By Matt Smith
SouthernPigskin.com

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How much of an impact will John Chavis have on the Texas A&M defense?

2014 Record: 8-5 (3-5 SEC); defeated West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl

Offensive Returning Starters: 8 (QB Kyle Allen, RB Brandon Williams, WR Edward Pope, WR Josh Reynolds, WR Ricky Seals-Jones, OT Germain Ifedi, OG Joseph Cheek, C Mike Matthews)

Defensive Returning Starters: 6 (DE Julien Obioha, DE Myles Garrett, DT Alonzo Williams, NB Devonta Burns, CB Devonte Harris, S Armani Watts )

Practice Opens: Mar. 2

Spring Game: Apr. 11

Spring Storylines

1. Kyles Field

Kenny Hill went from Heisman Trophy front-runner in September to being released from his scholarship in January. Much of the blame for the fall goes to Hill himself, but the emergence of true freshman Kyle Allen also expedited Hills departure from College Station. Allen was named the starter following Alabamas 59-0 destruction of the Aggies, going 3-2, including a stunning upset of No. 3 Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium as a 24-point underdog.

While the talk of the past two months was incoming recruit Kyler Murray, the 2015 Aggies are Allens team. 2014 was about what youd expect from a true freshman (61.5 completion percentage, 16-to-7 TD-INT ratio) who, while having all the necessary skills, seemed highly unlikely to play after Hills fast start. In this era of major college football, sophomores are treated mostly as upperclassmen and are expected to play like them. With the offense he plays in and the talent around him, Allen should be one of the SECs most productive quarterbacks come in 2015, but first faces the most important offseason of his career.

2. Hail to the Chief

The Texas A&M defense was far from great in 2012, but Mark Snyders first Aggies unit was experienced and came through in the clutch (see Alabama game). That didnt carry over, as the 2013 and 2014 Aggie defenses still had too much Big 12 in them for the team to have success in the SEC. Snyder was dismissed following last season, and head coach Kevin Sumlin made a huge coup in landing John Chavis from LSU, the third SEC school at which Chavis has been a coordinator after a long stint at Tennessee and six seasons with the Tigers.

Under Snyder, Texas A&M ran more of a bend-but-dont-break system. That wont be the case under Chavis, who asks his cornerbacks to play a lot of man-to-man press coverage. This isnt just a few tweaks. This is a complete (and much-needed) defensive overhaul, meaning the Aggies have to make significant strides this spring. Chavis has a star in sophomore defensive end Myles Garrett, who may be more talented than any of the great defensive linemen he coached at LSU. But Texas A&M has to be tighter at the back end if Chavis hopes to experience the same success that did in Baton Rouge.

3. The Next Millionaire?

cWeve got this thing,d Sumlin explained last summer. cYou play left tackle, and then you leave and become a millionaire. The guy on the right, he gets to move to the left, and then he becomes a millionaire.d That quote was in reference to Cedric Ogbuehis move to the left side, following in the lineage of top-10 NFL Draft picks Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews. Ogbuehi wont be drafted as high as his predecessors come late April, but hell certainly continue the tradition of Aggies left tackles in the NFL.

Ogbuehis replacement is, naturally, last years right tackle 3 Germain Ifedi. The junior is built perfectly for the position at 65d and 325 pounds, some 20 pounds heavier than Ogbuehi was. Ifedi have to conquer the inherent challenges that come from switching sides, most notably footwork and technique. Hell have two other starters back alongside him, but if the Texas A&M offensive line is to be as successful as it has in the recent past, Ifedi must make the transition to the left side as smoothly as Matthews and Ogbuehi.

4. Instant Impact

Seven early enrollees will go through spring drills, a number of whom need to be immediate contributors. That starts with junior college transfer Justin Evans, who walks into a great situation at safety with the Aggies secondary needing a complete rebuild after the losses of Deshazor Everett, Howard Matthews and Floyd Raven. While Evans is one of the few who are new to the locker room, hes just like every other defender in terms of experience with Chavis system. A strong spring from Evans should lead to a starting role this fall.

On the other side of the ball, Texas A&M will be unleashing top wide receiver signee Christian Kirk this spring. Like Allen, Kirk hails from Arizona, so the two arent unfamiliar with each other. Hes not the physical freak that 65d Ricky Seals-Jones is, but the 511d Kirk will be a dangerous weapon from the slot. Once the ball is in his hands, itll spell trouble for opposing defenses. With already having a bit of a rapport with Allen from their prep days, Kirk has a great chance to contribute immediately.