Jimbo 2022: Balls To The Face

[texasstrong12 4668]

1 minute ago, Hank_Hill said:

Also is Achane better than Spiller? Isn’t spiller seen as a day one or two pick? 
 

I see no reason that this A&M team will be better next year.

Achane has been better to end the year but that's primarily because Spiller seems to have just quit on the season because of the NFL. 

There were rumors that opt outs were going to happen if aggy lost to Bama and I guarantee Spiller was one of those. Dude has been done with college football for like a month now. 

[George Clooney 378]

3 minutes ago, Hank_Hill said:

Everyone reporting the QB competition being close. 

It’s my understanding that it wasn’t close. I trust what I heard versus what Liucci, Tarp etc. reported. Yes, Achane is more talented than Spiller (a second or third round pick).

[Hefeweizen 5310]

1 hour ago, George Clooney said:

I graduated from a university without an FBS team and found shaggy back in 2017 (I think, it could've been 2016). I think there are enough intelligent and knowledgeable people here to have decent enough arguments/discussions. One of my closest friends is a rabid A&M alumnus, and I try to filter the info he gives me into an accurate interpretation of their team. I simply believe they have a very talented roster, and that many wins eventually come as you accumulate talent at a top 5 level (they will likely fit that bill when their '22 class signs). Everyone here clearly disagrees with me (which is understandable).

So you are aggy.  Glad we got that straight.

[Chuckie Finster 22694]

Love to spend my morning arguing about a random team's recruiting on their rival's message board because my friend went to school there.  

[texasstrong12 4668]

Achane is a good player but he's also small. He's never going to be a workhorse type back. 

For as much as Jimbo likes to run the ball they better find another RB. 

[NoName 16351]

28 minutes ago, George Clooney said:

Your point about Weigman liking baseball more could be true, but I see no reason to believe that. I don't follow TX HSFB closely, so I don't know anything about his personal life. I just watch his highlights and listen to those who I personally know that have seen him in person. Didn't King have a fairly serious shoulder injury his senior year? That'd make his senior season matter less but also increase the injury concerns y'all have. Idk, I just think he can avoid further significant injuries as he learns how to better play the position. Again, y'all disagree and that's fine.

that is absolutely revisionist history.

he went from an extremely talented team his jr year to one that was significantly less talented his senior year.

oh yeah, and he was flat out not good his senior year either.

Quote

Idk, I just think he can avoid further significant injuries as he learns how to better play the position.

i mean, he has played QB for basically his whole life and has 2 full years of college under his belt.

you should go write 9.95er columns for TexAgs or OB with that kind of take.

[George Clooney 378]

10 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

Achane is a good player but he's also small. He's never going to be a workhorse type back. 

For as much as Jimbo likes to run the ball they better find another RB. 

Right, he’s nothing close to someone like Dalvin Cook. Between Johnson, Daniels, and Moss, they’ll have plenty of options for a secondary back.

[Tigersnake 670]

20 minutes ago, Hefeweizen said:

So you are aggy.  Glad we got that straight.

[George Clooney 378]

10 minutes ago, NoName said:

that is absolutely revisionist history.

he went from an extremely talented team his jr year to one that was significantly less talented his senior year.

oh yeah, and he was flat out not good his senior year either.

i mean, he has played QB for basically his whole life and has 2 full years of college under his belt.

you should go write 9.95er columns for TexAgs or OB with that kind of take.

It’s my understanding that he played through that shoulder injury. It’s not uncommon for QBs who’ve sustained serious injuries to gradually learn how to better protect themselves when they scramble. Of course it doesn’t always happen, but don’t pretend he can’t learn new things at his age.

[texasstrong12 4668]

1 minute ago, George Clooney said:

It’s my understanding that he played through that shoulder injury. It’s not uncommon for QBs who’ve sustained serious injuries to gradually learn how to better protect themselves when they scramble. Of course it doesn’t always happen, but don’t pretend he can’t learn new things at his age.

He needs to start learning some more. 

 

[George Clooney 378]

Just now, texasstrong12 said:

He needs to start learning some more. 

I agree, which is why I typed that.

[Skipper 6127]

It's impossible to have a real view of A&M prospects for next year or the rest of the SEC West prior to end of coaching carousel and recruiting/portal prospects.  If Elko leaves that is potentially big.  If Aggy gets a transfer QB that is potentially big.  We don't know who LSU is going to hire yet and how they fill out staff.  If Lebby doesn't get poached at Ole Miss, Dillon Gabriel almost certainly transfers there and that O may not miss a beat.  I'm assuming Arkie will still be good although if Odom or Briles get poached from that staff they may take a step back.  A lot more uncertainty than normal in the SEC W right now IMO.

[closetojumping 62557]

I'm sorry, but arguing that ATM will be better, even the vague possibility of it, next year is absurd. They're not going to replace 6+ draft picks with better players, playing better immediately. Get a grip on that. They'll be legitimately weaker at TE, TB and the front 7. If Ainias Smith goes pro, they'll be far weaker at WR too. Maybe Evan Stewart fills that void quickly, but maybe not.

They lose every starter on the DL when Leal goes pro. They have talent behind them and coming in, but Leal is a 1st round pick and the rest have a shit ton of experience. They won't be upgrading that in 2022 even if the talent level is higher.

Hansford is a damned good LB. Gone. Backups don't present as well.

O'Neal is a buffoon and a liability, but if they had someone better than him, he'd undoubtedly be playing by now. Demani Richardson is likely going pro. That's 2 safeties, gone. 

They lose two OL if Green goes pro. There's speculation that he won't, but his dad is a moneygrubbing pimp, so I'm guessing he gets the push to get what he can, while he can. 

There is no exciting replacement for Wydermeyer. Sternberger was a stud and Wydermeyer was a great replacement. The Fisher passing game revolves around the TE. This is a big hole going into 2022. 

Calzada may suck, but he enters 2022 as the presumptive starter. If they slide King right back in, Calzada is gone. They're going to try to tiptoe that situation all spring and summer and the prospects of them pulling off keeping both are tenuous. King is an injury waiting to happen. He WAS injured his senior year with a shoulder problem. He is fragile and that isn't fixable. Weigman starting as a true freshman seems ... unlikely. If he is, then you probably lost both upperclassmen. No one even really knows if Weigman is going to play, much less be ready. 

And all of this presumes that Elko sticks around and Robinson sticks with him. I'm guessing if Elko gets a gig somewhere, Robinson is the first guy he's asking to come with him. 

ATM also accidentally picked the wrong cupcakes to open the season. Sam Houston State is a power in FCS and will not just lay down for ATM to open the year. Then these idiots host Appalachian State, who is pretty fucking far from a pushover these days (they're 10-2 this season and playing for their conference championship this weekend). Then they host Miami, go to Dallas for Arkansas, then at Mississippi State and at Alabama before an offweek. Those fucking idiots have a higher likelihood of being 2-4 than 4-2 in that first half of a season. 

No, ATM will not be better in 2022. 

[Hank_Hill 18793]

Yea but Jimbo incorporated more RPO that one game! 

[texasstrong12 4668]

I forgot they play App State next year. 

Yeah, that's a tricky game. Especially with so much roster turnover and getting them early in the season. 

[Mitch Cumsteen 18547]

9 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I'm sorry, but arguing that ATM will be better, even the vague possibility of it, next year is absurd. They're not going to replace 6+ draft picks with better players, playing better immediately. Get a grip on that. They'll be legitimately weaker at TE, TB and the front 7. If Ainias Smith goes pro, they'll be far weaker at WR too. Maybe Evan Stewart fills that void quickly, but maybe not.

They lose every starter on the DL when Leal goes pro. They have talent behind them and coming in, but Leal is a 1st round pick and the rest have a shit ton of experience. They won't be upgrading that in 2022 even if the talent level is higher.

Hansford is a damned good LB. Gone. Backups don't present as well.

O'Neal is a buffoon and a liability, but if they had someone better than him, he'd undoubtedly be playing by now. Demani Richardson is likely going pro. That's 2 safeties, gone. 

They lose two OL if Green goes pro. There's speculation that he won't, but his dad is a moneygrubbing pimp, so I'm guessing he gets the push to get what he can, while he can. 

There is no exciting replacement for Wydermeyer. Sternberger was a stud and Wydermeyer was a great replacement. The Fisher passing game revolves around the TE. This is a big hole going into 2022. 

Calzada may suck, but he enters 2022 as the presumptive starter. If they slide King right back in, Calzada is gone. They're going to try to tiptoe that situation all spring and summer and the prospects of them pulling off keeping both are tenuous. King is an injury waiting to happen. He WAS injured his senior year with a shoulder problem. He is fragile and that isn't fixable. Weigman starting as a true freshman seems ... unlikely. If he is, then you probably lost both upperclassmen. No one even really knows if Weigman is going to play, much less be ready. 

And all of this presumes that Elko sticks around and Robinson sticks with him. I'm guessing if Elko gets a gig somewhere, Robinson is the first guy he's asking to come with him. 

ATM also accidentally picked the wrong cupcakes to open the season. Sam Houston State is a power in FCS and will not just lay down for ATM to open the year. Then these idiots host Appalachian State, who is pretty fucking far from a pushover these days (they're 10-2 this season and playing for their conference championship this weekend). Then they host Miami, go to Dallas for Arkansas, then at Mississippi State and at Alabama before an offweek. Those fucking idiots have a higher likelihood of being 2-4 than 4-2 in that first half of a season. 

No, ATM will not be better in 2022. 

Don't care. Got Jimbo.

[texasstrong12 4668]

11 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I'm sorry, but arguing that ATM will be better, even the vague possibility of it, next year is absurd. They're not going to replace 6+ draft picks with better players, playing better immediately. Get a grip on that. They'll be legitimately weaker at TE, TB and the front 7. If Ainias Smith goes pro, they'll be far weaker at WR too. Maybe Evan Stewart fills that void quickly, but maybe not.

They lose every starter on the DL when Leal goes pro. They have talent behind them and coming in, but Leal is a 1st round pick and the rest have a shit ton of experience. They won't be upgrading that in 2022 even if the talent level is higher.

Hansford is a damned good LB. Gone. Backups don't present as well.

O'Neal is a buffoon and a liability, but if they had someone better than him, he'd undoubtedly be playing by now. Demani Richardson is likely going pro. That's 2 safeties, gone. 

They lose two OL if Green goes pro. There's speculation that he won't, but his dad is a moneygrubbing pimp, so I'm guessing he gets the push to get what he can, while he can. 

There is no exciting replacement for Wydermeyer. Sternberger was a stud and Wydermeyer was a great replacement. The Fisher passing game revolves around the TE. This is a big hole going into 2022. 

Calzada may suck, but he enters 2022 as the presumptive starter. If they slide King right back in, Calzada is gone. They're going to try to tiptoe that situation all spring and summer and the prospects of them pulling off keeping both are tenuous. King is an injury waiting to happen. He WAS injured his senior year with a shoulder problem. He is fragile and that isn't fixable. Weigman starting as a true freshman seems ... unlikely. If he is, then you probably lost both upperclassmen. No one even really knows if Weigman is going to play, much less be ready. 

And all of this presumes that Elko sticks around and Robinson sticks with him. I'm guessing if Elko gets a gig somewhere, Robinson is the first guy he's asking to come with him. 

ATM also accidentally picked the wrong cupcakes to open the season. Sam Houston State is a power in FCS and will not just lay down for ATM to open the year. Then these idiots host Appalachian State, who is pretty fucking far from a pushover these days (they're 10-2 this season and playing for their conference championship this weekend). Then they host Miami, go to Dallas for Arkansas, then at Mississippi State and at Alabama before an offweek. Those fucking idiots have a higher likelihood of being 2-4 than 4-2 in that first half of a season. 

No, ATM will not be better in 2022. 

Elijah Robinson will also be in the mix for the Temple job. He's one of the names being thrown around there. 

[SumlinsGhost 31]

17 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I'm sorry, but arguing that ATM will be better, even the vague possibility of it, next year is absurd. They're not going to replace 6+ draft picks with better players, playing better immediately. Get a grip on that. They'll be legitimately weaker at TE, TB and the front 7. If Ainias Smith goes pro, they'll be far weaker at WR too. Maybe Evan Stewart fills that void quickly, but maybe not.

They lose every starter on the DL when Leal goes pro. They have talent behind them and coming in, but Leal is a 1st round pick and the rest have a shit ton of experience. They won't be upgrading that in 2022 even if the talent level is higher. True if we lose Tyree Johnson and Clemons as well

Hansford is a damned good LB. Gone. Backups don't present as well. False, Edgerrin Cooper has been legit

O'Neal is a buffoon and a liability, but if they had someone better than him, he'd undoubtedly be playing by now. Demani Richardson is likely going pro. That's 2 safeties, gone. Probably false if Richardson stays, Antonio Johnson can move to safety and will be better than O'Neal

They lose two OL if Green goes pro. There's speculation that he won't, but his dad is a moneygrubbing pimp, so I'm guessing he gets the push to get what he can, while he can.  Green is leaving, we are returning the other 4 though so this is at worst a wash

There is no exciting replacement for Wydermeyer. Sternberger was a stud and Wydermeyer was a great replacement. The Fisher passing game revolves around the TE. This is a big hole going into 2022. True, lots of unknowns behind Jalen

Calzada may suck, but he enters 2022 as the presumptive starter. If they slide King right back in, Calzada is gone. They're going to try to tiptoe that situation all spring and summer and the prospects of them pulling off keeping both are tenuous. King is an injury waiting to happen. He WAS injured his senior year with a shoulder problem. He is fragile and that isn't fixable. Weigman starting as a true freshman seems ... unlikely. If he is, then you probably lost both upperclassmen. No one even really knows if Weigman is going to play, much less be ready.  True, QB is still a ?

And all of this presumes that Elko sticks around and Robinson sticks with him. I'm guessing if Elko gets a gig somewhere, Robinson is the first guy he's asking to come with him. 

ATM also accidentally picked the wrong cupcakes to open the season. Sam Houston State is a power in FCS and will not just lay down for ATM to open the year. Then these idiots host Appalachian State, who is pretty fucking far from a pushover these days (they're 10-2 this season and playing for their conference championship this weekend). Then they host Miami, go to Dallas for Arkansas, then at Mississippi State and at Alabama before an offweek. Those fucking idiots have a higher likelihood of being 2-4 than 4-2 in that first half of a season. Bookmarked for the inevitable "aggy plays out of conference cupcakes so their schedule is weak"

No, ATM will not be better in 2022. 

 

[SydneyCarton 48054]

 

3 hours ago, texasstrong12 said:

The spin you keep making is just sad at this point. 

Even Liucci said the QB battle was a coin flip and that Calzada/King were splitting first team reps in Fall camp.

So we're trusting Liucci now? Outside of that fucking absurdity of a concept, Liucci said Weigman would be the starter next year like 4 months ago. He also said Haynes King was as dynamic as Manzeil. 

2 hours ago, texasstrong12 said:

Liucci is a biased idiot when it comes to anything other than aggy but I trust his team reports. He's just reporting what the coaching staff tells him. Generally speaking, I think Liucci is a good source on aggy news when it comes to position battles, injuries, coaching hires, etc. 

 

But why? Again, this is the guy who has lied about that team consistently for years, and much of it is in the team reporting. The same guy who said Demas was killing it at practice (despite being suspended) and would be impossible to keep off the field/stop in spring and fall camp. That Liucci?

 

Personally, the idea that the line on their wins being something other than 8.5 is absurd. They do this every fucking season. Their last few classes have been fucking talented and well evaluated for the most part. They lose a lot of big players, but they've recruited a ton of studs on the DL. The idea they're going to fold like a cheap fucking chair is whistling past the graveyard, imo. Barring Elko leaving, or barring a potential culture/locker room collapse, which are all possibilities, I don't see the defense collapsing. 

Edited November 29, 2021 by SydneyCarton

[Scholz 11938]

Keep hope alive, aggys!  Next year is the one where you get over the hump!  You'll be better!

 

[texasstrong12 4668]

1 minute ago, SydneyCarton said:

 

So we're trusting Liucci now? Outside of that fucking absurdity of a concept, Liucci said Weigman would be the starter next year like 4 months ago. He also said Haynes King was as dynamic as Manzeil. 

But why? Again, this is the guy who has lied about that team consistently for years, and much of it is in the team reporting. The same guy who said Demas was killing it at practice (despite being suspended) and would be impossible to keep off the field/stop in spring and fall camp. That Liucci?

1) Weigman won't be ready to start as a FR but it wouldn't shock me because I don't think King or Calzada are any good. My guess is it will be Calzada to start the year and then they transition to Weigman at some point. 

2) Liucci is definitely a sunshine pumper but generally speaking I find him fairly reliable on team info if you're willing to wade through all the bullshit. He's trying to sell subscriptions but if you can interpret Liucci speak in context you can normally get something out of his reports. For instance, he's been going on rants recently about how young and talented the defense is next season but he keeps referencing the "young" aspect. aggy is too stupid to realize that is Liucci speak for a defensive rebuild next season. 

I think Liucci sucks but I can at least generally get something from his reports that have some truth hidden in all the bullshit. 

 

[SydneyCarton 48054]

Just now, texasstrong12 said:

1) Weigman won't be ready to start as a FR but it wouldn't shock me because I don't think King or Calzada are any good. My guess is it will be Calzada to start the year and then they transition to Weigman at some point. 

2) Liucci is definitely a sunshine pumper but generally speaking I find him fairly reliable on team info if you're willing to wade through all the bullshit. He's trying to sell subscriptions but if you can interpret Liucci speak in context you can normally get something out of his reports. For instance, he's been going on rants recently about how young and talented the defense is next season but he keeps referencing the "young" aspect. aggy is too stupid to realize that is Liucci speak for a defensive rebuild next season. 

I think Liucci sucks but I can at least generally get something from his reports that have some truth hidden in all the bullshit. 

 

1.) Thats all fine speculation, but that's not my point. My point is illustrating that Liucci's team reporting can't be trusted any more than the shit we read about the DLine being the strength of the Texas team this offseason. 

2.) I'm not saying you can't glean shit from his reporting. You can glean shit from everyone's reporting in some fashion, even Ketchum. But I wouldn't trust his shit. Reading between the lines by definition sort of means the guy isn't being totally honest, so don't portray his reporting as entirely honest and trustworthy. That's all I'm saying.

I still think the line is 8-8.5 games. They have plenty of shit on the schedule, and some other teams take steps back in various areas, and they're talented. 

[Scholz 11938]

16 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

Personally, the idea that the line on their wins being something other than 8.5 is absurd. They do this every fucking season. 

This.  First and last.  Always.  Regardless of the conference or schedule.

[texasstrong12 4668]

1 minute ago, SydneyCarton said:

 Reading between the lines by definition sort of means the guy isn't being totally honest, so don't portray his reporting as entirely honest and trustworthy. That's all I'm saying.

I still think the line is 8-8.5 games. They have plenty of shit on the schedule, and some other teams take steps back in various areas, and they're talented. 

Yeah, that's fair. I'm far from a Liucci defender because I think he sucks but I guess what I'm saying is he's not Taylor Hamm level shitty. 

There's a lot of shit on next year's schedule but they just went 8-4 this season with A) The #41 SOS per Sagarin and B) a better roster than next season. I think it takes a big leap of faith to think aggy is going to be better next season although 8-4 is probably about where they finish. 

 

 

[BurntOrange&White 39930]

1 hour ago, Hank_Hill said:

Also is Achane better than Spiller? Isn’t spiller seen as a day one or two pick? 
 

I see no reason that this A&M team will be better next year.

Yeah the Achane better than Spiller talk is retarded. 

[texasstrong12 4668]

31 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

Barring Elko leaving, or barring a potential culture/locker room collapse, which are all possibilities, I don't see the defense collapsing. 

I missed this part but I don't expect their defense to collapse. I do expect their defense to regress. 

A&M is #5 in FEI defense this year and with losses on that side of the ball my guess is they finish more in the 20 to 30 range next year (assuming Elko is still there). But I don't think anyone here is projecting A&M to go 5-7 next year regardless. They look like another 7-5 to 9-3 type team per the usual. 

[closetojumping 62557]

@SumlinsGhost:

They lose every starter on the DL when Leal goes pro. They have talent behind them and coming in, but Leal is a 1st round pick and the rest have a shit ton of experience. They won't be upgrading that in 2022 even if the talent level is higher. True if we lose Tyree Johnson and Clemons as well -Do you have reason to believe those guys are coming back? 

Hansford is a damned good LB. Gone. Backups don't present as well. False, Edgerrin Cooper has been legit -If Cooper were better than Hansford, he'd be starting over Hansford. This shouldn't be complicated to understand.

O'Neal is a buffoon and a liability, but if they had someone better than him, he'd undoubtedly be playing by now. Demani Richardson is likely going pro. That's 2 safeties, gone. Probably false if Richardson stays, Antonio Johnson can move to safety and will be better than O'Neal -Do you have reason to believe Richardson is staying?

They lose two OL if Green goes pro. There's speculation that he won't, but his dad is a moneygrubbing pimp, so I'm guessing he gets the push to get what he can, while he can.  Green is leaving, we are returning the other 4 though so this is at worst a wash -So you lose a draft pick and your OL won't get any worse? Also, has Johnson confirmed a return?

And all of this presumes that Elko sticks around and Robinson sticks with him. I'm guessing if Elko gets a gig somewhere, Robinson is the first guy he's asking to come with him. 

ATM also accidentally picked the wrong cupcakes to open the season. Sam Houston State is a power in FCS and will not just lay down for ATM to open the year. Then these idiots host Appalachian State, who is pretty fucking far from a pushover these days (they're 10-2 this season and playing for their conference championship this weekend). Then they host Miami, go to Dallas for Arkansas, then at Mississippi State and at Alabama before an offweek. Those fucking idiots have a higher likelihood of being 2-4 than 4-2 in that first half of a season. Bookmarked for the inevitable "aggy plays out of conference cupcakes so their schedule is weak" -Look, you guys still went out of your way to get UMass on the schedule knowing fully well that they're an FCS team disguised as a G5 team. Enjoy the free wins next year, because when Texas and OU enter the SEC, the SEC is going to a 9 game conference schedule and they're allegedly dumping the FCS bullshit too. That removes 2 automatic wins per year that the aggies gained by joining the SEC. You're also going to lose the automatic "rivalry" matchup with South Carolina. Should be fun to watch.

------

I do always enjoy reading the aggie mantra of "our new guys will be better than the old guys, no matter how good the old guys were." You did that here at LB, Safety and OL. Awesome. 

[HtownHorn 14663]

23 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

1) Weigman won't be ready to start as a FR but it wouldn't shock me because I don't think King or Calzada are any good. My guess is it will be Calzada to start the year and then they transition to Weigman at some point. 

2) Liucci is definitely a sunshine pumper but generally speaking I find him fairly reliable on team info if you're willing to wade through all the bullshit. He's trying to sell subscriptions but if you can interpret Liucci speak in context you can normally get something out of his reports. For instance, he's been going on rants recently about how young and talented the defense is next season but he keeps referencing the "young" aspect. aggy is too stupid to realize that is Liucci speak for a defensive rebuild next season. 

I think Liucci sucks but I can at least generally get something from his reports that have some truth hidden in all the bullshit. 

 

Weigman has also been on record as saying he wants to play baseball at aggy including this spring. That is going to take away from his time learning the Jimbo scheme. If he doesn't commit himself fulltime to football, he's not starting any time soon for Jimbo.

[NoName 16351]

1 hour ago, George Clooney said:

It’s my understanding that he played through that shoulder injury. It’s not uncommon for QBs who’ve sustained serious injuries to gradually learn how to better protect themselves when they scramble. Of course it doesn’t always happen, but don’t pretend he can’t learn new things at his age.

funny how this never came out during his recruitment, or before now. this is based on people i know in Longview who had kids on the team and reading smoaky.

one certainly would think that A&M fans would have been shouting this from the roof during his senior year considering his numbers absolutely tanked and his national rating went from being #25 in the composite to the #131 he finished.

how convenient that you, not even an A&M fan knows this when nobody else does.

 

 

[closetojumping 62557]

13 minutes ago, NoName said:

funny how this never came out during his recruitment, or before now. this is based on people i know in Longview who had kids on the team and reading smoaky.

one certainly would think that A&M fans would have been shouting this from the roof during his senior year considering his numbers absolutely tanked and his national rating went from being #25 in the composite to the #131 he finished.

how convenient that you, not even an A&M fan knows this when nobody else does.

 

 

We discussed it on the thread of the season of his recruitment. You can find commentary there that is contemporaneous. I can tell you definitively that I was told at the time that the guy had a serious shoulder issue and was playing through it. Hell, I think he ended up having surgery for it but that may just be my mind playing tricks. 

His dad didn't want the injury info out there for his own season's purposes and for the sake of his son's recruitment, but people knew about it.

Edited November 29, 2021 by closetojumping

[RomaVicta 29902]

23 hours ago, Hank_Hill said:

It was the injuries that kept it from going are way!

 

23 hours ago, Etexhorn13 said:

Well, we know he didn’t spend 4 years doing school work. 

Sure he has. After finals, he'll be a sophomore!

[RGBIII 22838]

37 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

We discussed it on the thread of the season of his recruitment. You can find commentary there that is contemporaneous. I can tell you definitively that I was told at the time that the guy had a serious shoulder issue and was playing through it. Hell, I think he ended up having surgery for it but that may just be my mind playing tricks. 

His dad didn't want the injury info out there for his own season's purposes and for the sake of his son's recruitment, but people knew about it.

Incredible if Jimbo really took QBs back to back with shot shoulders

[SumlinsGhost 31]

@closetojumping

 

They lose every starter on the DL when Leal goes pro. They have talent behind them and coming in, but Leal is a 1st round pick and the rest have a shit ton of experience. They won't be upgrading that in 2022 even if the talent level is higher. True if we lose Tyree Johnson and Clemons as well -Do you have reason to believe those guys are coming back?  Pretty sure Johnson is returning, also to address the TB drop off this is also probably false, look at Achane's stats vs Spiller this season (Spiller is a very good RB but not our best)

Hansford is a damned good LB. Gone. Backups don't present as well. False, Edgerrin Cooper has been legit -If Cooper were better than Hansford, he'd be starting over Hansford. This shouldn't be complicated to understand. It's called seniority, you can have a more talented player who is a freshman. Considering he got a lot of experience this season I think he can absolutely be better than Hansford week 1 next year

O'Neal is a buffoon and a liability, but if they had someone better than him, he'd undoubtedly be playing by now. Demani Richardson is likely going pro. That's 2 safeties, gone. Probably false if Richardson stays, Antonio Johnson can move to safety and will be better than O'Neal -Do you have reason to believe Richardson is staying? I don't have reason to say he is leaving either, he definitely can improve his stock and with NIL there is more incentive to stay

They lose two OL if Green goes pro. There's speculation that he won't, but his dad is a moneygrubbing pimp, so I'm guessing he gets the push to get what he can, while he can.  Green is leaving, we are returning the other 4 though so this is at worst a wash -So you lose a draft pick and your OL won't get any worse? Also, has Johnson confirmed a return? If the unit as a WHOLE improves then that is more important, no? If they don't improve then you will be correct but just reference our o-line with a bunch of JAGs in 2020 for what experience across your line can get you

And all of this presumes that Elko sticks around and Robinson sticks with him. I'm guessing if Elko gets a gig somewhere, Robinson is the first guy he's asking to come with him. 

ATM also accidentally picked the wrong cupcakes to open the season. Sam Houston State is a power in FCS and will not just lay down for ATM to open the year. Then these idiots host Appalachian State, who is pretty fucking far from a pushover these days (they're 10-2 this season and playing for their conference championship this weekend). Then they host Miami, go to Dallas for Arkansas, then at Mississippi State and at Alabama before an offweek. Those fucking idiots have a higher likelihood of being 2-4 than 4-2 in that first half of a season. Bookmarked for the inevitable "aggy plays out of conference cupcakes so their schedule is weak" -Look, you guys still went out of your way to get UMass on the schedule knowing fully well that they're an FCS team disguised as a G5 team. Enjoy the free wins next year, because when Texas and OU enter the SEC, the SEC is going to a 9 game conference schedule and they're allegedly dumping the FCS bullshit too. That removes 2 automatic wins per year that the aggies gained by joining the SEC. You're also going to lose the automatic "rivalry" matchup with South Carolina. Should be fun to watch.

------

I do always enjoy reading the aggie mantra of "our new guys will be better than the old guys, no matter how good the old guys were." You did that here at LB, Safety and OL. Awesome. 

[closetojumping 62557]

2 minutes ago, SumlinsGhost said:

@closetojumping

 

They lose every starter on the DL when Leal goes pro. They have talent behind them and coming in, but Leal is a 1st round pick and the rest have a shit ton of experience. They won't be upgrading that in 2022 even if the talent level is higher. True if we lose Tyree Johnson and Clemons as well -Do you have reason to believe those guys are coming back?  Pretty sure Johnson is returning, also to address the TB drop off this is also probably false, look at Achane's stats vs Spiller this season (Spiller is a very good RB but not our best)

Hansford is a damned good LB. Gone. Backups don't present as well. False, Edgerrin Cooper has been legit -If Cooper were better than Hansford, he'd be starting over Hansford. This shouldn't be complicated to understand. It's called seniority, you can have a more talented player who is a freshman. Considering he got a lot of experience this season I think he can absolutely be better than Hansford week 1 next year

O'Neal is a buffoon and a liability, but if they had someone better than him, he'd undoubtedly be playing by now. Demani Richardson is likely going pro. That's 2 safeties, gone. Probably false if Richardson stays, Antonio Johnson can move to safety and will be better than O'Neal -Do you have reason to believe Richardson is staying? I don't have reason to say he is leaving either, he definitely can improve his stock and with NIL there is more incentive to stay

They lose two OL if Green goes pro. There's speculation that he won't, but his dad is a moneygrubbing pimp, so I'm guessing he gets the push to get what he can, while he can.  Green is leaving, we are returning the other 4 though so this is at worst a wash -So you lose a draft pick and your OL won't get any worse? Also, has Johnson confirmed a return? If the unit as a WHOLE improves then that is more important, no? If they don't improve then you will be correct but just reference our o-line with a bunch of JAGs in 2020 for what experience across your line can get you

And all of this presumes that Elko sticks around and Robinson sticks with him. I'm guessing if Elko gets a gig somewhere, Robinson is the first guy he's asking to come with him. 

ATM also accidentally picked the wrong cupcakes to open the season. Sam Houston State is a power in FCS and will not just lay down for ATM to open the year. Then these idiots host Appalachian State, who is pretty fucking far from a pushover these days (they're 10-2 this season and playing for their conference championship this weekend). Then they host Miami, go to Dallas for Arkansas, then at Mississippi State and at Alabama before an offweek. Those fucking idiots have a higher likelihood of being 2-4 than 4-2 in that first half of a season. Bookmarked for the inevitable "aggy plays out of conference cupcakes so their schedule is weak" -Look, you guys still went out of your way to get UMass on the schedule knowing fully well that they're an FCS team disguised as a G5 team. Enjoy the free wins next year, because when Texas and OU enter the SEC, the SEC is going to a 9 game conference schedule and they're allegedly dumping the FCS bullshit too. That removes 2 automatic wins per year that the aggies gained by joining the SEC. You're also going to lose the automatic "rivalry" matchup with South Carolina. Should be fun to watch.

------

I do always enjoy reading the aggie mantra of "our new guys will be better than the old guys, no matter how good the old guys were." You did that here at LB, Safety and OL. Awesome. 

Does it matter to you that they're not both in the backfield next year? This is about whether or not the unit is better next year over this year, is it not? On top of that, Achane is better with Spiller than he will be without him. He'll have some other help, but having a top 3 round pick serve as a battering ram against a defense so that you can then come in and outflank that D to the edge is a hell of a gift. 

[Hank_Hill 18793]

Yea Achane doesn’t seem like an every down back and I see his ypc going down significantly if he’s asked to perform that role. Who knows though maybe LJ steps up.

[Tex Pete 20334]

1 hour ago, SydneyCarton said:

2.) I'm not saying you can't glean shit from his reporting. You can glean shit from everyone's reporting in some fashion, even Ketchum. But I wouldn't trust his shit. Reading between the lines by definition sort of means the guy isn't being totally honest, so don't portray his reporting as entirely honest and trustworthy. That's all I'm saying.

You can glean corn, peanuts, and whole hog femurs from Ketchum's shit. That is what we were talking about, wasn't it?

[Tex Pete 20334]

3 minutes ago, Hank_Hill said:

Yea Achane doesn’t seem like an every down back and I see his ypc going down significantly if he’s asked to perform that role. Who knows though maybe LJ steps up.

He isn't. He's more of a "gadget back," and he'd get injured if he were asked to play every down at RB. 

[texasstrong12 4668]

Achane has also apparently been frustrated with the lack of carries per their SEC rant board. 

But yeah, Achane is not an every down back. He's like 5'9 180. The Achane/Spiller debates are worthless because aggy needs both and there will be a drop off from Spiller as their 2nd back. 

It will be interesting how Jimbo handles it all because Achane wants more touches yet his body isn't really built for that. 

Edited November 29, 2021 by texasstrong12

[SumlinsGhost 31]

17 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Does it matter to you that they're not both in the backfield next year? This is about whether or not the unit is better next year over this year, is it not? On top of that, Achane is better with Spiller than he will be without him. He'll have some other help, but having a top 3 round pick serve as a battering ram against a defense so that you can then come in and outflank that D to the edge is a hell of a gift. 

My point is you can't automatically say it is a downgrade. Unlike Sumlin years we actually have quality depth in most positions and I feel pretty confident Daniels and LJ can fill the void (with hopefully an improved oline unit as well). Of course my assumptions are as good as yours.

[Elmer_Fudd 22202]

3 hours ago, texasstrong12 said:

I forgot they play App State next year. 

Yeah, that's a tricky game. Especially with so much roster turnover and getting them early in the season. 

App State is going to lose about 15 starters total off this years team.

[bizzle 1153]

3 hours ago, closetojumping said:

I'm sorry, but arguing that ATM will be better, even the vague possibility of it, next year is absurd. They're not going to replace 6+ draft picks with better players, playing better immediately. Get a grip on that. They'll be legitimately weaker at TE, TB and the front 7. If Ainias Smith goes pro, they'll be far weaker at WR too. Maybe Evan Stewart fills that void quickly, but maybe not.

They lose every starter on the DL when Leal goes pro. They have talent behind them and coming in, but Leal is a 1st round pick and the rest have a shit ton of experience. They won't be upgrading that in 2022 even if the talent level is higher.

Hansford is a damned good LB. Gone. Backups don't present as well.

O'Neal is a buffoon and a liability, but if they had someone better than him, he'd undoubtedly be playing by now. Demani Richardson is likely going pro. That's 2 safeties, gone. 

They lose two OL if Green goes pro. There's speculation that he won't, but his dad is a moneygrubbing pimp, so I'm guessing he gets the push to get what he can, while he can. 

There is no exciting replacement for Wydermeyer. Sternberger was a stud and Wydermeyer was a great replacement. The Fisher passing game revolves around the TE. This is a big hole going into 2022. 

Calzada may suck, but he enters 2022 as the presumptive starter. If they slide King right back in, Calzada is gone. They're going to try to tiptoe that situation all spring and summer and the prospects of them pulling off keeping both are tenuous. King is an injury waiting to happen. He WAS injured his senior year with a shoulder problem. He is fragile and that isn't fixable. Weigman starting as a true freshman seems ... unlikely. If he is, then you probably lost both upperclassmen. No one even really knows if Weigman is going to play, much less be ready. 

And all of this presumes that Elko sticks around and Robinson sticks with him. I'm guessing if Elko gets a gig somewhere, Robinson is the first guy he's asking to come with him. 

ATM also accidentally picked the wrong cupcakes to open the season. Sam Houston State is a power in FCS and will not just lay down for ATM to open the year. Then these idiots host Appalachian State, who is pretty fucking far from a pushover these days (they're 10-2 this season and playing for their conference championship this weekend). Then they host Miami, go to Dallas for Arkansas, then at Mississippi State and at Alabama before an offweek. Those fucking idiots have a higher likelihood of being 2-4 than 4-2 in that first half of a season. 

No, ATM will not be better in 2022. 

it's possible for 2 things to be simultaneously true:

1. i was off in my 10-2 pick for this year, i apologize and will be better.

2. your post is terrible and wrong, you should also be better. i will break it down later when not drinking at lunch. 

[texifornia 56862]

Just now, Elmer_Fudd said:

App State is going to lose about 15 starters total off this years team.

They open the season with a big emotional home game against UNC. @TAMU is weirdly a potential hangover game.

[closetojumping 62557]

1 hour ago, SumlinsGhost said:

My point is you can't automatically say it is a downgrade. Unlike Sumlin years we actually have quality depth in most positions and I feel pretty confident Daniels and LJ can fill the void (with hopefully an improved oline unit as well). Of course my assumptions are as good as yours.

Has Johnson shown any signs of life? Last I heard, he was out of shape, didn't love football, and couldn't understand why he wasn't getting more looks after showing up for the summer camp having done jack shit at home in the spring. That could all be bullshit or he could have come on, I haven't asked around in a while. Him not loving football was always a risk that both Fisher and Sarkisian's staff were concerned about, albeit either school would have taken him.

56 minutes ago, bizzle said:

it's possible for 2 things to be simultaneously true:

1. i was off in my 10-2 pick for this year, i apologize and will be better.

2. your post is terrible and wrong, you should also be better. i will break it down later when not drinking at lunch. 

I think I had you guys at 7-5/8-4 this season, so I am not sure how I could do much better. We should find those posts. As to next year, you've got a lot of explaining to do if you want to argue that that team will be better than this team, and that they'll perform better against that schedule. I can't wait to hear about it.

[Huckleberry 32848]

1 minute ago, closetojumping said:

Has Johnson shown any signs of life? Last I heard, he was out of shape, didn't love football, and couldn't understand why he wasn't getting more looks after showing up for the summer camp having done jack shit at home in the spring. That could all be bullshit or he could have come on, I haven't asked around in a while. Him not loving football was always a risk that both Fisher and Sarkisian's staff were concerned about, albeit either school would have taken him.

I think I had you guys at 7-5/8-4 this season, so I am not sure how I could do much better. We should find those posts. As to next year, you've got a lot of explaining to do if you want to argue that that team will be better than this team, and that they'll perform better against that schedule. I can't wait to hear about it.

Maybe bizzle knows that Elko found Sumlin's plug-and-play formula. 

[Viper 12103]

7 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Maybe bizzle knows that Elko found Sumlin's plug-and-play formula. 

[LonghornLurker 65]

23 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

As to next year, you've got a lot of explaining to do if you want to argue that that team will be better than this team, and that they'll perform better against that schedule. I can't wait to hear about it.

Here, I’ve got this one. 

“hurr durr Calzada bad King good, definitely won’t take a step back even though every good player on the team is leaving, the backups are better!”

[Hank_Hill 18793]

Bizzle is going to type up a calm, well thought out response that on the surface seems rational to the casual observer but underneath, with barely any digging, is mostly horseshit. Like always.

[Lobwedgephil 1139]

Spoiler

Liucci

2:47p, 11/28/21 

Staff

AG

T-Mobile is a proud sponsor of Billy' Liucci's Cover Story and TexAgs Radio Rewind. T-Mobile has fast 5G speeds in more places than anyone else and great deals for everyone, with phone offers on every plan and tons of awesome perks too. Why compromise? Visit T-Mobile.com/AcrossAmerica to learn more about how you get value AND coverage with T-Mobile. See 5G device, coverage, & access details at T-Mobile.com.

Okay, so here's what I'm going to do today:

Rather than spend a few hours writing the cover story, I'm going to spend the entirety of today adding more 'scattershooting' style thoughts to this thread. From now until lunch, from then until Nuno and I do the Luchador podcast at 3 followed by a couple of NILs and then again after that until maybe I mix in a workout and some dinner. And that after dinner all over again. I just feel like giving you guys a steady 'stream of consciousness' flow is the way to go today rather than writing a 'story.' And I'll also open up the 'Ask Liucci' thread later this evening so we can tackle that a day early, as well.

So don't pay attention to the order of things, as they'll be completely random but I promise you, if it's on my mind following last night's inexplicable loss in Baton Rouge, I'll tackle it.

-Again, I'll get to everything and I know the mood of the audience today. You guys also know me and I'm not caving in to the message board or twitter masses here and I'm not going to be swayed by former player rage despite the fact that I can assure you I was as livid and, quite frankly, beside myself while watching the Ags' spectacular fade in the closing moments last night in Death Valley. So while there will be plenty of critical analysis here, I'm going to start with the part I'm 1000% convinced of and then go from there because I think it's important to discuss today.

Jimbo Fisher is the guy to lead Texas A&M to the promised land. There's no one better - or more fit - for the job that the Aggies could hire. He's a top-10 coach in college football and the folks that truly know understand that he's one of the handful of true 'program builders' in the sport. The Aggies have the man who can get it done, even if this year's results left plenty to be desired. Is Jimbo without flaw and above being questioned or having the performance critiqued and/or second-guessed? Of course not. There's one coach in the game that fits that criteria, and Fisher actually beat him this year, which led to, you guessed it, Nick Saban being second-guessed and critiqued by the Alabama fan base. However, there's a big picture at play here and I think we need to visit it briefly.

First off, the Aggies are close. They suffered a devastating QB injury in game two this year (I think everyone will realize how significant losing Haynes King was next fall), started true freshmen after a rash of injuries/graduation losses along the OL and at corner and were frustratingly close to winning 11 games and playing in the CFP or a New Year's Six bowl. How close? How about two yards, a fourth-down stop, a blown call or 30 seconds away at LSU, first-and-10 from the 12 and 10 yard line away from taking the lead midway through the fourth quarter and a blown targeting call from having the ball at midfield down 7 in Jerryworld in the fourth. We'll talk more about those games in a moment but the point here is pretty simple.

Fisher has things to work on and a couple of hard decisions to make in terms of the offense and even his staff moving forward but the Aggies were dealt a pretty tough hand this year (as did LSU, who was a gift away from 4-6) and, despite all of the stuff that's certainly fair game to second guess, this team was agonizingly close to accomplishing something pretty special and completing the type of two-year run we haven't seen in quite some time.

But they didn't. And there is plenty to sort through when trying to figure out the hows and whys. We'll get to that throughout the day.  

However, when I watched college football yesterday, I couldn't help but see what guys like Jim Harbaugh, Mike Gundy and Mark Stoops accomplished. I know Harbaugh has been on the hot seat and a punchline for most of his time in Ann Arbor but what I'm getting at is this: Michigan rode it out with a proven head coach and now, in year seven, the Wolverines - who still dropped a game even this year to an arch in-state rival while blowing a big second half lead - are likely to play Georgia for the national title. During his first four years on the job, Fisher has already beaten his Ohio State in Bama and has several big-time wins in Maroon & White, both knocks on Harbaugh during years 1-6. The stakes aren't nearly as high in Lexington as they are here in Aggieland but Stoops was giving time (he actually survived the hotseat) and the result has been the best stretch of football the UK program has seen. In Stillwater, Mike Gundy was nearly fired a time or two by and has seemed close to leaving for other jobs on two or three occasions. As of last night, he's one game away from a likely playoff berth and a Big 12 title. Dabo Swinney's path wasn't all that different and he got to do it in a far interior league.

The point? The Aggies have never recruited like they are under Jimbo, they've actually won some very big games during his four year tenure, have taken back Kyle Field and, even with a backup quarterback, came as close as you possibly can to breaking through (on whatever level you'd like to take it to, starting with a simple NY6 bowl berth or a top-10 finish). There is plenty I saw this fall that made me want to pull my hair out and, as is always the case when you're close, the reasons why seem endless. However, nothing I've seen is something the can't be fixed and, even after the Ags' last two SEC losses, I'm 100% convinced that Fisher's best teams and this program's best football are lining up to be the next few years starting in the fall of 2022.

It's frustrating as hell today, I'm with you. But I'm also keeping an eye on the big picture, I'm watching college football. I'm watching the good and bad and taking stock of all of it and I'm seeing the roster that Fisher is assembling. Like I said, the head man isn't above reproach and he has off-season issues to honestly assess and address, but Jimbo Fisher is THE guy for Texas A&M football.  

Look around college football. When you have your guy, you'd better hang on to him and be patient so long as things are trending the right way. The Ags went all in with Fisher and he's gone all in on this job, turning down the program that beat him last night, ironically enough. Take LSU, Florida, Texas and USC as the perfect examples. Who is in the talent pool? When you see guys like Billy Napier grabbing UF, Texas tabbing Steve Sarkisian and LSU and Scott Woodward still frantically scouring the landscape, it becomes clear that doing what programs like Michigan, A&M, Michigan State and even Penn State have done (and what OU SHOULD have done) - hanging onto the guy they believe is the best fit and the long-term answer - is the way to go.



-Speaking of LSU's search, I'm a little disappointed but not at all surprised at the attempts by the SEC and national media to turn Ed O's swansong into a Disney movie. The dude allegedly did some pretty cringeworthy at best and, at worst, disgusting things while on the job in Baton Rouge and his reputation as a coach that other despite working for is well-documented. Unfortunately, the Fisher and the Aggies had the chance to deprive Orgeron and LSU of last night's moment and were unable to complete the mission. The bad news is that Ed O get glorified as a hometown boy done good success story and the Ags failed at the chance to win three of four from their division and arch-recruiting rivals. The good news is that Woodward is unlikely to pry Fisher away from Aggieland (which is what he desperately wants to do) and that LSU is facing legitimate and likely significant NCAA sanctions, which are expected to come down in the not-too-distant future.

-Did that comment about Jimbo and LSU catch your attention? Don't read that wrong, as I really do NOT see Fisher leaving for Baton Rouge and, yes, I absolutely took him at his word last week and a couple of weeks before that. What you're getting from the national media guys and why you're getting it is because Woodward has let those close to him and it's trickled back to some in the college football world, that Fisher is absolutely his primary target. They know like I know that Scott won't back off until he's run out of time. For the Tiger AD, that time is now. I'd expect he's spending time either today or in the next day or two attempting to see if there's any degree of frustration with how the season ended to prey on. If Woodward things there's even the slightest crack, he's going to go all in on trying to swipe Jimbo and send shockwaves throughout the conference. Again, and I mean this, I do not see it happening and believe Fisher is 100% committed to making it happen in Aggieland. As such, watch Woodward pivot in the next couple of days and see a new 'likely hire' emerge in Baton Rouge by mid-week. 

And, no, I do not expect it be Lincoln Riley and was always skeptical that Riley would be the hire. Look, LSU is a better job but it's close enough that I'd still call it a 'lateral' move, so unless Riley is legitimately unhappy in Norman for whatever reason (and things like that have a way of being 'out there,' see Jimbo at FSU for example) or LSU gives him a several million/yr raise (I don't see how OU would let that happen), he's not leaving even if he is the guy Woodward targeted, which I don't think he is. Again, it's VERY difficult to find THE guy, even for some of these power programs. Is it Matt Campbell? Mark Stoops (I think that one would be rock solid for the Bayou Bengals)? Someone else? We'll know soon enough.

-For the second consecutive game, the Aggies lost a winnable SEC West game without Devon Achane touching the ball with the outcome hanging in the balance. Two weeks ago in Oxford, Achane got hot in the second half and lit a spark for what had been a dormant offense. When the Ags took over around their own 10-yard line down just 15-13 midway through the fourth, the guy who had run for 110 yards on just 12 carries was on the sideline. He didn't touch the ball again. Last night, the A&M ground game was nonexistent (6 net yards) in the first half before Achane again sparked the ground game. By the time the Ags got the ball back - again inside their own 10-yard line but this time holding a 24-20 lead with under five minutes remaining and LSU with just a single timeout - Devon had totaled 49 yards on 12 carries and had added 72 yards on 5 catches. That's 151 total yards against a tough defense. In the third quarter alone, Devon had 46 yards on just 5 carries. Once again, Achane didn't touch the ball after the first play of the fourth quarter, while Isaiah Spiller got five carries down the stretch.  

This one is tough to spell out because Spiller has meant the world to this A&M offense since he stepped foot on campus three years ago and will leave Aggieland as one of the top 10 backs in program history. However, the Aggies have two future pros in the backfield and there are going to be weeks when one guy has it going better than the other (against Auburn, that was probably Spiller down the fourth quarter stretch). On this night and in Oxford, that back was #6 (Isaiah had managed just 27 yards on 11 runs) and, inexplicably, he didn't touch the ball in either game with the outcome hanging in the balance.

-Jalen Preston should have been one of the Aggie heroes last night but the last-minute meltdown kept his story from being one of the feel-good moments of the season. When most would have transferred after arriving as a highly-regarded recruit and never really seeing significant action or cracking the lineup, Preston played special teams and hung in, waiting his turn. He's had a solid season to date but was sensational on the road, in a big game, against a good defense in the second half. Two pretty brilliant catch-and-runs for scores, including the go-ahead TD midway through the fourth. Preston caught three passes for 57 yards, with the two TDs where he essentially willed his way into the end zone and a great catch to extend one of those scoring drives.

Moose Muhammad also played like a dude hell-bent on winning, as well. Two grabs for 52 yards, including the Ags' first half touchdown. Still baffling that we haven't seen more of #7 this fall because the dude can play.

-With that said, the Aggie receiving corps once again dropped way too many catchable passes. Preston had a couple of bad ones and Muhammad could have come up with a big play near midfield that would have given the Ags a shot at one 15-20 yard throw to set up a last-second field goal attempt. All season long, the Ags have dropped catchable balls and nothing really changed from game #1 (with Haynes King at QB, mind you) to game #12. Now, to be fair, Zach Calzada still oftentimes puts way too much on passes when he doesn't have to. The tip of that ball moves a LOT and it's a difficult catch for any receiver. There are times when he has to and the throws are actually NFL-caliber strikes but #10 improved but never quite got away from rifling howitzer strikes when he didn't have to. That said, I think it you go back to last night, only Ainias' drop was what I would put in the 'that's understandable and a really tough catch' bucket. Drops were a much bigger problem than Calzada's velocity in Death Valley. 

-MIchael Clemons played like a man possessed. That was Von Miller type stuff right there. Sam Adams. Blitz Brothers. Myles Garrett. Jacob Green or Ray Childress. Cyclops was an absolute monster in the second half and just destroyed LSU blockers all night long. If every player in Maroon & White progressed the way #2 has during his career at A&M...he's just been an incredible success story and damn near killed LSU's chances at winning by himself. If every NFL-bound veteran on this team played with the tenacity, fire and heart that Clemons did down the stretch this fall, the Aggies would be a playoff team or at the very least playing in a New Year's Six bowl.

-Yes, unfortunately, I do believe that as the season went on, there were a few outgoing guys in Maroon & White who didn't play with the same sense of urgency that got them there. Not all of them, and most of those guys were good to very good this fall, but there was just something lacking. At the end of the day, I'm confident in saying that Arkansas, Ole Miss and LSU all came out early in the game and played like they just wanted it more. That's inexcusable and a team's veterans and leaders are the group in control of that element of the game. It's also one of the things that Jimbo Fisher is going to have to take a hard look at in the off-season because as the head coach, you're the man tasked with making sure your team shows up ready for a fist fight every time you take the field in an SEC West game. In falling behind 17-0 to Arkansas, 15-0 to Ole Miss and 10-0 and 17-7 to a talented but very mediocre LSU team, there's no way you can just chalk that up to a lack of leadership and move on to the next season.

-It's also no coincidence that all three of those poor starts happened away from Kyle Field. Look, we know Calzada played much better at home and that the Aggie defense really fed off of the 12th Man's energy this fall but this team was not nearly as good away from College Station, beating only lowly Missouri in a dead environment at 11 am and losing in Arlington, Oxford and Baton Rouge. Last year's squad won at Auburn, Tennessee, Jerryworld and Starkville (with a poised senior QB leading the way, mind you) and things were looking up in that department. Not so much this fall and it's not the losses I'd be concerned about as much if I were Jimbo as the fact that the Ags started the games so poorly and seemed so flustered from the start. Just like the Aggies have 'taken back Kyle Field,' we're talking about a culture thing that can absolutely set in and take hold so figuring out what went wrong on the mentality/preparation side of things away from the friendly confines is an absolute must.

-The Ags have no one to blame but themselves for this loss but two non-calls certainly would have - and should have - changed the outcome of the game. Demani Richardson stripped the ball away on the punt return along the LSU sidelines on a brilliant special teams play. No whistle, forward progress was in no way, shape or form stopped and there wasn't an official on the field save one who even had a clue that Richardson had even taken the ball away. The clueless SEC officiating crew then gathered, without a clue mind you, and leaned on the 'forward progress was stopped' crutch to avoid replay. For as bad as the Ags were at the start and with the game on the line, A&M wins if the cowards in stripes make the correct call. It was an outcome-altering mistake every bit as bad as Mississippi State-Memphis earlier this season and Auburn-Arkansas last year. The entire crew should love the right to officiate in the Southeastern Conference but they'll be covered for by the league's head of officiating as always.

That's also blatant offensive PI against Jaylon Jones on the game-winning TD. I know you're not getting that call but here's the thing: When it's a DB and WR battling for positioning, I understand some contact isn't going to be flagged. But when a receiver puts both hands on a corner's back and pushes off to get separation on a long TD catch, it's blatant offensive PI and should be called, whether it's in the first two minutes of the game or the closing seconds. Greg Sankey should offer an explanation this week on this one but television didn't address it enough, the finish to the game was so crazy and such a 'feel good for Ed O' moment that it's going to get lost in the shuffle and the commissioner will feel no pressure to so much as address it outside of Fisher and A&M's internal complaint. The entire process is garbage and Jimbo isn't the only league head coach who is fed up with the disgracefully poor officiating in a conference that prides itself on being the standard by which all conferences are measured. Forget about the bitterness over Texas being let in, Sankey is an outstanding commissioner - the best by a longshot - but piss poor officiating is a real problem that I'm not sure is being taken as seriously as it should.

-Are you guys even interested in talking bowl games today? Tough conversation to have because in the span of two final five minutes of so the fourth quarter in Oxford and Baton Rouge, the Ags went from the playoff conversation to the New Year's Six to a Citrus Bowl/New Year's Day berth to right back into the SEC 'other bowls' bucket. I don't expect A&M to return to the Texas Bowl just two years removed and I think they may have played their way right out of the Outback (Arkansas seems like the best draw there and even Kentucky could be selected over A&M). Tampa is still possible if the Hogs land in Orlando as the SEC's 'fourth place' team but my early guess is we're talking Nashville, Charlotte, Memphis or Jacksonville.

-The reason the Ags aren't a New Year's Six lock (or better) is as simple as this: A&M lost four games to teams that they were probably better than in 2021. I'll actually leave Arkansas out of this one for one reason. The Hogs happened to be one of the most experienced teams in all of college football and, that early in the season, A&M wasn't quite ready along the OL or at quarterback (Zach's second start, first away from home and first SEC start) to beat a veteran and very tough, physical SEC West opponent. As for Mississippi State, Ole Miss and LSU, well the Ags weren't light years better, but when you consider how poorly the Ags played in the first half against both the Tigers and Rebels, how many missed opportunities they had to win it down the stretch in all three and how close A&M came to winning despite all of that...

The bottom line is that the Ags should have won all three of those contests (or at least gone 2-1) and have no one to blame but themselves.  

And it's tough to talk injuries with both Ole Miss and LSU. The Rebels were very banged up on offense for several weeks and managed with only one loss while beating A&M, LSU and Tennessee and let's not lose sight of the fact that Ed O was working without several future NFL Draft picks on defense, the SEC's best receiver and was also playing with a guy who wasn't going to win the starting job in fall camp (they lost Myles Brennan to a broken arm in August). Sure, losing your starting QB (and all of the offensive creativity that went with having a dual threat like King) played a role but we watched the games and saw how they played out. Better executive decisions and/or execution (both factored in and it's not fair or accurate to mention one and not the other) in the pivotal moments of losses to Mississippi State, Ole Miss and LSU and the Aggies are sitting in an enviable spot today. 

-And nevermind all of my Lincoln Riley talk...it sounds like he's USC-bound. Wow. Shocking hire and Oklahoma just took a devastating hit if the rumors getting out right now are true that Drifit is taking his brisket to the West Coast. LSU is now on the clock.

10 pm update:
-How about a little more? Let's pick up where we left off: LSU and Oklahoma.  

Oklahoma is in a very interesting spot right now, aren't they? With the absolutely stunning news of Lincolin Riley's departure (this one ranks up there with Lane Kiffin sneaking off from Knoxville to Tennessee), the OU program suddenly finds itself in what I believe if a very precarious spot. A top ten program over the last 25 years and the singularly dominant figure in the Big 12 since the Mack Brown fade began, Oklahoma just took a massive momentum hit at the worst possible time.  

Riley leaving to USC leaves the Sooners as vulnerable as they've been since before current interim head coach Bob Stoops took over in 1999. Why? Because OU just lost a wildly popular and successful head coach in shocking fashion just as the program is set to wade into the shark-infested SEC waters We know that in order to win in the SEC, a head coach and program pretty much has to recruit the hell out of the conference footprint. Jimbo Fisher has done a remarkable job of doing just that and it's why OU's hire will be so vitally important to the ability of the Sooners to tread water (yes, I said it) and then eventually thrive in the Southeastern Conference. I realize OU has had some success in the region when they've been on top, but now, they'll be trying to convince players from Louisiana, Texas, the Sunshine State and Georgia to choose Norman instead of playing in the same league and going to places like Alabama, Georgia, A&M, LSU and Florida. If OU doesn't knock this one out of the park, it's going to be more difficult a sell as it's been since BB (Before Bob).

-Okay, so what about LSU? After a few Sunday conversations, I want to reiterate that Jimbo Fisher isn't leaving Aggieland for Baton Rouge. I'm also convinced that, despite reports, it was never Lincoln Riley for Scott Woodward and that Woodie and the Tigers have their guy. It's now a matter of when the news leaks and a hire is announced. I'm speculating here, but think that the LSU AD may have done it again in terms of a hire that will leave many shocked. If my gut feeling here is right, the two names I'm keeping close tabs on over the next few days are Notre Dame's Brian Kelly and even Dabo Swinney. While I think Mark Stoops would be a very solid hire on the Bayou, I just have a feeling everything about Woodward's history says he's been working behind the scenes and had someone in addition to Fisher that he considered a 'home run' hire, just like he kicked the tires on Swinney four years ago while pursuing Jimbo.

-Getting back to the Ags' upcoming bowl game, pay close attention to how many of the NFL-bound seniors decide to play versus how many opt out. I think it'll be pretty telling in terms of how many were looking ahead a little more than you'd prefer down the stretch. That's not to say all of the veterans weren't as dialed in as they should have been and I get any individual choosing to sit out the bowl, but if you see a large number of opt outs, I think it explains a lot.

-Really surprising to see the A&M defense go out the way they did on Saturday night in Baton Rouge. For the third time in eight SEC games, the Aggies were rocked with a series of haymakers early. Mike Elko's unit was once again on its heels and giving up a surprising number of yards and points to what has been a bad LSU offense for most of the season. The Tigers put up 10 points in the very early going and had 17 by halftime. As he typically does, Elko made some masterful halftime adjustments and the defense was dialed in. The Ags started playing better versus the run and, with Clemons leading the way, were demolishing LSU's protection and getting to Max Johnson on nearly every dropback. The result was three points through 28-plus minutes of the second half.  

And then came LSU's final drive. Let's forget for a minute the fact that the Tigers shouldn't have had the football (more on the blown call in a moment). Johnson leading the Bayou Bengals down the field 85 yards on 9 plays. Three plays into the drive, LSU faced a 4th-and-6 inside their own red zone. A way-too-easy 11-yard completion followed quickly by a blown coverage and a 31-yard pass immediately flipped the game pressure onto the Aggie defense. This is where I thought the Ags could have used a timeout to regroup and let the pass-rushers get some rest. A couple of plays later, Johnson actually made an incredible throw under intense pressure from Tyree Johnson for the game-winning score.  

Yes, Jaylon Jones was absolutely pushed out of position by the LSU receiver when the ball was in the air but the bottom line is that LSU marched nearly the length of the field in less than two minutes to win the game. And let's not forget that the Tigers scored on two plays from 62 yards out in the final minute of the second quarter, as well. Two disastrous possessions that still have me absolutely stunned a day later. If you'd have told me that Max Johnson would throw for over 300 yards and 3 TDs without a turnover against Elko's defense I would have never believed it. But that's what happened. Two deep shots down the sidelines for scores and screen pass that never should have gone for more than a few yards and a blown coverage on the game's final possession.

-Still blows my mind a little that Johnson, despite being under intense pressure all night, can connect down the field on two deep ball touchdowns to what were backup receivers early in the season while the Ags never came close to doing the same. You either have to take more of those chances or stockpile more receivers capable of making plays over the top.

-While Calzada didn't connect on anything truly deep down the field, damn the dude has guts and he cares as much as anyone could ask of someone wearing the Maroon & White and Block aTm. The dude clearly separated his shoulder for the second time in three games after he stumbled and fell while attempting to avoid pressure in the first half and came back out without missing a snap. Alabama, Auburn and LSU...all Zach does it get back up and battle, oftentimes playing even better once he famously returned from 'the tent.' On Saturday night, I wouldn't say Calzada played a great game, as he missed too many throws and occasionally retreated from the pocket too quickly, but he played a gutty, gritty game and the dude led. He also made some terrific throws and led the Ags back from 10 points down to take the lead with a pair of second-half touchdown tosses, including a spectacular connection to Jalen Preston following an improbable scramble. Calzada finished the game throwing for 242 yards and 3 scores without a turnover in Death Valley at night while seeing a few passes dropped. He's not an All-Conference quarterback but he's leaving it all on the field and the word quit isn't in his vocabulary. 

-My thoughts on the third-and-2 call with the game on the line in the fourth quarter? I actually don't hate the idea of throwing it there. The Ags were about a good social distancing away from the first down marker and that's a very tough two yards to gain against an LSU defense loading up to stop the run...especially between the tackles. Far from a sure thing and, based on how the game had gone up until that point, probably no better than a coin flip. So while I'd still lean towards giving Devon Achane or Isaiah Spiller a crack at it there, a pass wasn't the part of the call I had any real issue with. After a day to rewatch and stew over it, all I'll really say is that if you are going to dial up a pass, it has to be one of those "Wow, what a great call" type of plays. Calzada rolling quickly to his left, needing to throw on time and in stride while hitting Jalen Wydermyer looking back while running towards the sideline? I don't think that gave teh Ags the best crack at it, even though when you re-watch the play, it's easy to see that - even against an All-American linebacker - the play could have certainly worked. Jalen had two steps, he probably turns the corner there for an easy first and he also had the outside receiver potentially setting a pick to clear the path. Still, it's a lower percentage play given what you know about your own players and the LSU defense (and the guy who was going to be covering #85) and not a play that gives you better odds than just giving it to #6.

-Rough last couple of conference games for the Maroon Goons, who did not do a very good job of blocking a quality LSU front seven. On Saturday night, Damone Clark sprinted through the A&M o-line untouched far more often than he should have. The linebacker blew up several run plays and finished the game with 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss. LSU had nine backfield stops as a team and clearly won the line of scrimmage, just as Ole Miss did the last time the Ags played an SEC West game. For as good as the Aggie OL played in wins over Bama and Auburn, the past couple of contests should serve as a reminder that the Ags still have some work to do before calling themselves one of the league's upper-echelon o-lines.

-Missed call update: Let's just say the SEC knows they screwed up. I wouldn't expect any sort of public announcement, however, because there wasn't enough public outcry during the game and because the play wasn't even so much as reviewed.

Tomorrow, we'll talk a little more about the game, the season, all of the happenings with the coaching carousel and plenty of recruiting, as there's a ton to discuss.

 

[Hank_Hill 18793]

HAHAHAHAHA SO CLOSE TO AN 11 WIN SEASON YALL!

[Dr. Teeth 5843]

The SEC knows they screwed up. No proof of that needed. Just trust him.