Scouting USC’s next opponent: Texas A&M Aggies
Game info
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Kyle Field (102,733), College Station
TV: SEC Network
Radio: 107.5 FM
Three story lines
1. Tall challenge: The Gamecocks have a couple wins on the road, but Texas A&M might be a different beast. The Aggies have looked inconsistent and off-kilter in almost every game, but they’re still loaded with high-end talent.
2. How’s that seat feel? It seemed every year is a referendum on the job of A&M coach Kevin Sumlin, and this year has been rocky. A massive blown lead against UCLA in the opener gave way to two underwhelming days against small conference competition, and then a shaky OT shootout win against Arkansas.
3. Offense, where art thou? South Carolina showed promise in the first two weeks on offense, followed by struggling for almost the entire next two games. The loss of Deebo Samuel hurts, but the group should be capable of something more (better kicking would help).
Three players to watch
1. Freshman quarterback Kellen Mond hasn’t been consistent, bouncing between extremes of poor passing and throwing lasers. He has 649 yards and six touchdowns, but is completing 50.5 percent of his passes with a rating of 121.5. Mond has run for 157 yards on 35 carries.
2. Christian Kirk is a tempting option, but the quarterback situation means Trayveon Williams is the top option. He’s at 328 yards in three games, with four touchdowns and 6.6 yards a carry, and pairs with Keith Ford (232 yards, 5 TDs).
3.Defensive back Armani Watts has been all over the place in the first four games. He’s leading the team with 34 tackles, five for loss, forced and recovered fumbles and picked off three passes, including the game-ending takeaway against the Razorbacks.
Scouting report
▪ Despite all the fire A&M has taken, that offense is still the kind of thing a fanbase wants. It’s a high-powered air raid with a diverse run game that does quirky things. They play a lot of four receivers, though it will mix in a heavier tight end at times.
▪ The unit has relied on a number of counter runs, pulling backside linemen across the formation. They also use a particular variation of outside zone that basically leaves the QB alone on play-action and a sweep the Gamecocks used to rely on..
▪ Mond is has moments where he can make really nice throws. Then there are plays where he’s cover-your-eyes bad. He’s still quick and has a strong arm, and can cause problems.
▪ The Aggies find more than a few ways to get Kirk the ball. He’s fantastically fast and a dangerous playmaker. Overall, the A&M receivers have receiver talent, though it seems the tight ends are more workmanlike and less explosive than in past years.
▪ Texas A&M’s defense remains the 4-2-5 standard John Chavis brought from LSU. It’s loaded with speed and plays a ton of tight press coverage, usually leaving corners to jam at the line.
▪ The group has one other hallmark of recent A&M defenses, a lack of crispness in tackling and coverage. There’s a lot more open space in the secondary than should happen with that much speed.
▪ The defensive line talent turned over a lot since last season, but it’s still pretty effective. Extremely quick refrigerator with limbs Daylon Mack (6-foot-1, 320 pounds) is still around and able to cause havoc.
Ben Breiner
This story was originally published September 24, 2017 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Scouting USC’s next opponent: Texas A&M Aggies."