The second year of Mike Sherman?s Aggies are pretty confusing and their results so far seem to indicate a sever case of schizophrenia. They started out of the gate with three quick wins against sub-par competition and rolled up an average of 45 points per game. Things were rolling strong in College Station until they got worked by the Arkansas Razorbacks and lost 47-9 in a game that was never that close. They bounced back and lost a close one to nationally ranked Oklahoma State 36-31, not a bad effort when all things are considered. Then comes the puzzling stretch of 3 teams and 3 games and proof positive of why score comparisons are a classic waste of time:
October 10th ? Texas Tech 66 ? Kansas State 14
October 17th ? Kansas State 62 ? Texas A & M 14
October 24th ? Texas A & M 52 ? Texas Tech 30
What? That could cause computers at NASA and MIT to self-destruct.
The Aggies are led by the third best offense in the nation and that offense?s quarterback, Jerrod Johnson. A & M is averaging just over 300 yards per game through the air and close to 500 yards of total offense. They don?t just rack up yards, they put up points as well, coming in at just over 35 points per game, good enough for 8th in the country.
The defense for A & M is somewhere near the opposite end of the spectrum, ranking 98th in total defense. They give up over 150 yards per game on the ground and 32 points per game, which puts them at 104th in the country out of 120 teams. The Aggies did have an inspiring defensive effort last week against Texas Tech?the Red Raiders are annually one of the best offenses in the nation.
The Aggie Way
The Cyclones and Aggies met up last year in Ames in a game where both offenses were mostly unstoppable for their defensive counterparts. The Aggies racked up 509 yards of offense and the Cyclones chimed in with 574 yards. The teams combined for 12 touchdowns in the Aggie 49-35 win and their were only two punts, both by A & M. The Cyclone defense appears to have stepped up its game from last year and has shown it in their last two conference games?giving up only 17 points combined the last two weeks against Baylor and Nebraska. It will be tough for the Cyclone defense to continue their strong play, especially with the lack of depth in the secondary against a team that likes to spread it out and throw the pig.
Texas A & M will move the ball in front of their home crowd on Saturday, will the Cyclones be able to be anywhere near as opportunistic as they were last week in Lincoln when they came away with 8 turnovers? That may be the most likely way of stopping the Aggie offense.
The Aggies will need to see another strong effort from their defense, especially with as much as they have struggled to stop the opponent?s running games. The Cyclones are tops in the conference averaging more than 200 yards per game. If the Aggies can?t stop the run the Cyclones should be able to grind out a close game and keep the prolific Aggie offense off of the field.
The Cyclone Way
Questions loom large in Ames this week. For much of last week Austen Arnaud was supposed to start at quarterback and the big 12?s leading rusher, Alexander Robinson, was supposed to start at running back. Neither of them did, but the Cyclones still came away with a miraculous victory for the ages. It?s believed that they both have a decent chance to play on Saturday in College Station, but I?ll believe it when I see it. I think Robinson will play, but how long and how effective? In the 3 games following his groin injury that he played in (Kansas State, Kansas, and Baylor) he was only able to go the distance and play the whole game against Kansas. Against Kansas State he checked out after 4 carries and against Baylor he made it do the mid-point of the third quarter. Will the week off and extra rest have him ready to go so he can bring his dynamic play to the ISU rushing attack? Arnaud has been able to throw the ball some, but the swelling in his hand has caused problems with his grip and ability to put velocity on the ball. Paul Rhoads indicated that there isn?t any structural damage done to the hand, but there must be some sort of damage if the swelling is still present.
Jerome Tiller and Jeremiah Schwartz filled in admirably in Lincoln doing the best they could as redshirt freshmen and leading the Cyclones to victory playing safe ball control offense. I sincerely doubt that ISU will be able to win this game with the same scheme. If Tiller has to go he will be cut loose a little bit more throwing the ball, as well he should against a defense that is nowhere near as stout as Nebraska?s. In other injury concerns for the Cyclones, starting center, and arguably the best offensive lineman for ISU is out indefinitely after having an appendectomy on Wednesday. It will certainly be a huge blow to the line that has played so incredibly well this year. I suspect that LG Alex Alvarez will slide over to center (where he played the last bit of last season after Mike Knapp went down), then move Scott Haughton from right tackle to guard (where he played last week when RG Ben Lamaak was sick), and then put Brayden Burris in at tackle (where he played due to Lamaak?s illness last week).
The Cyclone defense probably won?t be able to top there opportunistic ways from Lincoln last Saturday, and it won?t be aided by any means with the thinness of the secondary. A few weeks back a couple of reserves quit the team because of a lack of playing time (Allen Bell and Devin McDowell). Then last Saturday Ter?ran Benton broke his leg and put him out for the rest of the season and free safety James Smith was ejected for throwing a punch in the second half which means he must sit for the first half of the Texas A & M game. Not a good time for the secondary to be so limited with the offense of the Aggies right around the corner.
No matter who is playing in the backfield for the ISU offense they must find a way to score points. It will be a tall task for the ISU defense to hold the Aggies to anything under 28 points, especially in College Station. The Cyclones last road win before winning in Lincoln on Saturday was in College Station in 2005, can ISU win back-to-back games in the two stadiums in the Big 12 that are traditionally the most difficult to play?
The Bottom Line
The Cyclones hadn?t won consecutive conference games since the end of the 2007 season and tacking a third one on that streak to become bowl eligible will be difficult. To me, the longer it takes to get that sixth win the more doubt will start to creep into the back of everyone?s minds. Similar to baseball players trying to get their 3,000th hit or 500th homerun. How many times have you seen them get stuck on 2,999 or 499?
It?s hard to gauge how the Cyclone offense will produce when you don?t even know who will play, but I do think the Aggie O will put up some points. If Arnaud and A-Rob play the passing game and running game should both be very strong and ISU would perhaps be able to stay in the track meet. It is too much to ask of young Jerome Tiller to lead so many scoring drives and Jeremiah Schwartz simply doesn?t have the explosive playmaking ability that Robinson has. Of course, of the mistake riddled Aggie offense shows up on Saturday that showed up in Manhattan, KS two weeks ago, it could be much more low scoring than I think.
October 10th ? Texas Tech 66 ? Kansas State 14
October 17th ? Kansas State 62 ? Texas A & M 14
October 24th ? Texas A & M 52 ? Texas Tech 30
What? That could cause computers at NASA and MIT to self-destruct.
The Aggies are led by the third best offense in the nation and that offense?s quarterback, Jerrod Johnson. A & M is averaging just over 300 yards per game through the air and close to 500 yards of total offense. They don?t just rack up yards, they put up points as well, coming in at just over 35 points per game, good enough for 8th in the country.
The defense for A & M is somewhere near the opposite end of the spectrum, ranking 98th in total defense. They give up over 150 yards per game on the ground and 32 points per game, which puts them at 104th in the country out of 120 teams. The Aggies did have an inspiring defensive effort last week against Texas Tech?the Red Raiders are annually one of the best offenses in the nation.
The Aggie Way
The Cyclones and Aggies met up last year in Ames in a game where both offenses were mostly unstoppable for their defensive counterparts. The Aggies racked up 509 yards of offense and the Cyclones chimed in with 574 yards. The teams combined for 12 touchdowns in the Aggie 49-35 win and their were only two punts, both by A & M. The Cyclone defense appears to have stepped up its game from last year and has shown it in their last two conference games?giving up only 17 points combined the last two weeks against Baylor and Nebraska. It will be tough for the Cyclone defense to continue their strong play, especially with the lack of depth in the secondary against a team that likes to spread it out and throw the pig.
Texas A & M will move the ball in front of their home crowd on Saturday, will the Cyclones be able to be anywhere near as opportunistic as they were last week in Lincoln when they came away with 8 turnovers? That may be the most likely way of stopping the Aggie offense.
The Aggies will need to see another strong effort from their defense, especially with as much as they have struggled to stop the opponent?s running games. The Cyclones are tops in the conference averaging more than 200 yards per game. If the Aggies can?t stop the run the Cyclones should be able to grind out a close game and keep the prolific Aggie offense off of the field.
The Cyclone Way
Questions loom large in Ames this week. For much of last week Austen Arnaud was supposed to start at quarterback and the big 12?s leading rusher, Alexander Robinson, was supposed to start at running back. Neither of them did, but the Cyclones still came away with a miraculous victory for the ages. It?s believed that they both have a decent chance to play on Saturday in College Station, but I?ll believe it when I see it. I think Robinson will play, but how long and how effective? In the 3 games following his groin injury that he played in (Kansas State, Kansas, and Baylor) he was only able to go the distance and play the whole game against Kansas. Against Kansas State he checked out after 4 carries and against Baylor he made it do the mid-point of the third quarter. Will the week off and extra rest have him ready to go so he can bring his dynamic play to the ISU rushing attack? Arnaud has been able to throw the ball some, but the swelling in his hand has caused problems with his grip and ability to put velocity on the ball. Paul Rhoads indicated that there isn?t any structural damage done to the hand, but there must be some sort of damage if the swelling is still present.
Jerome Tiller and Jeremiah Schwartz filled in admirably in Lincoln doing the best they could as redshirt freshmen and leading the Cyclones to victory playing safe ball control offense. I sincerely doubt that ISU will be able to win this game with the same scheme. If Tiller has to go he will be cut loose a little bit more throwing the ball, as well he should against a defense that is nowhere near as stout as Nebraska?s. In other injury concerns for the Cyclones, starting center, and arguably the best offensive lineman for ISU is out indefinitely after having an appendectomy on Wednesday. It will certainly be a huge blow to the line that has played so incredibly well this year. I suspect that LG Alex Alvarez will slide over to center (where he played the last bit of last season after Mike Knapp went down), then move Scott Haughton from right tackle to guard (where he played last week when RG Ben Lamaak was sick), and then put Brayden Burris in at tackle (where he played due to Lamaak?s illness last week).
The Cyclone defense probably won?t be able to top there opportunistic ways from Lincoln last Saturday, and it won?t be aided by any means with the thinness of the secondary. A few weeks back a couple of reserves quit the team because of a lack of playing time (Allen Bell and Devin McDowell). Then last Saturday Ter?ran Benton broke his leg and put him out for the rest of the season and free safety James Smith was ejected for throwing a punch in the second half which means he must sit for the first half of the Texas A & M game. Not a good time for the secondary to be so limited with the offense of the Aggies right around the corner.
No matter who is playing in the backfield for the ISU offense they must find a way to score points. It will be a tall task for the ISU defense to hold the Aggies to anything under 28 points, especially in College Station. The Cyclones last road win before winning in Lincoln on Saturday was in College Station in 2005, can ISU win back-to-back games in the two stadiums in the Big 12 that are traditionally the most difficult to play?
The Bottom Line
The Cyclones hadn?t won consecutive conference games since the end of the 2007 season and tacking a third one on that streak to become bowl eligible will be difficult. To me, the longer it takes to get that sixth win the more doubt will start to creep into the back of everyone?s minds. Similar to baseball players trying to get their 3,000th hit or 500th homerun. How many times have you seen them get stuck on 2,999 or 499?
It?s hard to gauge how the Cyclone offense will produce when you don?t even know who will play, but I do think the Aggie O will put up some points. If Arnaud and A-Rob play the passing game and running game should both be very strong and ISU would perhaps be able to stay in the track meet. It is too much to ask of young Jerome Tiller to lead so many scoring drives and Jeremiah Schwartz simply doesn?t have the explosive playmaking ability that Robinson has. Of course, of the mistake riddled Aggie offense shows up on Saturday that showed up in Manhattan, KS two weeks ago, it could be much more low scoring than I think.
