Jimbo 2022: Balls To The Face

Hank_Hill · November 29, 2021

Also predictably pulls the “you’ll see how much better this season could’ve been with King next year” bullshit. If that does happen King also has another year to learn Jimbos bullshit offense, be in a college S&C program, and receive retroviral therapy so means next to nothing about this season

Edited November 29, 2021 by Hank_Hill

Tex Pete · November 29, 2021

irishtexan · November 29, 2021

1 hour ago, Hank_Hill said:

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.

and that's about the best you could hope for from aggy...

Hornlover · November 29, 2021

45 minutes ago, Lobwedgephil said:

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.

The Longhorns were frustratingly close to winning 10 games and playing in the CFP or a New Year's Six bowl. How close? How about an 18 point halftime lead against OU, an 11 point 2nd half lead against Ok State, an 11 point 2nd half lead against Baylor, a fluke Kansas 2 pt conversion in OT, and a failed last minute drive against WVU.

BurntOrangeCrush · November 29, 2021

Way too much sunshine pumping by Looch to point out, but "being ok" with that 3rd and 2 call? I am not shocked how that he explains to the sheep how aggy would have been undefeated if not for the "devastating" loss of Haynes King, and how the refs screwed them out of a NY6 bowl, but that 3rd and 2 excuse may actually send some of his followers over the cliff.

MonkeyDoughnut · November 29, 2021

Can't wait until August to hear Luicci talk about the just incredible off-season Calzada had and the miracle QB whisperer that Jimbo is that Calzada is now the favorite to start the season as QB1 for the 2022 aggys.

golfclap · November 29, 2021

1 hour ago, Lobwedgephil said:

When you see guys like Billy Napier grabbing UF

The Ags host Napier and the Gators on Nov 5th next season.

Revolution512 · November 29, 2021

31 minutes ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

Can't wait until August to hear Luicci talk about the just incredible off-season Calzada had and the miracle QB whisperer that Jimbo is that Calzada is now the favorite to start the season as QB1 for the 2022 aggys.

Yep that’s coming. “Light came on” “turned the corner in Jimbo’s offense”

Orange&White · November 30, 2021

Quote

The point? The Aggies have never recruited like they are under Jimbo,

This coming from the same guy that has hyped every single recruiting class they’ve had for the past 20 years.

SumlinsGhost · November 30, 2021

4 hours 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.

He did well with the reps he got against PVAMU. Again that is Prairie View though so I guess TBD.

Hornlover · November 30, 2021

43 minutes ago, Orange&White said:

This coming from the same guy that has hyped every single recruiting class they’ve had for the past 20 years.

You mean to tell me that it's biased that every single aggy recruit, every single year for the last 20 years has ended up in the Liucci 44 ?

LonghornLurker · November 30, 2021

What the fuck.

Hank_Hill · November 30, 2021

Lol why are you surprised? People have been screaming about Stewart for weeks

Happy Gilmore · November 30, 2021

Over/under: 750 career receiving yards...7 TDs

texifornia · November 30, 2021

Butch Had Not · November 30, 2021

7 hours ago, Lobwedgephil said:

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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.

Holy shit. He's really gonna beat the blown call drum to death isn't he? Can we show him the three or so calls they got to beat LSU in the OT game a couple of years ago?

Cairn Horn88 · November 30, 2021

38 minutes ago, Butch Had Not said:

Holy shit. He's really gonna beat the blown call drum to death isn't he? Can we show him the three or so calls they got to beat LSU in the OT game a couple of years ago?

This...and....

"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."

TexasGolf · November 30, 2021

15 hours ago, Lobwedgephil said:

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Liucci
2:47p, 11/28/21

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AG

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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.

Tl;dr

summary— don’t care got jimbo

MonkeyDoughnut · November 30, 2021

7 hours ago, Cairn Horn88 said:

This...and....

"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."

Since as long as I can remember, it's always been "next year"...

Fud · November 30, 2021

10 hours ago, texifornia said:

To be clear, if you move the arbitrary endpoint back one year to 2011, that class includes Kelvin Benjamin, but it doesn't change the point

Hozz · November 30, 2021

"...following last night's inexplicable loss in Baton Rouge"

That is my favorite part. Aggie is 2-7 against LSU since they joined the SEC and have not won in Baton Rouge since 1994, two conferences ago. A loss there, for them, is very explicable. A win would have been inexplicable.

Fud · November 30, 2021

A&M should be losing a ton of talent in what should be a rebuild yet, but the extra seven transfers this coming year should give them an opportunity to mitigate some of non-high draft pick losses. I bet they land Zach Evans. Maybe they also land a good TE.

Get ln My Van · November 30, 2021

“Jimbo already beat his Ohio St in Alabama”… pretty sure for it to be a Michigan-Ohio St level rivalry both teams have to actually give a shit about the other school.

I promise you, Looch, Alabama doesn’t look at aggy as some fierce rival lol but rather maybe the annoying little short bus cousin that you let take the occasional win.

Scholz · November 30, 2021

Jimbo Fisher ... the folks that truly know understand that he's one of the handful of true 'program builders' in the sport.

Did the folks who know stuff watch Jimbo inherit a well oiled powerhouse FSU program and run it into the fucking ground? Is that building? Lolz.

Edited November 30, 2021 by Scholz

Fud · November 30, 2021

Also, reminder that A&M played only four road games this year, and their out of conference slate included 4-8 Colorado, Kent State, New Mexico, and Prairie View A&M

A&M boards were bullish on winning 10+ regular season games on the back of an easy schedule while returning basically everyone but their QB and four OL. That didn't happen.

Chuckie Finster · November 30, 2021

2 minutes ago, Fud said:

Also, reminder that A&M played only four road games this year, and their out of conference slate included 4-8 Colorado, Kent State, New Mexico, and Prairie View A&M

A&M boards were bullish on winning 10+ regular season games on the back of an easy schedule while returning basically everyone but their QB and four OL. That didn't happen.

They played three games in opponents' stadiums and lost two of them.

Professor Chesney · November 30, 2021

48 minutes ago, Fud said:

Also, reminder that A&M played only four road games this year, and their out of conference slate included 4-8 Colorado, Kent State, New Mexico, and Prairie View A&M

A&M boards were bullish on winning 10+ regular season games on the back of an easy schedule while returning basically everyone but their QB and four OL. That didn't happen.

How dare you not give them credit for going on the road to the hostile environment of Arlington, TX to play Arkansas? Typical sip spin

texasstrong12 · November 30, 2021

6 hours ago, Chuckie Finster said:

They played three games in opponents' stadiums and lost two of them.

Jimbo isn't a good coach away from home. They lost 2/3 on the road, lost to Arkansas on a neutral field, and came close to losing to a shitty Colorado team on a neutral field.

That's why next year's schedule doesn't set up well for them with @ Alabama, @ Auburn, @ Miss State, @ South Carolina, and Arkansas on a neutral field. Auburn, Miss State and Arkansas aren't world beaters but will still likely be fringe top 30ish teams more than capable of beating a team that struggles away from home.

Getafix · November 30, 2021

From the depth chart on ourlads:

Anything definitive on their DL? Likelihood of any of them coming back?

texasstrong12 · November 30, 2021

I don't see any of their starters coming back.

Leal is definitely gone, Peavy is in year 5 and he will be a mid to late round pick, Clemons is in year 6 since HS so not even sure he has eligibility left, and Johnson is in year 5.

The aggy DL is talented but a big reason they were so good is it's just a bunch of grown ass men because of the extra Covid year.

Getafix · December 1, 2021

17 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

I don't see any of their starters coming back.

Leal is definitely gone, Peavy is in year 5 and he will be a mid to late round pick, Clemons is in year 6 since HS so not even sure he has eligibility left, and Johnson is in year 5.

The aggy DL is talented but a big reason they were so good is it's just a bunch of grown ass men because of the extra Covid year.

They could certainly struggle, but it begs the question - in light of Stewart and this recruiting class, in particular - what is the definition of "struggle" for A&M, their fans, and recruits? Would it even matter?

They could be a 0.500 team in their 8-ish games that matter; add the 4-ish patsies each season, and you have a floor of 8 wins. And that suffices for their fanbase. Or is at least enough to sell hope. And that + 300K is apparently enough for elite recruits.

texasstrong12 · December 1, 2021

5 minutes ago, Getafix said:

They could certainly struggle, but it begs the question - in light of Stewart and this recruiting class, in particular - what is the definition of "struggle" for A&M, their fans, and recruits? Would it even matter?

They could be a 0.500 team in their 8-ish games that matter; add the 4-ish patsies each season, and you have a floor of 8 wins. And that suffices for their fanbase. Or is at least enough to sell hope. And that + 300K is apparently enough for elite recruits.

It won't suffice for their fanbase outside of the idiots on Texags. The majority of aggys on SEC rant are already tired of Jimbo's bullshit. There are rational aggys that can recognize the obvious.

But none of that really matters as 8-4 or 9-3 will be good for several more years because of the contract.

Edited December 1, 2021 by texasstrong12

Getafix · December 1, 2021

2 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

It won't suffice for their fanbase outside of the idiots on Texags. The majority of aggys on SEC rant are already tired of Jimbo's bullshit. There are rational aggys that can recognize the obvious.

But none of that really matters as 8-4 or 9-3 will be good for several more years because of the contract.

Yeah, several ags were complaining even on 247, but then one 9 win season (without even a division win) got the guy an extra couple of million, and an extension ...

Anyway, at some point, we need to fix our own issues on and off the field. Complaining about aggies and comparing ourselves to them is just depressing.

texasstrong12 · December 1, 2021

8 minutes ago, Getafix said:

Yeah, several ags were complaining even on 247, but then one 9 win season (without even a division win) got the guy an extra couple of million, and an extension ...

]

Yeah, but that's because this is what aggy does with coaches. They did the same thing with Sumlin and Billy Kennedy. Both got extensions for 1 decent to good year and then were fired a few years later.

Hookem2147 · December 1, 2021

Walter Nolen taking an OV to hometown Tennessee this weekend. A&M is going to have to sweat that one out and Tennessee is going to do whatever it takes to not let him leave the state.

Tex-19 · December 1, 2021

1 hour ago, Hookem2147 said:

Walter Nolen taking an OV to hometown Tennessee this weekend. A&M is going to have to sweat that one out and Tennessee is going to do whatever it takes to not let him leave the state.

They could end up with Dindy now.

Hank_Hill · December 1, 2021

@Bruh Man

Getafix · December 1, 2021

38 minutes ago, Tex-19 said:

They could end up with Dindy now.

-He will honor his Top 2 of A&M and OU & will not follow Riley to USC

"Name three things that never go together?"

golfclap · December 1, 2021

This is one of my favorite yearly post from aggy - when they ask if the CB everyone else recruited as a FS should be moved to FS. I can't wait for the Bobby Taylor edition (if he actually sees the field).

RGBIII · December 2, 2021

Jimbo looks like the skillet queso just came out during singles night at chili’s

Scholz · December 2, 2021

GD does Jimbo drink a bottle of Evan Williams every damn night?

fattyflattie · December 2, 2021

1 hour ago, RGBIII said:

Jimbo looks like the skillet queso just came out during singles night at chili’s

Who’s the player and why is he 5’-6”?

RGBIII · December 2, 2021

6 minutes ago, Scholz said:

GD does Jimbo drink a bottle of Evan Williams every damn night?

Green label only

Hank_Hill · December 2, 2021

God he dresses like shit

texasstrong12 · December 2, 2021

No surprise but Leal declared.

The group to watch is Leal, Green, Wydermeyer, Spiller, Smith, and Richardson. I'm not sure why Richardson would leave but apparently he's thinking about declaring per their boards.

texasstrong12 · December 2, 2021

ESPN is saying the Duke job is likely down to Monken and Elko.

bizzle · December 2, 2021

On 11/29/2021 at 10:27 AM, 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.

i believe your take at the beginning of the year was that you didn't see much difference in the a&m and texas rosters, so i'll take all the rest with a few grains of salt.

overall, my prediction of 10-2 was founded on what i thought would be a very good defense paired with a functional offense, albeit with a lack of speed in a few areas that would lead to defeat against bama and ole miss. the speed definitely bit us against ole miss, however it also reared its head vs lsu, and the functional offense never really came around, primarily because the oline took a while to get together and the qb injury (insert 'jimbos offense sucks and would have been the same with haynes king' here to the degree you think appropriate).

on your above points:

dl will take a step back for sure. we've got a ton of talent, but it will take a bit to come together. mckinley jackson will be playing for a draft grade and he simply has to be more impactful.

lb will be better, you're overrating hansford and cooper should be in line for an all-sec season. at safety, o neal actually turned into an incredible team leader, which is why he never got removed for jardin gilbert. we were playing two 4.6-4.7 guys all year at deep safety, hence the end of the lsu game, mississippi st completing 90% of their passes, etc - i think this gets better next year with gilbert / antonio johnson rotating in more. don't see any way demani richardson goes pro, he seems undraftable at this point.

on offense, wydemeyer sucked all year, not sure what happened to him, either the hand issue or looking forward to the next level. we should be able to replace his production with better blocking. calzada enters the spring at 3rd string. nice kid, tried hard, simply not capable of processing at this level of football. it's on jimbo he didn't have a better option ready, however king decidedly beat him out last year and i imagine he does so again with weigman waiting in the wings. wouldn't be surprised to see calzada transfer in the spring, and i hope he never buys another beer again.

the schedule does present some challenges on the front end, however we'll see pretty quickly if i'm correct about the ceiling on this team next year. i think a more productive qb and speed upgrade on the perimeter on both sides of the ball raises the bar a bit, as always i'll be here to have shit thrown at me.

Scholz · December 2, 2021

48 minutes ago, bizzle said:

overall, my prediction of 10-2 was founded on what i thought would be a very good defense paired with a functional offense, albeit with a lack of speed in a few areas that would lead to defeat against bama and ole miss. the speed definitely bit us against ole miss, however it also reared its head vs lsu, and the functional offense never really came around, primarily because the oline took a while to get together and the qb injury (insert 'jimbos offense sucks and would have been the same with haynes king' here to the degree you think appropriate).

You did recognize the lack of speed on your D that did indeed come to fruition. But I think you severely underestimated the green Oline and the easily predictable QB injury that would come of that (as was pointed out at the beginning of the season). You can't start 2 true FR on the Oline and expect to win any titles.*

*Please note Bryce Foster completely whiffing his block (I mean he didn't even touch the guy who blitzed right up the middle) to allow a safety at the end of the easily winnable home game vs Miss St as support. That whiff sealed your loss in that one. Missed blocks also cost you your starting QB in game 2.

956 Worldwide · December 2, 2021

47 minutes ago, bizzle said:

i believe your take at the beginning of the year was that you didn't see much difference in the a&m and texas rosters, so i'll take all the rest with a few grains of salt.

overall, my prediction of 10-2 was founded on what i thought would be a very good defense paired with a functional offense, albeit with a lack of speed in a few areas that would lead to defeat against bama and ole miss. the speed definitely bit us against ole miss, however it also reared its head vs lsu, and the functional offense never really came around, primarily because the oline took a while to get together and the qb injury (insert 'jimbos offense sucks and would have been the same with haynes king' here to the degree you think appropriate).

on your above points:

dl will take a step back for sure. we've got a ton of talent, but it will take a bit to come together. mckinley jackson will be playing for a draft grade and he simply has to be more impactful.

lb will be better, you're overrating hansford and cooper should be in line for an all-sec season. at safety, o neal actually turned into an incredible team leader, which is why he never got removed for jardin gilbert. we were playing two 4.6-4.7 guys all year at deep safety, hence the end of the lsu game, mississippi st completing 90% of their passes, etc - i think this gets better next year with gilbert / antonio johnson rotating in more. don't see any way demani richardson goes pro, he seems undraftable at this point.

on offense, wydemeyer sucked all year, not sure what happened to him, either the hand issue or looking forward to the next level. we should be able to replace his production with better blocking. calzada enters the spring at 3rd string. nice kid, tried hard, simply not capable of processing at this level of football. it's on jimbo he didn't have a better option ready, however king decidedly beat him out last year and i imagine he does so again with weigman waiting in the wings. wouldn't be surprised to see calzada transfer in the spring, and i hope he never buys another beer again.

the schedule does present some challenges on the front end, however we'll see pretty quickly if i'm correct about the ceiling on this team next year. i think a more productive qb and speed upgrade on the perimeter on both sides of the ball raises the bar a bit, as always i'll be here to have shit thrown at me.

I am not going to go down record prognostications until carousel and portal season is done, that’s a fools errand.

I am more bullish than you on the DL, that is the one group that is deepest and most star-laden across the board. Being second team behind a group like Leal, Johnson, Peevy and Clemons means nothing except that those guys are top-end upperclassmen. The big question will be generating an edge rush between Donell and Jahzion Harris and those are two guys who can do it. The rest of the line will be veterans with talent.

Agree on LB, Cooper got so much PT it’s hard to call him a backup, mostly agree on secondary, but veteran leadership will be lacking.

I think you’re projecting on TE and looking for production I can’t see anywhere. Plus, Wydermyer drew a lot of defensive scheming just by being on the field. I do think that might spark Ainas to consider returning even though he isn’t a TE as Fisher will need to get other pieces involved.

OL will start off better than they were at the beginning of this season. They were a hot mess and not at all working together. But I am not sure if overall their ceiling is as high since Green is a first rounder.

RB is just potential outside of Achane, who needs to be part of a tandem. And QB- King is better but unclear by how much and he’s fragile, Weigman is a freshman. I think it’s more likely than you want to believe that Calzada ends up the starter at some point.

Scholz · December 2, 2021

13 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

...Calzada ends up the starter at some point.

Didn't he tell all the online aggy trolls to suck his dick this week? Is it even a given that he's back?

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