Five players to watch ahead of Texas A&M vs. Ole Miss
Texas A&M’s (5-3, 3-2 SEC) 2023 football season has been underwhelming, to say the least, as sixth-year head coach Jimbo Fisher has once again landed on the evergrowing “hot seat” list as his future at the helm is still somewhat unknown with four games remaining.
However, after the Aggies’ 30-17 Week 9 home win over South Carolina last Saturday, confidence inside the locker room has never been higher heading into this weekend’s pivotal road matchup vs. 10th-ranked Ole Miss (7-1, 4-1 SEC), and of course, Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin.
This will begrudgingly be Texas A&M’s fourth early kickoff this season, but this time, it may work to their benefit as the road team in front of a home crowd that may lack energy early on. Still, Ole Miss is a Top 10 team for good reason behind a potent offense, scoring an average of 38.8 points per game this season.
Seeking his first true SEC road win since 2021, Fisher will likely have to rely again on the Aggie’s 7th-ranked defense, while quarterback Max Johnson must show up in a big way for four quarters.
This week, we have provided several storylines to help provide the full scoop on what to expect on Saturday afternoon.
Focusing on the players that need to make plays this weekend, here are the five players to watch ahead of Texas A&M vs. Ole Miss
Defensive end, Shemar Turner
Look, I could state that Texas A&M’s defensive line will need to keep Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins in check, but junior defensive end Shemar Turner is not only a veteran leader in the trenches but is third on the team in sacks (3.5) while anchoring the Aggies’ 13th-ranked run defense, allowing just 96.1 yards per game on the ground to opponents this season.
While rushing the passer has been his strong suit, Turner’s instincts and vast experience against top SEC running backs have been vital in consistently setting the edge against the ground game. Outside of Judkins, big-bodied Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart is a tough man to take down, making Turner’s pursuit speed once he leaves the pocket something to keep an eye on throughout the afternoon.
Wide receiver, Ainias Smith
Senior wide receiver Ainias Smith has been the heart and soul of Texas A&M’s offense since arriving in College Station in 2019, currently leading the Aggies in receiving with 569 yards and a touchdown. He is now ranked seventh in Texas A&M Football history with 2,181 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns. Legendary stuff.
Known for his ability to flip a game on its head in the most significant moments, traveling to Oxford (MS) for a chance to rewrite the Aggies’ underwhelming 2023 season is as big as it gets.
After connecting with quarterback Max Johnson for 118 receiving yards and a score in the win against the Gamecocks, Smith has quickly become Johnson’s go-to safety option in the passing game. Against the Rebel’s 55th-ranked secondary, it’s time for the do-it-call wideout to once against expose zone coverage.
Linebacker, Edgerrin Cooper
Honestly, as someone who has covered Texas A&M Football for quite some time, I haven’t been more impressed with a player’s single-season turnaround, as junior linebacker Edgerrin Cooper has performed like the top linebacker in the country in eight games this season.
Already garnering multiple mid-season accolades, Cooper currently leads the Aggies in tackles (52) and sacks (7). In contrast, his speed-to-power prowess has led to his immediate ascendance as a top-tier pass rusher, and according to PFF, Cooper is the highest-graded linebacker in coverage with a 91.6 mark.
Like Shemar Turner, Cooper’s experience against Ole Miss, coupled with a sense of revenge after falling to the Rebels 31-28 last season, is likely fueling him heading into the matchup and outside of plugging running holes alongside standout freshman linebacker Taurean York, Cooper’s coverage in the middle zone against wide receivers Jordan Watkins and Tre Harris is definitely an underrated storyline.
Quarterback, Max Johnson
The Aggie’s offensive woes took a brief break in the second quarter of last weekend’s 30-17 victory over South Carolina, as Max Johnson (20-30, 249 yards, 1 TD) connected with Ainias Smith for a game-changing 42-yard touchdown to take a 21-7 lead into the half, but the issues continued in the second half after having to settle for three field goals, having not scored a second-half touchdown in their last four games.
While blaming the quarterback is always an easy out for any fan base, Johnson, of course, has his issues, including pocket awareness and holding onto the ball too long. Still, all in all, he has kept the Aggies within reach in nearly every game since taking over for the injured Conner Weigman more than a month ago. Plus, Johnson has the SEC stats to defend any criticism thrown his way after two solid seasons with LSU, including leading the Tigers to several road victories.
Johnson is 1-1 in his career vs. Ole Miss, including a four-touchdown performance in LSU’s 2020 victory over the Rebels, and if, and that’s a big if, the Aggies’ offensive line finally holds up, the Ole Miss secondary has holes to exploit in the passing game with a receiving core led by Ainias Smith, Evan Stewart, Moose Muhammad (we hope) and Noah Thomas at his disposal.
Texas A&M's Offensive line
Texas A&M’s offensive line has been borderline abhorrent since the start of SEC play, specifically in Aggies’ back losses to Alabama and Tennessee, as second-year O-line coach Steve Adazzio’s unit has yet to improve since said losses while still only allowing a handful of clean pockets in the win against South Carolina.
After allowing 22 (!) pressure, 11 QB hits, and two sacks against the Volunteers, I will say that they at least improved from a numbers perspective, allowing only 12 pressures, but did surrender five hurries, five hits, and two sacks, so, not great.
How Johnson has survived this current week-to-week beating is beyond me, so credit to him. This weekend, it doesn’t get easier against the Ole Miss pass rush, ranked fourth in the country in sacks (30), averaging nearly four a game. To cover up their flaws in pass protection, installing a quick passing game coupled with more play-action looks is critical to getting Max Johnson in rhythm early.
