POST GAME THOUGHTS: Aggies notch uninspiring win over ACU

Texas A&M finished the 2023 home schedule on a winning note, defeating Abilene Christian 38-10 on Senior Day at Kyle Field. While it’s hard to be too upset after a win, any hope of a post-Jimbo transformation were erased quickly in this one, as the issues that plagued the Aggies all season were readily apparent yet again today.

OFFENSIVE LINE

The offensive line has been the unquestioned weakness of this team, and that was the case again, even against an FCS squad. Jaylen Henderson faced a ton of pressure, leading to a fumble returned for a touchdown on the opening drive forced by an unblocked blitzer.

I think a coaching change here is all but certain, as the Aggies have been one of the worst pass blocking teams in the country this season. Today was no surprise, but it continues to be a point of supreme frustration.

MOOSE!

Moose Muhammad, donning his sleeves, busted out for over 100 yards and a TD after seeing limited playing time all season. He flashed his playmaking ability on multiple occasions, none greater than a third quarter catch where he made a one-handed grab and then lept over a defender.

It makes you wonder what could have possibly kept such an elite talent off the field for the vast majority of this season.

NEEDED SOME TAKEAWAYS

In no way did the defense play badly (they only gave up three points, after all), but a big part of what made last week into a blowout was the defense forcing four turnovers that gave the A&M offense short fields. We didn’t get any of that today, and when the offense had to sustain long drives, they were often unable to do so.

It may not be fair to the Aggie defense, but for this team to have success, they can’t just be good, they have to be dominant. They have to make game-changing plays.

12TH MAN KICKOFF TEAM!

On a day where Jackie Sherrill and his 12th Man Kickoff Team of old was honored at halftime, it was awesome to see the Ags trot out one of their own in the fourth quarter. Better yet, they pinned ACU deep, and almost forced a turnover (had the returner’s forearm not hit the ground first).

Great move by Elijah Robinson (and whoever came up with the idea).

DIFFERENT, BUT STILL SAME

We heard a lot about things that interim head coach Elijah Robinson had done this week to liven things up with the players, from music at practice to the maroon pants that the Aggies donned today. It absolutely made sense to do some things to lift spirits after what must have been a difficult week, but ultimately, this looked like the same team. And ultimately that shouldn’t surprise anyone. This team’s issues run deeper than just one man, and weren’t going to be solved in a matter of days.

We’ve got two more games to go in this season, and here’s hoping we can find a way to win them both. But long-term, we all know that pretty significant changes are on the horizon to try and get this program where it needs to be.

#BTHOlsu