Texas A&M was dominant in the first quarter of this game. The Aggies rolled up 273 yards of offense, Marcel Reed was 8/11 for 148 yards, and A&M held New Mexico State to just 50 yards of offense. Everything looked fresh and the atmosphere was high.
The second quarter was a sloppy effort that was frustrating to watch. In the second half, Reed only got one drive (which ended in a touchdown run) before being relieved by Conner Weigman. Let’s break things down real quickly.
Starting QB has been dealt with
Watching this game you came to the realization that Marcel Reed is the undisputed starter for the remainder of this season. Reed still had a few misses, but a lot of really nice throws that should inspire confidence. It also seemed like he was instructed not to run much in this game to keep himself healthy.
Unfortunately, when Weigman entered the game in the third quarter, it was more the LSU version than Mizzou. Weigman’s first three plays went PBU, sack, sack. He finished 2/5 with 37 yards and an interception.
Wherever this team goes the rest of the way, it will be with Marcel Reed at the helm.
We miss you, Leveon
Amari Daniels looked better than ever as he produced 84 yards on just 5 carries, including a 71-yard touchdown run. The coaches wisely rested him for the last three quarters of this game to avoid risking injury.
However, there is still a question mark after Amari. EJ Smith was okay, but not spectacular, recording 15 carries for 60 yards with a long of 9. AJ DiNota ran hard, but only mustered 21 yards on 7 carries.
There was talk about perhaps true freshman WR Terry Bussey taking a look at RB, but if that’s in the plans for this season, it wasn’t on display tonight. I’m afraid the Aggie offense will have to rely heavily on the legs of Amari and Reed over the next two games.
The defense was just there, but it didn’t matter
The A&M defense played this game like a scrimmage and wasn’t exactly full of energy, but luckily New Mexico State was completely unable to complete a pass. Most starters were out of the game midway through the third quarter, allowing some younger players to get playing time.
Malick Sylla was the story of the night, recording two sacks and three TFLs.
Looking ahead
The performance was fine for playing an opponent of this caliber. There was some really good ones mixed with some mediocre ones. With a trip to Atlanta and a possible playoff berth on the line, A&M will have to do its utmost over the next two weeks to get where it wants to go.
