Texas A&M football, plus one bad loss, equals a monsoon of negative overreactions. It’s a formula that never fails, and one Fox Sports analyst is the latest to jump in on the trend.
While speaking on his podcast, The Joel Klatt Show, the show’s titular host did not mince words when reacting to Texas A&M’s 48-33 loss to Miami in Week 2. Better yet, he doubled down with an emphatic proclamation.
It’s safe to say that Klatt isn’t buying what the Aggies are selling regarding the trajectory of its football program. And in the eyes of the Fox Sports analyst, the root of the problem lies in their head coach:
“The Jimbo Fisher experiment at Texas A&M is not working. That’s a failed experiment. And I don’t know what you’re gonna do.”
For Klatt, giving up 48 points to the Miami Hurricanes was the match in the powder barrel that set off his rant:
“They’re the fourth-most talented roster in the sport. And just gave up 48 to Miami? I don’t know if I believe in Miami yet, but I can tell you what I don’t believe in: Texas A&M.”
Klatt also brought up the Aggies’ recent record against Power Five competition, which naturally, dates back to their underwhelming 2022 season:
“That’s a terrible loss. Texas A&M is now 1-7 in their last eight games against Power Five teams. That’s staggering, they’re the fourth-most talented roster in college football. Folks, this is not working.”
“The Jimbo Fisher experiment at Texas A&M is not working. That’s a failed experiment.”@JoelKlatt still can’t believe the lack of success from one of the most talented rosters in college football 😬 pic.twitter.com/fjAWtYKwsk
— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) September 12, 2023
Granted, the head coach is the face of a college football program. But pointing fingers at Fisher when the Aggies’ Week 2 loss resulted from a porous defensive effort, and more accurately, a lethargic play-calling performance, is simply lazy analysis.
Sure, Texas A&M’s record against Power Five competition as of late has been an eyesore. But did Klatt choose to gloss over the fact that injuries to the quarterback, offensive line, and receivers nonetheless played a factor? More than a few true freshmen were thrust into a “baptism by fire” campaign in 2022, so it’s not entirely shocking if they struggled against Power Five, and namely SEC, competition.
Giving up 48 points to a much improved and highly motivated Hurricanes team falls on the defense. Regarding that side of the ball, this week’s criticism is well-warranted, and that falls on both the players and defensive coaches. Fisher doesn’t call the plays, but he does assemble the staff.
If anything, that area is where this week’s criticism is justified, and we’ve surely covered that in full here at Aggies Wire. But making the claim that one loss amounts to a colossal failure at the program level is lazy.
The cynics won’t stop with Klatt, but there remains one solution to quiet the noise: rebounding with a convincing win against UL Monroe in Week 3.
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