Texas A&M rolled over Missouri State with a dominant 50-0 victory on Saturday night, but don’t let that final score fool you. The Aggies’ revamped offensive line started slow, giving up several pressures and two sacks on starting quarterback Marcel Reed in a choppy first half where they only led 19-0. Talk about a wake-up call!
Aggie O-Line Flexes After Early Jitters
The big story here, outside of the shutout, is how coach Mike Elko and OL coach Adam Cushing got that offensive line to tighten up in the second half. LSU transfer left tackle Tyree Adams especially stepped up, earning impressive pass-blocking (81.0) and run-blocking (80.6) grades from PFF. Junior left guard Blake Ivy also bounced back, hitting solid 69.6 grades in both pass and run blocking. This unit started rough, allowing five total pressures and two sacks, but the improvement was clear as the Aggie rushing attack started to make its late impact, with Terry Bussey, Jamarion Morrow, and freshman Carsyn Baker all finding the end zone. Speaking of those freshmen backs, both Baker (79.8 offense, 76.6 running) and KJ Edwards (74.3 offense, 74.6 running) earned top-5 offensive grades and Coach Elko said they’re set to see even more playing time. That’s a huge development for the offense moving forward!
Defense Stifles Bears, Reed Finds His Rhythm
While the O-line found its footing, the defense was just lights out all night. Holding Missouri State to a pathetic 67 total yards, including only 37 rushing yards, is seriously impressive, no matter the opponent. The linebacker rotation was borderline elite, led by Noah Mikhail and transfer Ray Coney. Those two combined for 13 tackles, with Coney snagging an impressive 78.1 tackling grade from PFF. Edge rusher Ryan Henderson (86.4 defense) and defensive lineman Landon Rink (82.0 defense) topped the defensive PFF grades, showing that front seven was suffocating. Even with just one sack and three pressures from the pass rush, you just know those numbers are going to climb against Arizona State’s shaky offensive line. Plus, starting cornerbacks Dezz Ricks and Julio Humphrey didn’t give up a single reception on four combined targets.
On offense, quarterback Marcel Reed completed 21 of 30 passes for 233 yards and 2 touchdowns, making impressive throw after impressive throw despite that early pressure. Transfer wide receiver Isaiah Horton instantly made his presence felt, leading the game with 76 receiving yards and hauling in his first touchdown as an Aggie. With those adjustments on the line and Reed looking confident, this Aggie team looks ready to host Arizona State on Saturday. What a turnaround, and what a statement heading into Week 2!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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