Mike Elko highlights problems Texas A&M will have to overcome in Aggies SEC battle with Mississippi State
Aggies defense will be challenged by Mississippi State’s scheme in Week 6
Texas A&M is off to a wildly impressive 4-0 start with huge wins over both Notre Dame and the Auburn Tigers. Now they just have to make sure they don’t overlook any of their upcoming opponents so Mike Elko and company stay firmly on pace to make it to the College Football Playoff.
Mississippi State isn’t usually a powerhouse threat, but they’re a legitimate force to be reckoned with this season (as they currently sport a 4-1 record) and Texas A&M’s matchup isn’t going to be an easy one. When meeting with the media this week coach Elko specifically talked about how challenging it will be to stop their spread offense, but it really just comes down to a few simple keys and adjustments.
Key Stats on Mississippi State Offense ahead of Week 6
- Mississippi State ranks first overall among FBS teams in passing plays of 40+ yards.
- They can also run the ball extremely well. Mississippi State ranks third overall in rush success rate among all FBS teams and 18th among power conference teams in rushing yards per game.
- However, the Mississippi State offense is extremely reliant on shot plays to boost their pass game. They rank 21st in overall offensive EPA per play (expected points added), but rank 99th in pass success rate.
Mike Elko preparing Texas A&M for Mississippi State’s weapons and tricky spread offense
Texas A&M started off a bit rough defensively, giving up too many yards to both UTSA and Utah State, then 40 points to Notre Dame. The good news? It seems their defense is beginning to gel as they completely shut down Auburn last week, holding them to just 10 points and zero third down conversions.
However, Mississippi State’s offense is a completely different animal than what Auburn or Notre Dame bring to the table. When asked about the challenges of Mississippi State’s scheme Mike Elko knows exactly what he’s up against and how difficult it will be to stop:
“I think this spread offense, I’ve equated it a lot this week to the triple option. It’s obviously the modern version of it, because they throw the ball. They don’t run triple option, but they really, really stretch you. They stretch you sideline to sideline in coverage. They stretch you in the run game with with how they’ll create different schemes to attack where you’re short numbers, and they’re reading every play. And so it is a challenge. They really force you to cover the full field vertically and horizontally. And anytime somebody does that to you, it creates a lot of stress in one on one situations.”
Coach Elk0 isn’t kidding when he says Mississippi State’s scheme spreads teams out. They line up multiple wide receivers nearly standing on the sidelines quite often, creating major spacing and numbers problems in close to the line of scrimmage. That leads to success in the run game for talented players like Fluff Bothwell (averaging nearly six yards per carry). If teams overcommit to stopping the run by getting their defensive backs too close to the line then Mississippi State takes shots deep where there isn’t sufficient safety help.
Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson has been their explosive play chess piece as he’s found the end zone three times and is currently averaging over 16 yards per reception. He and fellow wide receiver Anthony Evans both create significant mismatch problems with their speed. Thompson is the real speedster though, logging multiple plays running faster than 20 miles per hour via GPS tracking this season.
Thompson is still listed on the Mississippi State availability report since he suffered a leg injury (limited details) and left the game early a week ago. If he isn’t 100% then Texas A&M might have a defensive edge from the start, but the Aggies certainly can’t count on that.
The key will be stopping the explosive play. Mississippi State leads the nation in plays of 40+ yards with 11 already through just four games. However, overall the passing success rate for the Bulldogs ranks 99th among FBS teams because down to down the team struggles to move the chains through the air.
What does that mean? The Aggies need to make Mississippi State prove they can beat them on quick underneath passes and force all the running game flow inside where Texas A&M should have a size advantage.
If A&M succeeds at all on defense then quarterback Marcel Reed and the Aggies’ explosive pass game should do enough to take care of business. Mississippi State’s offensive scheme should offer some challenges, but Mike Elko’s defense should be ready to force everything underneath this week.
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