Texas A&M’s season has reached the point where a few key players can no longer just blend in and hope the rest of the roster picks up the slack. If the Aggies are going to steady things over the final stretch, three names loom especially large: Isaiah Horton, Daymion Sanford and Trovon Baugh.
Horton was supposed to be a major portal answer for the passing game, and the early returns looked promising. Through the first two games, the Alabama transfer seemed poised to become a reliable red-zone threat, with Texas A&M clearly making him a priority near the goal line.
Since then, though, the production has dried up. Over the last four games, Horton has not found the end zone, and his yardage has dropped in each outing.
The issue hasn’t been isolated to one bad night. His inability to create separation has been a persistent problem, and a few untimely drops have only made things worse.
The passing game, in other words, has several moving parts that need fixing; this isn’t all on Marcel Reed. Still, with Mario Craver dealing with injury, the Aggies need Horton to become the dependable target they thought they were getting.
The Citadel offers a chance to reset, but A&M needs more than one clean weekend from him. A return to Bryant-Denny the following week could also provide a jolt if Horton can rediscover that early rhythm.
On the other side of the ball, Sanford’s role keeps growing. Since first showing up against Arizona State, when he played only on special teams, his usage has been gradually increasing. It hasn’t happened as quickly as Aggie fans might have hoped, but the senior captain is starting to pop in important moments.
Texas A&M will need that trend to continue, because there’s still no clear sign the offense is ready to carry the load. That puts the burden on the defense for the final six games, and Sanford is a central piece of that plan.
Noah Mikhail has already emerged as a force at linebacker, which makes the pairing between him and Sanford an especially dangerous one for opposing offenses if both are operating at full speed. Sanford was also a major factor in the Aggie pass rush last year, and if that impact starts showing up again, it would give this defense another edge.
Then there’s Baugh, who has become a critical figure along an offensive line still searching for the right balance. After Wilkin Formby was moved inside to guard and Lamont Rogers was shifted to tackle, the remaining guard spot has settled most often on the South Carolina transfer. Elko noted that Baugh was a little banged up against Missouri, which opened the door for Sam Roseborough to get some snaps, but when everyone is healthy, Baugh remains the likely choice for Cushing and company.
His game has two very different sides. In the run game, he can bring real force.
In pass protection, the problems are harder to ignore. That matters because Texas A&M does not have the luxury of asking its quarterback to carry even more mental weight.
If the passing attack is already struggling, the line can’t add to the pressure by breaking down at guard.
If Baugh doesn’t clean up his pass protection, the last six games could get ugly in a hurry. The Aggies can’t afford to be one-dimensional, and without improvement there, it becomes hard to see how they piece together enough offense to stay afloat after The Citadel.
In Other News...
Mike Elko Suddenly Faces A Serious Fight To Keep A&M's Top Class
Texas A&Ms fast start on the recruiting trail has held up through a shaky start on the field. The Aggies still sit atop the national class rankings and, so far, have protected every commitment despite opening the season 3-3, a sign that Mike Elkos staff has built some early staying power even while the on-field results have left room for concern.
Now comes the hard part. With signing day still ahead, programs like Georgia, Miami and Notre Dame are expected to push hard to pry away key pledges, turning the next stretch into a real test of whether Texas A&M can keep its grip on the No. 1 class. The Aggies have work to do to hold onto the recruits that give that ranking its weight, and the pressure figures to build as rival staffs circle. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Still Has One Offensive Line Problem It Cant Hide
Texas A&Ms midseason offensive makeover has brought some stability at the edges of the line, even as the record sits at 3-3 and the offense continues to settle in. Left tackle Tyree Adams, center Mark Nabou Jr. and right tackle Wilkin Formby have provided the most reliable snaps up front, with Formby standing out as the highest graded tackle in the country in pass blocking.
The problem the Aggies still cannot quite paper over is inside. The guard spots remain the softest part of the front, and Trovon Baugh has given up the most sacks on the team. Recent shuffling there has not changed the protection picture, which leaves Texas A&M with a line that can hold up on the edges but still has too many questions in the middle. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Davis-Swain Gives Texas A&M A New Defensive Reason For Hope
Brandon Davis-Swains first start for Texas A&M arrived with a little bit of everything, and it gave the Aggies another look at what their front can become. The junior transfer from Colorado showed up in the recent game against Missouri with three tackles, a tackle for loss and a blocked field goal, a useful reminder that the Aggies can still find production from newcomers as the season moves along. His path to College Station has already included two seasons under Deion Sanders, and he has said the Texas A&M coaching staff has helped sharpen his technique.
For a defense trying to build more consistency, Davis-Swains early impact matters because it suggests there may be more to come as he settles into a larger role. Texas A&M now turns its attention to The Citadel Bulldogs, and the Aggies will be looking for the same kind of disruptive energy up front. Whether Davis-Swain can keep stacking those moments is one of the more interesting subplots as the schedule moves forward. [Read more 🡒]