The Texas A&M Aggies will now have a bye week before facing the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field. There have been a lot of ups and downs for the Aggies this season, but Texas A&M continues to improve as it approaches the end of the regular season; much like last year. Some position groups for the Aggies have exceeded expectations, but there are some players who need to step up their game. Here’s a progress report of the position groups’ performances thus far. The Texas A&M bye week gives us a chance to look at a sort of midseason report.
Offense
Quarterbacks
Haynes King entered the season as the starting quarterback for Texas A&M. He was announced out for the season after his injury in the Colorado game, where Zach Calzada took over and led a game-winning touchdown drive in that game. Zach Calzada’s performance was disappointing against Arkansas and Mississippi State, but he made up for it in the Alabama game. Jimbo Fisher learned that his once backup quarterback becomes more productive with the play action game. Now, Calzada has led the Aggies to a three-game winning streak and looks to finish strong this season.
Running Backs
Devon Achane, Isaiah Spiller, and Ainias Smith are the heart and soul of Texas A&M’s offense. Spiller is projected to be a first-round pick, and for good reason. He’s the starting running back for Texas A&M, and he provides a consistent five yards per rush even with a rather weak offensive line. Achane is the profound secret weapon, who can ground-and-pound while outrunning the defense; this was clear in the past game against South Carolina, where Achane rushed the ball for the entire drive leading to a touchdown. Smith, while a running back, has transitioned to a solid slot receiver for the Aggies. These experienced running backs are lethal in both the offense and special teams.
Wide Receivers
Since Smith is a flex option for the Aggies, he also serves as a receiver. He leads Texas A&M with six receiving touchdowns, and averages 35 receiving yards per game. Obviously, the receivers haven’t been extremely productive due to the struggles of Calzada, but young talent such as Demond Demas, Jalen Preston, Chase Lane, etc., continue to impress. Expect Caleb Chapman to also have more of a role in the offense nearing the end of the season.
Tight Ends
Obviously, Texas A&M has the best tight end in the SEC in Jalen Wydermyer. He currently leads the Aggies with 350 receiving yards, and he has four receiving touchdowns. Wydermyer is likely to be a first-round pick alike Spiller, and he can continue to improve his draft stock this season. Max Wright is another tight end who has seen some time on the field, but he has only two receptions for 16 yards.
Offensive Line
Texas A&M’s offensive line has not been consistent thus far this season. Sure, it features one of the best offensive tackles in Kenyon Green, but the Aggies for the most part have just out-talented other teams on offense. Outside of the Alabama game, the offensive line has not been dependable, and the running backs have hidden those deficiencies. Calzada has had to scramble outside the pocket to make a majority of the big plays as well. Regardless, offensive line coach Josh Henson will have to make an effort to improve his group’s performance and develop talent.
Defense
Linebackers
Overall, the linebacker core for the Aggies has lived up to the hype this season. Aaron Hansford leads the Aggies with 55 tackles, and he has two sacks. Andre White Jr. also is productive with 35 tackles, but the linebackers are sometimes unaware in the passing game. Edgerrin Cooper is the only one with an interception, so he will need to be utilized more in third-and-long situations. To be fair, other SEC defenses have also struggled to stop the pass this year.
Defensive Line
Deservedly, DeMarvin Leal has made his mark as the best player on defense. He has six sacks with 35 tackles, and he is bound to be another high draft pick for Texas A&M. Jayden Peevy is another star on the defensive line, who has a total of 27 tackles; these two have done a tremendous job of controlling the line of scrimmage against opposing teams’ offensive lines. McKinnley Johnson and Shemar Turner are rising stars who will play a bigger role towards the end of the season, and they will make the Aggies’ defensive front great again next year.
Secondary
Antonio Johnson has been the standout cornerback this year, entering the bye week with 55 tackles and an interception. Demani Richardson has 39 tackles with an interception, and these two players have been effective in locking down the perimeter of the field. Safety Leon O’Neal, Jr. came into the season as one of the premier safeties in the SEC, and he has showed up with 33 tackles, five passes deflected, and a pick six. Texas A&M’s secondary will face tough tests against the likes of Auburn and Ole Miss in November. The Aggies’ defense did give up 38 points to Alabama, but it’s Alabama. The secondary has performed well considering the circumstances.
Concluding Thoughts
Texas A&M now has a week to recollect before its toughest two games. The Aggies are really getting into the meat of their schedule in November, and play on both sides of the ball will need to improve to finish strong. The SEC West is still up for grabs, so Texas A&M needs to stay on track.
