No hedging, little doubt. Texas A&M players aren’t paying mind to their season’s built-in excuses.

COLLEGE STATION – Forget the untested but talented quarterback making his starting debut.

Or the revised offensive line, in which up to three newcomers – including a red shirt – can start.

No. 6 Texas A&M was in no mood for built-in excuses or hedges on Monday. The Aggies have far bigger plans for a season starting Saturday with Kent State at Kyle Field.

“I consider this game to set the tone because we come out with the intent to win a national championship and all of our opponents are faceless,” said receiver / running back Ainias Smith. “Every representative is a World Cup representative.”

Most teams start the season with college football playoff hopes and title dreams. For A&M, these thoughts may be more realistic than most.

“I can’t wait for everyone to see all the work we’ve done all of August,” said Isaiah Spiller, the workhorse running back. “We have more chips on our shoulder because we want to make it to the playoffs. That’s motivation right there. “

The Aggies were one place behind them in the CFP final rankings last season, leaving the disappointment behind with an Orange Bowl win over North Carolina.

It’s still a bit of a raw nerve.

“It’s kind of an unfinished business because we got a little screwed up last year,” said Demani Richardson. “We know we have a lot of evidence. We know what we can do. “

That can’t be fixed in a game against Kent State, a high-quality MAC team. The Golden Flashes finished 3-1 on a pandemic-abbreviated schedule but still averaged 49.8 points and 606.5 yards per game.

Still, A&M is an unaffordable favorite and is expected to dominate.

For the Aggies, this season is all about progress, said coach Jimbo Fisher.

“It’s not that it’s Kent State. It’s not that it’s Alabama. It’s not that it’s Georgia. It’s not that it’s LSU. It’s not like it’s Colorado next week, ”Fisher said in rapid fire. “Every opponent has their own purpose and plan that you have to play against. …

“The message is that we want to play and we want to play well. We want to play our game. We want to do the things we do. “

The game marks the first start for Redshirt freshman quarterback Haynes King, announced last week after a preseason camp competition with Zach Calzada as a starter.

As he told Houston’s ESPN 97.5 last week, Fisher said the difference was King’s pocket presence, not his athleticism.

That didn’t stop his teammates from raving about what King could show on his first start.

“Haynes is definitely going to prove a lot of people wrong this year,” said Spiller. “I have a feeling that he will have a very big year for us. He’s very athletic, very fast, probably one of the fastest people on the team. He can throw it. He can do anything. “

Then there is the revised offensive line.

All-American Kenyon Green, the only returning starter, switched from the left guard to the right tackle on the first depth map.

Freshman Reuben Fatheree competes with Tennessee transfer Jahmir Johnson on left tackle. Redshirt freshman Aki Ogunbiyi is listed as a starter on the left guard, and freshman Bryce Foster supports Jake Matthews in the middle.

Green called the freshman class “special,” and Spiller said he couldn’t wait to see the new unit.

When in doubt, A&M disguises itself well.

“We can be as good as we want,” said junior defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal. “Come out, do our thing, stick to our job and just play the game 100%, we can have a fantastic season.”

Banned Players: Fisher declined to address the status of defensive linemen McKinley Jackson and Micheal Clemons for Kent State opener. Both are under university suspension after being arrested in the preparatory camp. “They take care of the school supplies,” said Fisher. “I can’t talk about them yet.”

For more coverage of Texas A&M in the Dallas Morning News, click here.

For more coverage of college sports, see the Dallas Morning News here.

[ad_1]