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Topic: Texas A&M Aggies and related news

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CatsbyAZ

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Re: Texas A&M Aggies and related news
« Reply #42 on: September 29, 2026, 10:45:05 AM »
A&M's poor start to the season is validating the initial hesitations I had with all the hype over hiring Mike Elko.

Yes, he's a no nonsense Xs & Os guy, which is the change of coaching personality due after Jimbimbo, but other than upsetting Clemson in a high profile Labor Day opener in 2023, what else did Elko do on the field that warranted lofting him into a higher stakes gig? That Duke team finished the season 7-5 and A&M promptly hired him.

My biggest question with Elko was: What was/is the long term plan on offense? Marcel Reed is playing increasingly worse, posting a 31 QBR Vs LSU, as he lead an offense that managed less than 200 total yards in Baton Rouge. All of which is an ugly sign.

At this point Mike Elko is the SEC's version of Georgia Tech's Brent Key. A similar Xs & Os former lineman who at first got the Yellow Jackets on the right track, before a number of cracks appeared this season.

Good news for A&M is that I don't think their remaining schedule is as bad as it looks. The next three games are winnable (Arkansas, @Missouri, Citadel). And even as the mid-season schedule toughens w/ @Alabama & @South Carolina, one of those two are winnable. Of the last three opponents, @Oklahoma is winnable and the two harder of the last three (Tennessee & Texas) are played in College Station. However, validating my optimism will demand a noticeably improved offense.


MikeDeTiger

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Re: Texas A&M Aggies and related news
« Reply #43 on: September 29, 2026, 01:32:59 PM »
I'm not sure how much to read into into A&M's last two games.  Mind you, I'm not saying everything's fine in College Station, I'm saying I don't know to what extent the real problems in those games go.  

I'm still not sure what LSU is, but potentially the defense is really, really good.  It might not be, and I'm not holding my breath, especially with the mounting injuries, but they have clamped down on bad teams in ways our greatest vintage defenses couldn't even do.  And if you're a believer in getting what's coming, i.e. Ole Miss spitting razors when LSU came to town, then it has to be granted that A&M was walking into a pit of fire breathing dragons, as LSU surely didn't forget the embarrassment the Aggies put them through last year.  Point being, without knowing exactly how good LSU really is, I'm not sure how bad this really was for the Ags.  It was bad, but how bad?

Kentucky is potentially more of a red flag because they got blown out by Alabama.  OTOH, Kentucky can be a pain in the ass, they certainly beat our tails last time we played them.  But then OTOH from that, the game was at Kyle Field, so....what's up with that.  There really was just that third quarter that A&M got dominated, the rest of the way it was either even or A&M controlling the 4th quarter.  The question is why that 3rd quarter happened.  

The third quarter was bad for A&M in the LSU game as well.  Now, LSU has dominated all 3rd quarters so far, so you've got one team with a Q3 trend (LSU), and possibly another team beginning to show a Q3 trend (A&M).  What is going on at halftime, and what can be done about it, I am not sure.  

The thing that concerns me most about the Aggies is that I can't shake the feeling that this is a pretty mid LSU team.  A team that you shouldn't feel too bad about losing to in a hostile environment, but a team that should cause concern if they blow you out.  Maybe I'm wrong.  But it feels like one of those Brian Kelly defenses that looks other-worldly good against bad competition but can't keep up against great offenses the way an actually great defense should.  And the offense seems have big problems in run blocking and elite talent at receiver.  They don't inspire me to believe we'll be scoring a ton against, say, Texas.  In other words, if they beat you....eh.  If they blow you out.....something might be up and it's not good.  

They've got an opportunity for a get-right game against Arkansas, but then @Mizzou is no gimme and should be telling about what's coming the rest of the way.  It'll be the midway point, and if A&M hasn't fixed whatever is ailing them by then, it probably won't be fixed this season.  


 

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