Since the defeat of then-No. 1 Alabama, Texas A&M’s offense has been on the rise as one of the most dangerous threats in the SEC.
Statistically, Texas A&M’s offense has more strengths than weaknesses as it enters the halfway point of the season. In their first five games of the season, the Aggies put up only 23.4 points, 319.8 total yards and 167.6 yards on the ground per game.
Confidence seems to be the main ingredient as to why they have improved in their last three games.
After the 26-22 loss at home versus Mississippi State, A&M’s statistics have increased remarkably. In its last three games, the maroon and white offense has put up an average of 40 points, 429 total yards and 222.3 rushing yards per game.
Through its first eight games, the dynamic duo in the back field has made their mark in the SEC. Junior running back Isaiah Spiller ranks second in the SEC in total rushing yards, with 761, while sophomore running back Devon Achane ranks sixth, with 608.
The two also rank in the top five in yards-per-carry, with Achane second in the conference with 7.1 and Spiller fifth with 6.2.
After the win in Missouri on Saturday, Oct. 16, Spiller said the main focus for himself and Achane is on winning games rather than who gets the most yards.
“Achane and I always put the team before ourselves; that is kind of our motto,” Spiller said.
However, to be successful in the run game, the Aggies must be tough in the trenches.
The Aggies rank fifth in the SEC in total rushing yards, with 1,504, and the offensive line is the entity deserving of the most credit. In A&M’s last three games, it has only allowed one sack through 82 passing attempts versus the 12 sacks allowed in the first five games of the season.
On Saturday, Oct. 23, the Maroon Goons 2.0 opened up gaps for their running backs to bulldoze for 290 rushing yards and did not allow a single sack in 24 passing attempts. Junior left guard Kenyon Green won his second consecutive, third total, SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week accolade due to this performance.
On the receiving end, the Aggies are blessed with one of the best tight ends in the league. Junior tight end Jalen Wydermyer is second in the SEC in total receiving yards, 15th among receivers, with 353 total for the season. The future NFL prospect will continue to be an offensive threat as the Aggies return from their bye week against No. 18 Auburn.
Wydermyer now holds the A&M all-time receiving record at the tight end position with 1,306 yards after recording four receptions for 75 yards against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
“[Wydermyer is] learning to be a complete player,” head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “His big body can get vertical. He has athleticism [with] his hands and [an] ability to run after the catch. He’s playing like he’s capable of playing, and he’s a weapon.”
As for weaknesses, it’s hard to pinpoint one of notice after the past three weeks of success.
“We’ve got some really good players who got to go out there and play and perform,” Fisher said. “They’re one or two plays from having to play, and they’ve got to play better. That is what next week will be about, and we’re going to need some of those guys in that four-game stretch at the end of the season.”
