Archive for the ‘Jerrod Johnson’ Category
Scouting A&M: Offense
This is the first in a three-part series profiling Texas A&M’s 2009 football team. The result is what we at TaW get for opening up the floor in a cattle, er sheep call.
I’ve been a big Texas A&M fan from the time I was just a cell in a petrie dish. My donor apparently really liked it in College Station and I could feel that they had fallen in love with some of the great people there on more than one occassion. They were affectionate and made them feel like …
Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Sorry, these guys asked me to somehow talk about Aggie football. I don’t type very well, obviously, so faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargive me for any typos, misspellings or repeated references to Baaaaaaaacky Richardson.
Is this why they call them tailgates?
If there’s a delusion glimmer of hope for Aggies fans this year, it has to be at the offensive skill positions. Believe it or not, there are actually potential playmakers and for a team starved with talent there is some decent depth.
First up is WR Jeff Fuller. Fuller has elite skills and is in the 6-4, 210 range. The OU guys told me to say that they’re a little disappointed he didn’t stick with his OU verbal. When Ryan Tannehill’s not under center or being sweet and taaaaaaaaaaaaaaander to one of my cousins, he provides another big downfield threat.
BlaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAA&M has a potential big play threat at runningwith Cyrus Gray and incoming freshman Christine Michael, so the loss of Micheal Goodson is at least lessened by the recruited talent.
Jerrod Johnson might be the best athlete at the quarterback position, but he will have to beat out Ryan Tannehill. Johnson flashed moments of brilliance although often when the game was out of reach (Miami and OU) or against the equally as bad (KSU). However, there’s a talent there which could develop in year two into a real playmaker.
Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end. The OL last year was just overwhelmed against good competition and the situation there still appears to be far from settled. Last year, the Aggies gave up a league leading 39 sacks. There’s not a single preseason 1st , 2nd , or even 3rd team All Big 12 selection anywhere on the A&M line. To highlight how lacking in talent the aggie OL is, they have five returning starters including several seniors, and they are still projecting three newcomers to take over starting positions. A&M is really pinning their hopes on LSU transfer Matt Allen and converted DL Lucas Patterson to settle this group and add a desperately needed infusion of talent. In addition, there’s very little incoming recruited talent here beyond incoming freshman center Patrick Lewis, who may end up starting. So, all the talent at WR and RB could easily go to waste if there are no holes for Grayor Michael and no time for Johnson to find Fuller and Tannehill.
This might actually be an offense that could put up some points provided the OL improves, but it just doesn’t have the overall firepower to stay with UT, Tech, OSU, or OU. And once they fall behind by several TDs, the offense will forced to become one-dimensional reducing the effectiveness of their talented RBs.
They do have a reliable FG kicker in Randy Bullock should a FG be the difference in a close game.
One last note on the Aggie offense, they will have to replace graduated punter Justin Brantly, and the Aggies might be doing a lot of punting.
