Texas A&M looks to build on impressive 2012 season

The Texas A&M Aggies are entering the 2013 NCAA football season on quite a roll. The Aggies finished the 2012 football season going 11-2 and 6-2 in SEC play. A&M’s two losses (Florida and LSU) came by a combined eight points. The Aggies defeated eventual national champion Alabama back in November by the score of 29-24 in Tuscaloosa.

Texas A&M also had several impressive accolades off the field as well. Aggie quarterback Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy as a redshirt freshman in A&M’s first season in the SEC. Manziel finished the year with 26 touchdowns through the air and over 3,700 passing yards. Manziel also did it on the ground, rushing the ball 201 times for over 1,400 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Offensive tackle Luke Joeckel, last year’s Outland Trophy winner, was selected second overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Thursday’s NFL Draft. Joeckel performed well enough last season to earn first-team All-American and All-SEC honors.

Other former Aggies selected in the NFL Draft include defensive end Damontre Moore, linebacker Sean Porter and wide receiver Ryan Swope. Moore was selected by the New York Giants with the 81st pick in the third round. Porter was next off the board, selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 118th pick in the fourth round. Finally, Swope was taken by the Arizona Cardinals with the 154th pick in the sixth round.

SEC Coach of the year Kevin Sumlin leads his team into the 2013 campaign riding high off of a decisive 41-13 victory over Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl Classic. A&M finished the season ranked fifth in both the AP and Coaches poll. The Aggies will host Rice University to open up the season on August 31.