Texas A&M earned what could end up being a season-defining win over the Florida Gators on Saturday afternoon, as backup quarterback Marcel Reed entered one of the most challenging environments in College Football with complete poise in his first career start.
As starting quarterback Conner Weigman watched from the sideline due to his shoulder injury, the redshirt freshman was efficient from the pocket and impressive on the ground, proving that he is the most dynamic signal caller on the roster until Weigman is fully healthy.
Here are the three players that stood out during Saturday’s critical victory:
DE Rylan Kennedy
While the bigger names on Texas A&M’s defensive line received the usual credit, including Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton, the consistent play of defensive end Rylan Kennedy, one of the rising stars on the Aggie defense, made the most of his snaps.
Recording three tackles on the day, the sophomore earned a 78.0 defensive grade (the highest on the team) and a 73.5 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus. Kennedy’s length, strength, and athleticism make him one of the ascending defensive stars among a stacked defensive line.
QB Marcel Reed
What more can be said about the redshirt freshman? Marcel Reed learned that he would make his first career start during the team’s pre-kickoff warm-ups, coming into the game with the mindset of a seasoned veteran. Reed stuck to the game plan OC Collin Klein provided him from start to finish, making his check-downs when needed while using his legs to move the chains efficiently.
Would a healthy Conner Weigman have won this game? I believe so, but after watching Reed in Klein’s scheme, I realize he looks like a better fit. At the end of the day, that’s up to head coach Mike Elko.
Texas A&M’s offensive line
It’s not just one player along Texas A&M’s offensive line that deserves single credit, and while I could also single out running backs Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels, the O-line paved the way for both backs to lead the Aggie rushing attack.
Ranging from left tackle Trey Zuhn to backup center TJ Shanahan, the offensive line completely controlled the line of scrimmage while pushing Florida’s large defensive line off the ball to open up running lanes. It looked like A&M’s 2020 O-line, which led the team to nine wins.
If this type of play and mindset can keep up heading into the thick of SEC play, Texas A&M’s offense has a chance to live up to its preseason expectations.
Texas A&M will host Bowling Green on Saturday, Sept. 21. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+ and SEC Network+.
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