Texas A&M Football: Aggies Versus Missouri Tigers Preview

By Michael Taglienti (Featured Columnist) on October 26, 2011 Courtesy of Bleacher Report

 No. 16 Texas A&M Aggies will take on the Missouri Tigers on Saturday at Kyle Field.

The Aggies are 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big 12. Missouri is 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the conference.

Do not let the record fool you, the Tigers are the most dangerous team the Aggies have faced since Oklahoma State.

Missouri has a lot of talent on both sides of the ball; when they limits turnovers they can play with any team in the country.

The Aggies have been unable to force turnovers this season, so that bodes well for Missouri.

If the Aggies want to win this game, then they are going to have to hold onto the interceptions that hit them in the hands, and jump onto the fumbles that they force.

In 2010 the Missouri Tigers embarrassed the Aggies 30-9. Since that outing, the Aggies are 9-1 in conference play.

A&M will have to play one of their best games of the year to come out on top. This is a look at what to expect in all facets of the game when A&M and Missouri meet on the field Saturday.


When Missouri is on Offense

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The Missouri Tigers offense will be the best the Ags have faced since the Oklahoma State game.

The Tigers feature a balanced offense scoring 33.9 points per game while rushing for 238 yards and passing for 253.

Quarterback James Franklin is completing 60 percent of his passes for 238 yards a game; he has thrown for 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

He is also the Tigers' second leading rusher for 445 yards and eight touchdowns and Franklin is an extremely dangerous run-pass threat.

He is not quite the passer that Robert Griffin III is for Baylor, but he is willing to tuck the ball and run more. Franklin is also much tougher than Griffin and is willing to take a hit.

Sophomore running back Henry Josey is one of the most overlooked offensive players in the country. He is leading the Big 12 with 855 yards rushing on the season and is averaging an incredible 8.6 yards per carry.

T.J. Moe and Michael Egnew are once again Missouri's top receiving threats. In 2010 Egnew cut up the Aggie secondary like Swiss cheese. This season, the senior tight end has caught 26 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns.

T.J. Moe has 37 receptions for 478 yards and three touchdowns on the year. Last season Moe had six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown against the Aggies.

Missouri is a spread option team. They will try to spread the defense out and run the ball with a zone-read and option look, and on third downs, they will try to get the ball to Egnew to move the chains.

Missouri has an explosive offense that the Aggies will have to find some way to contain if they want to win at Kyle.

When Missouri is on Defense

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Missouri runs an attacking 4-3 defense and have done a great job finding and developing speed rushers at defensive end for their system.

The latest in this mold is junior DE Brad Madison, who leads the Tigers with 7.5 tackles for a loss on the season and 3.5 sacks.

The Aggies were not able to block Madison in 2010, as he had three sacks in the game. Further, A&M was unable to block the Tigers front four and allowed seven sacks in the game, while Missouri limited the Aggies to 1.7 yards per rush for the game.

Sophomore linebacker Andrew Wilson leads the Tigers in tackles with 56 and has added 6.5 tackles for loss. Senior linebacker Luke Lambert has 43 tackles and seven tackles for a loss.

Sophomore cornerback E.J. Gaines is a budding superstar with 41 tackles two interceptions and 2.5 tackles for loss, and also has a 44-yard punt return for a touchdown.

As a team the Tigers have made 56 tackles for a loss on the season, averaging eight tackles for a loss each game.

The Missouri defense likes to get a team behind the sticks and then attack the quarterback with pressure, and has forced 11 turnovers in seven games.

When A&M is on Offense

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The Aggies have one of the top offenses in the country; their dominant offensive line has allowed the Aggies to run and pass the ball effectively.

The Ags are rushing for 230 yards per game and passing for 292 yards per game. 
Against Missouri it is very important that the Aggies run the ball effectively in order to move the chains and keep the Mizzou offense off the field.
The Aggies feature their best offensive line in school history and should be able to beat the Tigers at the point of attack.

The big question for the Aggie coaches is what to do now that right
guard Cedric Ogbeuhi is healthy again. When he went down to injury after the Arkansas game, the coaches moved Brian Thomas to RG and started redshirt freshman Jarvis Harrison at left guard.

Harrison is not a dominant player yet, but has been a quality addition at left. Madison will be controlled by whichever tafckle he lines up against.

The Aggies need to use the Tigers' aggression against them and utilize the tight ends in the passing game. The Mizzou secondary is going to want to peak into the backfield and the Aggies have to make them pay.

The Aggies cannot turn the ball over if they want to win this game, the Missouri offense is simply too explosive to afford them extra chances.

When the Aggies are on Defense

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Again, the Aggies face their toughest offense since squaring off against Oklahoma State. Baylor was more explosive in the passing game but did not have as strong of a run game as Missouri.

James Franklin will throw some interceptions, but the Aggie defenders have struggled mightily catching the ball this year.

If the Ags can force two turnovers, then they will win this game; the problem is that they have not forced two turnovers in a game since the SMU game, and the defense has not recovered a fumble since last Thanksgiving against Texas.

Middle linebacker Jonathan Stewart needs to have a big day for the Aggies. The defense needs to shut down the Mizzou running game on the early downs to force 3rd-and-long situations.

On 3rd-and-long, Sean Porter and Damontre Moore need to keep containment on James Franklin. Do not be surprised if the coaches use Sean Porter to spy Franklin. And if they use Porter as a spy, then expect to see much of Charlie Thomas to match up with Egnew.

The Aggies need Tony Jerod-Eddie, Eddie Brown and Spencer Nealy to have big games this week. If they can control the line of scrimmage and shut down the Tigers run game, the Aggies have to like their chances.

Missouri has lost three of their last four games. If the defense can get some stops early and the Aggies can put up a few scores, the Tigers may just chalk it up as another loss.

Prediction

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Missouri is a top 25 team talent-wise that has not always ended up on the winning side of the scoreboard and the Aggies are facing a bowl team. 

A&M is going to need to limit turnovers in this game. The Aggie defense cannot be counted on to force turnovers, so the offense is going to have to simply limit theirs.

Further, the Aggies need to be solid in special teams. In a game like this, the special team could be the difference.

If the Aggies could get anything by the way of kick or punt return, it would be a plus. The Aggies really just need to keep Mizzou CB E.J.Gaines from switching field position on a punt return.

A&M really just need to play their game: run the ball and control the clock on offense, limit turnovers and execute in the red zone.

On defense they need to limit explosive plays and force Missouri into 3rd-and-long situations.

Different A&M than one Mizzou beat in '10

October, 26, 2011

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By David Ubben Courtesy of espn.com

Texas A&M doesn't need much of a reminder of its matchup with Missouri last year.

The 30-9 loss was the lowpoint in a season that included both a six-game winning streak and three-game losing streak, as well as a share of the Big 12 South title.

On second thought, the Aggies might need a reminder, considering coach Mike Sherman dramatically burned the game film in front of the team as an illustration to help them move forward.

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Matthew Emmons/US Presswire"It was a terrible game for us. We got our butts kicked, but things did turn around after that," Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman said of last season's loss to Missouri.

"It was a terrible game for us. We got our butts kicked, but things did turn around after that," Sherman said.

The offense sputtered while Blaine Gabbert shredded the secondary. A team looking to find its legs got easily outrun by a squad hitting its midseason stride.

"We were trying to feel ourselves out, trying to find out what our identity was," Sherman said. "We were struggling with pass protection, struggling with run blocking and we continued to have struggles in that game. Our offensive line didn’t get settled down about halfway through the season."

Mizzou will face a much different Texas A&M team this time around, one that's well aware of its identity and how dangerous it can be on both sides of the ball.

That 4-2 record is nothing to be ashamed of, either.

"We lost to two top 10 teams by five points. I don’t look at it the way you guys do. We were obviously disappointed about losing the game, about giving up leads, but there were some positives in that game as well," Sherman said.

Texas A&M has pressured passers all season long, leading the nation in sacks, though it has the nation's worst pass defense by 17 yards per game.


There's no struggling quarterback this year, as Jerrod Johnson was against Mizzou last season. In his place is Ryan Tannehill, who has thrown nine touchdowns and just one interception during the Aggies' three-game win streak that followed losses to Arkansas and Oklahoma State. He's also flanked by two of the Big 12's top seven rushers, Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael.

"We’re trying to find out the right mix and match between the run and pass," Sherman said.

Oklahoma lost last week, and one slip-up by Oklahoma State before its season-ending Bedlam could keep Big 12 title hopes alive in College Station.

"When you win three in a row, you have to be very critical, but you have to let those kids gain some confidence from those wins," Sherman said. "I’ll be hard on them today in things we have to get better at. It’s a lot easier to do that when you win a game than when you lose a game."

Before those Big 12 title scenarios can come into play, though, Texas A&M has to win the final five games on its schedule, which features two more top 10 teams.

Instead of being the low point from which to start, Missouri could be the next step forward for the Aggies this time around.

"We got a lot better between Games 7 and 12 last year, and I hope we do the same thing this year," Sherman said.

Texas A&M notebook: Nealy energizes aching defense

By BRENT ZWERNEMAN, College Station Bureau Courtesy of the Houston Chronicle

Updated 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, October 26, 2011

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  Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman says Spencer Nealy, right, has been a spark plug for the defense.

   Photo: Texas A&M Sports Information / HC

COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M coach Mike Shermanis a big fan of defensive end Spencer Nealy's gung-ho approach. From about 30 feet.

"He's so enthusiastic I have a 10-yard restraining order against him," a grinning Sherman said of the 6-4, 277-pound, often sweaty, energy bundle. "Because he'll (accidentally) spit on you and there's stuff falling off of his head because he's always moving around."

Nealy first chuckled when relayed Sherman's story – and then paused.

"Wait, did he say feet or yards on the restraining order?" Nealy asked. "I guess I'm supposed to stay a little farther away than I thought."

Honestly, Sherman wouldn't mind giving Nealy a big ol' bear hug right now, after the way the junior from San Antonio has stepped up on a defensive line thinned by injury.

"Part of the reason we've played better in the last few weeks is because Spencer has played more," defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter said. "For what Spencer lacks athletically relative to (the injured) Jonathan Mathis, he really brings a lot to the table as far as energy and enthusiasm, and he really does a nice job of lifting the guys around him."

Bringing the 'X factor'

"I love Spencer – he brings a lot of energy to the team, and it doesn't matter what the situation is," quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "You see him in the game get up from the ground and do some crazy, spastic moves after he makes a play. As far as (early morning), Spencer is Spencer no matter what time it is. He brings an 'X factor' to our team as far as getting us going when we're a little sluggish."

Nealy, son of one-time San Antonio Spur and longtime NBA journeyman Ed Nealy, said he inherited his perpetual enthusiasm from his father – along with a love for hoops.

"Basketball was always my No. 1 sport, but it's hard to make it (in college and pros) as a 6-4 center," Spencer said.

Reminded that there is a place in the upper levels of the sport for a 6-4 guard, Nealy chuckled.

"Yeah, but I'm not considered the most agile and athletic guy," he said.

He's plenty athletic for A&M while taking over for Mathis over the last three games – all victories for the No. 16 Aggies, who trail Oklahoma State and Kansas State in the Big 12 race by a game. A&M (5-2, 3-1) plays host to Missouri (3-4, 1-3) at 11 a.m. Saturday, and the Aggies have been buoyed of late by the play of the defensive line and specifically Nealy, second on the team with 5.5 tackles for losses, despite starting less than half the season.

Plenty of passion

"You need those kinds of guys," Sherman said of Nealy's uninterrupted fervor. "You need guys who have that type of energy and passion.

"He's not the best athlete on the field on Saturdays, but he gives you everything he has on every single play. What you see is what you get with Spencer, and I'd take 11 of those guys and go beat anybody."

Added safety Trent Hunter: "He's a character – and his enthusiasm is not an act, by any means."

"Nobody in the city of College Station has more energy than Spencer Nealy," linebackerJonathan Stewart said, smiling. "He'll be the only one yelling in the morning saying, 'C'mon, guys, let's get ready!' You say, 'Man, how do you do it?' Sometimes it's annoying, but you need somebody like that.

"He always gets that positive vibe going – and he's somebody we definitely need on this defense."

brent.zwerneman@chron.com