The No. 24 Texas A&M Aggies got back in the win column with a 17-9 win over the No. 13 Miami Hurricanes. Here are five observations from the big win:
Max Johnson was the right move:
Starting LSU transfer Max Johnson over Haynes King was the right move. Johnson seems calmer in the pocket and reading through progressions. While he may not be the athlete King is, Johnson showed he can scramble to get away from pressure. He even pulled it and ran on a couple read option plays. As the son of a former Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Johnson has the pedigree to be successful. Johnson went 10/20 for 140 yards and a touchdown passing. He added seven carries for 33 yards rushing. Not overpowering, but steady nonetheless.
Return of the Wrecking Crew:
A blocked field goal, a forced fumble and recovery on a punt return, and surrendered only nine points. The Aggie defense held its own against Miami. Canes QB Tyler Van Dyke is a top prospect for the upcoming NFL draft. The Aggies made him look very average. Giving up 392 yards and nine points is the definition of bending but not breaking. They showed some serious moxy in the face of adversity this game.
Devon Achane is a problem:
Every Aggie opponent has a HUGE problem! Devon Achane isn’t a track guy playing football. He’s a football guy running track. He runs the 100m, 200m, and 400m races. At 5’9 and 185lbs, he doesn’t shy away from contact. He will get out of bounds and not take unnecessary hits but is tough as nails. When the hole opens, he hits it faster than a toddler running from a parent with something in hand they shouldn’t play with. He had 22 touches for 130 yards and a touchdown.
Discipline needs to be addressed:
The Aggies suspended a few players earlier in the day for missing curfew. They lost two defensive players in-game due to targeting penalties. The defensive backs were the position group hit hardest by both. When you see things like this, it makes your blood boil. The suspensions are totally preventable. The targeting penalties are preventable as well but can be a judgment call. I’m sure Jimbo Fisher and staff will be addressing these issues.
Ignoring the noise:
Whether it’s suspension, ejection, transfers, or moving on to the next level, the Aggies have displayed a next man up mentality. The offseason Jimbo Fisher/Nick Saban beef over NIL comments can be added to the list as well. Throw in the loss to App State for good measure. This team has seemingly been able to ignore the tomfoolery and focus on winning. Moving forward, it’ll be interesting to see how the Aggies continue to handle distractions.