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Jimbo 2021: Meemaw's Got a Brand New Bag


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so this is a fun one. Post of aggy247 poster Reds Cerebrum ::

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I had way too much time on my hands, and I went back and watched the No Huddle. While watching, I noted 48 plays where the play clock was visible on the screen. Of those 48 plays, we ran TWO plays with more than 20 seconds on the play clock. We ran 17 plays with 5 or less seconds on the play clock.

Here was the really concerning thing to me though...here were the times on the play clock for plays immediately following a first down:

12, 5, 8, 9, 5, 7, 4, 34 (the obvious outlier) 12, 18, 11, 12, 4 and 3.

I realize that this isn't the JFF era, but one of my favorite things Johnny and KK used to do were immediately following a gain for first down, they would come back with a run or quick pass with about 30 seconds on the play clock and it would catch the defense on their heels about 90% of the time.

Is this Jimbo's strategy by trying to shorten the game? Is this Mond just being Mond and being lackadaisical and slow in everything he does? Just seems to me that if you have offensive talent that is clearly superior to your opponent's defensive talent, why would you not want to maximize the opportunities to move the ball?

 

It's his entire modus operandi. He plays every game this way. Shorten them all. Limit the amount of clock/time/snaps. Always. We've been telling you this since he was hired from FSU. 

Koldus131 reply ::

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Jimbo said today he wants 75-80 plays per game. Four drives ended early due to turnovers. I desperately hope we see some improvement there.


 

the princess bride queue GIF

 

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Then, in 2018, Fisher arrived and the Aggies began to take their time on offense...27 seconds per play in 2018 and 29 seconds per play in 2019. Since the Aggies were taking more time and opponents took about the same amount or slightly less time per play, A&M began to control the clock for 33 to 34 minutes per game. That cut down on the number of plays that each team ran per game and shortened the number of possessions and scoring opportunities. It gave a A&M team that hadn't recruited as well in recent years as some teams in the SEC or a non conference opponent such as Clemson a better chance to keep those games close or win them.

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Tarp ::

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Since about 20 of them left the program since last year and probably not of their own volition I think they fear him very, very much.

But they also respect him and that counts for a lot more.

 

 

Look at this pile of horseshit from Tarp. "probably not of their own volition" -- So Jimbo swaggered in and processed them a la Saban? Jimbo who had 2.5 years to ghost Jordan Fucking Jefferson and didn't do a goddamn thing about his offer? Please. That tiny motherfucker didn't process a soul and not a goddamn person in that locker room fears that dude. Are you kidding me? They also respect him and that counts for a lot more.This is more of that wishcasting nonsense that you only get from aggy. Truly. I can't think of another fanbase that would ascribe this kind of thing to their HC given similar situations. 

The other wishcasting nonsense going around aggy boards today is how so many of them have heard Mond isn't well-liked by his teammates. Complete nonsense. 

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Jimbo expands on Demas/Achane not playing ... 

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Texas A&M’s head coach elaborated on that decision on Monday and again reiterated he is happy with those young players, but the situation did not present itself to get them in the game with A&M locked in a close battle and the offense only playing 55 plays.

“We had other guys that are playing their positions that are doing very well and we didn't have many carries,” Fisher said of Achane, Demas and others. “Just trying to make sure we get Spiller and [Smith] some carries in the beginning and making sure they get enough time because Spiller didn't get enough time until we got him in the game and got going. We want to get him in early. We had a plan to get them all in there but we didn't have as many plays. Those other guys on offense were playing well, it became a very tight game and there wasn't a chance to break a new guy in for his first time and he's doing well, playing well. All those guys I'm very happy with them, they're going to be really good football players and you're going to see them here in the future. We just got to get the right situations to get them in there and that opening game just wasn't the right time in our opinion. Could have played them and I think they would have been OK but there was no reason to take a chance when the other guys were getting in a groove right there and we were in a one possession game.”

Fisher did leave the door open though when asked if they could see action this coming weekend.

“Yeah hopefully,” the head coach said.

 

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7 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:
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Chattman started out in aggyland at corner but he was a safety in high school and he tended to play nearer the line of scrimmage as a hybrid linebacker/strong safety which enabled him to use his length as a tackler in open field situations.

Yes, those are the traits I look for in college corners. There's value in the spin (up).

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@golfclap having an argument w/ my brother here, who is not an aggy fan, but claims he still would rather have Jimbo over Jeremy Pruitt right now. Can you please weigh in so we have a third voice I think is knowledgeable and credible in this field? He thinks just because Jimbo has a natty (I know, very aggy thought) and that he was pretty successful at FSU that he still rather have Jimbo.

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1 hour ago, Mason Ramsey said:

@golfclap having an argument w/ my brother here, who is not an aggy fan, but claims he still would rather have Jimbo over Jeremy Pruitt right now. Can you please weigh in so we have a third voice I think is knowledgeable and credible in this field? He thinks just because Jimbo has a natty (I know, very aggy thought) and that he was pretty successful at FSU that he still rather have Jimbo.

Wasn’t Pruitt the DC for that national title?

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• The bottom line: A&M's showing on offense in the season-opener was just plain bad. There's a lot to talk about, but turnovers were the primary culprit here. On four separate occasions, the Aggies were on the move and shot themselves in the foot by giving the ball back to Vandy, three times via turnover and once when they fumbled an exchange on what probably would have been a walk-in TD run by Kellen Mond. That's four drives the Ags were unable to finish off (and on one of those possessions, a penalty wiped out a catch-and-run to the Vandy goal line) and the inexcusable safety that occurred during a punt return is a fifth.

All told, the Aggies did average a very healthy 6.8 yards per play and really started to move the ball in the third quarter, but turnovers kept the Maroon & White from ever really settling into a rhythm and kept them at just 55 snaps for the entire contest. The Ags hurt themselves badly here, which made it tough to get a real read on what they otherwise might have done over the course of four quarters on offense.

• I talked a LOT about the Ags' offensive struggles in this week's cover story so I'll keep the deep dive short and sweet in this bullet point: A&M certainly didn't appear to adjust in the way of playing with more tempo, as the calls are still very slow in coming in from the sidelines. The Ags also didn't take many shots down the field, with no more than one or two over the top throws among Mond's 28 attempts. A&M didn't produce a pass play producing a 30-yard gain or more. Last season, the Ags ranked outside of the top-100 nationally in that department, and if there was one thing I would have wagered a lot of money that we were going to see, it was going to be more throws down the field in 2020. To be determined.

Texas A&M Athletics

Fisher is counting on his offense living up to the promise it showed in fall camp.

Here's the thing about this year's A&M offense: There was a lot more excitement coming out of fall camp this year than last year and perhaps even in 2018. I know insiders were disappointed with the season-opening effort, but those same folks are still more optimistic than the media or fans have sounded all weekend (and rightfully so) and are confident the Aggie offense is going to be a productive and more dynamic unit this fall.

• Let's dive into the lone offensive bright spot for a moment here. Isaiah Spiller and Ainias Smith combined for 195 yards from scrimmage on 25 touches. That's some real deal production right there and falls right in line with everything we were hearing throughout fall camp. Spiller was sensational with 117 yards on just 8 carries (more on that in a moment). His 57-yard run was easily the most important offensive play of the game, as it not only set up what turned out to be the game-winning score, it also opened things up for an A&M offense that did move the ball much better after halftime (only to have the turnovers derail said momentum down the stretch). The thing about the long Spiller jaunt is that it wasn't blocked very well and the big back should have probably been brought down in the backfield. He did a great job at the beginning to get out of trouble and at the end to step off about another 20 yards. That one and his game-icing TD at Ole Miss are the two best runs I've seen by #28.

As for Ainias, the sophomore sensation turned in the Ags' second-most impressive play of the night when he took a perfectly-timed option pitch from Mond and showed game-changing burst through a crease and scooted 25 yards into the end zone. Smith finished with a healthy 51 yards on 10 carries and added 27 on a pair of catches for 78 total yards. He also got open for what should have been a fourth-quarter touchdown on back-to-back plays, but Mond's pass missed the mark on both occasions. Otherwise, we're talking about a 2-TD, 100-yard night from #0.

This duo has a chance to be one of the SEC's best.

• Speaking of, let's talk about Spiller's number of carries. Eight was most certainly NOT enough on Saturday night, especially when you consider the fact that Spiller ran the ball just twice in the first half. His first touch of the third went for 57. Over the Ags' next two possessions, he had two carries before again breaking loose, this time for 30 more yards. The 30-yard run came on the final play of the third quarter. Spiller ran the ball just twice on 15 fourth-quarter snaps, with one of those touches going for 24 more. Certainly makes you wonder what Isaiah could have done had the Ags ridden the hot hand and fed him the ball more down the stretch (or started the game by running he and Smith with more regularity).

Craig Bisacre/Texas A&M Athletics

Spiller piled up over 100 yards despite touching the ball only eight times.

Then again, working on a passing game complete with an all-new receiving corps was important, too, so I'm not going to spend too much time stressing over under-using a running back considering Fisher's track record at Florida State and A&M — a track record that includes sticking it out with Spiller last year despite early fumble issues and watching him develop into a 900-yard true freshman. Word of advice to Spiller and those wringing their hands on twitter: You're an important part of a TEAM and your career is off to a very nice start. You also lead the SEC in rushing after one week of action and are in as proven a 'running back's offense' as there is in the SEC this side of Athens. Patience is key here.

• I agree with Leone that the Ags' most effective offense is going to feature Wydermyer, Spiller and Smith on the field together. I've felt that way since it was clear they weren't going to have Baylor Cupp or Blake Smith available and really dating back to the bowl game when Ainias looked like a true playmaker, versatile chess piece and outstanding blocker. I also thought the Ags implementing more QB run game and zone read after halftime was the way to go. The Ags tried it, but Kellen's fumble and the botched 'pull' on the 4th down cost the Aggies two drives and at least one long QB run for a touchdown, a la Oklahoma State.

• I've said the entire off-season that I want to see more of #11 in the designed running game. Mond ran it six times, including a couple of scrambles. I'd have zero problem seeing that number climb to 10-12, provided he can hang on to the football of course. Because of what he can do running the option (see Smith's first quarter TD run) and the fact that he's still probably the Ags' biggest home run threat out of the backfield (he's produced several 40-plus yard runs in his career), Mond is not only someone that opposing coordinators DO still legitimately fear in the run game but he'll also open things up for Smith on the edges and Spiller between the tackles.

Mond ran the ball just once in the first half, and the Ags adjusted with a few more designed carries in the third and fourth quarters. Again, the fumbles cost them a couple of drives and what looked like it was going to be a game-icing house-call by the QB, so maybe we'd have seen more of it had Kellen and Jalen Preston not been loose with the pigskin. Need to see double-digit QB draws, options and zone reads on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, IMO. If there's one way Mond has had success against Bama, it's as a runner. He's run for 90 and 98 yards in the Ags' last two matchups with the Tide and actually gained over a 100 in each outing before sacks were deducted.

If there's one way Mond has had success against Bama, it's as a runner. He's run for 90 and 98 yards in the Ags' last two matchups with the Tide and actually gained over a 100 in each outing before sacks were deducted.

• As far as Kellen's season-opening performance is concerned, he wasn't very good, and that's four games in a row dating back to last season that the Aggie quarterback has struggled. Three fumbles, two lost and one that led to a turnover on downs. I'm not sure two of the three were technically 'his fault' but the fact of the matter is, Mond lost the football three times, continuing a maddening trend of costly mistakes by the quarterback and the Aggie offense. As a passer, Kellen's performance left a lot to be desired, as well (just like in the bowl game, at LSU and for most of the afternoon at Georgia last fall). He was hurt by drops early and then was inaccurate on several throws during the middle portions of the game.

Considering the buzz the senior quarterback was generating coming out of fall camp, how he played against Vandy on Saturday night was disappointing to say the least. I know this sounds like a stretch, but I get the sense that Jimbo FIsher is going to lean more on what he saw throughout the month of September than what he watched on Saturday night and expect improved quarterback play from his senior moving forward, yes, even factoring in the giant step up in competition. He needs it, because with this offense as inexperienced as it is at receiver and far from dominant up front, the unit is going to go as far as Mond will take it. That was good for all of two touchdowns on Saturday night against the team picked to finish last in the SEC. For more of my thoughts on the quarterback position, check out this week's Cover.

• Tough night at the office for sophomore tight end Jalen Wydermyer. He lost his grandmother early last week so was playing with a heavy heart to be sure. Two drops and a costly penalty that wiped out a long catch-and-run by Smith on a screen that would have set up the Ags a yard away from paydirt. Mond was sacked and fumbled a play later, costing the Ags much-needed first-half points. We've seen Jalen be a difference-maker, but with just two catches for 19 yards, Saturday wasn't a typical showing from #85.

• Wydermyer's drops weren't the only ones. The young and inexperienced receivers got in on the action, as well, especially early in the game when they did their QB no favors. Once the unit settled down, however, they flashed some playmaking ability. Caleb Chapman got open in the third quarter and scored his first career touchdown from 17 yards out. He finished the game with 4 grabs for 40 yards. Fellow third-year vet Jalen Preston made a costly mistake while fighting for extra yards but caught four Mond passes for 39 yards and had a crucial third-down grab. I like the idea of getting the ball to the bigger, stronger wideout (Jalen is built more like a tailback) in space and letting him move the chains by running through tackles when matched one-on-one with smaller corners in space. Oklahoma State made a living doing this with Justin Blackmon back in the day.

Chase Lane and Kam Brown both flashed the speed I talked about throughout fall camp and Kam moved the chains on a nice catch on perhaps Mond's best throw of the night following an even better route. He also nearly broke loose for what may have been a long scoring catch-and-run but was barely tripped up by the trailing defender. I think Brown is the kind of guy who can make things happen in the middle of the field if the Ags can get him the ball on the move.

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Kam Brown was one of several young receivers who saw meaningful time in the opener.

Again, it's such a small sample size that it's hard to make any sweeping generalizations about this group. I think there were at least some encouraging signs on Saturday night.

• One discouraging aspect of the opener was that we didn't see any of Demond Demas or Devon Achane. Two of the Ags' most heralded signees and two guys with speed and explosive home run talent to burn and neither factored in at all in the season-opener. I said throughout camp I wasn't expecting either to start, but it definitely sounded as if both were being made ready to see meaningful action.

From my cover story but it's appropriate for this column, as well: Last year, fans wondered throughout the season why Ainias Smith didn’t see more action after starring in the Arkansas win. Last night, folks were left scratching their heads as to why true freshman sensation Demond Demas didn’t get so much as a snap despite the fact that the Aggies managed just two touchdowns. I get the fact that it was his first game and that Demas is nowhere close to being a reliable and trusted ‘every-down’ guy, but he’s got playmaking DNA. There hasn’t been nearly enough of that in Maroon & White since Trayveon Williams and Jace Sternberger left for the NFL. If not Saturday night, what changes for Demas that will make him ready for Bama, Florida or the Cowbells in Starkville? The Ags need playmakers and maybe a new face up front just to see if a slight shakeup results in a better product.

I watched a ton of football this weekend and saw circus catches all over the country. The Ags need a couple of these guys to get the ball fed to them — including shots down the field in one-on-one coverage that Mond has simply GOT to complete — in order to find out who has that 'it' to their game and who doesn't. I suspect one of those will eventually (and hopefully sooner rather than later) be Demas, but most weren't particularly excited about Josh Reynolds until he got his shot and starting being targeted regularly.

• So what about Mond and Spiller and the mesh point? Arkansas last year, Oklahoma State in the bowl game and again on Saturday night. At least three fumbled exchanges between the two in a season's worth of games. I'm honestly not sure whose fault the fourth-quarter, fourth-down fumble was, but Mond has taken all of the blame. That's a combination thing where the QB and RB have to be on the same page. It should be a given but, for whatever reason, that hasn't been the case. An easily correctable ball security issue that simply has to be corrected.

• I thought the Aggie offensive line looked better but still not where it needs to be. Couple of caveats: They were far from dominant and were lining up against one of the worst defensive fronts they'll see this year. Now, in fairness, Vandy was playing for the first time under Ted Roof and the ‘Dores return virtually everyone up front, including a future NFLer Dayo Odeyingbo at end. All told, the Ags allowed just the one sack and three TFLs on more than 30 Mond dropbacks. There were a couple of additional pressures, but I didn't think pass protection was near as big an issue as it was at times last fall (even against the lesser teams on the schedule).

Oddly enough, I'm going to say that where the Ags faltered up front was when it came to run blocking. I saw guys (especially on the interior) getting beaten physically more than I'd have liked but, all told, they paved the way for some explosive runs, which helped the Ags average 6.8 per carry while racking up just under 200 net yards on the ground. Not bad at all considering A&M ran just 55 plays on the night. Had the Aggies managed a little more time of possession (which was lost because of the turnovers), they probably would have been able to do a much better job of wearing Vandy down and imposing their will late.

Still think things aren't as strong as they need to be on the interior and fear there might be a lot more backfield havoc over the next couple of weeks if the Ags don't shore things up between the tackles.

 

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1 hour ago, Lobwedgephil said:
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• The bottom line: A&M's showing on offense in the season-opener was just plain bad. There's a lot to talk about, but turnovers were the primary culprit here. On four separate occasions, the Aggies were on the move and shot themselves in the foot by giving the ball back to Vandy, three times via turnover and once when they fumbled an exchange on what probably would have been a walk-in TD run by Kellen Mond. That's four drives the Ags were unable to finish off (and on one of those possessions, a penalty wiped out a catch-and-run to the Vandy goal line) and the inexcusable safety that occurred during a punt return is a fifth.

All told, the Aggies did average a very healthy 6.8 yards per play and really started to move the ball in the third quarter, but turnovers kept the Maroon & White from ever really settling into a rhythm and kept them at just 55 snaps for the entire contest. The Ags hurt themselves badly here, which made it tough to get a real read on what they otherwise might have done over the course of four quarters on offense.

• I talked a LOT about the Ags' offensive struggles in this week's cover story so I'll keep the deep dive short and sweet in this bullet point: A&M certainly didn't appear to adjust in the way of playing with more tempo, as the calls are still very slow in coming in from the sidelines. The Ags also didn't take many shots down the field, with no more than one or two over the top throws among Mond's 28 attempts. A&M didn't produce a pass play producing a 30-yard gain or more. Last season, the Ags ranked outside of the top-100 nationally in that department, and if there was one thing I would have wagered a lot of money that we were going to see, it was going to be more throws down the field in 2020. To be determined.

 

Texas A&M Athletics

Fisher is counting on his offense living up to the promise it showed in fall camp.

Here's the thing about this year's A&M offense: There was a lot more excitement coming out of fall camp this year than last year and perhaps even in 2018. I know insiders were disappointed with the season-opening effort, but those same folks are still more optimistic than the media or fans have sounded all weekend (and rightfully so) and are confident the Aggie offense is going to be a productive and more dynamic unit this fall.

• Let's dive into the lone offensive bright spot for a moment here. Isaiah Spiller and Ainias Smith combined for 195 yards from scrimmage on 25 touches. That's some real deal production right there and falls right in line with everything we were hearing throughout fall camp. Spiller was sensational with 117 yards on just 8 carries (more on that in a moment). His 57-yard run was easily the most important offensive play of the game, as it not only set up what turned out to be the game-winning score, it also opened things up for an A&M offense that did move the ball much better after halftime (only to have the turnovers derail said momentum down the stretch). The thing about the long Spiller jaunt is that it wasn't blocked very well and the big back should have probably been brought down in the backfield. He did a great job at the beginning to get out of trouble and at the end to step off about another 20 yards. That one and his game-icing TD at Ole Miss are the two best runs I've seen by #28.

As for Ainias, the sophomore sensation turned in the Ags' second-most impressive play of the night when he took a perfectly-timed option pitch from Mond and showed game-changing burst through a crease and scooted 25 yards into the end zone. Smith finished with a healthy 51 yards on 10 carries and added 27 on a pair of catches for 78 total yards. He also got open for what should have been a fourth-quarter touchdown on back-to-back plays, but Mond's pass missed the mark on both occasions. Otherwise, we're talking about a 2-TD, 100-yard night from #0.

This duo has a chance to be one of the SEC's best.

• Speaking of, let's talk about Spiller's number of carries. Eight was most certainly NOT enough on Saturday night, especially when you consider the fact that Spiller ran the ball just twice in the first half. His first touch of the third went for 57. Over the Ags' next two possessions, he had two carries before again breaking loose, this time for 30 more yards. The 30-yard run came on the final play of the third quarter. Spiller ran the ball just twice on 15 fourth-quarter snaps, with one of those touches going for 24 more. Certainly makes you wonder what Isaiah could have done had the Ags ridden the hot hand and fed him the ball more down the stretch (or started the game by running he and Smith with more regularity).

 

Craig Bisacre/Texas A&M Athletics

Spiller piled up over 100 yards despite touching the ball only eight times.

Then again, working on a passing game complete with an all-new receiving corps was important, too, so I'm not going to spend too much time stressing over under-using a running back considering Fisher's track record at Florida State and A&M — a track record that includes sticking it out with Spiller last year despite early fumble issues and watching him develop into a 900-yard true freshman. Word of advice to Spiller and those wringing their hands on twitter: You're an important part of a TEAM and your career is off to a very nice start. You also lead the SEC in rushing after one week of action and are in as proven a 'running back's offense' as there is in the SEC this side of Athens. Patience is key here.

• I agree with Leone that the Ags' most effective offense is going to feature Wydermyer, Spiller and Smith on the field together. I've felt that way since it was clear they weren't going to have Baylor Cupp or Blake Smith available and really dating back to the bowl game when Ainias looked like a true playmaker, versatile chess piece and outstanding blocker. I also thought the Ags implementing more QB run game and zone read after halftime was the way to go. The Ags tried it, but Kellen's fumble and the botched 'pull' on the 4th down cost the Aggies two drives and at least one long QB run for a touchdown, a la Oklahoma State.

• I've said the entire off-season that I want to see more of #11 in the designed running game. Mond ran it six times, including a couple of scrambles. I'd have zero problem seeing that number climb to 10-12, provided he can hang on to the football of course. Because of what he can do running the option (see Smith's first quarter TD run) and the fact that he's still probably the Ags' biggest home run threat out of the backfield (he's produced several 40-plus yard runs in his career), Mond is not only someone that opposing coordinators DO still legitimately fear in the run game but he'll also open things up for Smith on the edges and Spiller between the tackles.

Mond ran the ball just once in the first half, and the Ags adjusted with a few more designed carries in the third and fourth quarters. Again, the fumbles cost them a couple of drives and what looked like it was going to be a game-icing house-call by the QB, so maybe we'd have seen more of it had Kellen and Jalen Preston not been loose with the pigskin. Need to see double-digit QB draws, options and zone reads on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, IMO. If there's one way Mond has had success against Bama, it's as a runner. He's run for 90 and 98 yards in the Ags' last two matchups with the Tide and actually gained over a 100 in each outing before sacks were deducted.

If there's one way Mond has had success against Bama, it's as a runner. He's run for 90 and 98 yards in the Ags' last two matchups with the Tide and actually gained over a 100 in each outing before sacks were deducted.

• As far as Kellen's season-opening performance is concerned, he wasn't very good, and that's four games in a row dating back to last season that the Aggie quarterback has struggled. Three fumbles, two lost and one that led to a turnover on downs. I'm not sure two of the three were technically 'his fault' but the fact of the matter is, Mond lost the football three times, continuing a maddening trend of costly mistakes by the quarterback and the Aggie offense. As a passer, Kellen's performance left a lot to be desired, as well (just like in the bowl game, at LSU and for most of the afternoon at Georgia last fall). He was hurt by drops early and then was inaccurate on several throws during the middle portions of the game.

Considering the buzz the senior quarterback was generating coming out of fall camp, how he played against Vandy on Saturday night was disappointing to say the least. I know this sounds like a stretch, but I get the sense that Jimbo FIsher is going to lean more on what he saw throughout the month of September than what he watched on Saturday night and expect improved quarterback play from his senior moving forward, yes, even factoring in the giant step up in competition. He needs it, because with this offense as inexperienced as it is at receiver and far from dominant up front, the unit is going to go as far as Mond will take it. That was good for all of two touchdowns on Saturday night against the team picked to finish last in the SEC. For more of my thoughts on the quarterback position, check out this week's Cover.

• Tough night at the office for sophomore tight end Jalen Wydermyer. He lost his grandmother early last week so was playing with a heavy heart to be sure. Two drops and a costly penalty that wiped out a long catch-and-run by Smith on a screen that would have set up the Ags a yard away from paydirt. Mond was sacked and fumbled a play later, costing the Ags much-needed first-half points. We've seen Jalen be a difference-maker, but with just two catches for 19 yards, Saturday wasn't a typical showing from #85.

• Wydermyer's drops weren't the only ones. The young and inexperienced receivers got in on the action, as well, especially early in the game when they did their QB no favors. Once the unit settled down, however, they flashed some playmaking ability. Caleb Chapman got open in the third quarter and scored his first career touchdown from 17 yards out. He finished the game with 4 grabs for 40 yards. Fellow third-year vet Jalen Preston made a costly mistake while fighting for extra yards but caught four Mond passes for 39 yards and had a crucial third-down grab. I like the idea of getting the ball to the bigger, stronger wideout (Jalen is built more like a tailback) in space and letting him move the chains by running through tackles when matched one-on-one with smaller corners in space. Oklahoma State made a living doing this with Justin Blackmon back in the day.

Chase Lane and Kam Brown both flashed the speed I talked about throughout fall camp and Kam moved the chains on a nice catch on perhaps Mond's best throw of the night following an even better route. He also nearly broke loose for what may have been a long scoring catch-and-run but was barely tripped up by the trailing defender. I think Brown is the kind of guy who can make things happen in the middle of the field if the Ags can get him the ball on the move.

 

Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Kam Brown was one of several young receivers who saw meaningful time in the opener.

Again, it's such a small sample size that it's hard to make any sweeping generalizations about this group. I think there were at least some encouraging signs on Saturday night.

• One discouraging aspect of the opener was that we didn't see any of Demond Demas or Devon Achane. Two of the Ags' most heralded signees and two guys with speed and explosive home run talent to burn and neither factored in at all in the season-opener. I said throughout camp I wasn't expecting either to start, but it definitely sounded as if both were being made ready to see meaningful action.

From my cover story but it's appropriate for this column, as well: Last year, fans wondered throughout the season why Ainias Smith didn’t see more action after starring in the Arkansas win. Last night, folks were left scratching their heads as to why true freshman sensation Demond Demas didn’t get so much as a snap despite the fact that the Aggies managed just two touchdowns. I get the fact that it was his first game and that Demas is nowhere close to being a reliable and trusted ‘every-down’ guy, but he’s got playmaking DNA. There hasn’t been nearly enough of that in Maroon & White since Trayveon Williams and Jace Sternberger left for the NFL. If not Saturday night, what changes for Demas that will make him ready for Bama, Florida or the Cowbells in Starkville? The Ags need playmakers and maybe a new face up front just to see if a slight shakeup results in a better product.

I watched a ton of football this weekend and saw circus catches all over the country. The Ags need a couple of these guys to get the ball fed to them — including shots down the field in one-on-one coverage that Mond has simply GOT to complete — in order to find out who has that 'it' to their game and who doesn't. I suspect one of those will eventually (and hopefully sooner rather than later) be Demas, but most weren't particularly excited about Josh Reynolds until he got his shot and starting being targeted regularly.

• So what about Mond and Spiller and the mesh point? Arkansas last year, Oklahoma State in the bowl game and again on Saturday night. At least three fumbled exchanges between the two in a season's worth of games. I'm honestly not sure whose fault the fourth-quarter, fourth-down fumble was, but Mond has taken all of the blame. That's a combination thing where the QB and RB have to be on the same page. It should be a given but, for whatever reason, that hasn't been the case. An easily correctable ball security issue that simply has to be corrected.

• I thought the Aggie offensive line looked better but still not where it needs to be. Couple of caveats: They were far from dominant and were lining up against one of the worst defensive fronts they'll see this year. Now, in fairness, Vandy was playing for the first time under Ted Roof and the ‘Dores return virtually everyone up front, including a future NFLer Dayo Odeyingbo at end. All told, the Ags allowed just the one sack and three TFLs on more than 30 Mond dropbacks. There were a couple of additional pressures, but I didn't think pass protection was near as big an issue as it was at times last fall (even against the lesser teams on the schedule).

Oddly enough, I'm going to say that where the Ags faltered up front was when it came to run blocking. I saw guys (especially on the interior) getting beaten physically more than I'd have liked but, all told, they paved the way for some explosive runs, which helped the Ags average 6.8 per carry while racking up just under 200 net yards on the ground. Not bad at all considering A&M ran just 55 plays on the night. Had the Aggies managed a little more time of possession (which was lost because of the turnovers), they probably would have been able to do a much better job of wearing Vandy down and imposing their will late.

Still think things aren't as strong as they need to be on the interior and fear there might be a lot more backfield havoc over the next couple of weeks if the Ags don't shore things up between the tackles.

 

Billy basically saying the OL got mangled by the worst DL they'll see all year.  And this idiot thinks they'd wear down the Texas DL in a real game.

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7 hours ago, texifornia said:

Jimbo apologia

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HA!!  Only coaches who are better than Jr are Saban,Meyer, and MAYBE Dabo.   Fucking rubes.  
 

 

6 hours ago, golfclap said:

Jimbo expands on Demas/Achane not playing ... 

Mothers Day Lol GIF by reactionseditor


oh I completely expect the new guys get some snaps this Saturday, he was insistent that they didn’t play because the game was too close and the other guys got into their grooves, the “right time” to take a chance on new guys is once the game is well in hand.   I expect the game will be well in hand by mid 2nd Q and fisher will give the new guys some reps against Bamas 2-3rd string.  

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18 minutes ago, Treefidy said:

HA!!  Only coaches who are better than Jr are Saban,Meyer, and MAYBE Dabo.   Fucking rubes.  
 

 


oh I completely expect the new guys get some snaps this Saturday, he was insistent that they didn’t play because the game was too close and the other guys got into their grooves, the “right time” to take a chance on new guys is once the game is well in hand.   I expect the game will be well in hand by mid 2nd Q and fisher will give the new guys some reps against Bamas 2-3rd string.  

A demas back flip TD  celebration to cut the score to 52-10 will be beautiful

 

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2 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Billy basically saying the OL got mangled by the worst DL they'll see all year.  And this idiot thinks they'd wear down the Texas DL in a real game.

If aggy makes a bowl, they'll be damn fortunate. They only folks Jimbo will wear out will be his shit polishers.  Until subscriptions sell themselves, the show must go on.    

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1 minute ago, Mdhorn said:

If aggy makes a bowl, they'll be damn fortunate. They only folks Jimbo will wear out will be his shit polishers.  Until subscriptions sell themselves, the show must go on.    

well there is no minimum number of games to win to be bowl eligible this year, so they probably get asked to a bowl solely because they have a big following.

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11 minutes ago, Mason Ramsey said:

well there is no minimum number of games to win to be bowl eligible this year, so they probably get asked to a bowl solely because they have a big following.

Then they'll get embarrassed in their "championship" year.  The Tech team we played would beat them badly and that's a game that will sell locally.  

Edited by Mdhorn
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8 hours ago, Mdhorn said:

Then they'll get embarrassed in their "championship" year.  The Tech team we played would beat them badly and that's a game that will sell locally.  

This is the biggest indictment of Jimbo that they're just beginning to realize. This was the year. And this is what the roster looks like. I dare say it's worse than when he arrived. 

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Just wait $EC will force a change for number of wins to become bowl eligible. Gomers will get a bowl bid based upon "strength of schedule, due to the pandemic". Gomers will be slotted against University of Alaska at Nome, just to pad their season record. $EC wins again as the toughest conference in the land. 

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1 hour ago, Leanderman said:

Just wait $EC will force a change for number of wins to become bowl eligible. Gomers will get a bowl bid based upon "strength of schedule, due to the pandemic". Gomers will be slotted against University of Alaska at Nome, just to pad their season record. $EC wins again as the toughest conference in the land. 

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article245890615.html#:~:text=Thursday night%2C the NCAA announced,met Academic Progress Rate standards.

 

Thursday night, the NCAA announced that its Division I Football Oversight Committee was recommending eliminating bowl-eligibility requirements for the 2020 season, which would make all teams eligible as long as they met Academic Progress Rate standards. The recommendation still has to be approved by the Division I Council, which will meet Oct. 13-14.

 

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12 minutes ago, Hiphopopotamos said:

Academic Progress Rate

There's going to be some shit with the APR and transfers/opt-outs

Basically, the APR says that each player receiving financial aid can earn two points - one for being academically eligible in the fall, and one for being academically eligible in the spring. The benchmark for postseason eligibility is 930.

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Teams at risk include those with lots of opt-outs (no idea what kind of academic support they're getting), teams with low roster counts (swamp aggy), and schools hit hard by transfers out. There may be some Covid waivers, but if any P5 teams don't get a waiver, that will be a contributor to replacing the NCAA as the governing body for CFB, imo.

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2 hours ago, Ricky's one-hitter said:

This is the biggest indictment of Jimbo that they're just beginning to realize. This was the year. And this is what the roster looks like. I dare say it's worse than when he arrived. 

It was never "the year" based on how good their team was going to be. It was "the year" based on how easy their pre-COVID schedule was. Their non-conference schedule was embarrassingly bad, they had the easiest possible draw in the West (No Georgia, Florida or Tennessee),  LSU lost nearly all of their star players, Auburn lost a bunch on their line, three other teams in their division had coaching changes and looked to be terrible, and even Bama was breaking in a new QB. 

Flash forward and now Florida looks pretty spicy. MSU shredded LSU. Ole Miss looks at least competent offensively. Tennessee looks decent. No matter how terrible Arkansas has been, they always seem to play them tough. They just had the only true gimme on their schedule and looked like hammered dogshit at home. It's no wonder that they are freaking out.

Still, I think they keep the Bama game pretty close. They will be satisfied playing hyper-conservatively and you know Fisher is going to snap the ball with less than 5 seconds on the clock in an effort to shorten the game. That's how they avoided blowouts to Clemson and Bama last year and kept it close with Georgia. 

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