Let’s break down what went wrong for Texas A&M’s offense in their season-ending loss - and we’re going to do it by starting up front, with the offensive line. Because while quarterbacks tend to catch the brunt of the blame (or the glory), this one’s more about the guys in the trenches. And the tape doesn’t lie - the O-line just didn’t hold up, particularly in two key areas.
1. Struggles in the Run Game: No Push, No Second Level
The Aggies ran a fair number of RPOs in this game - more than it might’ve seemed at first glance. The idea behind the run-pass option is to force the defense into a bind, ideally creating space for the ball carrier or opening up a quick throw.
But Miami’s defensive ends played it smart. They didn’t crash.
They stayed home, which forced the handoff. That’s fine in theory, but A&M’s interior line couldn’t get any movement off the ball.
When you’re running zone or combo blocks, the goal is to create initial movement at the point of attack and then climb to the second level. But too often, A&M’s linemen got stuck on the double team - or worse, didn’t get off it at all.
That left Miami’s linebackers free to read, react, and fly downhill without resistance. And while Miami’s backers aren’t exactly known for elite sideline-to-sideline speed, they didn’t need it.
There weren’t many cutback lanes, and they rarely had to fight through blockers. That’s a recipe for stuffed runs and long second downs.
Even when the scheme dictated that someone had to get to the second level - not just a nice-to-have, but a requirement based on the defensive front - the Aggies often missed their assignment. That’s not just a technique issue; that’s a breakdown in execution and communication. Against a fast, physical defense like Miami’s, those lapses get exposed quickly.
2. Pass Protection: Edge Pressure and Deep Drops
Now let’s talk pass protection, because the problems didn’t stop when A&M dropped back to throw. Miami’s edge rushers brought a unique blend of speed and upper-body strength, and they used both to their advantage. On passing downs, they lined up wide - we’re talking wide-9 alignments that force tackles to cover a lot of ground just to get into position.
A&M’s right tackles, in particular, struggled here. According to Pro Football Focus, they gave up eight pressures on the day.
That tracks with what we saw on film. The tackles were so concerned with the speed rush that they bailed out of their stance too quickly and too deep.
That opened the door for Miami’s ends to collapse the pocket from both sides, squeezing Marcel Reed far too often.
Now, not every pressure turned into a sack or a hit. But pressure doesn’t have to end in contact to affect a quarterback.
Reed felt it. He saw it.
And when a young quarterback starts thinking about the rush before it gets there, timing and rhythm go out the window. Even when the pocket held up just enough, the internal clock was already speeding up.
Bottom Line
This wasn’t just a quarterback issue. The offensive line didn’t give A&M a chance to be balanced, and that’s where the problems started.
The inability to move bodies in the run game let Miami’s linebackers take over. And the edge protection issues made life harder than it needed to be for Reed.
Football starts up front - and in this one, that’s where it ended for the Aggies.