This is one ugly football game. Each team is finding new and different ways to screw up.
Offensively, A&M has been a study in extremes. They either make a big play or they botch things totally. The offensive line is getting its teeth punched in by Tennessee, and Max Johnson is taking a beating. But Johnson has found ways to buy time to go 7 for 11 for 107 yards. If he can find time to get the ball off, Johnson is having some success. Evan Stewart and Noah Thomas have gotten open for big gains, and Ainias had a great catch and run.
The offensive line absolutely sucks. Max has been sacked twice, once by his own right tackle and the other time when the OTHER right tackle completely whiffed on a simple inside move. Then your center trips your quarterback on fourth and a foot...atrocious. I don't know how anyone justifies the performance of Steve Addazio and his group at this point.
Le'Veon Moss needs more carries. He has 5 for 7 yards. Rueben Owens is running with more decisiveness, which is good. Amari Daniels has not played, which does not surprise me after his big whiff on the critical interception against Alabama.
Defensively, A&M has given up 126 yards rushing already. That's 40 more than they usually do. And it's just real simple stuff. DJ Durkin has gone back to his ridiculous 3-man front, and when A&M has 5 in the box, Tennessee runs at it. A&M has tackled poorly, to boot. Up front, the Aggies need to stay home, because they're running out of the cutback lanes. Jabari Small has killed them with the cutbacks.
Joe Milton has 38 yards passing. He had nearly as many on BS pass interference calls that kept drives alive. Of course, he should have also had an easy touchdown pass that was dropped. But he's just terribly inaccurate and doesn't like it when A&M pressures him.
When the Aggies actually have a bunch of guys in the box, they're holding up well against the run. But they aren't doing it a lot for...some reason. I guess the fear of the deep ball, but it makes no sense if you've watched UT play. When the Aggies get in short yardage situations, they've stuffed UT several times. I just don't get this scheme at all.
Edgerrin Cooper, who was being checked for a concussion late in the half, has been a monster. He has been in the Tennessee backfield repeatedly, and Taurean York has done a great job as well. He and Fadil Diggs blew up the 4th down play by the Vols on their second possession. Shemar Turner and McKinnley Jackson have also blown up plays multiple times, but Turner's stupid penalty for roughing allowed Tennessee to get their score.
A&M has also been using ridiculous substitution patterns. Why you'd have DJ Hicks and Albert Regis out there together in a tie game is beyond me, but there they were. And they're doing that defensive end way out on the slot receiver crap again.
A&M could have had the ball back with about 1:25 to go in the half, but decided to eat three time outs and take a knee. I get kneeling once you saw where you got the ball back, but after pushing UT way out of field goal range, wouldn't you at least want to give your offense a chance?
A&M has moved the ball pretty consistently when they get out of their own way. They have to protection Johnson better and run some faster routes. That they didn't learn from last week is appalling. And they've got to bring the heat on defense. If they do those things, they can win this sucker.
Offensively, A&M has been a study in extremes. They either make a big play or they botch things totally. The offensive line is getting its teeth punched in by Tennessee, and Max Johnson is taking a beating. But Johnson has found ways to buy time to go 7 for 11 for 107 yards. If he can find time to get the ball off, Johnson is having some success. Evan Stewart and Noah Thomas have gotten open for big gains, and Ainias had a great catch and run.
The offensive line absolutely sucks. Max has been sacked twice, once by his own right tackle and the other time when the OTHER right tackle completely whiffed on a simple inside move. Then your center trips your quarterback on fourth and a foot...atrocious. I don't know how anyone justifies the performance of Steve Addazio and his group at this point.
Le'Veon Moss needs more carries. He has 5 for 7 yards. Rueben Owens is running with more decisiveness, which is good. Amari Daniels has not played, which does not surprise me after his big whiff on the critical interception against Alabama.
Defensively, A&M has given up 126 yards rushing already. That's 40 more than they usually do. And it's just real simple stuff. DJ Durkin has gone back to his ridiculous 3-man front, and when A&M has 5 in the box, Tennessee runs at it. A&M has tackled poorly, to boot. Up front, the Aggies need to stay home, because they're running out of the cutback lanes. Jabari Small has killed them with the cutbacks.
Joe Milton has 38 yards passing. He had nearly as many on BS pass interference calls that kept drives alive. Of course, he should have also had an easy touchdown pass that was dropped. But he's just terribly inaccurate and doesn't like it when A&M pressures him.
When the Aggies actually have a bunch of guys in the box, they're holding up well against the run. But they aren't doing it a lot for...some reason. I guess the fear of the deep ball, but it makes no sense if you've watched UT play. When the Aggies get in short yardage situations, they've stuffed UT several times. I just don't get this scheme at all.
Edgerrin Cooper, who was being checked for a concussion late in the half, has been a monster. He has been in the Tennessee backfield repeatedly, and Taurean York has done a great job as well. He and Fadil Diggs blew up the 4th down play by the Vols on their second possession. Shemar Turner and McKinnley Jackson have also blown up plays multiple times, but Turner's stupid penalty for roughing allowed Tennessee to get their score.
A&M has also been using ridiculous substitution patterns. Why you'd have DJ Hicks and Albert Regis out there together in a tie game is beyond me, but there they were. And they're doing that defensive end way out on the slot receiver crap again.
A&M could have had the ball back with about 1:25 to go in the half, but decided to eat three time outs and take a knee. I get kneeling once you saw where you got the ball back, but after pushing UT way out of field goal range, wouldn't you at least want to give your offense a chance?
A&M has moved the ball pretty consistently when they get out of their own way. They have to protection Johnson better and run some faster routes. That they didn't learn from last week is appalling. And they've got to bring the heat on defense. If they do those things, they can win this sucker.
