Tag: Texas A&M defense

The highs and the lows from Texas A&M’s defense after losing to Alabama 26-20

The good, the bad, and the very ugly performance from Texas A&M’s defense after the Aggies 26-20 loss to Alabama on Saturday afternoon.

First off, congratulations to Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton for absolutely gutting the Aggies’ porous secondary for an impressive stat line of 9 receptions, 197 receiving yards, and two touchdowns, accounting for 57% of the Tide’s offense the Alabama’s 26-20 win Saturday afternoon. Seriously, bravo, young man.

Furthermore, former Boston College cornerback Josh DeBerry, who entered the program this offseason with high hopes to provide a sense of stability in the defense backfield, was responsible for 145 of Burton’s 197 receiving yards on five receptions, grading out with an anemic 49.5 coverage grade, according to PFF.

Even worse, quarterback Jalen Milroe’s 321 passing yards were virtually the result of explosive downfield passes. Burton and WR Isaiah Bond (7 rec, 96 yards, 1 TD) exposed the third level of the Aggie D for considerable gains in random spurts. What’s confusing regarding DeBerry’s performance was the lack of care to make a change from the coaching staff as the yards stacked up, as it wasn’t until the second half before Burton’s second lead-taking touchdown that he was subbed out. It makes you think.

Moving on from the bad, there were still a lot of positives to take away from the Aggies’ elite pass rush, accounting for six sacks and eight tackles for loss, totaling 20 sacks and 38 TFLs in their last three SEC matchups. Still sporting the 10th-ranked defense and eighth-ranked rushing defense, linebackers Edgerrin Cooper (11 tackles, three sacks, three TFLs), Taurean York (five tackles) and defensive linemen Fadil Diggs (five tackles, two sacks, two TFLs) and Walter Nolen (two tackles, one sack) consistently stood out in the trenches.

Focusing on Cooper, the junior standout has elevated his game to the next level, currently ranked fifth in sacks (6) and fourth in tackles for loss (12) while currently leading the team in tackles with 41 in six games. And credit to GigEm247’s Carter Karels, who noted that Cooper’s first three seasons in the program only produced 13.5 TFLs and 0.5 sacks; tremendous improvement.

While I don’t expect the pass rush to drop off anytime soon, aside from injury-related production loss, personnel changes in the secondary need to be made ahead of next week’s pivotal road matchup vs. Tennessee, whether benching DeBerry in favor of sophomore CB Deuce Harmon or altering the scheme, second-year defensive coordinator D.J Durkin has a lot of work ahead of next Saturday.

Texas A&M will travel to face the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 2:30 p.m. CT, inside Neyland Stadium (TV: CBS).

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Texas A&M LB Taurean York has been named 247Sports ‘True Freshman of the Week’

After leading the Aggies in tackles in Texas A&M’s 27-10 win over Auburn, freshman LB Tauren York is 247Sports’ True Freshman of the Week.

Texas A&M freshman linebacker Taurean York has been a revelation for a team that may have found the missing link in the middle of the defense. Coming in a three-star player in the 2023 recruiting class, York’s ascendence as a first-year starter may have surprised the Aggie fan base, but for head coach Jimbo Fisher, he is wise beyond his years.

“Very mature. He’s a kid that is 18 going on 30, and I say that from a standpoint of how he learned and how he act. He’s a very intelligent guy and a very well-rounded guy that has had a very good cam. A true freshman that can make calls for you.”

So far, so good, as York, starting at the MIKE linebacker spot, is second on the team in tackles with 22, making nearly every defensive call. During the Aggies 27-10 SEC opening win against Auburn on Saturday, the Temple, Texas native had himself a day, recording a game-high 11 tackles with half a sack and two tackles for loss while perfectly positioning the defensive line to record seven sacks on the afternoon, their most in six seasons.

With one of the best defensive performances on the college football weekend, York was named 247Sports‘ “True Freshman of the Week,” notably quarterback a defense that held the Tigers to only 10 points, 3.1 yards per play, and only 54 yards through the air.

Not only was Taurean York making the defensive calls that led to consistent pressure in the pocket, but his playmaking ability and impressive speed and tackling in space are something I expect to see every week. In contrast, his sneaky ability to rush the passer is very intriguing moving forward. Again, give Jimbo Fisher a ton of credit for finding York and luring him away from Baylor, where he was previously committed for most of his recruiting process.

“He’s only going to get better with what he does, the reads he makes, and the assignments. The kid is a heck of a player and he’s a very mature kid. Happy for him.”

Congratulations on the honor, Taurean! Gig ’em.

Texas A&M will now travel to AT&T Stadium to face the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 11:00 a.m. CT., and air on the SEC Network.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Texas A&M’s ferocious pass rush against the Auburn Tigers can, and needs to be sustained

Texas A&M’s defense completed dominated the visiting Auburn Tigers on Saturday, while their notable pass rush finally found life.

Texas A&M defensive coordinator D.J Durkin has rightfully been under fire through the first three games this season after the Aggie’s 48-33 loss to Miami in Week 2, plagued by one of the worst defensive efforts witnessed from the program in quite some time.

However, minor improvements were made after defeating UL Monroe 47-3 in Week 3, leading to Saturday’s defensive explosion that none of us saw coming in Texas A&M’s rousing 27-10 victory over the visiting Auburn Tigers to open SEC play.

While starting quarterback Conner Weigman’s ankle injury (X-rays were negative) has taken most of the attention away from the big win, the Aggies suffocating pass rush and “bend but don’t break” defensive approach yielded seven sacks (most since 2017), 15 tackles for loss, while allowing only 54 yards through the air from three Auburn quarterbacks, while wreaking absolute havoc on veteran signal-caller Peyton Thorne on every possession.

Texas A&M’s sudden surge on the defensive line isn’t a mystery, as Durkin’s willingness to change up his scheme and blitz at a high rate paid off, utilizing the incredible athletes in the trenches. At the same time, the linebacker duo of Edgerrin Cooper and freshman Taurean York led the team in tackles and set the defensive tone from start to finish, according to star defensive back Byce Anderson.

“We have a crazy defensive line. (Taurean) York and (Edgerrin) Cooper played great… Today was a collective effort.”

Cooper, who recorded eight tackles and led the team with two sacks, was second to York’s game-high 11 tackles, and two tackles for loss have vaulted him in the discussion for one of the top freshmen in the country. They will only continue to develop throughout the SEC slate.

“Auburn is not the main goal. The main goal is to run through the SEC… This is a step along the way.”

With nine players recording three or more tackles on the afternoon, this was definitely a collective effort, but asking, “Is this sustainable?” may keep Aggie fans on their toes, especially with the high-scoring Arkansas Razorbacks coming to Arlington, Texas next Saturday.

Simple answer? Maybe, but the results against the Tigers are certainly encouraging, and to keep Razorbacks QB K.J Jefferson from developing a passing rhythm early, Durkin should keep a similar game plan and continue to emphasize pressure through a variety of creative blitz packages while keeping the secondary from being exposed.

However, as Anderon alluded, consistent effort was the primary factor in the Aggies’ defensive ascendence, and to reach their lofty goals with eight games remaining, replicating Saturday’s performance is the first step.

Texas A&M will now travel to AT&T Stadium to face the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 11:00 a.m. CT., and air on the SEC Network.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Post Game Recap: Behind a dominant defensive effort and QB Max Johnson, Texas A&M defeated Auburn 27-10 to open SEC play

Behind a resurgent defense and backup quarterback Max Johnson, Texas A&M defeated the visiting Auburn Tigers 27-10 to open SEC play.

In the 14th edition of Texas A&M vs. Auburn, excruciating heat, defense, and an untimely ankle injury to Aggies sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman illustrated one of the sloppiest games so far this season, until Texas A&M’s offense finally awoke from their slumber in the second half to defeat the Tigers 27-10 to open SEC play.

Leading 6-0 in the first half, Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper’s potential “scoop and score” return after what looked like an Auburn fumble on a swing pass from Tigers QB Peyton Thorne was oddly overturned, preventing the Aggies from taking a 13-0 lead and gaining needed momentum.

Offensively, Weigman (8/14, 70 yards passing in the first half) failed to find a report with his receivers. At the same time, the offensive line, specifically center Bryce Foster and right tackle Chase Bisontis, were the cause of several false starts that plagued nearly every offensive drive, constantly placing the Aggies behind the chains.

Backed up in his own end zone, Conner Weigman took a hit to his lower body when lined up in Texas A&M’s own end zone. He stayed in and finished the ensuing drive but immediately went into the tent once the Aggies offense was off the field. Backup veteran QB Max Johnson waited in the wings.

Defensively, Texas A&M’s pass rush was downright incredible, amassing four sacks in the first half while showing consistent physicality at the line of scrimmage. The Tiger’s offense was seemingly broken at the seams, needing more offensive firepower to correct their mistakes. As both offenses stalled, Auburn kicker Alex McPherson nailed a 53-yard FG to cut the halftime lead to 6-3.

Starting the second half on defense, the Aggies’ ferocious pass rush (I know, right?) ceased to let up, adding three more sacks for seven on the day while still controlling the line of scrimmage, leading to Max Johnson’s entry into the starting lineup, which seemed to be the spark the offense desperately needed.

Getting in a passing rhythm early, Johnson (7/11, 123 yards, 2 TD) was nearly perfect from the pocket, working through his progressions while hitting a trio of wide receivers before throwing a strike to his brother, sophomore tight end Jake Johnson, connecting for a 22-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 13-3, and creating by far the most incredible moment you’ll see this weekend.

Before you could blink, Johnson led the Aggies down the field on his second drive, throwing an absolute 37-yard dime to star WR Evan Stewart in double coverage to make it 20-3, establishing dominance on both sides of the ball.

Auburn swiftly took advantage of the Aggies’ late mistakes, returning a 67-yard fumble to make it a two-score game with over 12 minutes remaining. Tigers duel-threat QB Robby Ashford took most of the snaps in the second half, but the Aggie D continued to clamp down outside of several successful runs.

Back on offense, junior running back Amari Daniels’ 79-yard run led to sophomore running back Le’Veon Daniels running it in for a 4-yard touchdown to officially end the game and solidify one of the best second-half turnarounds from the Maroon and White in 2023.

While Conner Weigman’s injury status will likely take much of the oxygen out of the victory, strides were made this afternoon, as Texas A&M’s defense looks to be coming into its own at the right time. On the afternoon, the Aggies passed for 193 yards, rushed for 209 yards for 402 total yards, accumulated seven sacks on defense, 15 tackles for loss, and held Auburn to just 200 offensive yards (56 passing, 144 rushing) on the day.

Texas A&M will now travel to AT&T Stadium to face the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 11:00 a.m. CT., and will air on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.