Defense just might be the name of the game for both the Texas A&M Aggies and Missouri Tigers when the latter heads to College Station in October.
Boasting one of the SEC’s best offenses just one season ago with many big names returning, the Tigers are going to looking for more next season, and a big-time matchup against an Aggie squad who, if things fall their way, could be decently ranked, is certainly the place they’ll try to show out.
Texas A&M will field a strong defensive unit as it looks to find a groove that was seemingly lost over the final seasons of Jimbo Fisher’s tenure, so a test against a high-powered Missouri team will be a good indicator of where it is heading into the back half of the season.
Obviously, the Aggies hope they’ll come away with a win at home, but that could prove to be more difficult than it seems, especially with some of the names lining up across from their defense.
Here are three of them to watch in Week 6:
Brady Cook didn’t have the glamorous start that some of the SEC’s best quarterbacks tend to have. In his first two seasons with Missouri, he threw fewer than 50 passes and wasn’t by any means a core piece of its offense. Entering Year 3, he was expected to have a much bigger role as the starter, and he showed glimpses of that star upside that the Tigers hoped he would have, though the results didn’t follow.
When last season came around, there was some buzz around Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers, but no palpable vision of a top-10 finish. That all changed when Cook found his groove. On the year, he finished fourth in passing yards and near the top in every other passing category as he led the Tigers to an 11-2 season. Returning for his fifth year will certainly be a way for the quarterback to show even more of his talent and poise s a veteran, which is something the Aggies will have to break if they want to force him into a poor performance.
Arguably the biggest reason for Cook’s success in the pocket was a star-studded receiving core spearheaded by Luther Burden. After committing to the Tigers as a true freshman, the receiver showed why he was so highly-touted, but couldn’t seem to break down opposing defenses zeroed in on slowing him down.
Once the Tigers improved, however, so did their weapons. Burden was no longer the only player on the field that teams had to watch, so he had his way during a majority of the games he appeared in. Burden put up nine touchdowns on over 1,000 receiving yards and is returning to do the same next season — even being placed on a way-too-early Heisman watch list. If the Aggies aren’t careful, Burden could break lose for a big gain and start shifting momentum in the wrong direction.
Dec 29, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) celebrates after he catches a pass for a touchdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
After losing Cody Schrader — the SEC’s leading rusher last season — the Tigers had to re-tool their running back room next year. Luckily for them, one of the portal’s highly rated rushers, Georgia State’s Marcus Carroll, is set to fill that gap.
Last season, Carroll tallied 1,972 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on 401 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per carry in the process. He rushed for over 100 yards seven times and brings to the Tigers an experienced set of legs that very well could have a similar impact to Schrader if their passing game performs the way it did last season, if not better. While the Aggies are looking to shut down Burden, Carroll could just-as-easily make an impact on the game that could mean bad things for the home team.
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Publish date : 2024-07-10 15:50:59
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