Texas A&M football looks to go two-for-two against former assistant coaches in 2024 this weekend
Texas A&M football faces a stiff challenge this weekend against the Auburn Tigers. Though Auburn is patently moribund in terms of their record, they profile as a much better team than their current 4-6 mark would suggest.
In fact, in one way, they remind me of 2022 Texas A&M. One of the most frustrating things about that team, other than the repeated injuries, was the inability of the offense to get going, while the defense seemed able to carry the day.
I can't count how many times I wished that the offense on that team would just be competent—with a defense playing as well as they were, even an average unit would have won A&M many more games.
After the stats are compiled this week, Auburn should have a top 20 scoring defense and top 20 total defense.
— pablo escobarner (blue check) (@PabloEscoburner) November 16, 2024
Auburn has 5 common opponents with #3 Texas: ULM, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, and Georgia.
Auburn has outgained Texas in 4 of the 5.
Auburn is 4-6
Texas is 9-1 pic.twitter.com/cfFb1QOaVz
That's not the only thing 2024 Auburn and 2022 A&M have in common, though. They also share one important factor: their defensive coordinator.
I think A&M fans can be forgiven for not remembering that DJ Durkin is now on the Plains. He floated out in the coaching carousel ether for quite some time before landing with Hugh Freeze and company down in Auburn, but he has put together a pretty solid unit this year.
The Tigers are one of the nation's best rush defenses, which means the Aggies will have to work hard to get their yards on Saturday. If there's one consolation, though, the run schemes that Klein employs resemble those that gave Durkin's A&M defenses some fits at times.
After taking down one former assistant in now-Arkansas OC Bobby Petrino, the Aggies face another coordinator that was on last year's staff. If they can go two-for-two, they will set up the showdown to end all showdowns at Kyle Field next Saturday.