3. Rushing attack might be broken
Last week ULL gave up 424 yards rushing to Tulsa. The week before Southeastern Louisiana rushed for 201 yards. Even the average fan can take a look at those stats and diagnose a clear deficiency in the Ragin’ Cajun defense. They can’t stop the run. Given that knowledge entering the game one would assume that Kevin Sumlin and his staff would dial-up some run heavy schemes and be ready to pound the ball inside.
Despite Sumlin’s history with a modified version of the air raid offense, the Aggies have been good on the ground so far this season. Against UCLA the maroon and white rushed 63 times for 382 yards. They weren’t as effective last weekend, but still managed 195 yards against Nicholls State.
Through the first two quarters of play the Aggies had -22 rushing yards. On 15 attempts, Texas A&M had averaged negative yardage. Remember, the Aggies weren’t playing Alabama. They weren’t playing LSU or Auburn. It wasn’t even Mississippi State. It was Louisiana-Lafayette.
Texas A&M finished the game with 179 yards rushing on 40 carries, 4.5 yards per carry. That included a 67 yard touchdown run by Kibodi to ice the game in the fourth quarter. Not a stellar performance against an abysmal rushing defense.
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Something is broken in College Station. The fingers are going to get pointed at the head coach, and he’s earned that criticism, but clearly there is a broader problem with the Aggies right now. If you can’t run the football and can’t block for your quarterback you’re not going to win many football games. That goes for the Sun Belt and the SEC.