Texas A&M (8-4) will look to end the 2024 season on a high note amid losing three out of the final four games of coach Mike Elko’s inaugural campaign while having the chance to win nine games for the first time since the memorable 2020 season. Facing USC (6-6) in the Las Vegas Bowl, the Trojans have been ravaged by the transfer portal, coming into Friday’s matchup with a depleted roster.
However, the Aggies have also lost 19 players to the portal, though only three defensive starters, Nic Scourton, Shemar Stewart, and Shemar Turner, are the only key members of the roster missing the game after declaring for the NFL Draft.
Offensively, starting quarterback Marcel Reed enters the spotlight once again. The presumed 2025 starter is still developing as a pocket passer and has another chance to improve against a susceptible USC secondary. However, the most intriguing matchup is Texas A&M’s pass rush against the Trojan’s offensive line, focused on Aggie edges Cashius Howell and Rylan Kennedy.
Ahead of the late-night showdown, here are five observations ahead of Friday’s matchup.
5. This is the start of a new season for Texas A&M
While the Las Vegas Bowl will count as the final game of the 2024 season, Texas A&M’s regular-season finale loss to Texas still haunts a team that was once 7-1 and undefeated in SEC play before star running back Le’Veon Moss’s season-ending injury threw a wrench in the Aggies’ postseason plans.
On Thursday, coach Mike Elko stated that this game represents a start to the 2025 season, especially for quarterback Marcel Reed, who looks to improve as a pocket passer and live up to his high expectations with an improved receiving corps at his disposal. However, this is also a send-off for the veterans on the roster who will play their final collegiate game.
4. Texas A&M’s offensive line should dominate against USC’s front
USC has lost several defensive linemen to the transfer portal, while the Aggies are healthy across the offensive line, outside of starting right guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams, who was seen wearing a sling on his arm during Thursday’s pre-game press conference.
To achieve consistency on offense next season, the O-line must improve beyond what we witnessed this season. Dominating a depleted D-line on Friday will significantly contribute to cultivating the “Maroon Goons” mentality, reminiscent of A&M’s impressive 2020 offensive line that propelled the Aggies to eight straight victories.
3. It’s Cashius Howell and Rylan Kennedy’s time to shine
Texas A&M’s top pass rushers weren’t starters this season but will take on a more prominent role on Friday heading into the 2025 spring football season.
Junior edge Cashius Howell and sophomore defensive end Rylan Kennedy will take over the starting duties pass-rush duties against the Trojans after ending the season with the highest pass-rush grades on the team per Pro Football Focus,
While the loss of Nic Scourton, Shemar Stewart, and Shemar Turner is significant, that only opens the door for Howell and Kennedy to prove their worth as future stars and allow other young defenders, including defensive lineman DJ Hicks to show out on Friday night.
2. Will freshman wide receiver Terry Bussey see more time in the backfield?
Texas A&M freshman wide receiver Terry Bussey will enter the 2025 season as one of the program’s premier offensive starters. Still, with junior Amari Daniels and senior EJ Smith as the only scholarship running backs on the roster, I expect Bussey to see some time in the backfield on Friday.
Bussey’s versatility could be equal to Heisman-winning cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, but that falls at the feet of Mike Elko and OC Collin Klein, who will need to develop him as a future star wide receiver or make the position switch to cornerback before the start of the 2025 season.
With more snaps at running back on Friday, expect Klein to move Bussey around and utilize his speed on end arounds.
1. Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed needs to play free and trust his instincts
Every game matters going forward for Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed, as the redshirt freshman needs as many valuable reps as possible before entering the 2025 offseason, and he has much higher expectations due to the talented receiving corps he’ll inherit.
Reed’s legs and elite athleticism make him a threat to any defense, but OC Collin Klein’s job is to help develop him as a passer to make it more challenging for defenses to prepare for him through the air and on the ground.
To help aid this transition as a true dual-threat QB, Reed will need to find success in the passing game while taking advantage of running lanes when warranted. Reed is the present and future option under center, so it’s time for the young man to start his improvement on Friday night.
This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M vs. USC in the Las Vegas Bowl: 5 things to watch for
