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Monday Thoughts

Final look at Florida

The past several years, the Aggies wouldn't be the one pointing at the scoreboard.
The past several years, the Aggies wouldn't be the one pointing at the scoreboard.
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First off, that's two straight games where the Aggies have been in a physical contest and not wilted. In fact, for the second straight game, A&M was the team wearing down opponents in the 4th quarter, and that can't be overstated.

Over the past several years, this game is a loss. There's no other way to put it. The offense struggled, and that was an automatic L from 2013 on. They got behind, on the road, and faced a lot of adversity. They made a lot of mistakes. The fluke plays went against them.

All of those things meant defeat before this season -- and obviously, it did in game 1 of this year too.

But there are two other parts to a complete football team, and the Aggies seem to have those this year: special teams and defense. A&M dominated all facets of special teams from the word go Saturday night. Kickoff coverage was excellent, Shane Tripucka should get a game ball for punting A&M out of trouble repeatedly in the first half and Daniel LaCamera was perfect. The only thing missing was a big return from Christian Kirk, and he finally got that in crunch time.

The defense gave up 371 yards, but kept that to 142 after intermission. And 79 of that came on one play. So on 26 plays in the second half, UF got 63 yards. That's 2.4 a play. And in the fourth quarter, it was even worse: 27 total yards. The D did what it needed to do, and essentially overwhelmed the Gators after halftime.

It wasn't a perfect game by any stretch, but they didn't panic. Kellen Mond stayed composed and made the right calls on the final drive. It's hard for a guy to go 8-24 with an interception and tighten the grip on his job, but I think Mond did that. A&M doesn't win without him and that's pretty clear.

Two other things: Erik McCoy now has my favorite block ever for his body slam of a UF linebacker on Mond's 18-yard run early in the third, and I don't like how Jim McIlwain does business. I thought he was a whiner at SEC Media Days when asked about the shark picture (which he should have laughed off, but instead tried to shame the reporter who asked), and I don't like how his team does things. They played cheap, they played dirty and were still pushing and shoving way after the whistle (and got away with it). That's a reflection of a coach who either supports that stuff or can't instill discipline in his team. But don't expect him to take responsibility for it.

UF may have been banged up, but they needed that game badly and gave it their all. The Swamp is a tough joint to play in regardless. Still, A&M came out and played far from their best football and won anyway. That's a very positive step for the program -- if they can build on it.

10 most improved players so far this year

Damion Ratley is averaging 25 yards a catch this season.
Damion Ratley is averaging 25 yards a catch this season.

1. DE Landis Durham. The guy barely played before this season. He started off the depth chart this summer. And he leads the team with 5.5 sacks and is among the SEC's leaders overall. He deserves All-SEC consideration. If he's not THE feel good story of the year, he's in the discussion.

2. WR Damion Ratley. The guy who couldn't catch anything in past years now catches everything, and makes huge plays when he does. He's averaging exactly 25 yards a catch and is starting to scare opposing defensive coordinators. It's a shame he hasn't gotten to the end zone yet, because he deserves some payoff for his big plays.

3. LB Otaro Alaka. It wasn't that Alaka was bad coming into this year; he was just kind of average. Not anymore. Since moving back to WILL, he's been very impressive: 48 tackles, 11 TFL and 5 sacks. He's gone from a guy making tackles 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage to 5 yards behind it.

4. LB Tyrel Dodson. Dodson was good last year, he was just stuck behind Alaka and Claude George, who became a huge pass rush threat last season. This year, Dodson is all things to all people: 57 tackles, 8 TFL, 4.5 sacks and 3 INT. If he's not All-SEC at middle linebacker, people covering the SEC are myopic fools (and they are, just so you know).

5. CB Charles Oliver. The Aggies had problems early in the year against the pass (not lately), but that was hardly Oliver's fault. If you look at the stats, other guys have more tackles and just as many passes broken up -- but that's because nobody throws at him. He gets up on his receivers, pushes them around and won't turn them loose.

6. LT Koda Martin. Martin didn't have his best game against UF, but he's been pretty steady since finally taking over the job he should have had in week 3. It's hard to see him losing it now, because he's graded out well.

7. DE Jarrett Johnson. Johnson only has 10 tackles, but also has 3.5 sacks. He's gone from the guy teams wanted to run at to the one they want to avoid, and that's helped Durham put up big numbers.

8. DT Daylon Mack. You look at his totals -- 8 tackles -- and go "meh". That's misleading. When Mack comes, he leads the second team and has dominated the interior of the line. He has 4 TFL and a sack, which shows he's collapsing the front 3 into the backfield. This is what A&M has been waiting for.

9. DT Zaycoven Henderson. Another guy who wasn't bad, but has made a step up to elite. Henderson has 20 tackles, 5 TFL and 2 sacks, and that's facing consistent double teams. His motor never quits.

10. TE Tanner Schorp. Schorp has gone from a guy who seemed almost miscast as a tight end to a solid one. If you go back and look at some of the critical runs so far this season, he's either helped spring them at the line of scrimmage or is downfield making wipeout blocks. It's a shame his TD Saturday was called back, because it was a heck of a catch and would have been well-deserved.

Coaching staff putting its reputation on its head

Kevin Sumlin and company have adapted in 2017.
Kevin Sumlin and company have adapted in 2017.

My biggest gripe with Kevin Sumlin and his coaches have been their inability to adjust. Before this year, the Aggies would have possibly the most immaculate game plans to start a game, then would fold after halftime. We saw that again in week 1, when UCLA adjusted, A&M didn't and instead of making changes, the coaches went into panic mode.

Since then, they seemed to have learned from their mistakes. I don't know why, but since that game it has been the Aggies who have had the better of the second half and have made the superior adjustments.

This is probably the historian in me, but for some reason I keep thinking about when Ulysses S. Grant took control of the Army of the Potomac in 1864. The subordinates (George Meade & co.) had been consistently whipped by Robert E. Lee and were terrified of what Lee would do once a battle started. Grant informed them that he was "heartily tired" of hearing about what Lee would do and that, from there on out, they would make Lee worry about what they were going to do.

That seems to be the change in mindset. Starting with ULL and moving forward, A&M has made the better halftime adjustments and put their stamp on the second half. It's worked in most cases (Alabama being the exception), and sometimes it hasn't been rocket science -- it's been go out there and physically beat the guy across from you. That's what it was against South Carolina, Alabama and Florida. In all three instances, A&M wore down their opponent and won the fourth quarter. In the case of Alabama, it was too late. But it was still obvious.

I think it's time people realized that Mark Hocke isn't just some kind of overly exuberant joke and really has made A&M a tougher team with his S&C program (at least through 7 games). The Aggies can now play, and win, "SEC football" games. Sumlin and his coaches are taking the approach that they're going to make opponents react to their changes, not wait and see what the other guys are doing and then attempt to react to them. It's more aggressive, more assertive and shows faith in the talent they have.

It's also a whole lot different from what we're used to.

So what to do with Donovan Wilson?

The Aggies miss Donovan Wilson -- but would be better served having him back in 2018.
The Aggies miss Donovan Wilson -- but would be better served having him back in 2018.

There's no question that losing S Donovan Wilson in week one to a broken foot has hurt the Aggie defense. Wilson is a leader by example, fearlessly going after opponents in both the running and passing games. His loss left a big hole in the secondary.

It looks like Wilson's foot is getting close to healthy, and he and the coaching staff will have a decision to make. I'll give you my suggestion here, and you can do what you want with it, but I'd tell him to get ready for 2018. It's better for him and the ballclub.

Here's why.

Getting Wilson back would help this year, for sure, but there's going to be a bigger need at safety next year. Why? No Armani Watts. A&M is going to be in dire need of a veteran who can make big plays, and Wilson absolutely fits that bill. The other reason, from A&M's perspective, is Derrick Tucker. The true freshman is starting to emerge, with 6 tackles and pass broken up against UF. That was his best game by far and he's getting progressively more comfortable as the season goes on. And he hits. Getting Wilson and Tucker in the defensive backfield for 2018 instead of Tucker and someone with a lot less experience is a net win for the Aggies.

From Wilson's perspective, he doesn't have a good enough body of work as a safety to attract real NFL interest. Right now, he's a player without an NFL position, and he needs more than five games to change that appraisal. If he comes back, plays a handful of games and isn't jump off the screen amazing, then he's not getting drafted. That puts him in a tough situation.

So I think it's in the best interests of everyone for him to take a redshirt season and come back. He'll almost certainly be a team captain and someone the coaching staff can rely on to lead the secondary. It'll make that group a whole lot better, and greatly improve his chances of playing at the next level.

Two guys A&M could get back who can really help in '18

Nick Harvey should return for 2018.
Nick Harvey should return for 2018.

Both are defensive backs, too, which is another bonus. The first is Nick Harvey, who is coming back from an ACL tear. Getting him back will at least increase competition across from Charles Oliver, but I have another suggestion. Make him a nickel. This has been a problem child all year for the Aggies as they've gone through Deshawn Capers-Smith, Roney Elam, Priest Willis and now Antonio Howard. None have impressed. Harvey isn't afraid to tackle and has been better in pass coverage than any of them.

Clifford Chattman is the other guy who should return, so long as he gets his grades right. He seemed like a guy without a position, but he got moved to corner in the middle of fall camp and seemed to thrive. Again, what's the worst that can happen -- he increases the level of competition? And the idea of having a 6'5", corner who can run is not a bad thing.

What have you done lately, defense?

Take out the UCLA disaster and things look a lot different.
Take out the UCLA disaster and things look a lot different.

I have been told that the most accurate predictor for a team is not an entire season's body of work, but the most recent five games (some say three). So out of curiosity, I went to take a look at where A&M's offense and defense would rank if you took a look at just the last five (ULL, Arkansas, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida).

Defense

Rushing yards allowed: 93, 226, 23, 232, 242. Average: 163.2 YPG. That would be 68th in the nation.

Passing yards allowed: 216, 231, 256, 123, 126 Average: 190.4 YPG. That would be 29th in the nation.

Total yardage allowed: 353.6 YPG. That would rank 43rd overall in the nation.

Offense

Rushing yards: 179, 285, 237, 71, 83. Average: 171 YPG. That would be #60 in the nation.

Passing yards: 301, 216, 159, 237, 180. Average: 218.6 YPG. That's 71st.

Total yards: 389.6 YPG. That would be 78th overall.


I don't know if that changes your opinion on anything, but I think it shows the defense is improving and the Aggies have had to punch their way through some tough games to get to 5-2.

Way too early bowl projections

The SEC could have a tie-in with the Orange Bowl this year. Otherwise, game #1 for the first non-CFP team in the conference would be the Citrus Bowl.

So what if Alabama and UGA both make it? Right now, A&M would rank as SEC #2 behind the loser of the title game (if the winner goes to the playoff as expected). If both go, could the Aggies end up in Miami? It's possible. More possible they play in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

After those games, the SEC and the Bowls work together to send teams. There isn't really really a ranking system. So you'd have the Outback Bowl (Tampa), the Tax Slayer Bowl (Jacksonville), The Music City Bowl (Nashville), the Texas Bowl, the Belk Bowl and the Liberty Bowl.

Depending on how A&M ends their season, they should be positioned pretty well for a Florida bowl. If they don't screw things up.

SEC Power Rankings

1. Alabama (7-0). Just keeps rolling along.

2. Georgia (7-0). One of the better stories in college football this season.

3. Texas A&M (5-2). Just win. Everyone else is falling by the wayside.

4. Auburn (5-2). Like these guys did this weekend. And their schedule is no cakewalk, with UGA and Alabama still lurking along with the Aggies.

5. Kentucky (5-1). Think they're not still pissed about giving that game away to Florida?

6. LSU (5-2). Here they come again. We think. Who knows for sure?

7. South Carolina (5-2). Proof of how lousy this conference gets this year after the first four.

8. Mississippi State (4-2). Beat up on a horrible BYU team but didn't impress doing it.

9. Florida (3-3). They play hard. But they've been buried by injuries, suspensions and bad coaching.

10. Ole Miss (3-3). How do you give up 37 points a game and still have a .500 record? You play crap teams, that's how.

11. Vandy (3-4). The hell happened to you guys?

12. Tennessee (3-3). We know what happened to you guys. Wiped out by the suck bomb.

13. Arkansas (2-4). The idea that Bret Bielema is being paid too much to be fired 1) sounds familiar and 2) must sound like a nightmare to Arkansas fans.

14. Mizzou (1-5). You suck.

The bottom 10

10. Mizzou (1-5). Yes, they're that bad.

9. Kansas (1-5). Poor coach Beaty. Beat 45-0 by Iowa State.

8. UNC (1-6). Maybe they're taking real classes?

7. UMass (0-6). They play just well enough to lose, every week.

6. Nevada (1-6). Firing coach Polian made it all better, didn't it? Nope.

5. Georgia Southern (0-5). Being outscored 36-17 on average.

4. Oregon State (1-6). Giving up 43 points a game. Ugh.

3. UTEP (0-7). They don't lose, they get annihilated (38-12 on average).

2. San Jose State (1-7). They've already given up 331 points! And this could be the win that gets Texas to a bowl game? Weak.

1. Baylor (0-6). The good ol' days have returned. This has to be some semblance of justice.

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