In Texas A&M football’s shutout win versus Sam Houston State, everyone had their eyes on Haynes King and the offense. Turns out, while the offense had its bright moments, the defense was the real winner in Week 1.
They managed not only to shutout a good Bearkats team, but also hold them under 200 total yards. Holding any team under the 200 yard threshold is impressive, no matter what conference they play in, and to see that from such a young defense was very encouraging.
Although the offense will be the main talking point on Saturday again, they will not be facing a great opponent. The defense they will be facing allowed 63 points to North Carolina, without their star offensive weapon, Josh Downs. Yikes.
To be completely honest, fans shouldn’t be worried about how the offense will perform. The Mountaineers have an electric offense, making the Aggie defense what you need to worry about. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not worried that they won’t be able to stop App State, but they will be more of a challenge to contain than what SHSU offered.
The Texas A&M football defense has the most to prove in Week 2 vs. Appalachian State
The defensive line held up well against SHSU as they not only allowed just 41 rushing yards to running backs, but also had 17 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. This week, the defensive line will need to continue to bring the heat to continue to make the quarterback make mistakes.
The back seven was great last week after the first quarter. Early on, SHSU kind of had their way in the passing game, but once the defense got into a groove, the passing game was completely shut down.
Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher: "Any win is a good win. Got a win, got a shutout. The guys played hard, and I thought the defense was outstanding in the game."
— TexAgs (@TexAgs) September 3, 2022
With this upcoming game on Saturday, the Aggie defense will need to continue to prove that their the real deal against a much more talented Mountaineer offense. They have legit weapons at every position and their offensive line is really solid.
After a great game in Week 1, an impressive follow-up performance is necessary if this team is going to be ready for Miami in Week 3. On Saturday, watch for the Aggie defense, as they need to have another stout performance if they want any chance of competing in the SEC once again.
Texas A&M Football: 4 things to watch for in Week 2 vs. Appalachian State
There are 4 key areas that Texas A&M football needs to address in Week 2 to see improvements against a talented Appalachian State football team.