Since everyone on earth is now “day-to-day”, I’ll go out on a short limb here and say Haynes King is starting this weekend at Alabama. The way Max Johnson left the game Saturday gives me very little hope he can go. I seriously admire Max’s tenacity and guts, but when you hurt your throwing hand on a helmet, that’s a tough one to come back from quickly.
I thought King played better Saturday, and maybe that’s just because he came into the game quickly and didn’t have time to think. His decisiveness when it came to running the football was definitely an improvement over the last time we saw him against Appalachian State. And, it may just be me, but it seemed like the play calls changed some with King at the helm.
I definitely don’t want Conner Weigman playing this weekend. You don’t want to throw your true freshman quarterback out there against No. 1, especially when Will Anderson is on the other side and you’re not pass-blocking well. The last thing A&M wants to do is screw up their future by messing up their quarterback of the future for something that may nor may not help them in the present. You don’t think I’m serious? Check out David Carr.
Is Tunmise Adeleye the most important player that we’re not talking about? Since he got hurt against Appalachian State, we have seen a four-man front for one entire series. That’s it. Now, it may must be because DJ Durkin has an affinity for a 3-man line that I don’t get, or matchups, or whatever, but it sure seems like a strange coincidence.
Even though the Aggies loaded up on defensive linemen last year, the issues caused by missing Adeleye is just more evidence you can’t have enough depth. The Aggies have already lost two players they thought would at least provide depth in Braedon Mowry and Jahzion Harris, and the Ags could use size and speed. That’s why getting David Hicks was so important and there’s going to be room for Johnny Bowens to come back, which I think he will.
In Monday Thoughts, I mentioned that 11 Aggie signees since 2018 have been forced to retire due to medical issues. Five of the 11 were offensive linemen, which has certainly stung.
Three were in the 2018 class, so they would have been redshirt seniors this year. Mike Matthews would have provided experience and depth at center and guard; heck, he could have started. Blake Trainor was with the 1s at left guard this spring until he got hurt. Bart Clement could have factored in there too, and Cole Blanton could be a veteran starting tackle now. Instead, they, and Smart Chibuzo, are all done.
A&M still needs wideouts in the 2023 class, and it seemed like the options had run dry. But that may not be the case. First, the Aggies hosted Arkansas commit Micah Tease for an official, and then beat the Razorbacks. And now 4-star Jonah Wilson of Spring Dekaney, who is having a great senior year, has decommitted from Texas. The Aggies can definitely offer playing time, so they may be a candidate to get after him.
If Jimbo Fisher does turn the playcalling duties to James Coley as has been rumored, it makes sense. Coley has spent significant time with Fisher, knows the offense and has called plays before. Georgia fans were glad to see him lose the play sheet, but just a change of thought process may help alter the Aggie offense.
One of the two game-changing moments in the Mississippi State game was the knockout of corner Jaylon Jones. Jones is a big, physical corner and was disrupting plays at the line of scrimmage. Then he got picked and KOed and things quickly changed.
I have never seen a team get crushed by injuries as quickly as this team has. And it’s not kids; it’s veterans. Here’s the current casualty list:
WR Ainias Smith, leg, out for the season
OL Jordan Moko, ankle, out for the season
LB Andre White, knee, has missed the last 4 games
QB Max Johnson, throwing hand, likely to miss time
CB Jaylon Jones, concussion, status TBD
DE Tunmise Adeleye, leg, status uncertain
CB Myles Jones, leg, missed last week
TE Jake Johnson, quad, has missed the last three games
DT McKinnley Jackson, unknown injury, has missed all but one game
DT Albert Regis, broken hand, missed last week
DT Gabe Dindy, postseason surgery, hasn’t played yet
WR Yulkeith Brown, concussion, missed last week
And then you had C Bryce Foster, DT Walter Nolen and TE Max Wright miss time earlier in the season. That’s absolutely nuts.