Getting the 2024 season underway for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish means traveling to College Station, Texas, to take on the Texas A&M Aggies. The matchup marks the sixth meeting between the two schools, with the most recent meetings coming in a home-and-home series in 2000 and 2001.
Mike Elko is beginning his first season as head coach at Texas A&M after spending the past two seasons in that role at Duke. In 2017, he served as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator and then served in the same capacity for the Aggies over the next four years. Much of the pre-game hype for this game is expected to focus on the past connection at Duke between Elko and the Irish’s new starting quarterback Riley Leonard.
Texas A&M Offense: Weigman Health the Litmus Test for Aggie Offense
Conner Weigman will be back behind center for the Aggies after having his season end last year after just four games because of injury. During his two seasons at A&M, Weigman has largely avoided mistakes, throwing 16 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. He appeared in five games as a freshman, starting four of those contests. He can run, if necessary, but keeping him upright is the most important goal for 2024.
The trio of Le’Veon Moss, Amari Daniels and Reuben Owens combined to rush for 14 touchdowns and nearly 1,400 yards. However, they need to build on those numbers to take the pressure off Weigman and the passing game. That job became much more difficult when Owens was lost for the season in training camp. One intriguing addition from the transfer portal is E.J. Smith, the son of Hall of Fame runner Emmitt Smith.
When Weigman does air it out, he’ll have two starters from last year in Jahdae Walker and Noah Thomas. Both players have the size that can cause issues with smaller defensive backs, with that pair collecting a combined 64 receptions last year. Moose Muhammad will get his chance as a starter after coming off the bench to grab 27 passes. Tight end is also in good hands, with Donovan Green back after missing last year with an ACL injury. He and Fresno State transfer Tre Watson should make an effective pair.
There’s room for improvement on the offensive line, which explains why left tackle Trey Zuhn may be the only returning starter. Lining up beside him will be Kansas transfer Ar’maj Reed-Adams, who has the necessary bulk to open up holes and protect Weigman. Mark Nabou should hold down the center spot, while the right side should have Chase Bisontis and Reuben Fatheree at guard and tackle, respectively.
Texas A&M Defense: Upfront Potential
The A&M line will be an important part of any success, with the end spots holding the most talent. Purdue transfer Nic Scourton led the Big Ten in sacks last year and took a major step forward. Joining him will be Cashius Howell, while the inside is expected to feature standout tackle Shermar Turner, who was part of 11 stops behind the line, including six sacks. Turner also forced a pair of fumbles and will team with Albert Regis, who’s currently a work in progress.
Making up for the loss of last year’s leading tackler Edgerrin Cooper will be a challenge, but the hope is that sophomore Taurean York will deliver another strong season. He brought down 74 opponents as a freshman, nine of them behind the line, numbers that helped him earn postseason accolades. Scooby Williams played three seasons with the Florida Gators and brings his quickness to the other linebacker spot, where he should challenge Solomon DeShields.
At one corner berth, Tyreek Chappell hopes to avoid the injuries that kept him out of three contests. He started his collegiate career with a strong 2021 campaign and last year knocked away seven pass attempts. He’s likely to be teamed with Kansas State transfer Will Lee, with B.J. Mayes another consideration. Nickel back Bryce Anderson is the star of the deep secondary and will team with safeties Trey Jones and Dalton Brooks.
Texas A&M Special Teams: Cause for Concern
The need for better results is the main goal for this unit, with returning placekicker Randy Bond hoping to improve his field goal accuracy after missing nine of his 35 attempts. Freshman Tyler White is the top candidate to replace 2023’s punter, Nik Constantinou, who averaged 41.3 yards last season. Owens will again be a fixture on kickoff returns, while Muhammad is expected to be the main man to return punts.
The Last Time Notre Dame Faced Texas A&M
An undefeated Aggies team scored two touchdowns in the opening quarter and were never seriously challenged by the Irish, who dropped the 24-3 decision to fall to 0-3 on the year. A&M took the opening drive and marched 78 yards for that first score, with a Notre Dame interception helping set up the latter score. The Irish managed only 191 yards of total offense, with Javin Hunter’s eight catches for 72 yards the most impressive Irish number of the miserable afternoon.
