I know it is way too early but I've been on Cloud 9 all day and am way too fired up not to talk about it. I couldn't even bring myself to login here because I knew I'd spend the whole **** day on here.
Of course A&M is good. I am happy to be in regardless, but given the option, A&M would be the team I want to play the LEAST, primarily because they are so similar to us.. That said, we are a tough matchup for them too. I think they are beatable, but they are built trenches out like us and will be the best offensive and defensive lines we've seen all season.
Injuries will be a key thing to track. A&M will likely get back a few players, including Le'Veon Moss, who hasn't played since October. Can we get Frederique back? Can we get Scott back? I'd settle for a fully healthy David Blay and CJ Daniels.
Also, Collin Klein is going to coach the Aggies' offense through the playoff AND take over at Kansas State simultaneously. There must be some precedent here and I'd be curious to hear how that went. Someone smarter than me should do that, though.
I know big bad Mike Elko is a defensive coach, but A&M's offense is much scarier than the defense this season.
I think Marcel Reed is a good college quarterback. He is a good decision-maker and is a dangerous runner, but Reed is really just a distributor because the A&M offense is pretty simple -- make good use of one of the country's best offensive lines and run Reuben Owens (and Moss). And then get the ball to KC Concepcion and Mario Craver and let them work.
Those guys represent the lion's share of the Aggies' offensive yards and for good reason. All four of them are probably playing on Sundays in a few years in some capacity.
I'm confident that our front seven, if fully healthy, can hold serve in the run game. But our secondary hasn't seen NFL receivers since Chris Bell and we all remember how that went. Granted Bell is a different type of receiver, but Concepcion in particular is an absolute stud and maybe the best slot receiver in the country (sorry Malachi, you are close!). Can you imagine if we had both those dudes in space this season?
The Oline is big and experienced and the matchup with our DL, in my opinion, will be the matchup that decides the game. I know, it is obvious, but if we can keep a lid on their rushing attack, Reed isn't a pure passer in my opinion and they can be beat. But that is a lot easier said than done, especially with the big-play potential at wide receiver.
The tight end is the type of gigantic slow beefy white blocker that Mario probably fantasizes about before he goes to sleep for whatever that is worth.
As for the defense, don't get me wrong, they have plenty of size and plenty of pedigree. But if I am being completely honest, I think this group benefitted from A&M's more than anyone wants to talk about. They got cooked by Notre Dame just two weeks after we played ND, the best SEC quarterback they faced was the only one who beat them and they have the worst rushing defense (yards/game) of any team left in the playoffs.
Cashius Howell is great but he's on the smaller side and we have two of the best pass-blocking tackles in the country. The defensive tackles aren't remarkable, but they are deep and all physical. Luckily, we don't do the run blocking so good, so I am not even a little bit worried about that at all...
Taurean York and Daymion Sanford are the undersized playmaking linebackers I wanted Bobby Pruitt to be (I still have faith!) but that size disadvantage is part of the reason that teams have had some success rushing against them. Dezz Ricks looks like an NFL corner and I like the safeties, Brooks and Ratcliffe. This is a Top 20 passing defense but it helps to go against Jackson Arnold and Beau Pribula and injured Garrett Nussmeier. The best quarterbacks they faced were Taylen Green and CJ Carr, and both of them through for at least 280.
**** even LaNorris Sellers threw for 250 and he is still trying to wrap his mind around the forward pass.
I went too long but I don't give a ****. I am so god**** happy to playing meaningful football again at the end of the season. I never thought the committee would get that right. It has been so ******* long. The season is already a success in my eyes but I think we have the defense and the quarterback to beat any team in the field.
As my personal hero and lifelong inspiration, Billy Napier, once said, Spot The Ball.
