So after playing our non conference cupcakes our Def is ranked in the bottom 3rd of the SEC in all major categories. I thought Elko's defense was solid last time he was here, what happened?

Currently ranked in the SEC

16 of 16 - Pts/G
14 of 16 - Yds/G
13 of 16 - Rushing Yds/G
12 of 16 - Passing Yds/G

We lost a lot of depth and have a ton of undersized players for SEC play. Our defense is more comparable to Ole Miss than it is Oklahoma.

There are signs we are in for long season and signs lots to be hopeful for, but we all know this Saturday will be the real test. I wouldn't put much stock into the first 2 games as we don't know what they are experimenting with.

Better not show that to the pumpers…..

You know, the ones who are blind to our football history….

TMF said:

---

There are signs we are in for long season and signs lots to be hopeful for, but we all know this Saturday will be the real test. I wouldn't put much stock into the first 2 games as we don't know what they are experimenting with.

---

Notre Dame's RB are about to abuse this front 7

The nice thing is he's shown he's willing to hit the portal and recruit to fill those holes.

Defense needs to get better quick because things are about to ramp up.

It has not been great but also can't draw conclusions based on the first two games of the season.

Those numbers are skewed by one long run (busted assignment) and two garbage time drives against our 3's.

Yeah but those count too. I've always had an issue with those that say… hey take away that one 75 yard run and we looked good. Having said that I think it's very smart to let younger guys get PT in games you have in control. Develop depth and correct mistakes made when you have the chance.

Defense is going to have to play better to win this game but it's not like Notre Dame is unbeatable considering they are sitting at 0-1. We say ND is going to load the box and force Reed to show he can beat them with the pass and they probably will. We will probably do the same.

TX_Aggie37 said:

---

It has not been great but also can't draw conclusions based on the first two games of the season.

---

Do you people ever pause to think before hitting the "submit" button? Holy hell

TX_Aggie37 said:

---

It has not been great but also can't draw conclusions based on the first two games of the season.

---

I can draw conclusions on our posters after two games…surely you have an opinion on what you've seen on the field?

Let me help: wins are wins BUT…

TX_Aggie37 said:

---

It has not been great but also can't draw conclusions based on the first two games of the season.

---

There is absolutely cause for concern, to say otherwise is evading the truth.

Maybe we have different expectations. Based on our talent level I expect us to be in the playoff conversation. We will not be in contention for a playoff spot if the defense does not show significant improvement for the rest of the season.

Measuring defensive statistics in the first two games is a bit ridiculous.

Florida played Long Island University -
Georgia played Austin Pea & Marshall

Defensive Stats in the new era are mis-leading

horns had far better D stats than the Buckeyes - Buckeyes won
Jets had better D stats than the Steelers - Steelers won
Ravens better D stats against the run than the Bills - Bills won

MagnumLoad said:

---

Those numbers are skewed by one long run (busted assignment) and two garbage time drives against our 3's.

---

I hope we're not saying that after every game.

It's premature to get overly excited or overly worried until we have played a good team. Sunday we will know.

TX_Aggie37 said:

---

It has not been great but also can't draw conclusions based on the first two games of the season.

---

Sure.

But I would much rather be in, say Oregon's shoes, with a near top 10 defense and the #3 offense after two games.

That inspires confidence. And it will bear out at the end of the season.

They will be a playoff team. We are questionable.

Fans are drawing conclusions because what they are seeing is all too familiar - a decent offense and a middling defense against inferior competition.

Historically that looks like 8 & 4.

We had delusionals telling us this was gonna be a Top 10 Defense now that Elko is calling the shots.

Maybe they're still clinging to the idea that we're just "saving the playbook" and "sucking on purpose to lull ND into complacency"

Maroon Dawn said:

---

We had delusionals telling us this was gonna be a Top 10 Defense now that Elko is calling the shots.

Maybe they're still clinging to the idea that we're just "saving the playbook" and "sucking on purpose to lull ND into complacency"

---

Please quote the person who said it would be top 10.

TheDecadeSapling said:

---

The nice thing is he's shown he's willing to hit the portal and recruit to fill those holes.

---

Well he didn't do it enough this past offseason. Still dont have a true NT nor a SDE. And our safetys especially Bryce are a liability.

He got 1 tweener in Onyedim. The rest are backup quality.
He needed at least David Gusta and a top SAFETY like Dillon Thieneman.

AggieDub04 said:

---

Maroon Dawn said:

---

We had delusionals telling us this was gonna be a Top 10 Defense now that Elko is calling the shots.

Maybe they're still clinging to the idea that we're just "saving the playbook" and "sucking on purpose to lull ND into complacency"

---

Please quote the person who said it would be top 10.

---

The doomers always just make up stuff to try to make themselves not look so pathetic then end up just arguing with themselves. It's great.

Said on the other thread:

Like it or not, Elko's Defense under Jimbo was loaded with Talent.

That statistic alone will make dang near any Defensive coach look good.

Gig 'em.

Batty said:

---

So after playing our non conference cupcakes our Def is ranked in the bottom 3rd of the SEC in all major categories. I thought Elko's defense was solid last time he was here, what happened?

---

Last time he was here he was the DC. That's all he had to worry about. Now he's the CEO and face of the program. Bigger role.

Maroon Dawn said:

---

We had delusionals telling us this was gonna be a Top 10 Defense now that Elko is calling the shots.

Maybe they're still clinging to the idea that we're just "saving the playbook" and "sucking on purpose to lull ND into complacency"

---

Your replies are getting old. You make stuff up just to push your narrative of how bad our coaches, players, and team are. Elko said that the defense wasn't as good as it should have been in his first year, and he was going to concentrate on defense this year. No one who knows anything has said we were going to be in the top 10 this year.
So far our defense has been better than last year.

After the 75 yard touchdown in the first game, the two-deep forced 15 punts (most were 3 and outs or giving up 1 first down) and gave up 2 TD's in 17 defensive possessions.

Yes, the 3rd stringers gave up a trash TD in both games, but there is a decent chance that we are seeing the real defense now. Is it great? Probably not, but sample size is too low to say they are a bottom half of the SEC defense. There is enough evidence to suggest that they can be pretty decent.

Ag-ME said:

---

Maroon Dawn said:

---

We had delusionals telling us this was gonna be a Top 10 Defense now that Elko is calling the shots.

Maybe they're still clinging to the idea that we're just "saving the playbook" and "sucking on purpose to lull ND into complacency"

---

Your replies are getting old. You make stuff up just to push your narrative of how bad our coaches, players, and team are. Elko said that the defense wasn't as good as it should have been in his first year, and he was going to concentrate on defense this year. No one who knows anything has said we were going to be in the top 10 this year.
So far our defense has been better than last year.

---

Maroon Dawn is going to be here next week saying "I told you so" or he's going to lay low out until our next loss. We've seen both, but it's sad that for him to validate his position he needs us to lose and he's got to hide when we win. Seems like a weird way to root for the Aggies but different strokes I guess.

Someone should tell Elko not to bother traveling to South Bend. The stats say it's a wasted trip.

Yeah I agree, I don't really get why this whole board has turned so negative, especially now that we've moved on from Jimbo. I watch A&M to enjoy the Aggies and enjoy cfb. If I didn't get enjoyment from it, I would stop. Seems like people have sucked the fun out of college football, but for some reason they keep coming back.

drink32 said:

---

After the 75 yard touchdown in the first game, the two-deep forced 15 punts (most were 3 and outs or giving up 1 first down) and gave up 2 TD's in 17 defensive possessions.

Yes, the 3rd stringers gave up a trash TD in both games, but there is a decent chance that we are seeing the real defense now. Is it great? Probably not, but sample size is too low to say they are a bottom half of the SEC defense. There is enough evidence to suggest that they can be pretty decent.

---

Did the other teams not play backups?

MagnumLoad said:

---

Those numbers are skewed by one long run (busted assignment) and two garbage time drives against our 3's.

---

You don't think the rest of the SEC has the same garbage time drives and a few long runs/passes against them?

RecklessAg said:

---

drink32 said:

---

After the 75 yard touchdown in the first game, the two-deep forced 15 punts (most were 3 and outs or giving up 1 first down) and gave up 2 TD's in 17 defensive possessions.

Yes, the 3rd stringers gave up a trash TD in both games, but there is a decent chance that we are seeing the real defense now. Is it great? Probably not, but sample size is too low to say they are a bottom half of the SEC defense. There is enough evidence to suggest that they can be pretty decent.

---

Did the other teams not play backups?

---

So what's your point? We have the worst defense in the SEC? Two games into a CFB season doesn't mean much. We are going to find out a lot about this team Saturday. Maybe ND puts 300 yards rushing on us and beats the breaks off us. It's possible, but honestly I don't think it's likely.

SeaIsland said:

---

We lost a lot of depth and have a ton of undersized players for SEC play. Our defense is more comparable to Ole Miss than it is Oklahoma.

---

Using we lost a lot of depth is comical. We were not good last year.

aggieland28 said:

---

Yeah I agree, I don't really get why this whole board has turned so negative,

---

We've been bickering and banging pots from the beginning.

Maybe they played backups, don't know.

I know we won't be playing the 3rd stringers against Notre Dame. At all.

So whether other teams played their 3rd stringers the first two weeks can really affect the current stats, but doesn't have much affect on who the best defenses will be going forward.

Again, my point is: our two deep shut down these teams after the 1st half UTSA adjustments. Were they good teams? No, but everything we've seen so far suggests that this SHOULD be at least a decent defense. Too small a sample to say otherwise at this point.

We'll find out Saturday one way or another.

SirDippinDots said:

---

SeaIsland said:

---

We lost a lot of depth and have a ton of undersized players for SEC play. Our defense is more comparable to Ole Miss than it is Oklahoma.

---

Using we lost a lot of depth is comical. We were not good last year.

---

We did. Our DL is objectively weaker than last year.