Johnny Manziel didn’t sugarcoat what he saw from Texas A&M, and his message landed like a punch.
After the Aggies’ loss to LSU, the former A&M star took to X and made his frustration plain, posting: "Better do some soul searching or you’re going to be the [expletive] of the SEC this year boys"
That kind of bluntness fits Manziel, but it also captures where Texas A&M stands right now. The Aggies have looked flat in back-to-back games, and the 0-2 start in conference play has left plenty of people around the program searching for answers. At the moment, there isn’t much optimism to work with.
If A&M wants to start climbing out of this mess, the easiest place to begin is the run game. That doesn’t fix everything - not by a long shot - but it would give this offense something concrete to build around.
Against LSU, the offensive line had real problems in pass protection. But when the Aggies were able to lean into run blocking, they actually held up well against a Tigers front that had been stout against the run coming into the game.
Rueben Owens ran hard. Carsyn Baker did too.
KJ Edwards also showed something in limited snaps. And if Texas A&M can stay ahead of the chains, that could ease some of the pressure that has been hanging over Marcel Reed.
That’s part of what made the 2020 team so effective: they were rarely stuck in long-yardage situations. A steady rushing attack could at least give this group a similar foundation, and maybe help it find a rhythm.
Right now, though, the bigger issue is identity. Texas A&M doesn’t really look like a team that knows what it does best, and that kind of uncertainty shows up fast on Saturdays. If the Aggies can make the run game a strength, it would give them something to hang their hat on.
Still, that only goes so far. Even a dominant ground attack won’t erase the problems on defense, and it won’t suddenly turn this team into a playoff contender. It would help with complementary football, sure, but there’s a lot more broken here than one phase of the offense.
At the end of the day, Texas A&M needs a clear identity, because right now it looks like a group of disconnected players trying to piece together a game one snap at a time. That points back to coaching as well, which means Mike Elko and his staff are very much part of the problem.
Manziel’s warning probably echoes what a lot of former players and fans are thinking. The Aggies get Arkansas this weekend, and that game offers a chance to steady things. If they can’t do that, the situation is going to look a whole lot worse.
In Other News...
Mario Craver Is Giving Texas A&M Fans A New Reason To Vent
Texas A&Ms rocky start has already left Aggies fans looking for answers after two straight losses erased the momentum of a 2-0 opening, and now receiver Mario Craver has given them another topic to grumble about. The latest frustration came off the field, where Craver drew criticism on social media after liking Instagram photos of Peyton Blomquist, the Florida Gators fan who went viral during Floridas win over Ole Miss.
For a fan base already uneasy about the direction of the season, the timing could hardly be worse. Even a small social media gesture can become a talking point when a team is trying to steady itself, and Cravers online activity landed in the middle of a week when Texas A&M supporters were already searching for reasons to feel better about a 2-2 start. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Fans Wont Love What Elko Is Facing After LSU Loss
A rough night in Baton Rouge left Texas A&M searching for answers after a 35-6 loss to LSU dropped the Aggies to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in SEC play. The offense never found much rhythm, the defense spent too much time on its heels, and the kind of complementary football Mike Elko has been trying to build was nowhere to be found.
Marcel Reeds uneven performance only added to the frustration, but Elko said he is not changing the starting quarterback for now. For a fan base already uneasy about the early conference skid, the bigger concern may be how many areas need fixing at once, from protection and execution on offense to a defense that could not generate pressure or keep LSU from piling up passing yards. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Just Exposed A Bigger Problem Than One Loss
Texas A&Ms 35-6 loss to LSU was more than just a rough night in Baton Rouge. The Aggies never found the end zone and managed only 197 yards of offense, a flat performance that turned a big SEC matchup into a lopsided setback and put an immediate dent in the direction of their season.
Mike Elkos bigger concern, though, is what came before the score got away. After the previous loss to Kentucky, the Aggies were looking for a response, but instead they followed it with another game that raised questions about their mental fortitude and ability to regroup when things start going wrong. For a team trying to stay on track in conference play, that kind of pattern can be just as alarming as the result itself. [Read more 🡒]