Texas A&M Football: 5 takeaways from Aggies’ Belk Bowl loss

4. Special teams will be fine without Christian Kirk

It was telling that the Aggies’ special teams coach was running the show on Friday. Texas A&M started the game with a bang, blocking Wake Forest’s first two punts. Deshawn Capers-Smith blocked the first one which the Aggies recovered in the endzone to take a 7-0 lead. The next was blocked by freshman receiver Rashauud Paul. The offense cashed that one, scoring in two plays to take a 14-0 lead.

It wasn’t a perfect outing. The aggressiveness backfired midway through the first quarter when the Aggies got flagged for roughing the kicker on a missed 48-yard field goal attempt. The Deacs would cash in, tying the game at 14-14. Wake would also score on a punt return in the second quarter.

The Aggie special teams unit would answer back with a blocked field goal which gave way to the third Aggie touchdown of the day. The first three touchdowns scored by Texas A&M in the first half came directly from big special teams plays. They weren’t perfect, but they played with intensity from the opening kickoff. If not for the special teams unit the Aggies would have been dead in the water at half time.