Then again, having just been torched by Arky on 3rd down conversions, I expect Chavis to have our D focused like a laser on getting as many 3-and-outs against USC as possible. I also fully expect Mazzone to have our O focused on red zone touchdowns. Hopefully this will circumvent a lackluster performance against a perceived cupcake.
Photo by Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Texas A&M Football
Key Matchups: No. 9 Texas A&M at South Carolina
A&M QB Trevor Knight vs South Carolina HC Will Muschamp
Will Muschamp has returned to the SEC's head coaching ranks, but his fingerprints are all over the South Carolina defense just as they were Florida's during his stint as the leader in Gainesville. One of the best in the business, you can bet that Muschamp will have a game-plan designed to pressure and confuse Aggie quarterback Trevor Knight.
At the very least, the first-year Gamecock boss is going to make Knight prove he can beat the USC defense by making good throws and quick decisions under pressure. Trevor has taken a significant step forward in each of his first four starts in the Maroon & White and rolls into Columbia having produced several game-changing plays in the Ags' win over Arkansas.
Knight has also been positive and patient when things have started slowly for the Aggies, and he's protected the football, with a 12-to-3 TD-to-Turnover ratio. Muschamp's goal will be to frustrate and fluster the veteran signal-caller while keeping his perfect coaching record against Texas A&M intact. He's got a solid defense that's been very stingy in terms of points allowed (that's especially true in the red zone) but might be catching Knight and the Aggie offense at a bad time.
A&M Wide Receivers vs South Carolina Secondary
This is one of the few areas where the Gamecocks look like they might be able to match up. The Aggies will likely be without one of their starters and real matchup problems in Ricky Seals-Jones, who torched South Carolina two years ago in Columbia.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones was injured against Arkansas last week, so the Aggies may have to rely on an inexperienced back-up to fill his role.
The loss of RSJ means Aaron Moorehead will have to go with a less-experienced option and dig into what little depth the Ags have at the position while asking Christian Kirk, Josh Reynolds and Speedy Noil to step up against an SEC opponent on the road.
A&M is rolling into this one offensively, but the only Aggie receiver who's been producing at a high level is Reynolds, which means a struggling (by their lofty standards) receiving corps will look to break out against a Gamecock secondary that has actually been pretty salty through four games.
The Ags currently rank third in the SEC in pass offense, but it's fair to say that the bag has been mixed when it comes to Trevor Knight getting the ball to his receivers.
To make things tougher on Noel Mazzone's aerial attack, they'll be facing a South Carolina outfit that ranks second behind Florida in passing yards allowed per game. In fairness, the Cocks' schedule to date includes Vanderbilt, a Dak Prescott-less Mississippi State, East Carolina and Kentucky.
East Carolina currently ranks 8th nationally in pass offense, but USC's other three foes rank between 83 and 112 in that department. For what it's worth, ECU's Phillip Nelson did manage to carve up the Gamecocks for 400 yards on 44-of-58 passing but did throw a pair of picks. Long story short, the South Carolina secondary produced a mixed bag in its only test against a team capable of throwing the ball.
Knight and the Aggies have yet to hit their stride in the passing game and, with Tennessee and Alabama up next on the schedule, I'm sure Mazzone and Kevin Sumlin would breathe a huge sigh of relief if they're able to do so at Williams-Brice Stadium.
A&M RBs Williams and Ford vs South Carolina LB T.J. Holloman
Believe it or not, Texas A&M leads the SEC in rushing at 269 yards per game, and the Aggies are coming off of a 336-yard outburst in a one-sided win over Arkansas. South Carolina enters Saturday's contest giving up just under 200 yards per game, which is 12th in the conference standings.
The Cocks have seen three runners total 98 yards or more on the ground, with two tailbacks and a quarterback enjoying big days at the expense of Will Muschamp's D. Trayevon Williams and Keith Ford ripped off a combined five runs of 19 yards or more against the Razorbacks and have been one of the SEC's most explosive, 1-2 backfield punches through the first month of the season.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Running back Trayveon Williams had a break-out performance against Arkansas and will need to play well again this weekend.
T.J. Holloman has a ton of experience in the SEC trenches, and the sledding could very well be tougher than expected for the Aggies against a Gamecock D allowing just 17 points per game. Nevertheless, the 6-2, 240-pounder (and the entire USC linebacking corps) is likely to have his hands full while chasing down the Ags' explosive ball-carriers for four quarters on Saturday afternoon ... especially if the Aggies are able to open things up with the passing game early.
It's an assignment that proved too much for A&M's last two SEC opponents to handle.
A&M Defensive Ends vs South Carolina QB Brandon McIlwain
I could have just as easily mentioned Shaan Washington and the Aggie linebackers here, but the fact that we're likely to see more of Qualen Cunningham, Jarrett Johnson and James Lockhart this week with Myles Garrett likely out (my assumption, folks) makes their ability to step up and play at the required, high-end SEC level paramount to the Ags' defensive success.
The Aggie ends must set the edge and shed blocks in the running game while attacking zone read plays with proper technique and quick decision-making. That's because most of South Carolina's offensive hopes rest on the legs (and arm) of true freshman quarterback McIlwain and the Cocks' zone read and designed quarterback running game.
To date, the South Carolina offense has been pretty woeful, averaging just 17 points and 282 yards per game, both of which rank dead last in the Southeastern Conference. Will Muschamp and his staff realize the only way to realistically move the ball well enough to stay in the game with the Aggies is to do so on the strength of McIlwain's running ability and by keeping the A&M defense off-balance.
If the defensive ends – even the more inexperienced ones – can do that, A&M will return home with a perfect 5-0 mark.
A&M S Justin Evans vs South Carolina TE Hayden Hurst
The Gamecocks have a very good one in sophomore tight end Hayden Hurst. A former pro baseball player, Hurst is a 6-5, 250-pound beast who leads the Cocks in receptions with 19. USC's tight end is a next-level athlete who the Gamecocks will move around the formation, oftentimes lining the giant up as a wide receiver who they're not afraid to work into the bubble or tunnel screen game or take shots at down the field.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Expect standout safety Justin Evans to go toe-to-toe with South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst.
The South Carolina offense has struggled to produce points and yards this fall, but Hurst has been one of the unit's real bright spots. If the Ags are able to limit him, Gamecock punter Sean Kelly is going to be a very busy man against the Aggies.
Justin Evans, Armani Watts and even nickel Donovan Wilson will often draw the assignment of covering Hayden, who will present a unique challenge, but not something Terry Joseph's safeties can't handle. If I were a betting man, I'd say the guy you'll see matched up down the field more often than anyone else would be No. 14.
The Aggies vs Overconfidence
As a college football coach (or even as a fan), this is the type of game that scares you. Kevin Sumlin and his staff have a very difficult task ahead of them this week because if there's a 'trap' game on A&M's 2016 schedule, the road trip to South Carolina is it. A&M is coming off of an emphatic, 21-point win over Arkansas that not only vaulted the Ags into the top-10 but also took a pretty heavy physical toll.
The Aggies also have what could be a College GameDay battle of unbeatens looming on the horizon next weekend when the Tennessee Volunteers roll into town. A big game looming, an emotional win behind you, a few key injuries, the longest road trip of the season and facing a team that ranks near the very bottom of the SEC pecking order in their normally tough-to-play-in house?
Normally, that's the perfect recipe for a let-down.
Then again, this group of Aggies (and the A&M coaching staff) is a veteran bunch that seems to have learned from past mistakes. You can see it in the mature, even-keeled manner with which they've approached every game this season. As long as no one in the A&M locker room expects beating a Will Muschamp-coached team to be easy, it may very well end up being just that.
After all, the fact of the matter is that the Aggies are the superior team and playing with a high-degree of confidence. The key will be maintaining that belief without losing the 'us against the world' mentality that has carried the team this far. That's tougher to do when you're a double-digit road favorite and suddenly the hunted rather than the hunter, but tough is exactly how I'd describe this team, to date.
Will Muschamp has returned to the SEC's head coaching ranks, but his fingerprints are all over the South Carolina defense just as they were Florida's during his stint as the leader in Gainesville. One of the best in the business, you can bet that Muschamp will have a game-plan designed to pressure and confuse Aggie quarterback Trevor Knight.
At the very least, the first-year Gamecock boss is going to make Knight prove he can beat the USC defense by making good throws and quick decisions under pressure. Trevor has taken a significant step forward in each of his first four starts in the Maroon & White and rolls into Columbia having produced several game-changing plays in the Ags' win over Arkansas.
Knight has also been positive and patient when things have started slowly for the Aggies, and he's protected the football, with a 12-to-3 TD-to-Turnover ratio. Muschamp's goal will be to frustrate and fluster the veteran signal-caller while keeping his perfect coaching record against Texas A&M intact. He's got a solid defense that's been very stingy in terms of points allowed (that's especially true in the red zone) but might be catching Knight and the Aggie offense at a bad time.
A&M Wide Receivers vs South Carolina Secondary
This is one of the few areas where the Gamecocks look like they might be able to match up. The Aggies will likely be without one of their starters and real matchup problems in Ricky Seals-Jones, who torched South Carolina two years ago in Columbia.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones was injured against Arkansas last week, so the Aggies may have to rely on an inexperienced back-up to fill his role.
A&M is rolling into this one offensively, but the only Aggie receiver who's been producing at a high level is Reynolds, which means a struggling (by their lofty standards) receiving corps will look to break out against a Gamecock secondary that has actually been pretty salty through four games.
The Ags currently rank third in the SEC in pass offense, but it's fair to say that the bag has been mixed when it comes to Trevor Knight getting the ball to his receivers.
To make things tougher on Noel Mazzone's aerial attack, they'll be facing a South Carolina outfit that ranks second behind Florida in passing yards allowed per game. In fairness, the Cocks' schedule to date includes Vanderbilt, a Dak Prescott-less Mississippi State, East Carolina and Kentucky.
East Carolina currently ranks 8th nationally in pass offense, but USC's other three foes rank between 83 and 112 in that department. For what it's worth, ECU's Phillip Nelson did manage to carve up the Gamecocks for 400 yards on 44-of-58 passing but did throw a pair of picks. Long story short, the South Carolina secondary produced a mixed bag in its only test against a team capable of throwing the ball.
Knight and the Aggies have yet to hit their stride in the passing game and, with Tennessee and Alabama up next on the schedule, I'm sure Mazzone and Kevin Sumlin would breathe a huge sigh of relief if they're able to do so at Williams-Brice Stadium.
A&M RBs Williams and Ford vs South Carolina LB T.J. Holloman
Believe it or not, Texas A&M leads the SEC in rushing at 269 yards per game, and the Aggies are coming off of a 336-yard outburst in a one-sided win over Arkansas. South Carolina enters Saturday's contest giving up just under 200 yards per game, which is 12th in the conference standings.
The Cocks have seen three runners total 98 yards or more on the ground, with two tailbacks and a quarterback enjoying big days at the expense of Will Muschamp's D. Trayevon Williams and Keith Ford ripped off a combined five runs of 19 yards or more against the Razorbacks and have been one of the SEC's most explosive, 1-2 backfield punches through the first month of the season.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Running back Trayveon Williams had a break-out performance against Arkansas and will need to play well again this weekend.
It's an assignment that proved too much for A&M's last two SEC opponents to handle.
A&M Defensive Ends vs South Carolina QB Brandon McIlwain
I could have just as easily mentioned Shaan Washington and the Aggie linebackers here, but the fact that we're likely to see more of Qualen Cunningham, Jarrett Johnson and James Lockhart this week with Myles Garrett likely out (my assumption, folks) makes their ability to step up and play at the required, high-end SEC level paramount to the Ags' defensive success.
The Aggie ends must set the edge and shed blocks in the running game while attacking zone read plays with proper technique and quick decision-making. That's because most of South Carolina's offensive hopes rest on the legs (and arm) of true freshman quarterback McIlwain and the Cocks' zone read and designed quarterback running game.
To date, the South Carolina offense has been pretty woeful, averaging just 17 points and 282 yards per game, both of which rank dead last in the Southeastern Conference. Will Muschamp and his staff realize the only way to realistically move the ball well enough to stay in the game with the Aggies is to do so on the strength of McIlwain's running ability and by keeping the A&M defense off-balance.
If the defensive ends – even the more inexperienced ones – can do that, A&M will return home with a perfect 5-0 mark.
A&M S Justin Evans vs South Carolina TE Hayden Hurst
The Gamecocks have a very good one in sophomore tight end Hayden Hurst. A former pro baseball player, Hurst is a 6-5, 250-pound beast who leads the Cocks in receptions with 19. USC's tight end is a next-level athlete who the Gamecocks will move around the formation, oftentimes lining the giant up as a wide receiver who they're not afraid to work into the bubble or tunnel screen game or take shots at down the field.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Expect standout safety Justin Evans to go toe-to-toe with South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst.
Justin Evans, Armani Watts and even nickel Donovan Wilson will often draw the assignment of covering Hayden, who will present a unique challenge, but not something Terry Joseph's safeties can't handle. If I were a betting man, I'd say the guy you'll see matched up down the field more often than anyone else would be No. 14.
The Aggies vs Overconfidence
As a college football coach (or even as a fan), this is the type of game that scares you. Kevin Sumlin and his staff have a very difficult task ahead of them this week because if there's a 'trap' game on A&M's 2016 schedule, the road trip to South Carolina is it. A&M is coming off of an emphatic, 21-point win over Arkansas that not only vaulted the Ags into the top-10 but also took a pretty heavy physical toll.
The Aggies also have what could be a College GameDay battle of unbeatens looming on the horizon next weekend when the Tennessee Volunteers roll into town. A big game looming, an emotional win behind you, a few key injuries, the longest road trip of the season and facing a team that ranks near the very bottom of the SEC pecking order in their normally tough-to-play-in house?
Normally, that's the perfect recipe for a let-down.
Then again, this group of Aggies (and the A&M coaching staff) is a veteran bunch that seems to have learned from past mistakes. You can see it in the mature, even-keeled manner with which they've approached every game this season. As long as no one in the A&M locker room expects beating a Will Muschamp-coached team to be easy, it may very well end up being just that.
After all, the fact of the matter is that the Aggies are the superior team and playing with a high-degree of confidence. The key will be maintaining that belief without losing the 'us against the world' mentality that has carried the team this far. That's tougher to do when you're a double-digit road favorite and suddenly the hunted rather than the hunter, but tough is exactly how I'd describe this team, to date.
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