Tag: Moose Muhammad III

‘..I am proud of that team and that locker room. I’m proud of those guys for stepping through.’ Elijah Robinson speaks after close loss to Oklahoma State.

Hear what Interim Head Coach Elijah Robinson had to say after the TaxAct Bowl game

The 2023 football season has officially ended for the Aggie Football team and new head coach Mike Elko has a lot to look forward to in the future.

I don’t think anyone knew what to expect when the Aggies took the field at NRG Stadium on Wednesday night. Then, when third-string QB Jaylon Henderson was knocked out of the game on the very first play from scrimmage, it appeared that skipping the game altogether might have been the wiser choice.

However, true freshman Marcel Reed, 180 pounds soaking wet, showed that Aggie spirit and fought all game long, giving A&M a fighting chance to the very end. As awkward as the Elijah Robinson situation got over the past few weeks, he kept his word to the team, took a very depleted team in the TaxAct Bowl, and gave the Big 12 runner-up a run for their money.

“We talked brotherhood from the very beginning, and no matter what anybody said outside of that locker room, the locker room was about brotherhood.” “I give a lot of credit to the coaches and those guys sticking around… The kids gave us everything we asked of them.”

Below, you can hear everything Interim Head Coach Elijah Robinson had to say following the game.

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Shorthanded Texas A&M football team bested by No. 20 Oklahoma State in Texas Bowl rematch

“This program is capable of being a team that is in the playoff and competing for national championships every year,” Mike Elko told ESPN.

The Jimbo Fisher era at Texas A&M has finally come to an end following the Texas Bowl which concluded the 2023 season on Wednesday night in Houston.

No. 20 Oklahoma State (10-4) defeated the Aggies (7-6) by a final score of 31-23 at NRG Stadium. The Cowboys earned revenge from the 2019 Texas Bowl, which Texas A&M won 24-21.

Wednesday’s SEC versus Big 12 showdown began with a somber start as Aggies sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson injured his right arm on the first snap of the game. He did not return and true freshman Marcel Reed took over as starting quarterback for the remainder of the contest.

Five plays stuck out for Texas A&M as highlights of the game. First, junior wide receiver Moose Muhammad III hauled in an incredible 29-yard one-handed reception in the second quarter.

Next, freshman defensive back Dalton Brooks reeled in his first collegiate interception to begin the second half. Then in the third period, Reed took off down the right sideline and galloped into the end zone for a 20-yard rushing touchdown. About four minutes into the fourth quarter, graduate student Sam Mathews recorded the first interception of his Texas A&M career.

Finally, junior kicker Randy Bond tallied a hat trick with three field goals. His final boot of the night came with 5:07 remaining and bounced off the crossbar and in from 51 yards out to set a new Texas Bowl record.

While there may have been positive plays along the way, the Aggies were ultimately overmatched against Oklahoma State. Texas A&M had only 48 scholarship players in uniform on Wednesday.

Aggies interim head coach Elijah Robinson now departs the program to become defensive coordinator at Syracuse. He led Texas A&M to a 1-2 overall record during his short tenure at the helm.

As the calendar turns to 2024 in a couple of days, the Mike Elko era in College Station officially begins. Elko was interviewed during the Texas Bowl on ESPN and his outlook for the future of Aggies football should get the 12th Man very excited.

“We’ve gotta become what we’re capable of becoming, that’s the biggest thing,” Elko said on ESPN. “This program is capable of being a team that is in the playoff and competing for national championships every year, but we’re not that right now. We’ve gotta recognize that, roll up our sleeves and go to work to become what we should be.”

Below are the Texas A&M critical contributors from the game:

Reed: 20-33 pass attempts, 361 yards passing, 29 yards rushing and 1 TD

Amari Daniels: 8 carries for 29 yards rushing and 1 TD, 1 catch for 34 yards

Jahdae Walker: 8 catches for 137 yards

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Watch: Texas A&M WR Moose Muhammad III hauls in 1-handed reception during Texas Bowl

First impressions are very important and Texas A&M junior wide receiver Moose Muhammad III made the most of his opportunity on Wednesday night during the Texas Bowl.

First impressions are very important and Texas A&M junior wide receiver Moose Muhammad III made the most of his opportunity on Wednesday night during the Texas Bowl.

Aggies head coach Mike Elko was interviewed during the ESPN broadcast of No. 20 Oklahoma State against Texas A&M and Muhammad impressed his new coach with an incredible one-handed catch.

Muhammad hauled in a 29-yard reception with his right hand to reach Cowboys territory immediately after Elko stepped into the booth.

“Attaboy, Moose! That’s not a bad first play for me to be calling right there,” Elko said on ESPN. “It’s a heck of a throw and what a catch.

“That’s Moose right there at his finest.”

The junior wideout is the son of former NFL player Muhsin Muhammad II, who played in the league for 14 seasons on three separate teams.

Moose caught the pass from true freshman Marcel Reed. Sophomore starting quarterback Jaylen Henderson injured his right arm on the first snap of the game versus Oklahoma State when he completed an 11-yard pass to junior wide receiver Jahdae Walker.

Muhammad is 1-of-3 wideouts on scholarship that are active on Wednesday along with Walker and freshman Micah Tease.

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Texas A&M’s depth chart ahead of the TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State

Here is Texas A&M’s depth chart ahead of Wednesday’s TaxAct Texas Bowl matchup vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State in NRG Stadium.

Texas A&M and No. 20 Oklahoma State are set to face off for the final time in 2023 during Wednesday night’s TaxAct Texas Bowl, which will occur in the Houston Texans’ NRG Stadium among what should be a packed crowd.

Amid all the changes taking place in College Station after the Nov. 12 firing of Jimbo Fisher and the subsequent hiring of new head coach Mike Elko just two weeks later, Elko and his staff have already dealt with more than a dozen departures through the transfer portal, but have also gained 14 signees from the 2024 recruiting cycle, and seven additions from the portal.

While current interim head coach Elijah Robinson has ignited some mild controversy regarding his recruiting tactics while already working in his 2024 role as Syracuses’ new defensive coordinator, we can only trust a man at his word, and Robinson has continually promised that the Aggies are his sole focus heading into the bowl game.

For Oklahoma State, superstar running back Ollie Gordon III is expected to play, meaning that A&M’s now depleted defensive line will have its biggest challenge yet, as defensive tackles McKinnley Jackson (2024 NFL Draft), Walter Nolen (transfer portal) and Isaiah Raikes (transfer portal) have left the program.

Looking at Texas A&M’s depth chart ahead of the game, the roster may be depleted, but the Aggies should have enough to get the job done, including 55 scholarship players who are posed to dress out. Here is A&M’s complete depth chart ahead of Wednesday’s TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State.

Five players to watch ahead of Texas A&M vs. No. 14 LSU

Can QB Jaylen Henderson shine? Here are five players to watch ahead of Texas A&M’s season finale vs. No. 14 LSU.

We’ve sadly reached the end of the 2023 college football regular season.

Texas A&M, despite the recent turmoil stemming from former head coach Jimbo Fisher’s firing, is 7-4 and 4-3 in the SEC. It heads to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to take on the 14th-ranked LSU Tigers for an early Saturday kickoff.

In interim head coach Elijah Robinson’s first game at the helm, the longtime assistant earned his first win. The Aggies defeated Abilene Christian, 38-10, behind a solid second-half performance, which included seldom utilized wide receiver Moose Muhammad II’s 104 receiving yard performance that galvanized A&M’s offense.

This Aggie team is playing free and loose, knowing Texas A&M’s new head football coach could be announced anytime.

The Aggies are facing the best offense in college football this season. LSU’s Jayden Daniels has been lights out in SEC play, producing 4,591 total yards and 46 total touchdowns in 11 games. He deserves the Heisman Trophy. To keep him contained in the pocket, the Aggies’ competent defense will need to play its best game of the season. The offense will likely need to score 30 to 35 points to have a chance.

Who will need to step up for the Maroon & White? Here are five players to watch before Saturday’s matchup vs. No. 14 LSU.

Moose Muhammad’s highlight reel game against ACU has not gone unnoticed

Moose Muhammad popped back up on the scene in major way last weekend, and the main stream media is impressed

If anyone knows highlight plays, it’s NFL veteran and Super Bowl winner LeSean “Shady” McCoy. He couldn’t help but notice the performance that Moose Muhammad put on against the ACU Wildcats and named him the Speak on FS1 “Crazy Work” winner of the week.

It’s been a curious year for the junior wide receiver following what seemed to be a breakout season in 2022. Leading into last week’s game Moose only had 159 yards and one touchdown through nine games. Well, the dynamic receiver put his elite hands and athletic ability on full display again to the tune of 104 yards and a Sports Center top-ten highlight-worthy catch.

With the shakeup of Jimbo Fisher being fired and with eligibility left it will be interesting to see what Moose decides to do in the future. His talent is undeniable and is one catch away from a specular play.

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Five takeaways from Texas A&M’s 38-10 win over Abilene Christian

In the last game at Kyle Field in 2023, the 12th Man was honored in more ways than one. Here are five takeaways from the win.

Yes, Texas A&M (7-4, 4-3 SEC) won their last home game of the 2023 football season in front of a packed Kyle Field. Yes, the play was underwhelming in the first game since now-former head coach Jimbo Fisher’s firing, but what stood out more than anything was the heart and soul of the 12th Man displayed 24 years to the day after the tragic 1999 Aggie bonfire collapse to the lives to 12 Texas A&M students.

Since the incident, this is the first time in history that the game was played on the exact day as the A&Mn remembrance. At the same time, the A&M logo was draped with a ribbon, and senior linebacker and special teamer Sam Mathews, who represented the 12th Man on the field this season, showed up and showed out in his final game in Aggieland.

Trailing 7-0 after an ACU pick-six, sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson, in his second start of the season, failed to find any momentum early in the first half, but thanks to the play of wide receivers Moose Muhammad (4 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD) and Jahdae Walker’s (4 receptions, 88 yards) impressive day through the air, Henderson threw a crisp 13-yard end zone fade to sophomore WR Noah Thomas to take a 17-10 lead into halftime time.

After the half, Henderson swiftly found Muhammad for a 49-yard dime early in the 3rd quarter, sealing the game as the Aggie’s defense held ACU to just 149 passing yards and 93 yards on the ground, only allowing three points on offense.

To cap things off, interim head coach Elijah Robinson implemented the annual senior day all-walk kick-off team, almost resulting in a fumble after a big hit from senior kicker Blair Zepeda. At the same time, Sam Mathews made the final tackle of the fame in a fitting fashion.

Ahead of A&M’s season finale road matchup vs. LSU next Saturday, here are five takeaways from the Aggies’ 38-10 win over Abilene Christian.

Jimbo Fisher finally provided an update regarding Texas A&M WR Moose Muhammad’s lack of play time

On Monday head coach Jimbo Fisher finally provided an update regarding WR Moose Muhammad III lack of play time this season.

On Monday, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher, during his annual weekly press conference, provided a cryptic yet revealing answer regarding the lack of playtime for wide receiver Moose Muhammad III, who, in eight games this season, has only recorded 14 receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown. In the Aggies’ 30-17 win over South Carolina, the junior did not take a single snap against the Gamecocks.

“Just guys are playing an different things we are doing schematically,” Fisher stated. “Some guys are playing and are in the rotation. He will be right there. There is nothing wrong with what he is doing. We will keep going.”

Texas A&M’s starting wide receiver rotation starts and ends with Ainias Smith (33 receptions, 569 yards, 1 TD) and Evan Stewart (37 receptions, 506 yards, 4 TDs). At the same time, Noah Thomas has come back into the fold after recovering from several minor injuries. On Saturday, Grand Valley State transfer WR Jahdae Walker and freshman Micah Tease combined for 38 snaps in Muhammad’s absence, which may solidify Fisher’s scheme-based reasoning.

Going back to last season, specifically after Ainias Smith’s season-ending leg injury in the win against Arkansas, Muhammad, who was previously buried on the depth chart, quickly became one of the lone bright spots for the Aggies with their 5-7 finish, leading the team with 23 receptions and 380 receiving yards in their final five games.

With the critical road trip to face the 11th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels on the docket this weekend, Muhammad’s ability, especially his size (6-1 205 pounds) and route running efficiency should never be questioned on any given Saturday. If the Aggies have any chance at shocking head coach Lane Kiffin’s talented squad, it’s time to release Moose into the open field.

How did he fair against the Rebels last season? Eight receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. I’d say that warrants an uptick in snaps with Saturday.

Texas A&M will now travel to Oxford (MS) to face the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday, Nov. 5, where the game will again air on ESPN at 11:00 a.m. CT.

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Texas A&M Football 2023 Midseason Grades: Wide receivers

Texas A&M’s receivers were hot to start out the season, but have since cooled off amid a sluggish offense in the last month.

The Aggies Wire team is doing the same with Texas A&M (4-3, 2-2), looking to take a breather and reassess heading into the bye week. Namely, there’s no better time to take a pulse check on how the Aggies have fared through the first half of the season, with a deep dive on each positional group.

Next up, we’re looking at the Aggies wide receivers, headlined by Evan Stewart, Ainias Smith, Noah Thomas, Moose Muhammad III, Jahdae Walker, and more.

Highlights

Enough cannot be said for the play of Stewart and Smith through the first half of the season. Both are tied for the most receiving yards among all Aggies with 451 yards apiece. While Agent Zero has yet to find the endzone through the air, he already has one kick return for a touchdown back in Texas A&M’s win over Arkansas.

Stewart, meanwhile, is tied with Thomas for the most receiving touchdowns for A&M through the first half of the season (4).

The loss of Conner Weigman to a season-ending foot injury was a tough pill to swallow, as the Aggies’ high-octane offense was on full display, and the talent level from the wide receivers corps proved to be a central factor.

Areas of improvement

Thomas’ four receiving touchdowns came during the first two weeks of the season, with three alone in A&M’s season opener versus New Mexico. He totaled 74 receiving yards in Week 1, but since then, he’s surpassed the 40-yard receiving mark just once in last week’s loss to the Vols.

Muhammad, meanwhile, seems to be the odd man out in what is, in reality, a crowded receiving room. He has just 14 receptions for 130 receiving yards and one touchdown, with the latter coming all the way back in Week 1. Muhammad’s 9.3 yards per reception mark a steep decline from his 15.7 average over the previous two seasons.

Final grade: C+

The Aggies rank seventh in the SEC in receiving yards per game (268.1), which is solid but by no means up to par given the talent level in the receiving room. Granted, not all the blame should be shouldered on the players. Weigman’s injury undoubtedly impacts how potent this offense can be through the air, and A&M’s porous pass protection from the offensive line doesn’t help.

Still, the drop-off over the last month can’t be ignored. Since throwing for 399 yards in a Week 3 win over UL Monroe, the Aggies haven’t surpassed the 300-yard mark. Over their last four games, they’ve averaged 216.3 yards per game through the air.

If the Maroon and White hope to steer their season back on track to a strong finish, something has to give on offense. If A&M can address their shortcomings on the offensive line, alongside some added ingenuity via play-action or through some motion, it should help reawaken the receiving performance that was on display earlier in the year.

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Five players to watch in Texas A&M’s Week 3 home matchup vs. UL Monroe

More Ainias Smith, Moose Muhammad? Who needs to step up the most on defense? Here are five players to watch ahead to Texas A&M vs. UL Monroe

Texas A&M’s (1-1) road trip to Miami last weekend took a turn for the worst after initially leading 17-7 in the second quarter before Hurricanes quarterback Tyler Van Dyke took control of the game, hitting WR Isaiah Horton on a 52-yard bomb to bring the game within three points and ended up outscoring the Aggies 41-17 in the second half behind five touchdowns from Van Dyke.

Sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman wasn’t the problem by any means, throwing for 336 yards and two touchdowns while playing with old-school toughness and grit, all while being blitzed on 33 of his 57 dropback attempts. In comparison, WR Evan Stewart led the team in receiving with 11 receptions for 142 yards.

Defensively, second-year defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin is under fire after one of the worst performances in the last five years, as the Hurricanes averaged 17.8 yards a completion and 8.4 yards per play behind Van Dyke’s 374 yards through the air, mostly due to poor coverage and a ton of missed tackles.

While most of these issues can be fixed, Texas A&M’s defense has not improved under Durkin compared to current Duke head coach Mike Elko, who served as the Aggies defensive coordinator for four seasons (2018-2021).

Nevertheless, Texas A&M will now take on the visiting UL Monroe Warhawks, who look to “ground and pound” their way to an upset victory. Still, I expect this Aggie team to not only take out their frustrations after last weekend’s lapse but finally show some discipline on defense and continue to gel on the offensive line ahead of SEC play. However, for any of this to happen, the players and coaching staff need to instill a sense of urgency to accomplish their still attainable goals.

Ahead of Week 3, here are the five Texas A&M players to watch before Texas A&M vs. UL Monroe.