AggieYell.com - AggieYell Mailbag

September 6, 2012

Mark Passwaters and Jeff Tarpley

Each week, AggieYell.com's Jeff Tarpley and Mark Passwaters take questions from AY readers and respond to them in the AggieYell Mailbag. Here's this week's offerings:

Q: Are we going to have a downfield passing game or do you see us throwing most passes out to the flats since it's Manziel's first game? (Wharton Bones)

A: First off, this isn't an offense where the passes go to the flats. The running backs can serve as outlets there but mostly it's an offense that uses wide spacing to attack between the hashes with Y stick, mesh, and shallow routes. Those routes are actually easier to throw than those to the flats because the receiver is directly in the quarterback's line of sight and the throw is actually in the air less time (which also means that the quarterback has to hold the ball less and reduces the chances of a sack).

Second, those routes are generally meant to hit people on the move in space to get yardage after the catch. There are downfield routes in the offense like smash (a corner/hitch combo) and four verticals but A&M will probably to stay with the shorter throws since the ball comes out more quickly. However, if Florida is really sitting on A&M's receivers, they will have to open it up some but will pick their spots.

Q: Do you think we are Utah circa 2004? (diaryofamadman)

A: Lord no. This program lost multiple players to the NFL and it's not in reload mode but rather in something of a rebuilding mode. Not only that, Utah was in the second year of a system that really hadn't taken college football by storm yet. A&M's players are still trying to digest things and the spread is more the norm these days.

Most teams trend toward 7-5 in the first season of a new coach. It's the second year after they improve the talent level and the players have a grasp of the system that programs take quantum leaps. For example, the 1999 Oklahoma team that went 7-5 in year one of the Bob Stoops regime and followed that up with a national title in his second year.

Q: Where are the mods going to be Saturday? (h273)

A: Mark will be in the press box and Courtney will be on the sidelines providing coverage from Kyle Field. I will be at my house blogging during the game about plays, formations, tendencies, etc. That seemed to go over well last year and it's easier to do that from my living room as I can rewind and watch a play multiple times if necessary.

Q: Over/Under 50.5 points (Hot Sauce Hoy)

Over but not by much. Both teams should be able to move the ball via the running game and probably score touchdowns in the red zone.

Q: Do you think we will try to set up plays to take advantage of the aggressive Florida DBs to get them committing penalties? (84aggiect)

A: I don't know that A&M needs to do anything in particular other than just run its offense. Florida is basically a Tampa 2 defense so you will have the corners driving the outside receivers inside to the safeties who will not try to give up anything deep. The mismatches should come on the underneath crossing routes when Florida's linebackers and safeties have to stay with Ryan Swope and A&M's other inside receivers. It won't be by design but that's when it's most likely that you will see interference or holding penalties.

Q:There is a general feeling that Florida playing BGU last week and the Aggies missing last week's game gives the gators an advantage, which it might. My question is this. If a team plays a lesser opponent in their first game, how big an advantage could they possibly have gained over a team that had the week of an possibly scrimmaged? I know this is an extreme example, but is OSU really a better team for playing Savannah State last week? (Akinr)

A: It may not necessarily be the quality of the opponent that makes the difference, but having the opportunity to operate your offense and defense against folks who don't think the same way you do. Going up against your own offense or defense in a scrimmage may mean playing against better talent, but the schemes don't change. Playing against a real opponent gives you an opportunity to judge your players (and the plays they're running) in an environment you can't simulate. Things are faster and less predictable. It's pretty clear that, considering Bowling Green had Florida on the ropes in the fourth quarter last week, that they're going to be scouring that game film looking for things to change. That's something A&M won't get a chance to do.

Q: If we can establish a lead do you see us going to a lot of 3 man fronts to get more DB's on the field, but more importantly hide our lack of depth at DT? (AMFutbol)

A: You bet. Coach Snyder has said more than once that the Aggies are a better team when Toney Hurd is on the field, so they'll be looking for ways to get him out there. If A&M can get ahead and force UF to get away from using Gillislee, that's obviously to their advantage. The Gators ran a very conservative passing game last week, with really their only big play coming when Freddie Hammond broke a tackle on a short pass and outran the defense. If they try to repeat that, they'll have to deal with Deshazor Everett, Hurd and Steven Campbell attacking their receivers close to the line of scrimmage.

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