AggieYell.com's look at the matchup between No. 16 Texas A&M (1-1) and Lamar (2-0) begins with a breakdown of the Cardinals offense against the Aggie defense. The game is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. central time Sept. 14 and will be televised on ESPNU.
Lamar offensive depth chart (no ProFootballFocus scores available)
QB: #1, Jordan Hoy (Sr.; 6-1,184)
#15, Shane Johnson (Jr.; 6-2, 203)
RB: #5, Myles Wanza (Jr.; 5-9, 178)
#27, A.J. Walker (Jr.; 5-10, 224)
X: #12, Marcellus Johnson (Fr.; 6-3, 216)
#3, Carmoni Green (Jr.; 6, 197)
A: #23, Kirkland Banks (Jr.; 5-10, 176)
#25, Jack Roe (Fr.; 5-11, 169)
Y: #89, Case Robinson (Sr.; 6-1, 250)
#82, Mason Sikes (Jr.; 6-4, 243)
Z: #19, Kenny Allen (Jr.; 6, 156)
#4, Ryan Matlock (Jr.; 6, 188)
LT: #77, Hayden Kaaiohelo (Sr.; 6-5, 289)
#64, Humberto Lopez (So.; 6-6, 323)
LG: #70, Colton Peterson, (Jr.; 6-4, 323)
#73, Nick Dunomes (Jr.; 6-3, 307)
C: #51,Stephon Cooper (Sr.; 6-1, 280)
#66, Jesse Brewster (Jr.; 6-7, 318)
RG: #72, Tamatoa Neher (Sr; 6-2, 305)
#58, Chase Bridgeman (Jr.; 6-4, 318)
RT: #79, Aires Gilmore-Gardner (Sr.; 6-3, 310)
#75, Corey Nance (Sr.; 6-7, 312)
Texas A&M defensive depth chart
DE: #91, Micheal Clemons (Jr.; 6-5, 272; ProFootballFocus season score of 57.5)
#8 DeMarvin Leal (Fr.; 6-4, 290; 70.9) OR #15 Jeremiah Martin (So.; 6-5, 244; 54.9)
DT: #52, Justin Madubuike (RS-Jr.; 6-3, 304; 72)
#92, Jayden Peevy (Jr.; 6-6, 298; 80.8)
DT: #5, Bobby Brown (So.; 6-4, 325; 72.9)
#99, Josh Rogers (RS-So.; 6-5, 290; 60.3)
DE: #3, Tyree Johnson (RS-So.; 6-4, 250; 71.3)
#93, Max Wright (So.; 6-4, 262; 53.9) OR #40 Tyree Wilson (RS-Fr.; 6-6, 260; 73.4)
BUCK: #19, Anthony Hines (RS-So.; 6-3, 226; 58.4)
#32, Andre White (Fr.; 6-3, 225; 55.8)
MIKE: #1, Buddy Johnson (Jr.; 6-2, 228; 55.6)
#12, Braden White (Jr.; 5-11, 224; 63.1) OR #33 Aaron Hansford (RS-Jr.; 6-3, 240; 62.8)
ROVER: #20, Ikenna Okeke (RS-So.; 6-3, 225; n/a)
#24, Chris Russell (Fr.; 6-2, 220; n/a)
NICKEL: #27, Roney Elam (RS-Sr.; 6-2, 195; 79.4)
CB: #10, Myles Jones (Jr.; 6-4, 185; 72.8)
#17 Devin Morris (RS-So.; 6-1, 192; 63.2 )
S: #9, Leon O’Neal (So.; 6-1, 206; 38)
#14 Keldrick Carper (Jr.; 6-2, 200; 50.3;) OR #25 Brian Williams (Fr.; 6-1, 218; n/a)
S: #26, Demani Richardson (Fr.; 6-1, 210; 60.9)
#4 Derrick Tucker (Jr.; 6-1, 202; 54.6) OR #11 Larry Pryor (RS-Sr.; 6, 211; 73.2)
CB: #21, Charles Oliver (Sr.; 6-2, 196; 65.2)
#2 Elijah Blades (Jr.-TR; 6-2, 185; 63.9) OR #28 Travon Fuller (Jr.; 6-1, 174; 45.8)
Lamar statistical leaders
Passing: Hoy, 39-63 (61.9%), 459 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Jermaine Givens, 4-5 (80%), 88 yards
Rushing: Hoy, 28 carries for 188 yards and 5 TD
Wanza, 28 carries for 118 yards and 1 TD
Derrion Randle, 13 carries for 115 yards and 1 TD
Walker, 8 carries for 71 yards
Receiving: Banks, 9 catches for 111 yards
Green, 5 catches for 84 yards
Wanza, 7 catches for 77 yards and 1 TD
Erik Pizzaro, 8 catches for 73 yards and 1 TD
A&M statistical leaders
Tackles: Buddy Johnson, 12
Richardson, 10
Hines, 9
Tackles for loss: Buddy Johnson, 2.5
Tyree Johnson, Blades, Madubuike, 2
Sacks: 5 with one each
Interceptions: Elam and Jones, 2
O’Neal, 1
Passes broken up: Elam and Jones, 2
Pryor, 1
Lamar by the numbers
Scoring offense: 44 PPG (9th FCS, 4th Southland)
Rushing offense: 274 YPG (9th, 2nd)
Passing offense: 273.5 (9th, 3rd)
Total offense: 547.5 (3rd, 3rd)
First downs: 59 (3rd, 2nd)
3rd down conversions: 43.3% (30th, 3rd)
4th down conversions: 75% (20th, 1st)
Sacks allowed: 4 (64th, 5th)
Red zone offense: 90% (39th, 2nd)
Turnovers lost: 7 (115th, 11th)
Turnover margin: -2 (83rd, 9th)
Time of possession: 27:54 (86th, 6th)
A&M by the numbers
Scoring defense: 15.5 PPG (28th nationally, 6th SEC)
Rushing yards allowed: 64.5 YPG (11th, 1st)
Passing yards allowed: 239.5 (87th, 11th)
Total defense: 304 YPG (44th, 6th)
3rd down conversion defense: 44.4%, (50th, 8th)
4th down conversion defense: 0% (1st)
Red zone defense: 100% (90th, 13th)
Tackles for loss: 15 (28th, 3rd)
Sacks: 5 (52nd, 7th)
Turnovers forced: 5 (14th, 3rd)
Turnover margin: +1 (39th, 4th)
What Lamar wants to do
Lamar is a spread, RPO-style offense that will vary its looks. Sometimes it’s four wides; other times, it’s two backs, two wides and a tight end/H-Back, all in the backfield. They like to run first, and they run by committee. Wanza is the top back, but Hoy is just as apt to keep it himself and run than he is to hand it off.
The passing game struggled mightily against a subpar Mississippi Valley State team last weekend, with Hoy going 21-39 for just 233 yards and an interception. Banks is their deep threat, but otherwise, they’ve been limited to quick passes and bubble screens. They want their very quick, undersized receivers to do most of the work. They’re going to go up-tempo and try to move in a hurry, then use misdirection possible overpursuit to make plays in the RPO.
How A&M will likely counter
This is the third week in a row the Aggies have faced a spread offense, and they've gone from pass-first to run or pass to run-first. That should suit the Aggies just fine, even though Lamar has an impressively large offensive line.
A&M has better speed and athleticism than Lamar, so the big thing for the Aggies to do is concentrate on getting the Cardinals in passing situations. That means playing smart, keeping their eyes on the football and not running themselves out of position by biting on the IPO action and chasing after the wrong guy. Discipline is critical here. If they play their assignments properly, then they have a clear advantage. Once the Cardinals are behind the sticks, then A&M will be able to really come after them.
