panther power
08-10-2005, 08:30 PM
Five potential breakthrough teams for 2005 -- as well as five more worth watching -- and how they measure up on the ESPN.com checklist of Sleeper characteristics:
Texas A&M Aggies
Ranked 10th or lower: Check. The Aggies are No. 17 in the USA Today coaches' poll.
Lost 3 or more last year: Check. A&M was 7-5 (5-3 Big 12 South).
Experience: Check. 17 returning starters and 48 lettermen. (Biggest assets: returning QB, leading rusher, four offensive linemen and six of the defensive front seven. Biggest losses: leading receiver Terrence Murphy and three of their top five tacklers, including two leading sackers.)
First-round talent: Maybe. Mel Kiper Jr. rates QB Reggie McNeal among the top five in the country at his position. Free safety Jaxson Appel and a few members of the defensive front could have a chance with a big year.
Senior QB: Check. McNeal has started 24 games over three years and has developed into a high-efficiency passer. Dangerous with his feet, too.
Dominant D: Maybe. A&M must improve after surrendering 26 points and 394 yards per game last year. But a good front seven gives Carl Torbush's unit a chance to do just that.
Game-turning kicking game: No. Kicker Todd Pegram is reliable from inside 45 yards, but the Aggies are breaking in a freshman punter and haven't shown much in the return game.
Schedule: No. Opener at Clemson is scary. Three of four conference road games are against 2004 bowl teams, including back-to-back trips to Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
Intangibles: Check. Dennis Franchione's track record for turnarounds suggests the revival is at hand in College Station.
Texas A&M Aggies
Ranked 10th or lower: Check. The Aggies are No. 17 in the USA Today coaches' poll.
Lost 3 or more last year: Check. A&M was 7-5 (5-3 Big 12 South).
Experience: Check. 17 returning starters and 48 lettermen. (Biggest assets: returning QB, leading rusher, four offensive linemen and six of the defensive front seven. Biggest losses: leading receiver Terrence Murphy and three of their top five tacklers, including two leading sackers.)
First-round talent: Maybe. Mel Kiper Jr. rates QB Reggie McNeal among the top five in the country at his position. Free safety Jaxson Appel and a few members of the defensive front could have a chance with a big year.
Senior QB: Check. McNeal has started 24 games over three years and has developed into a high-efficiency passer. Dangerous with his feet, too.
Dominant D: Maybe. A&M must improve after surrendering 26 points and 394 yards per game last year. But a good front seven gives Carl Torbush's unit a chance to do just that.
Game-turning kicking game: No. Kicker Todd Pegram is reliable from inside 45 yards, but the Aggies are breaking in a freshman punter and haven't shown much in the return game.
Schedule: No. Opener at Clemson is scary. Three of four conference road games are against 2004 bowl teams, including back-to-back trips to Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
Intangibles: Check. Dennis Franchione's track record for turnarounds suggests the revival is at hand in College Station.