Should be a really good game.
Photo by Kirby Clarke, TexAgs
Texas A&M Football
Running bet: Aggies must excel on the ground to best Bruins
The word “or” is very important for Texas A&M in its football season-opener against UCLA.
A&M’s running back depth chart lists the starter as James White or Keith Ford or Trayveon Williams.
Whoever starts, the Aggies better run efficiently...or else.
A&M begins the 2016 season with a new starting quarterback, four new starters on the offensive line and a new starter at running back, whoever it may be.
They’re facing a UCLA defense which last season was ranked 98th in the nation against the run.
In fact, UCLA allowed an average of 220.4 rushing yards in its five 2015 losses. Omit the Bruins loss to Washington State – which rarely runs in coach Mike Leach’s system – and that average swells to 266 yards per game.
In contrast, A&M averaged just 96.6 rushing yards in its five losses last season. The Aggies were 7-1 when rushing for at least 150 yards.
Alex Parker, TexAgs
Redshirt freshman Erik McCoy must play like a veteran in the middle for the Aggies to improve on the ground.
“I think we’re going to do what we do,” said quarterback Trevor Knight, who last started a football game in 2014 for Oklahoma. “After watching [the Bruins] on film, we’re going to push the ball down the field, but we’re also going to line up and get the run game going. We’re going to be a balanced offense and definitely pound the rock, but then throw when it’s there.”
No doubt, there are plenty of other key matchups. A&M’s defense also must stop UCLA's running game and put pressure on Josh Rosen, the Bruins’ passing savant.
The Aggies must capitalize on their size advantage in receivers Ricky Seals-Jones and Josh Reynolds and the big-play threat of Christian Kirk against UCLA’s talented, but smaller secondary.
However, a big factor in utilizing the receivers will be a successful running game, which would force the UCLA defensive backs to get more involved in run support and in turn open up space in the secondary.
Last season UCLA needed all the help it could get against the run. The Bruins allowed an average of 198.4 rushing yards per game despite facing just three opponents that ranked among the nation’s top 45 in rushing offense.
Arizona State roasted the Bruins for 192 rushing yards. USC piled up 235. Stanford exploded for 311. Nebraska rolled for 326. UCLA lost each of those games.
The Bruins defense was crippled by a rash of injuries which claimed, among others, linebacker Myles Jack and defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes, a 6-foot-3, 325-pounder with an NFL future.
Jack has gone to the NFL, but Vanderdoes is back in the UCLA defensive line.
“UCLA gave up some rushing yards last year, but they lost three of their best players on that defense [during 2015],” said A&M Offensive Coordinator Noel Mazzone, who was at UCLA last season. “Eddie Vanderdoes is the guy we really have to keep an eye on. He scored about six touchdowns [on offense] for me over the past few years. Every offseason you work on your weaknesses and expand on your strengths. It will be a battle.”
The concern for A&M is that the offensive line is not battle tested.
Guard Colton Prater is a freshman. Center Erik McCoy is a redshirt freshman. Guard Connor Lanfear is a sophomore making his first collegiate start. Senior tackle Jermaine Eluemunor is making his second start at the major college level.
Knight doesn’t seemed too worried, though.
“I believe in our guys. I believe in the system that we have going. I believe in the preparation that we’ve put forth so far,” Knight said. “This is the best group I’ve been around as far as preparation goes and kind of molding ourselves through fall camp. I’m still figuring out who are the young guys and who are the old guys.
“A guy like Erick McCoy, who hasn’t played a whole lot of football here, is a veteran guy to me. Just the way he leads and the way he prepares and the way he handles himself day to day. That kind of stuff really doesn’t cross my mind. We’ve got a solid group of guys that will be out on the field that are capable of playing at the highest of levels.”
The Aggies can expect a successful outcome if their running game produces at a high level.
Or they could struggle if it doesn’t.
A&M’s running back depth chart lists the starter as James White or Keith Ford or Trayveon Williams.
Whoever starts, the Aggies better run efficiently...or else.
A&M begins the 2016 season with a new starting quarterback, four new starters on the offensive line and a new starter at running back, whoever it may be.
They’re facing a UCLA defense which last season was ranked 98th in the nation against the run.
In fact, UCLA allowed an average of 220.4 rushing yards in its five 2015 losses. Omit the Bruins loss to Washington State – which rarely runs in coach Mike Leach’s system – and that average swells to 266 yards per game.
In contrast, A&M averaged just 96.6 rushing yards in its five losses last season. The Aggies were 7-1 when rushing for at least 150 yards.
Alex Parker, TexAgs
Redshirt freshman Erik McCoy must play like a veteran in the middle for the Aggies to improve on the ground.
No doubt, there are plenty of other key matchups. A&M’s defense also must stop UCLA's running game and put pressure on Josh Rosen, the Bruins’ passing savant.
The Aggies must capitalize on their size advantage in receivers Ricky Seals-Jones and Josh Reynolds and the big-play threat of Christian Kirk against UCLA’s talented, but smaller secondary.
However, a big factor in utilizing the receivers will be a successful running game, which would force the UCLA defensive backs to get more involved in run support and in turn open up space in the secondary.
Last season UCLA needed all the help it could get against the run. The Bruins allowed an average of 198.4 rushing yards per game despite facing just three opponents that ranked among the nation’s top 45 in rushing offense.
Arizona State roasted the Bruins for 192 rushing yards. USC piled up 235. Stanford exploded for 311. Nebraska rolled for 326. UCLA lost each of those games.
The Bruins defense was crippled by a rash of injuries which claimed, among others, linebacker Myles Jack and defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes, a 6-foot-3, 325-pounder with an NFL future.
Jack has gone to the NFL, but Vanderdoes is back in the UCLA defensive line.
I think we’re going to do what we do ... we’re going to push the ball down the field, but we’re also going to line up and get the run game going. We’re going to be a balanced offense and definitely pound the rock, but then throw when it’s there.
Whether his presence will make up for the absence of defensive tackle Kenny Clark, a first round draft choice of the Green Bay Packers, may determine A&M’s level of success in the running game.“UCLA gave up some rushing yards last year, but they lost three of their best players on that defense [during 2015],” said A&M Offensive Coordinator Noel Mazzone, who was at UCLA last season. “Eddie Vanderdoes is the guy we really have to keep an eye on. He scored about six touchdowns [on offense] for me over the past few years. Every offseason you work on your weaknesses and expand on your strengths. It will be a battle.”
The concern for A&M is that the offensive line is not battle tested.
Guard Colton Prater is a freshman. Center Erik McCoy is a redshirt freshman. Guard Connor Lanfear is a sophomore making his first collegiate start. Senior tackle Jermaine Eluemunor is making his second start at the major college level.
Knight doesn’t seemed too worried, though.
“I believe in our guys. I believe in the system that we have going. I believe in the preparation that we’ve put forth so far,” Knight said. “This is the best group I’ve been around as far as preparation goes and kind of molding ourselves through fall camp. I’m still figuring out who are the young guys and who are the old guys.
“A guy like Erick McCoy, who hasn’t played a whole lot of football here, is a veteran guy to me. Just the way he leads and the way he prepares and the way he handles himself day to day. That kind of stuff really doesn’t cross my mind. We’ve got a solid group of guys that will be out on the field that are capable of playing at the highest of levels.”
The Aggies can expect a successful outcome if their running game produces at a high level.
Or they could struggle if it doesn’t.
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