3 Takeaways from Texas A&M Football Dismantling Arkansas

The Offense for Texas A&M Football Can Still Be Elite

There are doubtless several kinks to work out with a backup at the helm. But especially looking at the first half numbers and how Max Johnson operated when he played within himself, you can see the potential still there for this Aggie offense. Take a look at this throw:

That’s on time, on target quarterback play. Max also made quite a few good plays when off-schedule, as well. The obvious bugaboo that needs to be fixed sooner rather than later is the turnovers for the Aggie offense. All three were uncharacteristic; the pick-six especially was something that you don’t exactly often see, as a missed block on a receiver screen allowed a streaking DB who perfectly timed his jump to practically saunter into the end zone.

Max’s ball security when running is the other thing you need to work on; part of what sets him apart as a QB is his willingness to pick up the tough yards—and, to be fair, he is a huge guy—but it cost the Aggies in this game, with the ball getting jarred loose on what would have been a first down conversion. The final turnover seemed to be in large part due to miscommunication; Max wasn’t ready for the snap, and so the mesh wasn’t clean.

Those things notwithstanding, I think we’re starting to see a balanced and talented Aggie offense emerge. Le’Veon Moss was an absolute beast in this game, and he’s beginning to announce himself just at the right time. Evan Stewart—when he was available—was his typical unstoppable self, and Ainias Smith is a YAC monster. The Aggies will need every piece of offensive output available against a good Alabama defense next week.