All the fanbase’s feelings about Texas A&M football have shifted after a week.
After displaying a performance Aggie fans have been craving since last season in Week 1, the Maroon and White failed to deliver in its second game, falling 48-33 to Miami.
Walking out of Hard Rock Stadium in 2021, A&M had only positive takeaways after taking down North Carolina in the Orange Bowl. There are still things to take away from the Aggies’ defeat, however, none of them are near as positive as they were last week.
Let’s break them down:
The Aggie defense must make some big adjustments
It was an awful day in Miami for defensive coordinator DJ Durkin and the Aggie defense. Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson and the Hurricanes had their way all game.
The Hurricanes threw for 374 yards and five touchdowns on the Aggie secondary that had question marks leading into the season. That type of play in the secondary is going to be taken advantage of against the elite players in the SEC.
Whether it was blown coverages or simply missing tackles, the defensive backs for the Maroon and White didn’t get it done in Week 2.
The road woes continue
Struggling to come out on top on the road has been a trend for A&M in recent years. In the 2022 season, the Aggies were 0-4 and in 2021 they were 2-2.
The last true road win for the Aggies was against Missouri on Oct. 16, 2021. Since then the Aggies are 0-7 in games on the road after falling to the Hurricanes.
A&M is going to have to get it figured out away from Kyle Field if they want to have much success this season. Road trips to Knoxville, Tennessee, Oxford, Mississippi and Baton Rouge, Louisiana loom on the schedule for the Maroon and White.
Special teams is so crucial
Early on, it was the Aggies who benefited in the special teams game. In fact, A&M’s first two touchdowns were set up due to special teams play.
After forcing a three-and-out to open the game, junior wide receiver Jahdae Walker blocked the Miami punt to set the Aggies’ offense up on the Hurricanes 15-yard line, leading to a touchdown. The second touchdown was set up after a muffed punt by the Hurricanes put the Aggies on the 9 to begin their drive.
However, the luck for the Aggies on special teams began to fade.
Junior kicker Randy Bond missed a 42-yard field goal with 57 seconds remaining in the half, ultimately leading to the Hurricanes traveling 75 yards down the field to take a 21-17 lead.
Things went awry once more for the Aggies when junior wide receiver Brashard Smith returned a kickoff 98 yards to the house, putting the Hurricanes up 28-20 to start the second half.
Conner Weigman can be great
Despite throwing his first collegiate interceptions, sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman played well against the Hurricanes. Weigman threw for 336 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while also rushing for a touchdown.
There is only so much weight you can put on your young quarterback on the road. The offensive line struggled against the Hurricanes’ defensive front during the game, constantly putting Weigman under pressure.
The defense was also never able to give momentum back to the team as a whole.
Overall, Weigman made good decisions with the football and played well enough for his team to come out on top with a better defensive performance.