN. com last season.
In the video above with the 3: 42 mark, Malena—who is lined up next to Manziel in the shotgun—steps up inside pocket and picks the blitzing linebacker allowing Manziel to find Thomas Johnson in the end zone in the third quarter for the Aggies' win over Louisiana Technician.
The Oklahoma transfer in a hurry for 219 yards while using the Sooners in 2011 previous to sitting out last period after transferring to Mississippi A& M. You saw a peek of what Williams was capable of during the Aggies' springtime game, when the 6'0", 192-pounder rushed for 59 yards in addition to a touchdown and caught several passes for 29 showrooms and another touchdown.
"He's impressive, " Manziel told the Associated Press as soon as Aggies' spring game. "He works hard and he's one of my favorite people on the entire team. "
In the decorations from A& M's new season game above, take a glance at the first play. Brandon Williams flashes this speed and shows explosiveness exposing the bad angle taken by way of the safety.
The 5'8", 185-pounder rushed for 376 yards in addition to five touchdowns last year or so, averaging a whopping 5. 78 yards per carry during this process. He's incredibly dangerous in space and allows breakaway speed when he reaches the second level.
Whether it's as a running back or out of the backfield as a device on screen passes, Trey Williams adds some other dimension to the Aggie the offense, and can be inside the lineup along with one of the many other running backs allowing head coach Kevin Sumlin choices and flexibility with play-calling.
At 6'0", 227 excess weight, Carson will likely find a large number of his work as this quick yardage and goal line specialist. Not a bad gig. But don't become fooled by his sizing, Carson is every bit as versatile as the his mates in the backfield and could evolve into a larger role as his career in College Station acquires.
Four players, all involving whom are talented, but possess slightly different features. Texas A& M may have lost some key pieces on the offensive line, but four-headed monster at running back will grant the coaching staff a good amount of options offensively even in case the offensive line struggles to help you gel.
Manziel will get your partner's share of yardage on the floor. But he visited quarterback guru George Whitfield, Jr. this month together with the stated goal of becoming a better pocket passer. Component of what makes a jean pocket passer good is faith inside running game.
With the four sprinting backs lining up alongside him this season, that trust should become on display early and sometimes. If it's not, something's wrong.
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