Offensive woes trouble Aggies
COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher was allowed free rein from the time he arrived at Kyle Field nearly five years ago, and it’s paid off in one measurable way. The Aggies’ No. 4 ranking in the final Associated Press poll of 2020 was their highest since winning the national title in 1939.
There is one big way it’s held back the Aggies, however, and we’ll address that from the top:
1. Change in playcaller
Demoting the dude calling the plays would mean Fisher would have to set aside one of his passions of the game. As long as he has free rein — promised to him from the start — that’s not going to happen, and the Aggies will continue losing because of it.
An example occurred in the first half when Fisher the head coach was eviscerating a receiver for a missed block, when Fisher the playcaller perhaps should have been preparing for the next series. It’s not a good mix for the Aggies, and it hasn’t been from the start. But he called the plays at Florida State when the Seminoles won the national title in 2013, so…
2. Defense held its own – for most part
Sure, the Aggies’ defense should never have allowed the Mountaineers to control the ball for more than 41 minutes, but A&M also kept Appalachian State under 20 points, what should be something like a 35-17 victory for the Aggies or a similar outcome against a (supposedly) lesser opponent.
Defense is not the issue under Fisher, and it hasn’t been from the start, when current Duke head coach Mike Elko coordinated the defense over Fisher’s first four seasons. D.J. Durkin inherited a wealth of talent on that side of the ball from Elko, and the defense continues playing above average, at least for now.
The Aggies shut out Sam Houston in Week 1 and kept the Mountaineers out of the end zone in the first and fourth quarters on Saturday, after allowing their first touchdown in four games at Kyle Field dating to last season. Normally, allowing two touchdowns and a field goal should be enough for a win, but nothing seems normal around Kyle Field following the Aggies’ humiliating setback.
3. Time for a change at quarterback
Haynes King has had his chance through two subpar games — it’s time to see if Max Johnson can turn the Aggies’ fortunes. Fisher knows Johnson can win pressurized games; former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Brad Johnson’s son beat the Aggies in last year’s regular season finale while zipping passes for LSU in coach Ed Orgeron’s finale.
Here’s why I don’t believe Fisher immediately turns to five-star freshman Conner Weigman from Bridgeland over Johnson with the idea of “why not”: What happens if Weigman fails or is ineffective or merely average? Then what — then the future at the position is indeed cloudy.
As long as Fisher has the five-star prospect as his ace in the hole, the future will appear bright — or at least as bright as it can appear for the Aggies in the fall of 2022.
4. Leading to … the sieve-like O-line
Fisher said he expects center Bryce Foster back soon, and I’ll add not a moment too soon to help bolster the Aggies’ biggest weakness. Foster’s continued absence from the mythical two-deep has been a weird one from the start of camp — although he practiced some in camp in August after missing spring drills while successfully throwing the shot put for the A&M track and field team.
King repeatedly had to pull in redshirt freshman Matthew Wykoff ’s high or errant snaps, and this trudging offense doesn’t need any more speedbumps. The Aggies have a new line coach in Steve Addazio, and the players the brassy boss inherited haven’t exactly adapted to his blunt style.
Perhaps they will, but the Addazio hire is appearing suspect two games into the season, because the Aggies’ offensive line is their softest spot and there’s not a close second (although quarterback might be knocking on that door soon).
5. Where to now?
A&M’s schedule only stiffens moving forward, starting with No. 13 Miami on Saturday night at a semi-deflated Kyle Field. The Hurricanes under first-year coach Mario Cristobal did what they were expected to Saturday in disposing of their allegedly “lesser” opponent Southern Miss, 30-7. Miami outscored the Golden Eagles 20-0 in the second half.
The Aggies then spring (or limp) into SEC play on Sept. 24 against undefeated Arkansas in Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, and follow that with a true road trip to Mississippi State on Oct. 1. The Bulldogs upset the Aggies last year at Kyle Field.
At this rate the Aggies could be 1-4 heading into an abruptly non-ballyhooed appearance in Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium on Oct. 8 — bananas for a program that spent the first couple of weeks of the season at an overrated No. 6.