Aggies to close out season against playoff hopeful LSU
COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher, who has a reputation for flavorless play-calling, acknowledged the changes in the duties of a head coach since 2020.
“The interaction of NIL (name, image and likeness), the (transfer) portal, relationships, social media — it's all changing drastically in my opinion, and more so than ever because of how you've got to do things and things that have to happen,” Fisher said this week.
Host Andrew Monaco asked Fisher, who calls plays on offense, if Fisher could envision being “a Ceo-type coach” moving forward.
“Oh, yeah, you can, because right now I think our job as head coaches in the last year and a half has changed so much,” Fisher responded. “… (And so) you get guys who you feel can do the job in other things you have to do, which allows you to be in other parts of your program, which makes it better, without a doubt.”
Not exactly a crystalclear explanation, but you get the picture. Leading to the first thing to watch in LSU at A&M:
1. Play-calling finale?
This should be it for Fisher as the primary play-caller, considering the Aggies (who've lost six consecutive SEC games) rank 108th nationally in scoring offense at 21.4 points per game.
Fisher will hire a true offensive coordinator in the offseason, multiple program insiders have said, one who calls plays and allows Fisher to be more “hands on” with rest of the program, which he needs to be.
Will Fisher the playcaller go out with a bang? Doubtful, he's adjusted very little in a decade in his approach on offense, so why start now?
2. Will Perkins feast?
A true freshman from Cy Park High might be the best defender on the field — LSU linebacker
Harold Perkins. The one-time A&M pledge has starred for the Tigers, and his eight sacks are tied for second in the SEC. He had four alone in LSU'S 13-10 win at Arkansas on Nov. 12, along with forcing two fumbles against the Razorbacks.
Perkins' athleticism and ability against a porous A&M offensive line might add up to a long night for the Aggies.
3. First-year QB battle
Conner Weigman is in
his first season as A&M'S starting quarterback as a true freshman out of Bridgeland High. Jayden Daniels is in his first season as LSU'S starting quarterback after transferring from Arizona State, where he started three seasons.
Weigman earned some much needed experience against lesser competition a week ago against Massachusetts, and routinely showed the burst on runs that made him the top-rated dual-threat quarterback in the nation
in the class of 2022.
Daniels in overcoming a rocky start to his LSU career has 26 touchdown passes to two interceptions. He's completed 69 percent of his passes to couple with 911 rushing yards as one of the league's more threatening quarterbacks. By comparison Weigman has completed 54 percent of his passes in much more limited action.
4. LSU incentive
The Tigers likely will make the four-team College Football Playoff with wins against A&M in the regular season finale and in the SEC title game against Georgia on Dec. 3 in Atlanta. It's why they'll be loaded with incentive against the Aggies, who are only playing for pride and an emotional lift headed into an early offseason.
A&M is ineligible for a bowl for the first time since 2008. What will win out over four quarters: LSU'S overwhelming urgency sense, or A&M playing with nothing to lose?
5. Atmosphere
Kyle Field was at about a tenth of its capacity of 102,000 fans a week ago in the second half of A&M'S 20-3 nonconference win over Massachusetts, mainly because of the rain and cold.
A&M fans are expected back in nearly full force for the closest thing they have to a rivalry in the SEC prior to Texas's arrival from the Big 12 in coming years, along with a solid dose of LSU fans on hand, considering the Tigers' large alumni base in Houston and the fact that Baton Rouge is only a little more than a fivehour drive from College Station.