The Aggies have one more chance to round into form before facing a top-ten Notre Dame squad on the road. Coach Elko and company appeared to treat the first game more like a scrimmage, rotating in as many players as possible and experimenting with different looks. Will they do more of the same against Utah State or will they settle in to a true “starting” lineup? Either way, here are some things we need to see.
Wrap. Up.
Game ones are notorious for being a little sloppy and missed tackles can be more common.
However, that excuse expires in game two. Missed tackles plagued the Aggies a season ago and they missed 13 of them against UTSA. Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price make up the best RB duo in the country, so A&M having a cleaner game on the tackling front this weekend would provide a boost of confidence.
Running backs ramping up
The passing game looked formidable last week, but we know the running game is going to be a big part of the offense. UTSA sold out to stop the run last week, leading to just 13 carries for the Aggie running backs. I would be shocked if that’s the case against Utah State, even if they put 11 guys in the box (I’m only half joking). With their top two backs (Le’veon Moss and Rueben Owens) coming off significant injuries in 2024, it’s important to get those guys some live game reps.
Another step for Reed
Marcel Reed showed against UTSA that he had taken a big step forward in his development as a passer, registering a career-high 4 TDs passing and looking more comfortable in the offense than ever. Still, there were some plays he left on the table in terms of his decision making. Can he make another jump from game one to game two? The short and intermediate game was nails last week, can he show off his vertical game? He certainly has the weapons to do it. If he comes out against Utah State and looks even sharper than last week, A&M fans would have to feel pretty good about where this offense is headed.
