Texas A&M vs New Mexico Recap
Moose Muhammad III with his first TD as an Aggie. Beautiful. Photo via @12thmanPR
This game was just what the doctor ordered. No, it wasn’t perfect - far from it. But it was a perfectly timed reprieve after the near disaster in Denver a week ago. The offense started fast, something they had not done yet this season. We saw new faces making big plays like Demond Demas and Moose Muhammad, something that almost never happens as Jimbo rarely rotates receivers. Plenty to work on as always, but it was an easy win that should go a long way in building confidence for this team as we head into SEC play
We knew this was a mismatch heading into the game, but it’s good to see A&M get out to a quick start and really bury an opponent early on. Zach Calzada looked way more comfortable after a full week of practice as the starter going 19/33 for 275 yards and three touchdowns. He had one interception as well, which was just a bad decision. The blitz came and he was able to shake the defender but rather than throwing it away he tried to throw a ball into wayyy too tight of a window and paid the price. Arkansas has some ballhawks on that defense, so taking care of the ball will be paramount in that game.
Calzada still left a few throws out there but that’s going to happen. This was his first collegiate start, and he isn’t the best QB on the roster. He can be a bit antsy in the pocket too but expecting him to be perfect is going to leave a lot of Aggie fans disappointed. I think he can be better, but again, we need to have some patience with him and this offense as they are still developing. That said, Calzada proved to me he can win SEC games. If he can play like that against Arkansas, Mississippi State, Missouri, etc., I really like our chances.
Demond Demas with his first career touchdown catch as well. A 70 yard bomb, untouched. Photo via @DemondDemas1
Seeing Demond Demas finally get some playing time when it mattered, and getting his first target (hard to believe he’d never been targeted) that turned into a 70 yard touchdown was fantastic. The kid has been through a lot during his short time at A&M, and I’m sure has been frustrated with his playing time given how much hype he arrived with, but he kept his head down, put in the work, and finally got to reap some benefits of that. Demas finished with 2 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. He showed he can make plays and deserves to be on the field in games that matter. I hope his performance today earned him some more looks moving forward. Another young receiver, Moose Muhammad saw meaningful snaps and hauled in one of the prettiest touchdowns catches you’ll see in his own right. It can’t be overstated how good it was seeing those young guys making plays, even though it was New Mexico. They proved they can be impactful players moving forward for an offense that needs playmakers on the outside.
Defensively, it was just another day in the life of the number one defense in the country. Our secondary has been locking teams down all year, and the run defense looked better. Don’t get it twisted, New Mexico’s offense stinks. Terry Wilson couldn’t throw the ball when he was at Kentucky, and he still can’t. But the defense did exactly what they should have: dominate the Lobos start to finish and secure a shutout. I don’t care how bad an offense is, anytime you hold a team to zero points in modern college football, that’s a damn good performance. One player who really popped while watching the game was Edgerrin Cooper. He was flying around the field and was right there to snag an interception off a tipped ball. Good to see him making plays. Arkansas will be the biggest test to date for this defense, and I’m really excited to see what they can do. I’ll save my thoughts for the preview on that front, but I’m feeling great about this defense.
To really show how dominant this defense has been here’s a few eye popping statistics. Texas A&M has not been scored on in 7 quarters. They have allowed 17 total points through three games. The pass defense is the most impressive, giving up 77.3 yards per game. Arkansas will be the first big test, but I don’t care who your opponents are, those are dominant statistics and it’s no wonder A&M is the number one scoring defense in the country.
Texas A&M is great at flying to the ball and gang tackling. Photo by Cassie Stricker, The Eagle
I said it last week after the Colorado game that Calzada was not my biggest worry moving forward, it was the offensive line. Calzada improved just like I thought he would, but the offensive line still struggled - and we can’t have that in SEC play. I’m not going to eviscerate this group because they were banged up pretty bad so it’s understandable somewhat. Luke Matthews, who we expected to start this year is still not healthy, and Layden Robinson was out with an injury against the Lobos. As a result, the Aggies shifted right tackle Kenyon Green back inside to right guard and sophomore Blake Trainor got the start at right tackle. Trainor had not played any meaningful snaps before Saturday, if he’s been on the field at all, and it showed. I don’t think he is ready to be a starting right tackle in the SEC. Jahmir Johnson got banged up as well during the game, and Deuce Fatheree stepped in at left tackle. With those injuries and position changes, it’s no wonder the unit didn't look that good.
Regardless of the injury troubles or lack of experience, the runway to improve is ending shortly. Like this coming Saturday. The offensive line will need to be good against Arkansas. They allowed more pressure on Calzada than they should to a weak New Mexico team, and they struggled some more in the run game. Spiller was able to get some rhythm in the second half, and that was encouraging, but averaging 4.5 yards per carry against New Mexico is nothing to write home about. Barry Odom will have a solid game plan for the Aggies if Calzada is under pressure, I could see a few turnovers as a result. We have enough talent at the skill positions that the offensive line doesn't have to be dominant, but improvement is needed and needed fast.
I’m not sure what the offensive line will look like against Arkansas personnel wise, but I know if they don’t improve that game will be a dogfight. Our defense will keep us in every game moving forward, but the offense will need to keep improving. All things considered, Texas A&M is 3-0 and has won 11 straight games dating back to last season. We’ve won shootouts, defensive battles, ugly games, you name it. The Aggies know how to win and their mindset, mentality and physical toughness gives me confidence. There’s plenty to work on after our first three games, but look around the country - everyone has things they need to work on. Get better at practice and take it to Arkansas in Jerry World as usual.
3-0
#BTHOARKANSAS
