Former LB coach Alan Weddell shares why A&M 'will be better' in 2025

We are officially 12 days (#branding) away from Texas A&M’s football season. Former Aggie linebacker coach Alan Weddell joined Monday's edition of TexAgs Live to go position-by-position and explain why the returning production will make a difference.

Key notes from Alan Weddell interview

• It’s great to be back. I’m excited about the Aggies. We’ve seen lower expectations this year, but I really think we’ll be good this year. The problem has been culture, not talent. The second year for Mike Elko, I think he understands getting that right. Then the talent can play with the big boys.
   
• They will be better on the offensive line because they’re back again. It’s as good a running back room as you can find. If you are top three in the SEC, it means top five or six in the nation. I think you got the best wide receiver in the portal in KC Concepcion. A quarterback in Marcel Reed who can go play action or use his legs. He has to show he’s a great passer. Defensively, the linebackers are back. The secondary will be better with Elko taking over. That’s the one position of trying to coordinate and get everyone on the same page. The defensive line is not as talented, but I think it will still be more productive. The lack of production last year put a lot of pressure on the secondary and linebackers. The program is on the verge, with our coaching staff, of being a 9-3, 10-2 every year.
   
• You have to be able to play man and zone and disguise it in this league. That takes time and continuity, playing together. When you recognize your problems, that’s a start to solving the secondary problem, especially with the first defensive-minded head coach since R.C. Slocum.
   
• I’m excited about Taurean York and Scooby Williams. Linebackers are only as good as the people in front of them. If defensive linemen don’t do their job, the offensive linemen against the linebackers are not a good matchup. Williams is a great athlete, and York is a leader.
   
• I think the second year and offseason for some young kids will be good. We’ve never heard that we don’t have enough talent to win. You just have to get over the hump. Winning produces winning. Notre Dame is a key game from the mental aspect. I think we can surprise them and find a way to win it in the fourth quarter. There are five games we have to compete in and win most of.
   
• Alabama and Georgia dominate teams. I’m not worried about the point spread of victory. But you want your starters to get in, dominate, make it comfortable, and play some young kids. We haven’t really shown a killer instinct once we get people down. Not many 30-0 at halftime. 
   
• UTSA is a good program. I’ll take a two-touchdown win over them. Utah State, we should be able to go home early. Auburn and Mississippi State should be good ones. We should be 4-1 or 5-0 going into Florida.
   
• They’ve changed tackling in the game completely. You can’t put your head across, or you’ll get targeting. All the drills, you can’t get people hurt going live all the time. The game has always evolved toward the offense. The emphasis is that you have to grab the cloth and hold on till the second man gets there. Again, those dual-threat quarterbacks are pretty good, too. When you’re 6-foot-4, 230 pounds and can run… Arch Manning will be one of those. We have a kid like that. He’s just not 230 pounds. Johnny Manziel was the same. Those types will force you to spy on them.
   
• The SEC is deeper, but the separation is not as much because of the portal and NIL. Noah Thomas went to Georgia. Concepcion came from the ACC to us. The rosters change so much every year. I’m not sure any team has the depth that Alabama and Georgia had. The difference between Alabama and Florida, Arkansas, and Auburn is not nearly what it was.