After a little hiatus from writing this series, we have returned.
I can’t really say anyone has missed anything without this series over the past three weeks, as Texas A&M presented the same issues that have haunted it over this tumultuous season.
That changed on Saturday night when the Aggies pummeled the LSU Tigers at Kyle Field.
The Offense Was Finally Humming
It seems Jimbo Fisher finally turned to the back of his stacks of paper and discovered some formations he’d likely forgotten about.
Texas A&M dominated offensively against the Tigers, putting up 429 yards of offense on a night that Harold Perkins Jr. was supposed to feast on a depleted offensive line. That did not in any way happen, nor did the rest of the LSU defense slow down this Aggies offense.
RB Devon Achane once again showed why he’s one of the best backs in the country with 215 yards on the ground and two TDs. His production will be sorely missed in College Station, and I am just thankful to have been able to witness the rise of a star like him from the beginning of his college career to what seems to now be the end.
No player showed his flashes of greatness more than WR Moose Muhammad III, who made a couple of extremely impressive catches, including one that would be a game-defining touchdown to extend the Aggies’ lead.
As you might remember, Muhammad was suspended for the game against Auburn on Nov. 12. This questionable decision undoubtedly hurt the Aggies in a game where they needed any play-making they could muster.
I doubt any kind of suspension of this nature occurs going forward and I won’t get into the specific optics of it because I am not going to speculate everything that came into making the decision, but know that Muhammad is a star emerging in Aggieland.
If there is any player who deserves as much credit as anyone else on this Aggies team, it’s true freshman QB Conner Weigman, who has shown so much growth already in such a short period of time and now has a signature win on his college resumé only five games into his career.
The poise with which he operates in the pocket and goes through his progressions is years beyond his age, and the IQ is there as well when he seems to always make the right decision on when to bail on the pocket and show his athleticism.
Weigman should enter the 2023 season with plenty of hype and time to work on some little things in his game, so expect more of his flashes of greatness to become consistent going forward.
Finally, regarding the offensive line, which me (and many others) have rightfully criticized this season: they were really good.
The Tigers did not record a sack against the Aggies on Saturday night, and the Aggies were finally able to give Weigman the time he needed to make a play or for Achane to find some space between the tackles.
In a season where nothing offensively seemed to work, everything seemed to work against LSU.
Demani Richardson’s Play Will be Missed
Defensively for the Aggies, no player had a bigger impact than CB Demani Richardson. Richardson recovered a fumble that ended up being the go-ahead touchdown for the Aggies, and following that, they never again trailed in the game.
Richardson is likely going to the NFL following this season, and he showed every reason why he can be a difference-maker at the next level. Richardson recorded 10 tackles in addition to his crucial snoop-and-score, and plays like his touchdown remind me of why he is one of the greatest Aggies defenders in recent memory.
All over the field the Aggies’ biggest playmakers were present, with guys such as S Antonio Johnson (also likely declaring for the draft) and LB Edgerrin Cooper helping to lead the way for the Aggies defense.
The Aggies hounded LSU’s receivers all night, limiting Malik Nabers and Kayshon Boutte to just 112 yards combined through the air.
I will have to say, however, that the combined rushing attack from QB Jayden Daniels and RB John Emery Jr. is definitely a problem for any squad, and the Aggies are lucky that they didn’t run for more on a defense that has mostly struggled all season to stop the run.
Game Grade and What’s Ahead
Grade: A+
The Aggies finally earned this kind of grade from me.
It took them all year, but they finally showed what all of the talent of the 2022 class could turn out to be.
In a season of hell, this game may be the lone bright spot for former Texas A&M students and fans alike to be proud of and to keep their eyes ahead on the 2023 season, which will be here before we know it.
Thank you to everyone who’s kept up with the series this season. Through its many lows (with no peak present), it’s been a series that at times has hurt to write, but I love doing this and getting to inform and give off some analysis along the way.
This has been a season that many will never forget for all of the wrong reasons, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t some positives to take away from it.
Looking into the offseason, I’ll be preparing content from not just an Aggies perspective but across the entire SEC, so stay tuned for my plans on that.
Gig ‘Em.
