Editors Note:  This article is written by guest blogger Daniel Durany.  Daniel is a graduate of TCU in Communications Studies.

Texas A & M was 4-8 overall and 2-6 in the Big XII Conference in 2008. For the Aggies to be a better football from last year’s record, they must improve in three categories: an effective running game to take the pressure off their quarterback and their defense, while stopping the opponents in the running game and improving their turnover margin.

The Aggies running game was ranked last in the Big XII Conference with only 2.9 yards per carry as they barely had over 1000 total yards rushing. In addition to the flaws in the running game from last year was stopping the opponents running game. The Aggie run defense gave up 219.3 yards rushing a game, with 34 touchdowns and 140 first downs which all ranked dead last in the Big XII.

Their third flaw and most important in football is turnovers. The Aggies coughing up the ball 27 times compared to forcing only 17 turnovers with turnover margin of -10 last year. Only the Nebraska Cornhuskers had worse turnover margin than the Aggies in the conference and out of 119 NCAA Division I-A teams last year, the Aggies were ranked 88th in the number of turnovers they coughed up, and tied 104th in turnover margin.

Even with all the struggles, the Aggies have a bright future ahead of them especially on offense as they have four returning starters back. First is starting wide receiver Ryan Tannehill who led team with 55 receptions, and 844 receiving yards. Tannehill had two games of over 100 yards receiving and 5 touchdowns.

Also from the wide receiver position is Jeff Fuller who provided 50 receptions, 630 receiving yards, and 9 touchdowns from a year ago. Running back Cyrus Gray will be back this year as he provided a spark with his 4.8 yards a carry, and a kickoff return touchdown, and quarterback Jerrod Johnson who threw for 21 touchdowns and 2,435 yards from last year.

For their upcoming schedule the Aggies will have a formidable schedule as they play three solid quarterbacks in the Big XII whose teams start the season ranked in the nation’s top 15 and their former Southwest Conference rivals, Arkansas Razorbacks. In the month of October, starting with the 3rd is a neutral site game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington against the Razorbacks. The week after that is against the Oklahoma State Cowboys who are ranked #13 to start the season. Last year the Aggies were humiliated in Stillwater losing 56-28 last year.

Their schedule gets even tougher in November as the Aggies play the three games in twelve days. The first of the three games will be against the Oklahoma Sooners on 14th. Last year, Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford won the Heisman trophy. The Aggies have been embarrassed a couple of times this decade against the Sooners, including last year giving up 66 points and six years ago went through the humiliation losing 77-0.

he next game after the Sooners is against the Baylor Bears. Baylor offense starts with sophomore QB Robert Griffin who provides the dual threat to either run or pass.

Their final game of the regular season is on Thanksgiving night against their in-state rivals, University of Texas Longhorns. Last year, the Longhorns behind quarterback Colt McCoy who finished runner-up for the Heisman whipped the Aggies 49 to 9. Though, the Aggies have beaten the Longhorns two out of the last three years.