By ROBERT CESSNATexas A&M is not going to get good until it stops bringing out the best in others.
The Army Black Knights played by far their best game of the season Saturday in a 21-17 loss to the Aggies. Army had scored a combined 20 points in losses to Temple, New Hampshire and Akron.
Army gutted A&M for a season-high 280 yards rushing, but two plays doomed the four-touchdown underdog. Trying to get into field-goal range at the end of the first half, Army quarterback Chip Bowden fumbled, which A&M returned for a touchdown. And with the game on the line, Army opted to run its fullback on fourth-and-3 instead of Bowden, who rushed for 128 yards.
Even in defeat it was a great game for Army. Maybe Army will use Saturday's effort as a springboard for success against others on this season's schedule. Maybe sophomore Bowden, who was making his first start, will be the next great Army player.
But more than likely, Army returns to being a mediocre team starting next week against Tulane.
We've seen this before. Arkansas State and Miami also played their best games at Kyle Field but have had a tough time repeating those efforts.
Arkansas State lost at home two weeks ago to Southern Miss. On Saturday the Red Wolves were steamrolled by 1-3 Memphis, which rushed for 243 yards in front of 26,376 at the Liberty Bowl, hardly as intimidating a place to play as Kyle Field in a season opener in front of 78,691 onlookers.
The Miami Hurricanes took a 41-10 lead last week against A&M en route to a 41-23 victory. Miami returned home and lost its Atlantic Coast Conference opener to North Carolina, 28-24. The Hurricanes are better than a year ago, but still probably only a 7-5 team at best.
That's going to be a record hard to reach for the Aggies, who have had more downs than ups while going 2-2 during the nonconference slate.
The offense lacks consistency, the defense can't stop the run, and special teams have been iffy. All three units have been hampered by injuries, which have stifled a program short on talent and experience.
Monday-morning quarterbacks like to look at the big picture, but A&M needs to focus on the short term.
The Aggies need to make progress against Oklahoma State and Kansas State before playing No. 7 Texas Tech. And forget about top-ranked Oklahoma and No. 5 Texas. The Aggies have lots of work to do before those games.
One good sign Saturday was the way A&M rushed the ball in the final minutes -- nine rushes for 49 yards. Army knew the Aggies weren't going to pass, yet A&M picked up at least 2 yards each time.
Jorvorskie Lane was a big part of that success, using his 285-pound frame to grind out the last 34 yards and final three minutes.
It has been a tough fall for the popular Lane. He was hampered by a neck and head injury and he hasn't reached the sub 270-pound playing weight head coach Mike Sherman would like his new fullback to play at. Lane has missed more blocks playing fullback than he's made, contributing to A&M's inability to consistently pick up first downs, and that's limited Lane's playing.
But A&M has to be able to run the football, even if it means giving Lane more carries at tailback. The inexperienced offensive line, which was missing maybe its best player in senior tackle Travis Schneider, seemed to block better with Lane running.
An improved running game would take pressure off the quarterback. That would be helpful with the hits Stephen McGee and Jerrod Johnson have been taking.
The Aggies need a strong running game heading to Oklahoma State for the Big 12 opener. The 23rd-ranked Cowboys lead the nation in rushing at 340.3 yards per game, a number that has been helped by playing against poor run defenses. Troy, which OSU beat Saturday, is ranked 86th in the country among FBS schools, but that's better than previous victims Houston (110th) and Washington State (118th). Oklahoma State's other victory was against Missouri State, which is ranked 112th in run defense out of 118 Football Championship Subdivison teams.
Oklahoma State has the Big 12's leading rushers in Kendall Hunter (154.5 ypg) and Keith Toston (92.0). They'll be running against a unit that's allowed four straight 100-yard rushers, which is why A&M's run defense is 115th in the country, allowing 227.5 yards per game.
The Aggies can't afford to bring out the best in the Cowboys or it will be a long Saturday night in Stillwater.
*
NOTES -- OSU is ranked this week by the Associated Press for the first time since Nov. 20, 2004. ... A&M is fifth nationally in pass defense, allowing 139.3 ypg. That's due in large part to Army completing only 1 of 5 passes for 4 yards Saturday. A&M ranks 38th in defensive pass efficiency. ... The Aggies are 101st in rushing offense (111.3 ypg), 87th in passing offense (186.5 ypg) and 107th in total offense (297.8 ypg). ... OSU opened as a 23 1/2-point favorite for Saturday's game.
Robert Cessna's e-mail address is robert.cessna@theeagle.com.
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Posted by: M-Keck On: 9/29/2008
Comment Title: Making opponents look good?
It's called sucking.
Posted by: spud87 On: 9/29/2008
Comment Title: is tivo reality?
good thing cessna is focusing ONLY on the upcoming game because if you look at the polls (WARNING:it's ugly, and if you haven't already seen it, please do NOT look) this is going to be sherman riding into little bighorn. only this will be worse for sherman because he will be asked (maybe?) to do it again next year. at least custer only had to do it once. well, on the bright side, there's baylor, and by miller's reasoning, we have out-recruited them so we will win that game. hope you boys tivo'd the new mexico and army games, because i'm afraid no others will be suitable for family viewing. BEAT THE H*LL OUTTA K STATE!