Meeting Mississippi State football opponent: Week 11 – Texas A&M Aggies
By Evan Ertel
Personally, do you think Jimbo Fisher is capable of getting A&M to that next level? What time window do you think he has left to try and achieve the success that was expected when he arrived in College Station?
I think he can, but it’s looking less and less likely that he will. When his offense is operating the way that it should, it is literally unstoppable. The problem is that it requires perfect decision-making by the quarterback, perfect chemistry with the receivers, perfect blocking by the OL, etc. We saw an example of it with 2013 FSU, and we’ve seen flashes of it at A&M (mostly with Conner Weigman), but there’s so much that would have to go right that it feels nigh impossible. If it doesn’t happen next year, then I think that he’s pretty much done for.
A&M boasts the second-best defense in the SEC in terms of yards allowed per game, what has been the key to their success on that side of the ball?
The key for A&M has been the front, especially the improved LB play. The defensive line is dominant and pretty much without equal in college football as regards pure talent. The pleasant surprise this year has been the emergence of senior linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (though he was snubbed as a Butkus semifinalist) and the workmanlike and heady play of true freshman Taurean York. I think this has a lot to do with DJ Durkin taking the LBs back under his tutelage after the departure of Tyler Santucci – he’s obviously a DC, but also has a reputation as one of the best linebacker coaches in the nation.