Grading The Units After Four Games

Okay, so we have played four games, and there has been enough variety of opponents that we can take a snapshot of where each of the units are for our Fighting Texas Aggie Football Team. As we get ready for the big game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, let’s go unit by unit and phase by phase.

Overall, 4-0 (1-0) is as good a way to start the season as possible. Certainly there are some style points that the Aggies left on the field, but undefeated is undefeated. Question is, how good are they really?

Today we start with the defense and special teams. We will look at the offense tomorrow.

Defensive Line – Passing Game – B+

After the Arizona State game, everyone was drooling over this unit as they simply destroyed the Sun Devils’ offensive line. As subsequent games have played out, though, this is a very good, but not that great, unit. That being said, reasonable improvement will continue to happen as the season progresses. The question is, will it progress faster than the level of opponents? Certainly, the Ole Miss, Alabama and LSU games – and possibly the Auburn game – are ones where this unit is going to need to be at its best.

Defensive Line – Running Game – D

This unit has definitely improved since 2014, but it is still vulnerable to making mistakes that make things difficult for the second and third layers behind them. From John Chavis’ comments on Tuesday, it sounds like he is confident that the problems are fixable, which is great to hear, but even moreso than the pass rush, stopping the running game is going to be very difficult, especially against Alabama and LSU. This is in some ways the most important unit on the team because once this team can stop people from running, then it unleashes the pass rush and puts a lot of pressure on the opposing offense to keep up with the Aggie offense – not an easy thing to do.

Linebackers – Passing Game – C

This unit is still getting its bearings due to injuries and suspensions limiting playing time, and in general, it has been effective in both supporting the pass rush and covering its assignments in pass coverage. To a degree, though, this is almost an incomplete as there has not been a lot of reps for this situation (as in, against Arizona State they never really got beyond the line, and the subsequent games did not present a lot of plays testing the linebackers).

Linebackers – Running Game – D

Again, a group limited by injuries, etc., and one that it working to get up to speed. It does not help that the interior of the DL has struggled to contain the run, putting the linebackers in an almost no-win situation. Again, though, Chavis spoke highly of the defenses effort to stop the run, saying that he needed to work on coaching them up. Surely, the challenge they faced against Arkansas is a unique one – rarely will you see a line that good. Then again, Alabama and LSU are looming.

Cornerbacks – Passing Game – B-

This group has made plays when they have had to. Again, undefeated is undefeated. But you have seen plays showing there is vulnerability here. The games against Ole Miss and possibly Auburn will really test what they can do. The good news is that there has been enough pressure on this group to see that they have the ability to make plays and this is not the concern it was coming into the season, both because of coaching and of players stepping up.

Cornerbacks – Running Game – C

These guys are not afraid to make a tackle and have generally been disciplined when the opposition has run the ball.

Safety – Passing Game – B

Almost an incomplete, it is clear that Alaka, Evans and Wilson are definitely solid players and will break things up.

Safety – Running Game – C

In part, they suffer because as a unit the defense is poor defending the run. But like the cornerbacks, they have been generally good tackling the running and being in position to make the tackle.

Special Teams – B+

The fantastic work we had in the first game did not continue through the next three, although it stayed at a very high and positive level, and there is no reason to think it won’t maintain that level of danger and production as long as the key players stay healthy. It is a real positive reflection on the coaching staff that each part of the special teams functions so well.

As with the wide receivers, if Speedy Noil can get healthy and back to last year’s levels of production, this group can get even better. Scary….