Your Best 11 Mailbag: Arkansas, Texas A&M, Who Fades in December and More

We missed a week because we didn't have nearly enough questions to flesh out the mailbag. This week we're back to go full strength with questions from all over. That is a great thing folks because we're here to talk football. Remember you can ask questions anytime, not just Thursdays, and we'll make sure to work them in the mix here. Just shoot me a tweet Tweet to @InTheBleachers

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@InTheBleachers I know you're down on A&M in the SEC in general, but what do you see as a reasonable bar for success in 2012?

— Broderick Morgan (@bdmorgan87) April 12, 2012"

It isn't so much that I'm down on A&M to the SEC as I just don't think this is an opportunity for them to elevate their program. Their odds of winning a Big 12 title were a lot higher, yet they couldn't even do that. As for the move to the SEC, I think a solid season would be finishing fourth in the West. Third if the Razorbacks fall apart. The Aggies are a football team that's transitioning in two ways; they're changing conferences and changing coaches. That's not an easy move to make in any regard and attempting to do both at once is like asking for double the punishment.

They have some pieces on offense, but they're transitioning to a new system so there will be some inconsistency. How Kliff Kingsbury's adjustments to SEC defenses works should be interesting. The man is in a division where Alabama and LSU both make their money by playing suffocating defense, how he finds yards should be an adventure..

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@InTheBleachers what are your predictions for NCSU football in the upcoming season?

— El Red (@Wufpackin) April 12, 2012"

Truth be told, I like NC State as a bit of a dark horse to win the Atlantic. Will they be better than Clemson or Florida State outright? Nope, but with a quarterback like Mike Glennon and two solid minds running their defense, they have a shot to upset either of the aforementioned teams.

Glennon proved he's capable a season ago; Tobias Palmer is his best returning weapon there but, unlike a year ago, the running game should be reliable as James Washington and Tony Creecy have more carries under their belt. If Mustafa Green can stay out of trouble and get healthy he might be able to add to that mix in the backfield.

The Wolfpack are a ball club that should see eight wins, at the bare minimum, in 2012. Even if you factor in losses to Florida State and Clemson, which you shouldn't, the Wolfpack have ten games that are there for the taking. If they beat Tennessee to start the year, they can get to game five against Miami before they are truly tested again.

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@InTheBleachers what do u think Long will do? Wait or push for a coach now? If he waits, what does that do for recruiting!

— Paul Roberts (@paulheels) April 12, 2012"

Honestly, we hit this yesterday in a column on Taver Johnson being the smart play for Long. I'm not sure what he'll do, but I'm hoping he sticks and looks at this as a chance to get the right guy for 2013. As for recruiting, it's tough loss for them, but they only had two guys committed before Petrino's firing and I'm not sure if you've followed Arkansas recruiting, but Petrino has not exactly been crushing it. Taver and his gang will go out and try to recruit, the same way Luke Fickell and Everett Withers did at Ohio State and North Carolina, that's all Johnson can do. 

In the grand scheme of things I don't think it will have a huge impact from a recruiting standpoint. Arkansas will lose a couple of kids that were coming because they thought Petrino could get them to the league. Other than that? They'll still recruit the same kids who have been going to Arkansas; guys who don't want to or can't go to Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, Texas, Oklahoma or Tennessee.

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@InTheBleachers do you think AJ McCarron uses Tide or Gain to wash his clothes? I'll hang up and listen.

— Dannie Mixon (@danniemixon) April 12, 2012"

Obviously one would suspect that he uses Tide; it seems like a natural fit. In actuality, I'm suspecting he's a store brand powder detergent guy. Because he's in college and why would any college kid waste money on detergent when there are awesome ways to spend your money that include having fun. Laundry detergent is not one of those ways.

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@InTheBleachers what team will everyone be talking about in August/September but no one will be talking about in December?

— Josh (@joshdub23) April 12, 2012"

This is a tough question because it is still so early to ask who is going to flame out. Last year it was Clemson and Oklahoma that had their rise and fall. This season, because I have to pick someone or this question goes unanswered, I'll take the Nittany Lions.

Bill O'Brien's team has a shot at getting to 7-0 on the season, and everyone at State College will be celebrating him. Then Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin come through towards the end of the year. That could seriously change the outlook for the season after a hot start.

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@InTheBleachers did you realize it's national grilled cheese day today??

— Erin Summers (@ErinESummers) April 12, 2012"

Friend and colleague Erin Summers of WRAL in Raleigh, NC reminds us that it isn't always all about football. Today is National Grilled Cheese Day. No, I did not know that but I plan on celebrating accordingly.

Folks, be sure to get those questions in next time and we'll have some fun answering the pressing issues in college football.