A disappointing 48-33 college football loss to Miami left Texas A&M players feeling hurt, but not knocked out.
Defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, receiver Ainias Smith and coach Jimbo Fisher on Monday expressed confidence in the ability to bounce back and have a strong season.
“One way to describe us, I would say, is hurt, honestly,” Jackson said. “Because of the competitive nature of the brotherhood we like to play with. We like to fight for each other against another team.
“We lost the game. It was a devastating feeling. We’ve got a long season, but why not win them all?”
“Usually, it’s self-evaluation that you don’t point fingers, don’t panic. You look at why it happened, why it didn’t happen and make sure you fix those thing. Take them to the practice field and then take them to the game field.”
- A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher
The Aggies did that in 2020. They fell to Alabama in the second game then posted eight consecutive victories, including an Orange Bowl win over North Carolina, to finish ranked No. 4 in the country.
Smith was a key figure on that 2020 team. He said he sees reasons to believe this team can duplicate that feat.
“We definitely have, I’d say, some dogs … guys with the mentality that they want to get better,” Smith said. “You can see that already in the locker room.
“Of course, we’re hurt by the loss. Nobody wants to lose. But the guys that are in the locker room are effected. They don’t want to feel this feeling again. After the game it was quiet. A lot of distress. A lot of things were going on that happens with a team that loses.
“The only way you can do that is making sure you go hard every day during practice. You have to force yourself to want to be out there, want to go out there and be coached and just do everything right.”
That requires a positive attitude and mental strength.
“It’s all about a mindset,” Smith said. You’re not able to be stuck in the same place. Of course, the energy of the locker room is pretty tense. Guys are upset at the loss.
“That’s expected. You want to be kind of upset. If they weren’t, I feel like that would be an issue.”
Fisher acknowledged the Aggies must improve tackling, block better and play cleaner when they face Louisiana-Monroe Saturday at 3 p.m. CT at Kyle Field.
He also indicated he was encouraged by how the players have responded to the loss.
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After Saturday’s loss, Texas A&M is 1-7 in its last eight games against P5 opponents.
“After the game we were upset. Guys were upset. They handled it well,” Fisher said. “They handled it maturely. They’ve been back asking questions. Nobody missed yesterday. Nobody did anything yesterday. They were on time. Did what they were supposed to do when they were supposed to do it. Up there watching film. They’re studying. From their demeanor and their approach I think they’re doing a really good job.”
That maturity, he said, is necessary for the Aggies to bounce back and have a strong season like the 2020 team did.
“Maturity and recognition of what the problems were, accepting them and then correcting them,” Fisher said. “Usually, it’s self-evaluation that you don’t point fingers, don’t panic. You look at why it happened, why it didn’t happen and make sure you fix those thing. Take them to the practice field and then take them to the game field.”
Of Secondary Importance
A&M’s defensive backs struggled though a miserable outing against Miami.
The Aggies gave up 374 yards and five touchdown passes. Perhaps even more alarming is they gave up a whopping 241 yards after-the-catch.
Smith, though, remains confident in the defensive backs.
“Those guys know they’re going to come back stronger than ever. They always bounce back from tough days in practice. We have some real good leaders on the defensive side that I know will get those guys right.
“The whole team’s mindset is to win. I don’t think anybody wants to lose. If they do, we need to get them on out of here.”
Won’t Let It Slide
Quarterback Conner Weigman’s first career interception was a result of Smith slipping on the wet turf at Hard Rock Stadium
A hard rain fell shortly before kickoff.
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Per PFF, Conner Weigman was blitzed on 33 of his 57 dropbacks on Saturday.
However, Smith refused to blame the rain or the turf for the slip.
“I wish I never slipped. I should have kept my footing,” he said. “It probably would have been better had I used two feet instead of one on the plant.
“I’m not really going to blame the field or the rain. Things happen in football. You’re not able to control the field, whether it’s wet or slippery. For me to say the field was slippery so that’s why Conner threw a pick, I’m not able to say that.
“I’m the type of person that says I should have kept my footing. You can think however you want, but I’m blaming myself.”
Quick Fixes Up Front?
Fisher acknowledged A&M needs to mount a more consistent pass rush. He also said the Aggies need to provide more protection to Weigman.
The Aggies managed two sacks against Miami, but were not credited with any more quarterback pressures.
The solution to those problems can be quickly fixed.
“It can be,” he said. “Also from schemes and twists games and rush games. Also when young guys transitioning from run to pass. When you get a run look and you realize it’s a pass, it’s transitioning to the edge and getting that edge and getting that rush.
“That can be fixed and it can be done well. We’ve got some guys that can rush the passer.”
Offensively, A&M did not allow any sacks, but Weigman was hurried at least on four occasions. Fisher said the offensive line wasn’t always to blame for the pressure Weigman was under.
“Conner did a great job, but there were two or three times he should have slid the front the other way,” Fisher said. “It wasn’t the line. He had to get the Mike declaration to slide the other way and we slid it the wrong way. There were a couple of those.
“A couple of times we had “hot” routes where guys came unblocked. We knew that. He caught them off the back side.
“He needed to dump the ball out in the flat or a drag, whatever the ‘hot’ route was that he didn’t pick up. And then we got beat a couple of times. It was a combination of all three.”
NOTES:
- Louisiana-Monroe coach Terry Bowden, the son of legendary late Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, was Fisher’s coach at Salem College and Samford. Bowden later hired Fisher as an assistant coach at Auburn.
- Speaking of Auburn, kickoff for the Aggies’ game against the Tigers on Sept. 23 has been set for 11 a.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
