A&M was out-played, out-coached, and out-disciplined
Texas A&M was reminded on Saturday night how tough road games in the SEC can be. Give credit to South Carolina. This is a damn good and physical football team that was fired up to play in front of a raucous home crowd. What went wrong for A&M? One could just say “everything”, but I will try my best to add some specifics.
Pass Protection
Maybe this is just the freshest thing on my mind, but it felt like it ultimately killed any chance that A&M could get back in this game. In the second half, Marcel Reed was under constant pressure, which led to sacks and turnovers. Interior pressure was absolutely killer. This team needs starting left guard Chase Bisontis back ASAP.
Defense
By far the worst defensive performance of the Mike Elko era. A&M defenders refused to wrap up all game long, they had LaNorris Sellers dead to rights four or five times and couldn’t sack him, they let Rocket Sanders run wild. It was piss poor, all around. To add, the A&M defense was constantly out of position, leaving receivers wide open and having poor gap integrity. That’s on the coaching staff.
The Aggies have typically tackled well this season outside of a few misses here and there. This was absolutely abysmal. Hopefully it’s an outlier, because good grief it was ugly.
Short Yardage Decisions
I honestly don’t hate going for it on 4th down in your own territory. Some people hate it. I can probably defend the decision in the second half more than the one in the first, since it felt like all of the momentum was with South Carolina at that time. But the play calls and execution were bad. With Le’veon Moss leaving the game due to injury in the first quarter, A&M really struggled in short yardage situations. I would have liked to see something besides a run up the middle out of shotgun formation when our best back is in street clothes.
Penalties
Completely undisciplined. It’s been there in spurts this season, but it was dreadful tonight. The late hit after the fumble recovery and the defensive holding that negated a sack-fumble stand out. Has to get better.
Going Forward
This was a reality check. There is no two ways about it. I don’t know if it’s a letdown after the win over LSU, the grind of the season taking it’s toll, or that we just straight up weren’t prepared.
What I do know is that Elko is more pissed off than all of us are right now. Let’s hope him and his crew can get this thing back on track, because believe it or not, there is still a lot to play for this season.