Five Aggies that should benefit from a fresh start under Fisher
The Jimbo Fisher era is now in full swing at Texas A&M and despite the Aggies' struggles that led to Kevin Sumlin’s dismissal, it only takes one look at the Aggies' roster to see that Sumlin left several former elite recruits behind. The failure of some of those players to live up to the hype is part of the reason Sumlin is now gone, but with a new coach on board many will get fresh starts. Today we look at five former elite recruits who have a chance to turn their careers around once they’re given a second chance to make a first impression.
As a recruit: Mond started his high school career in Texas and initially committed to Baylor, prior to the sexual assault allegations surrounding many former members of the football program. Once head coach Art Briles was fired, Mond quickly re-opened his recruitment and initially looked bound for Auburn. But Texas A&M did a nice job of making up ground and within a month of backing off his Baylor pledge, Mond was committed to the Aggies.
What he’s done: Mond was thrust into the starting lineup earlier this season after starter Nick Starkel was knocked out of action in the first game of season. Mond has had his share of struggles as a passer, completing just 51 percent of his passes for 1,375 yards with eight touchdowns and six interceptions. But his ability to make plays with his legs helped him lead the school to four straight victories and finished the regular season with 340 rushing yards.
Why Fisher will help: Fisher has a great track record of developing quarterbacks, with several former first round picks and former Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston among his past pupils. Mond is a different type of quarterback than Fisher’s past quarterbacks, but his ability to make plays with his legs is a plus and Fisher will likely take Mond under his wing from the early going. The Aggies should have a quarterback battle this offseason but if Mond can keep developing as a passer he should have every opportunity to win the job.
As a recruit: In a recruitment filled with twists and turns, Bussey made an early commitment to Nebraska and seemed bound for Lincoln until the Huskers made a coaching change in late 2014. Bussey re-opened his recruitment and committed to Tennessee less than a month later. But his flirtation with Vols didn’t last long as he flipped to Texas A&M on Signing Day in 2015.
What he’s done: Bussey redshirted his first year on campus after suffering an injury late in his high school career. Though he saw action in 2016, he still had issues with nagging injuries that limited him to just 20 carries. When he did have the ball in his hands he was dynamic, averaging 8.6 yards per carry.
Why Fisher will help: During Fisher’s time in Tallahassee there was a steady stream of elite running back talent rolling through town and he had no problem showcasing multiple backs during individual seasons. When healthy, Bussey has shown that he still has the ability that made him an elite recruit. The most obvious comparison to an ex-Fisher back for Bussey (5-8, 200) is Devonta Freeman (5-9, 209), who had a great career with the ‘Noles before going onto the NFL. If Bussey can stay on the field he could see a renaissance under Fisher and the new staff.
As a recruit: Mack emerged on the national scene early in his high school career and made a commitment to Texas A&M during his junior season. However, he would have second thoughts and eventually decommit and take official visits to College Station, Texas and TCU. In the end the Aggies ended up getting him back in the fold, nabbing his commitment on Signing Day in 2015.
What he’s done: Mack had a tremendous first year on campus, making an immediate impact and being one of the team’s best defensive linemen. He finished the season with 32 total tackles, including 9.5 for loss. Unfortantly for Aggies fans, Mack’s production has dropped in subsequent years as he had 25 tackles in 2016 and just 15 in 2017.
Why Fisher will help: Linemen with similar builds to Mack (6-1, 320) have thrived in Jimbo Fisher defenses over the past handful of years, with players like Timmy Jernigan (6-2, 295) and Everett Dawkins (6-2, 298) going on to be drafted and current Florida State defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (6-1, 310) likely headed for an NFL career as well. For some reason Mack lost the mojo that made him one of the SEC’s best freshman in 2015 and with his future hanging in the balance he will be motivated to recapture that magic under Fisher and the new Aggies staff.
As a recruit: Originally from Texas, Ausbon made an early commitment to LSU over several other major offers. But after transferring to IMG Academy in Florida for his senior year he developed a bond with Mond and ended up flipping to join him at Texas A&M late in his senior year.
What he’s done: Ausbon had a terrific freshman year, catching 38 passes for 459 yards and two touchdowns.
Why Fisher will help: Ausbon had no problems making an impact in his first year on campus despite inconsistent quarterback play. But with Fisher in place to help develop and stabilize the options at the position, Ausbon has a chance to go from good to great. It’s worth noting that in Fisher’s time with the Seminoles the school also had several productive receivers, including 2014 first round pick Kelvin Benjamin.
As a recruit: A Texas native, Diesch surprised many when he committed to Arkansas over in-state options during the summer of 2016. But as his recruitment went along he began to look around and ended off backing off his pledge in Oct. 2016. He took official visits to Tennessee and Texas A&M before committing to the Aggies in November.
What he’s done: Diesch redshirted in 2016 and was a deep reserve along the offensive line in 2017.
Why Fisher will help: Diesch was a raw prospect coming out of high school with his ranking based on his tremendous upside. Obviously, he hasn’t had the impact that most expected and it will only benefit him to have a new coaching staff that is willing to invest time in helping him tap into that raw ability. Fisher and his staff have had success with tall, raw prospects on the offensive line in the past and Diesch definitely fits that mold.
