Aggies v. Arkansas - The Matchups

Both teams are starting off their SEC play and neither team wants to start with a loss. Motivation is not going to be an issue, certainly not for the Razorbacks. With two losses on the season already, Arkansas is that cornered animal. The Aggies are going to get their best on Saturday.

The thing is, in terms of overall talent, the Aggies should have the edge, and overall they are playing better. But the desperation from the Razorbacks makes them dangerous. Also, schematically there might be some issues.

So let's dive in. First, the Razorbacks have been good with their coverage teams. Considering the level of opponents they have faced, that may not be much of a test but overall, we can't expect them to be poor here. Opposing them is one of the best return units in the SEC. While we should expect A&M to have some success here, I don't think we can count on it being like it was against Arizona State, etc.

On the other hand, their return teams have not been spectacular. With the Aggies' kicking game on solid footing, odds are that at the very least, A&M should be able to slowly improve their field position as the game goes along.

When The Aggies Run

This has been a place where A&M has not been successful since a certain Heisman Trophy winner left - frankly, in large part because he was so good at running the ball. This year has seen the team make a more concerted effort to develop this part of their game, with some obvious success.

The Razorbacks lost a lot of players from their solid defense from last season, and it has shown, although none of their opponents have had the kind of running game that A&M has (which is kind of awkward to say). There is a good chance that A&M's success this year has been because it has been against inferior teams. This is an area to watch.

That being said, part of the Aggies' success has been from the QB position, and Tech was able to run their quarterback well for key plays, so that is a breakdown to look for. If Kyle Allen can make those short 5-10 yard runs to get the 1st down to keep drives alive, this could be a long day for Arkansas.

When the Aggies Pass

Tech did a phenomenal job of getting skill players in space, but that is in large part what their offense is based on. The Aggies certainly have that as a part of their game, but they have not excelled at it since the end of the 2013 season. Even this season against inferior teams, they have not consistently been able to hurt opponents. On the other hand, considering how slow the Razorbacks are on defense, it is very possible that this is where the Aggies can open up the playbook and make Arkansas pay for their limitations. Certainly, players like Kirk and Noil will be worries for the Razorbacks all game.

A key to watch here is A&M's ability to pass protect and design plays to free Allen from the pass rush. Spavital spoke this week about how they had worked on the running game through the Nevada game and that he expected the pass protection to improve now that they had made progress on the running game. If they can keep Allen's jersey clean, he will likely find enough targets in space to really hurt Arkansas.

Considering that the Razorbacks were unable to pressure Texas Tech much certainly ought to give the offense reason for confidence.

When Arkansas Runs

This is part of the Razorback game that should worry the Aggies. not so much because they have had great success this season, but more that they have traditionaly been good at it, return much of their offenseive line that was so successful last season, and have progressed in this phase of the game as the season progressed.

Frankly, it has been a tough season for Arkansas here - the loss of Jonathan Williams before the season started was huge. Add into that the fact that new coordinator Dan Enos was brought in to develop the passing game and started the season with a pass-heavy focus and you have a team leaning the wrong way to start with. Add in the fact that Alex Collins was not fully healthy going into the Toledo game and you basically have a team handicapped in their major strength.

But for large swaths of the Tech game, Arkansas was able to run the ball at will - for large chunks. And this is up against what has been an issue for the Aggies in past seasons. And even this season, they have given up some long runs, especially early in the Ball State game.

That being said, the Aggies DL is solid and the defense as a whole may have made a mistake or two here or there, but they have not continued to make them (another huge improvement with Chavis joining the staff). This is going to be a very good challenge for the linebacking unit. The good news for the Ags here is that this unit got close to fully staffed for the Nevada game and now most of those players have gotten reps. They are as healthy as they ever have been for the first big challenge.

When Arkansas Passes

This is another area that the Aggies ought to have an advantage. The Razorbacks simply are not ready for the speed and skill of this defensive line, and they could very possibly overwhelm them. The Razorback offensive line is massive, but not necessarily quick. And Brandon Allen did not look at all comfortable scrambling against Tech.

Add into that the fact that the Razorbacks have lost a number of wide receivers in their three games this season, and Arkansas did not have a lot of talent at the position to begin with. Throw in the fact that Allen has not been phenomenal in the passing game this season and you have a recepie for a bad matchup.

The trick, though, is play action. If Arkansas can establish a solid running game and get ahead or stay even, play action is going to be a concern. Allen made a number of solid passes from this against Tech.

Overall

So the bottom line is that, if Sumlin and the coaching staff and team leaders can keep this team focused and aggressive, the talent and scheme advantages should lead A&M to the win. The Aggies simply have too many playmakers on both sides of the ball.

But it is entirely possible that Arkansas will play their best game of the season to date - in large part because they need to - and keep things competitive for much if not all of the game, and it is going to take those playmakers to win the game.

Personally, I have faith that between that brain trust and the experience this team went through last season, they will not come into this game soft but rather will play their own best game of the season to get the win. But as a good friend of mine reminded me today, we are talking about a major sporting event based on the minds of 18-20 year old college kids.....

Looking To Aggies against Arkansas

Here comes the meat of the schedule for the Aggies. After dominating a tough game against Arizona State, Texas A&M played Ball State and Nevada, working on technique and system, and successfully integrated some players who had not started the year either for injury or suspension.

Overall, we saw improvement at the linebacker and running game efforts. We also saw a few issues at cornerback emerge. But overall, this team is further along than any thought they might be, mostly because the defense is miles beyond what most would even admit hoping for. But also, the establishment of a running game has to be encouraging.

Further, we saw the continued success of Christian Kirk and Josh Reynolds, as well as more use of other wide receivers like Noil, RSJ, etc. I think most Aggies would feel more comfortable if the team would have developed more plays over the middle and vertically, but that is likely just the coaches holding cards close to the vest and focusing on getting an effective running game.

Oh and the special teams units have been spectacular. Kirk and Noil are good for a big return at least once a game. Kaser flips the field almost every time he kicks and Bertolet has been spot on for all the short and mid-range kicks he has needed to make. The only really open question on special teams is whether Bertolet can hit something from moderate to long distance.

On top of that, the team worked in a number of 2s and 3s to get them experience and see who can do what. Granted, they did not perform well at times, but with the 1As and 1Bs playing so well, this should not be a huge concern.

The concern, though, is pass blocking. The Aggies have given up a good bit of sacks - not good.

Looking at Arkansas, though, they are a dumpster fire, having lost two in a row to the Toledo Rockets and Texas Tech - at home. The team some predicted as a dark horse in the SEC - not the SEC West, but the SEC - looked in some ways like they had completely lost their way.

Upon closer examination, though... appearances are deceiving.

In the Toledo game, Alex Collins was coming off a short week due to an illness and the team could not make the Red Zone plays they needed to for the win. Against Tech, they were in the game the whole way - almost always within a touchdown or tied - until late. Granted, Tech is not the best defensive team, but they are much improved with a new defensive coordinator that had them tackling in space, etc. (sound familiar?).

Specifically, for the vast majority of the drives, they were able to run the ball for more than 3 yards a carry - often 5-7 yards or more - and also make the short and mid range throws needed to keep the chains moving.

In my opinion, as good as the Aggies are on defense, they are still going to have to play really well to stop Arkansas' offense, and when TAMU has the ball, they cannot afford mistakes.

This is going to be a bar fight - especially considering how desperate Arkansas will be to salvage their season - and this young Aggie team had better be ready for it.

Why Nevada Is Important To The Aggie Future

So the Aggies play the Nevada Wolfpack on Saturday morning, and we have previously discussed continued improvement is a reasonable expectation, and frankly, most units are on pace if not well ahead of preseason expectations. The one units that really have us concerned are the offensive line, linebackers and cornerbacks. The cornerbacks are what they are, but the linebackers are getting a lot of depth back this week that need to integrate into the team, and the offensive line has enough raw talent to improve their play.

Let's take a closer look, though, at why we have been worried about how this team is shaping up.

Arkansas. The Arkansas Razorbacks are the first SEC challenge that our Aggies will face. Following the week after that will be Mississippi State - and a State team that is probably desperate for a win after having already lost to LSU and having gone to Auburn the week the Ags play Arky.

Both of those are solid programs that can run the ball when they choose to, and they both have defenses that can get to the quarterback. Add in Alabama following those two games, and you have three key SEC games where defending the running game and being effective on running the ball will be key to success.

So this Nevada game is the last real chance to see how good the linebackers can be, and how much improvement the offensive line can make before the real tests coming in the following weeks.

Let's flip the look to the opponents for a moment, though.

Arkansas started the season with a big win against UTEP. As the team was a monster late last season, with a powerful running game and strong defense, the fact that they were passing well against a poor team raised eyebrows.

But then they laid an egg against Toledo. They stayed with a passing game that did well 20 to 20, but could not score in the red zone and ended up losing the game. Part of this is due to the loss of one of their 1,000 yard running backs from last year, and part of this was the other was getting over his own health issues late last week. Maybe the lack of focus on the running game was simply because they didn't have either of their guys full speed and that could change in a hurry.

The Razorbacks play Texas Tech in Arkansas on Saturday. Improved from last year? Mmmmm.... Not sure. But a pissed off Razorback side, in their house? With Alex Collins probably at full speed? It probably won't be the pasting it was last year, when a tired and poor Tech defense just got run over, but I can't in good conscience say that I think Tech has any real chance.

That being said, it will be an important game to watch to see two things - one, how well can they get back to running the ball, and yet, two, how effective can they be passing the ball. If they can figure some things out, and the defense can remain solid (remember, Toledo only scored 16 last week), the Razorbacks will still be a huge test for the Aggies on the 26th.

As for Mississippi State, they play a cupcake this week, so really, the game to watch for them is their game on The Plains against War Eagle on the 26th.

Reality Check - Ball State Evaluation

The final score was 56-23, after being up 49-3. In some ways, that is good (getting up 49-3). In some ways, not so good. but mostly it is good and then good. Specifically, the 1s did really well for the most part, and you could tell it was constructive for them. Additionally, you could tell that the 2s also did well for the most part.

And while the other players did not play as well, and there is something to be said for them coming in with less focus and energy, rather than coming in hungry and firing, at the same time we got to see some of those players rise to the occasion and it will be good to add them to the depth chart for when we need more than just 30-40 guys to beat teams (which is coming soon).

So let's go unit by unit real quick and make some notes.

The Defensive Line

Oh my goodness this group is strong and deep. There really isn't much other to say here as they played really well for much of the game.

Linebackers

Getting a little depth back and seeing those who did play do well gives us some confidence. That being said, we need to see more progress as the real SEC games are coming fast. Winning the Arkansas and Mississippi State games will be key to separating us from the bottom of the SEC West and right now, those both look very possible, but only if the team as a whole - and this unit specifically - continues to work and improve. Getting Hilliard back in time to play Nevada is important.

Safeties

While not as strong as in the Arizona State game, the safety play against Ball State was strong enough that it stays in the positive category with momentum. If they do well against the running game of the Wolfpack, then I think we can go into the Razorback game with some real confidence.

Cornerbacks

We saw some cracks in the armor here. A few times they were beaten, and they earned some laundry. We should not be surprised, but it does highlight that this group also has work to do.

Special Teams

Once again, solid to spectacular across the board. Opponents return teams better have their assignments straight or the Aggies will be working from a short field a lot - and that is not something you want to give this offense on any sort of regular basis. The coverage units were also good. The only concern I had was we didn't see Bertolet get tested... Might want to find a way to do that before we are in an SEC game... Of course, you have to take what the game gives you.

Wide Receivers

I feel much better after this game about the wide outs. Reynolds was solid, Kirk showed he wasn't just a one-hit wonder, and we saw progress from Noil, Seals-Jones and the other receivers. We need to see more progress and the Nevada game ought to offer that opportunity, but as long as people continue to work, this group will be ready come September 26th.

Quarterbacks

Much more effective, albeit against a less challenging situation. Both Allen and Murray got more experience and comfort running this offense and made adjustments as needed. This is so key as the learning curve in college football is steep for QBs. Set aside the Manziel experience - usually, it takes at least a year or two of starts to really learn all the ups and downs needed to be successful with this kind of system.

Running Backs

Going into the Ball State game, I was really worried about the depth at this position, but after this game and Sumlin's comments earlier this week, I am less worried for now. Depth could still be an issue if injuries hit this group hard, but with James White missing only by coaches decision to rest him and the way the 3s and 4s played, I feel good that this group can be effective with the players we have. Sumlin saying that the two true freshmen RBs will redshirt made me breath a sign of relief.

The Offensive Line

Progress was made, and that is a good thing. And if more progress is made next week, then we will be good. But this is not what this team has had in the past and they have to learn faster than they are if they want to beat teams like Alabama. In fact, I am concerned about both Arkansas and Mississippi State right now, although a good showing against Nevada could settle my stomach.

This game saw sacks and QB hurries that shouldn't be seen against a mid-table MAC team. Especially with the additional roll-outs, etc., that Spavital did.

Overall

The good thing is that the problems this team is facing are problems we expected and we have seen more progress than we thought we might. In fact, the only real trouble spot that I am not confident a solution will be found in time is the OL. I think the LBs and CBs will be good enough by the time we enter SEC play that getting the "must have" wins will be done, and the other units are playing well enough to beat the Razorbacks and Bulldogs already. It is just the offensive line that I do not think is ready for those games just yet, and am not confident in what I have seen that they will get there with relative ease.

No, I think the OL is going to have to really do some work to get ready in time for Arkansas and Mississippi State. Can they do it? Do they have the resources (players, coaches, time) to do it? Yes. But it is going to be in their hands to get that work done.

What To Look For When The Aggies Take On Ball State

So now we turn our attention to Ball State. What should we be looking for in a game that ought to be a foregone conclusion in terms of the result, but so incredibly important in terms of developing some units that need to really develop fast because Arkansas is coming fast.

Let's set aside the units that proved against Arizona State that they are ready to go. Sure, these groups want to continue to develop, but I think we can safely not hyper-focus on them in these next two games: Defensive Line, Safeties, Punter, Kicker (for kickoffs), general special teams coverage units, Punt and Kick Returner. That is not a bad list, especially considering how talented some of those groups are. I mean, Garrett-Hall. Hello.

But that leaves a LOT of groups and positions that need to improve - and frankly, as quickly as possible.

Quick Hits

The simple one - Field Goal Kicker. Bertolet's first PAT was a little shaky, but the rest of his kicks were straight through the uprights, so this may just be seeing a few more kicks to gain confidence. Frankly, none of his kicks were from any distance whatsoever, so we really don't know much. Then again, considering the kicks he missed a few years back, it sure seemed like he has improved.

Running Back - James White is a necessary component, but as we saw against the Sun Devils, the talent level here is very thin, so developing options is key. Probably worth remembering that Brandon Williams is pretty much committed to being a cornerback now.

Cornerback - speaking of which, like Bertolet, we just need to see more and likely we won't see enough to really challenge this unit in this game, so we may not get enough information from this matchup.

The Substantive Units - in reverse order of work needed

Linebacker - Oh my... when we thought that we had developed at least some depth in the off-season at linebacker, we then find ourselves playing a walk on at linebacker for 48 - FORTY EIGHT - snaps against Arizona State. Clearly, the safety and defensive line play simplified things to a large extent for this unit, we still need to maximize the number of players who can be productive in this group.

The good news here is that everyone who lined up in this unit played well, was disciplined and tackled really well, so the foundation is good. And again, this is an opponent that will ask you to do your job but not tax you. It should be a good exercise for this group.

Wide Receivers - We now know that Christian Kirk is a playmaker extrordinaire. And Josh Reynolds is also a proven commodity. But Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones - you have work to do. While there is obviously some proven commodities in this group, a Sumlin offense needs everyone playing well and the other two receivers need to get it together. I have to admit, I was disappointed in the lack of development we saw from this group. The drops, the poor routes - you had all off-season to improve here, and it was hard to see any improvement.

On the flip side, this unit did block well downfield, especially on Kirk's late TD to seal the game. That is a clear improvement from last year.

Quarterbacks - After what we saw on Saturday, I expect us to see both QBs in every game for the near future. And we saw both really good and maybe not so good from both players. Allen started poorly, in part because of the blitzes from the opponents, and also the struggles of the rest of the offense. And the play calling was very conservative because of the level of opponent in a season-opener.

But some of his throws were off, and he missed some reads as well. Then again, after Murray came in to shake things up - and it certainly did - he came back in a played much better. Again, in part because the offensive line had settled in some and was a little more effective. Add to that, his courage on the 12 yard touchdown run to give the team some breathing room was impressive. It was almost as if we saw his entire 2014 season in one game - unsettled and unsure early, confident and strong late. This team trusts him.

Kyler Murray showed that he can be a playmaker at this level and showed a skill set that had many an Aggie drooling in anticipation. On the other hand, it is clear he has a significant learning curve. But he has never been described as not football smart, so that is something that will get solved - the only real question is how fast. But the thing that really left an impression was his ability to make things happen. Oh, how he made things happen and clearly he showed the field awareness to know how to get out of the pocket and get to the sticks. Once he learns how to read defenses and now throw into poor spots, you could see him doing really dramatic stuff.

Offensive Line - the season rests with this unit. It really is that simple. With their struggles on Saturday, you could see how it held the offense back. And that kind of performance will not win many games in the SEC West.

The good news is as the night progressed, they figured out a few things and found ways to get the job done against a defense that was prepared and blitzed ad nauseum. Now with two games against Ball State and Nevada, they should be able to figure out some more things. The question is can they figure out enough to handle Arkansas.

Frankly, this is the unit that I have had my eye on since last season and will continue to. If this group can't get it together, the Alabama defense will shred this team. This group has to figure out its best players and get them experience playing together as quickly as possible so that they can be effective against Arkansas, then put finishing touches against Mississippi State so they can be ready for the Tide (if any team could be ready for the Tide....)

So there you have it - what to watch for on Saturday as the Aggies take on Ball State. As the opening game of the new Kyle Field, it is going to be a fantastic experience. Let's hope for the season's sake that the players enjoy the moment, then realize, as Crash Davis said, "Moment's Over," and get to work.

Upon Reflection - Aggies over Sun Devils

So now we have had a little time to digest Saturday's big win by the Aggies over Arizona State, read through analysis by other writers, read through the comments from the coaches post-game and earlier today, and rewatch the game.

And overall, the reaction is not much different than our initial reaction - wow from the defense, ermeged from the offense. But there are some other things to shine a quick spotlight on.

First, we didn't talk enough about how great the special teams were. Oh my - especially Kaser flipped the field almost every time he kicked, and clearly we have a return game to fear. Of the pre-season questions we had, only Taylor Bertolet remains as an unknown as he was never really challenged. Certainly that first extra point was a bit scary, but everything else was nice and safe.

Second, the linebackers. Not sure how exactly to take this, but we played a walk on linebacker for 48 snaps on Saturday. Forty-eight. Needless to say, we want to upgrade at that position, but the fact that the rest of the team played well enough that a walk on could contribute says a lot about everyone involved.

As for the rest of the defense, it really was something to behold. The safety and nickle play was so strong - SO strong. And clearly the line was fantastic. So much so that someone making a comment that the team didn't get any interceptions is laughable - the quarterback has to have a decent number of chances to throw the ball, right? All the Sun Devil QB had time to do was cuss to himself and begin running for his life.

As for the offensive concerns.... I think it comes back to my main concern from the off-season - the offensive line. Fix that, and Allen and Murray will have the time to do their thing, and the issues at WR can be worked through as well. There certainly is enough talent at those spots that if the OL can do its job, the coaching staff will work though what they have at the other positions and get the right players set up for success.

I do have one other concern - depth at running back. Carson is a beast, but we can't use one back all season. I hate to have to think about bringing Brandon Williams back to run, but if James White is not healthy, you have to have another option, no?

The nice thing is the team has two games to work out those kinks on the OL and develop the offense, but they better take advantage of it because right after that, they play a very improved Arkansas team, followed soon thereafter by Alabama.

Reality Check - Post Game Report After Aggies Win Over Sun Devils

Coming into this season, there were a variety of questions about the 2015 Texas A&M Aggies.

Now that we have one game in the books, we have some answers, but still other questions. Overall, this team has a defense, much to the relief of many. But there remain some real questions about the offense - specifically the offensive line play, but also overall effectiveness of the unit as a group. So let's go step by step and then look towards the next few games.

The Chavis Effect

Let's start with the massive positive on the night - Texas A&M has itself a defense. One that should garner respect from all across the SEC and college football. It has its own issues, and time will tell how it holds up through the gauntlet that is the SEC West, but my oh my, they put on a show tonight.

First the line. Big dogs gotta eat, and they ate all night. Not sure how much is left of the Arizona State offensive line, but it can't be much. Garrett and Hall were turned loose and really took the Sun Devils out of their game all night as they never were able to get any significant momentum going, scoring after turnovers rather than developing their own long drives.

And Justin Evans - welcome to major college football son. Very impressive.

What impressed most people were a few key things - tackling in open space and overall organization. This looked like a defense that knew what it was doing and was confident it could do it. What a huge change that is.

The term Wrecking Crew must be earned, and one game does not earn it, but you have to admit a game like this looks good on the Exhibit List.

All that being said, there are concerns. Specifically depth, once again at linebacker, but also at safety and corner. The way the game played out, we did not see a lot of it, but playing a run oriented team like Arkansas or Alabama sure will test this unit.

But on the whole, tonight, the defense showed it will be a force to be reckoned with.

Christian Kirk, Take A Bow

Holy hell, that kid can not only run, but he can make people miss. Did it twice - first on a punt return and then on the breakout score that gave the Aggies the breathing room to know the game was most likely theirs.

I can totally see how he scored six touchdowns from different positions while in high school. And Spav may want to do some more research into that. That young man from Arizona is an absolute star. (Of course, it will be interesting to see how teams adjust to him, and how he then deals with that, but that is for another day.)

Offense Finds A Way

It took most of the game but eventually the offense, behind Kyle Allen, broke Arizona State and found a way to score somewhat consistently.

For much of the game, there were real questions that we will discuss later, and when the Sun Devils got it to 17-14, many an Aggie had flashbacks to last year where offensive ineptitude, but with a couple of key plays, Kyle Allen and the offense got going and Allen finished the drive off with his own 12 yard run to the end zone. It was a gutsy run that took the QB throwing himself into the teeth of the Sun Devil defense to get to the end zone.

It involved a number of plays, some running, some passing, and there were definite signs that things were being figured out, although it also was in part the Arizona State defense tiring.

The Concerns

First and foremost - really hope Drew Kaser is ok. He is such a weapon as we saw for much of the night. That play looked really worrisome. Hopefully it is just a sprain or hyper-extension....

The big one, though, is the offense as a whole, and specifically, its execution. (Insert joke about about it being ready for said execution...) At times, all areas struggled. The line was poor at a number of times. Wide Receivers dropped passes and Allen and Murray missed throws. Oh, did we mention that Allen struggled enough that Murray got a number of series? Yes, yes he did. And at times, he looked REALLY good, but at times, he looked like a true freshman.

The line struggles worry me. Really worry me. Mostly because it is a carry over from last year that should have improved somewhat was often at times anything but. Everything extends from them being able to give the quarterback and running backs time to do what they need to do.

Allen also at times did not look composed - at times where the line had actually done a decent job.

And the wide receivers once again dropped a few that Allen really needed them to catch.

On top of that, White got hurt, leaving Carson as the only running back.

No, this was not a great example of a Sumlin offense. Not in the least.

The Future

But the good news is this - we have games against Ball State and Nevada coming up next. If the situation is taken advantage of, a lot of these issues can be worked on, and they need to be because I am pretty sure this kind of play will not win the remaining games. Certainly not against Alabama and probably not against Arkansas.

So, recover from this game, then get to work, coaching staff and players. And unlike last year, do not waste it.