Texas A&M has spent the first two weeks looking capable, but not complete. That’s a decent place to be at 2-0, especially with a quality win over Arizona State already in the bank and a defense that looks like it belongs among the SEC’s better units. Still, as conference play starts against Kentucky on Saturday, Mike Elko has plenty left to sort out.
The first item on that list is the quarterback play. Texas A&M hasn’t needed Reed to seize control of a game yet, and he hasn’t been bad through two weeks.
But there’s a difference between being steady and being the guy who can drag an offense through rough stretches when the easy answers disappear. The Aggies may not need that version of him against Kentucky, but at some point they will, and it would help to see some evidence before that moment arrives.
There’s also the matter of the offensive line, which has been uneven after a busy offseason overhaul. That kind of turnover comes with built-in growing pains, but two games should have offered enough time for the group to settle into a rhythm. Kentucky gives Texas A&M another chance to show the offense can function smoothly from start to finish.
The backfield is another area worth watching closely. Rueben Owens II came into the season with expectations of becoming one of the anchors of the offense, but he has not gotten off to that kind of start.
Owens is averaging 4.1 yards per carry, and Jamarrion Morrow has been even lower. Some of that falls on the rebuilt line, but the Aggies need more out of their running game as the schedule toughens.
Kentucky won’t make that easy. The Wildcats held up against Alabama’s run game for long stretches before the Crimson Tide finished with 155 rushing yards in last week’s 45-17 win.
And that ties back to Reed, whose running ability is part of what makes this offense harder to defend. Texas A&M can’t afford to become predictable as SEC play begins, especially with a defense that has already shown how quickly it can flip a game. Against Arizona State, the Aggies forced four turnovers, including two interception returns for touchdowns that turned a competitive matchup into a comfortable one.
That kind of playmaking is why there’s real reason to believe this defense could be special. But Texas A&M hasn’t faced an SEC opponent yet, and Kentucky brings a different kind of test. Will Stein’s offense has enough variety to punish a defense that isn’t locked in, and this game will tell a lot about whether the Aggies’ early success is built to last or simply helped along by the schedule.
In Other News...
Kentucky Faces One Risk Fans Hate After Texas A&M Win
Fresh off a road win at Texas A&M, Kentucky turns back home this week with South Alabama coming to Kroger Field and a little more uncertainty than the final score from College Station might suggest. The Jaguars arrive at 2-1 after wins over Southeastern Louisiana and Ohio, along with a close loss to Tulane, so this is not the kind of tune-up game the schedule guarantees on paper.
Will Steins bigger concern is what the victory may have cost on defense. Ty Bryant is dealing with a shoulder issue after trying to come back into the game against Texas A&M, and Grant Grayton is among the pieces Kentucky is monitoring as it tries to sort out who can go and who needs to be held back. With South Alabama up next and the rest of the schedule already looming, the Wildcats are balancing the urge to keep momentum rolling against the risk of making a short-term problem turn into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Got An Early Answer On Will Steins New Staff
Jay Batemans move from Texas A&M to Kentucky gave Will Stein an early look at what his new defensive coordinator can do, and the timing of it made the whole thing feel a little richer. Bateman was on the other sideline in Kentuckys 31-21 win over the Aggies, and his group helped keep the game from turning into a shootout, limiting Texas A&Ms chances and giving the Wildcats enough room to settle in on the road.
For Stein, the fit appears to be about more than just scheme. He spoke highly of Batemans coaching and personal qualities, underscoring the trust already forming inside the new staff. Kentucky now has an early confirmation that one of its most important hires can handle a big stage, even if the bigger question around why Bateman made the jump is still part of the larger story. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Big Blue Wall Just Sent A Message Fans Have Missed
Kentuckys win over Texas A&M was the kind of result that does not always match the box score at first glance. The Aggies finished with more first downs, more total yards and more rushing yards, but the Wildcats still walked away with the victory because their offensive line controlled the game in the way Kentucky fans have been hoping to see again.
That front made life easier for Kenny Minchey, who settled in for 252 yards and two touchdowns while the Wildcats kept the pressure squarely on Texas A&M. Even Aggies coach Mike Elko pointed to Kentuckys physical edge after the game, a telling sign that this was less about flashy numbers and more about one team setting the tone where it mattered most. [Read more 🡒]