Analyzing Trevor Knight
Texas A&M’s win over UCLA on Saturday was the first opportunity to assess graduate transfer Trevor Knight as the Aggies quarterback. It had been 19 months since Knight last started a game for Oklahoma, but he showed little sign of rustiness.
Despite a few errors, Knight managed to steer Texas A&M to an important opening day victory against a ranked opponent. This is only the second time Texas A&M has beaten a ranked opponent at home since Kevin Sumlin took over as head coach in 2012 (the other was against Mississippi State early in 2015).
In Overtime
It was clear in overtime that head coach Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone were happy to put their faith in Knight. On fourth and inches at the goal line, they went for the touchdown rather than playing it safe and kicking a field goal. A read option keeper from Knight meant he jogged into the end zone, setting the defense up with an opportunity to win the game, which they did with a stop on fourth down.
In the Pocket
As a quarterback, it’s clear that Trevor Knight is never going to be an elite passer of the ball. On a broken play in the third quarter, he attempted to force the ball deep and was easily intercepted. The throw itself was wildly off target and given the score at the time, it was an example of poor judgement.
Aside from that however, Knight managed the game very well for Texas A&M and made plays when he had to. An accurate deep pass to Josh Reynolds in the second half gave the Aggies a 15-point lead. He also hurdled over a defender to secure a first down when scrambling out of the pocket.
Making the Calls
The aim is to call plays that Knight is comfortable with. Lots of short, safe throws to a number of blue chip wide receivers who have the ability to break plays. The Aggies defense showed on Saturday that it has the ability to be elite. If they can keep the momentum going, the offense won’t be required to score 40 to 50 points every week like when Johnny Manziel was at quarterback.
Trevor Knight’s experience and leadership have made him well-liked with A&M coaches and players thus far. The team is rallying behind its quarterback, and that could be enough for the Aggies to have a solid season in the SEC in 2016.
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