5 things to know ahead of Texas A&M vs. Ole Miss

The Aggies have finally reached their breaking point (or so we think) in their 2022 season after recently losing their third consecutive game against the South Carolina Gamecocks last Saturday night 30-24, as the once, Top 10 ranked Texas A&M squad is now 3-4, and 1-3 in the SEC heading into the team’s return to Kyle Field to take on the 15th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels in the Week 9 matchup.

“When it rains it pours” has been the go-to saying this week, especially after news surfaced that three freshmen members of the roster including wide receiver Chris Marshall, offensive lineman PJ Williams, and cornerback Denver Harris have been suspended indefinitely due to a blatant violation of team rules after an incident in the locker room at the end of the South Carolina game. Adding insult to injury, Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher announced on Monday that center Bryce Foster, and guards Aki Ogunbiyi and Jordan Spacojeciv-Moko will miss the remainder of the season as 5 regular season games remain.

So yes, things are bad in Aggieland right now, but if you are in need of a life raft as the ship continues to sink, take what senior tight end Max Wright had to say on Monday when asked about the state of the locker room after the loss to the Gamecocks:

There it is, a sense of leadership that has been missing since the 3-game skid, adding in senior strong safety Demani Richardson who has continued his belief that the team can still turn things around. Next opponent for the maroon and white? The 7-1 Lane Kiffin-led Ole Miss Rebels are coming to town, just days removed from their surprising 45-20 road loss to LSU last Saturday.

To prepare you for the upcoming showdown with the Rebels on Saturday night, here are 5 things that Aggie fans should pay attention to ahead of their 6:30 PM CT. Kickoff.

At this point, Conner Weigman needs to be the starting quarterback going forward

Oct 1, 2022; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher stands on the sidelines during the third quarter of the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

With everything that has transpired in the last 24 hours regarding the recent player suspensions, tension within the Texas A&M program is surely within the atmosphere, and if we’re trying to take anything positive from the Aggie’s recent loss to South Carolina, it’s that freshman quarterback Conner Weigman (8-15, 91 yards) who relieved the injured Haynes King late in the fourth quarter played up to his 5-Star recruiting designation within his limited snap count.

Again, Haynes King has performed adamantly during his last two starts, so this has nothing to do with the next five games, but more to do with the future of the program, and Conner Weigman’s development as the future QB 1. At 3-4, while dealing with adversity at every corner, it’s time for a new game plan.

Devon Achane vs. Ole Miss's defensive line

Oct 22, 2022; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Texas A&M Aggies running back Devon Achane (6) rushes for a touchdown past South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Nick Emmanwori (21) in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Star running back Devon Achane has continued his dominant play on the ground and in the passing game, racking up 156 yards of total offense (99 rushing, 57 receiving) in Texas A&M’s loss to South Carolina on Saturday night. No matter the opponent, Achane delivers night in and night out, and we expect nothing less against an Ole Miss run defense ranked 86th in the nation while allowing 157.5 yards per game on average.

However, aside from Achane’s brilliance in the rushing attack, freshman running back Le’veon Moss has played sparingly in the last couple of games but provides a tough running style, especially in short-yardage situations, and should see more playing time moving forward in order to give Achane some relief as the season wears on.

Ole Miss's rushing attack vs. Texas A&M's run defense

Oct 22, 2022; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) warms up against the LSU Tigers during the pregame at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Ole Miss’s record and current ranking are a bit deceptive going into this weekend’s matchup, as the Rebel’s offense has had a bulk of their offensive production on the ground, sporting the 3rd ranked rushing offense in the nation and leading the nation in rushing touchdowns (26) and ranking only behind option-based offenses in Air Force and Army. Head coach Lane Kiffin, known for his sarcastic whit and offensive schemes that make defensive coordinators want to pull their hair out, utilizes three running backs in his scheme ranging from power back Quinshon Judkins (146 ATT, 831 YDS, 12 TD), fleet footed Zach Evans (100 ATT, 605 YDS, 7 TD), and the versatile Ulysses Bentley IV (15 ATT, 75 YDS, 4 TD), while starting quarterback Jaxson Dart has 378 yards on the ground himself.

For the Aggies, it all starts with gap discipline from nose tackle McKinnley Jackson and defensive tackle Shemar Turner, while linebackers Andre White Jr. and Chris Russell will need to be quick on their feet during stretch runs while countering any outside run concepts. This will be by far the biggest challenge for Texas A&M’s run defense this season.

With the recent freshman suspensions, fellow freshmen will need to step up this weekend

Oct 8, 2022; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Chris Marshall (10) catches a pass against Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back DeMarcco Hellams (2) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

As you all know by now, freshmen wide receiver Chris Marshall, cornerback Denver Harris, and offensive lineman PJ Williams have been suspended indefinitely by head coach Jimbo Fisher, after an incident occurred in the locker room after the loss to South Carolina. Now what?

I’ll tell you one thing, after scrolling through Twitter just a day after the incident while ignoring non-Aggie media members giving their opinion on the matter, freshman tight end Donovan Green expressed his desire to look ahead and focus on the season at hand, reminding myself that he will be a big part of the offensive gameplan this Saturday night, paired will fellow freshman wide receiver Evan Stewart as both will need to step their game up in a big way. On defense, Denver Harris’ absence creates a void in the secondary, putting more work on the shoulders of corners Tyreek Chappell and Jaylon Jones in coverage.

As the Aggies return to play in front of the 12th Man, It's time to embrace the chaos and tread forward

Sep 17, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA; A view of the stands and the fans and the 12th Man logo during the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Miami Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Things are bad, the sky is falling, and it’s time to panic because Texas A&M is on the brink of its first losing season since 2009… Who cares! Just kidding, but hear me out; The Aggies haven’t played in front of the 12th Man in Kyle Field since Sept. 17th, defeating Miami 17-9 on a night that seemed to put the team on a positive trajectory moving forward, but man, were we wrong.

Getting back to the point, the fact that the Aggies haven’t performed well as of late, especially on offense could be attributed to their time away from Kyle Field, where they are 2-1 this season with their lone loss against Appalacian State, a game we would all like to forget. This team needs some type of spark, and I mean anything, so if returning in front of a fan base that wrapped around Kyle Field this week during their ticket pull for the Ole Miss game, there definitely isn’t a lack of love or passion from current Aggie students, who are determined to pack Kyle Field once again and hope for a Texas A&M upset victory.

Story originally appeared on Aggies Wire