Is this the start of a new chapter under Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M?

Kellen Mond was the face of the Aggies for so long that it will be a bit of a jolt for some to see somebody else at quarterback this season. Who wins that job is by far the biggest storyline of the spring.

A secondary storyline to follow is the health of the offensive line, which is why they had a limited group last week for the scrimmage.

Of course, the absence of injured TE Jalen Wydermyer will be a loss for fans, but there will be plenty to watch on Saturday.

The defense may be the most exciting unit from a known commodity unit as the Aggies return 20 of 22 players from last year’s 2-deep depth chart.

Here are 5 things I want to see in Saturday’s spring game, starting with the battle to replace Mond:

QB battle: Zach Calzada vs. Haynes King

King was thought to be the front-runner because of his background and skill-set, but from all indications coming out of earlier practices and scrimmages, the battle appears to be fairly even. Is it fair to expect them to take over seamlessly from Mond, or will this be similar to the 2018 battle between Mond and Nick Starkel?

Probably not, because both have far less experience compared to what Mond and Starkel had at the time. Look for the perceived weakness to be an interesting point. Calzada is known for his arm, and King his athleticism; they’ll need to do more than that to earn the job.

Devon Achane

The speedster served notice against North Carolina with that 76-yard touchdown in the bowl game, and he has deservedly so ended up on plenty of breakout player lists this offseason. That game, and last season, only offered a glimpse to his track speed and potential. Achane finished his freshman season with 364 yards on 43 carries, but 140 of those yards came on 12 carries in the Orange Bowl, and that’s why he was named the Orange Bowl MVP. If Achane is the lightning, Isaiah Spiller is the thunder out of the backfield, and staying in shape, at about 225 pounds, and healthy will be a key for him. Spiller, who played last season with a fractured toe, has the ability to wear down opponents late in games.

Jayden Peevy

There’s a leadership shift happening on the defense since Bobby Brown has moved on to the NFL Draft. That void is likely to be filled by Peevy, who elected to return for another year, and build off his solid production last season of 10 starts and 34 total tackles. The 6-6, 290-pound defensive lineman also flourished in the Orange Bowl with a season-high 6 tackles. His body language and energy on the field will be interesting to watch for in the scrimmage.

Linebacker replacements

Mond isn’t the only key departure. The Aggies are trying to replace Buddy Johnson, who was A&M’s leading tackler in 2019 and 2020. Candidates to replace him include Chris Russell Jr. and Andre White Jr.. White played in 10 games. He only started 1 — the Orange Bowl, where he made a career-high 8 tackles, a half-sack and an interception. Russell also played in all 10 games but primarily on special teams last season.

Demond Demas

Demas appeared in 4 games last season, but didn’t record a catch. Demas was a high-profile recruit, and hasn’t played a full season since his junior year of high school because he was ineligible as a senior after transferring schools. Then in March, he was suspended by the school after he was arrested for possession of fewer than 2 ounces of marijuana. He is back with the team and will be looked to as a contributor on the outside to pair this fall with Chase Lane, the top returning wide receiver by production, and Wydermyer.