Three Takeaways from Texas A&M Football Vaporizing MSU

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Nov 11, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Jaylen Henderson (16) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports /

This Is What Offense Can Be for Texas A&M Football

I know I’ve just gotten done saying that this wasn’t exactly an offensive explosion. We’ve seen higher-efficiency performances even at the beginning of this year! But what I’m pointing out here is something that is not as easily captured by the traditional statistical categories. Here’s what I mean: Jaylen Henderson put on display last night how well this offense can play when they play fast and unencumbered. This is a squad that boasts elite athletes and playmakers, but all too often it can look like it’s prohibitively difficult to get those athletes and playmakers in situations where their skills can be fully utilized. Perhaps that’s because of too much thinking about what is a consummately heady scheme, particularly for the quarterback.

Henderson, perhaps paradoxically aided by inexperience here, was not one to stand back in the pocket and move through reads. Normally, this is a bad thing, but in a game where you so far outclass the opponent in terms of skill, this can be a boon. When his first read wasn’t there, he took off and made a play. This came back to bite him a couple of times, and is unsustainable against a higher level of competition, but it was refreshing to see a guy out there just making plays against an overmatched defense.

Too often in Jimbo’s tenure has the offense bogged down against lesser opponents. Too often this week did the vision flash through my mind of a beaten and bruised Arkansas team, who was doubtless far more capable than they showed on that day, mustering only three points at home against this very State defense. Such a fate was not for the Aggies on this night. Henderson made sure of it. When this offense is operating at its best—and I believe we were beginning to scratch the surface of the best of both worlds with Weigman at the reins—it is unstoppable. We saw shades of that last night. Let this be how it looks the rest of the year—free and easy rather than difficult and laborious.