3 Takeaways from Texas A&M Football Dismantling Arkansas

Defense for Texas A&M football has bounced back

I’ll focus more on this when I eventually write my 10 Notable Numbers column on Monday. But the defense for this Texas A&M football team that took so much flack even through the first three games of the season has put up some eye-popping statistics through the first two SEC games of the year.

Let’s start with the craziest part: neither of the first two opponents for the Aggies have exceeded 200 total yards for the game. In fact, if not for the garbage time touchdown pass, Arkansas would have had under 150 yards. Two plays accounted for just a shade underneath half of all of Arkansas’s yards: the aforementioned garbage time touchdown (48 yards) and a screen pass that Rocket Sanders broke for a long run (38 yards). Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson, an elite rushing threat at the position, totaled -3 yards on the ground for the day.

That was thanks in large part to yet another huge day for the Aggie pass rush. For the second straight game, Texas A&M football notched seven sacks and fifteen TFLs. That is simply insane. Unbelievable. This Aggie defensive front has answered the bell in a huge way and are starting to enforce their will up front, letting loose all that elite talent that they have stacked up in those positions. The narrative around Durkin’s defense has begun to shift—as well it should—and another strong showing next week might start the discussion for the Aggie defense as the conference’s best.

But he hasn’t had even a good defense in years, guys. Trust me!