A&M counting on strong performance from linebackers in Belk Bowl

Most of the football season Texas A&M’s linebackers have been praised for improved play.

They may need to be at their best in the Belk Bowl to enable the defense to slow down Wake Forest’s rapid-fire offense and dual threat quarterback John Wolford. Wolford averages 309 yards of total offense to rank third in the Atlantic Coast Conference  behind Louisville star Lamar Jackson and Syracuse’s Eric Dungey.

Containing Wolford will be A&M’s top priority. And much of that responsibility will fall on Otaro Alaka, Tyrel Dodson and the rest of A&M’s linebackers.

“I think they’re going to be important in this football game because of the RPO (run pass option) game,” A&M interim head coach Jeff Banks said on Tuesday. “They’ve got to take away the run game, but they’ve got to be able to drop into pass coverage. That’s how they beat people is they throw those quick passes off the run game. Linebacker play is going to be important.”

Of course, the A&M linebackers are going to need lots of help to corral Wolford. A&M (7-5) has had trouble with dual threat quarterbacks. Mississippi State’s Nick Fitzgerald passed for 141 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 105 and another score in a 35-14 A&M loss.

Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 27 yards against the Aggies.

Overall, the Aggies did a sound job against Alabama’s Jalen Hurts, but he passed for 123 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 56 yards and another touchdown in a 27-19 win. Even LSU’s Danny Etling, who certainly doesn’t qualify as a dual threat, torched the A&M defense for 347 passing yards and three touchdowns.

That’s cause for concern against Wolford, who passed for at least 247 yards in four of Wake Forest’s last five games. He threw multiple touchdown passes is the last six games and has rushed for 276 yards in the last four.

Wolford was especially destructive in a 64-43 victory over Syracuse in which he passed for 363 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 136 and three touchdowns. The Demon Deacons average 33.7 points and 450.8 yards of total offense which both rank third in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They would figure to provide a tough challenge for the A&M defense that’s not at full strength.

Star safety Armani Watts reportedly wasn’t at Tuesday’s practice and his status appears uncertain. Further, the suspension of defensive tackle Zaycoven Henderson leaves the Aggies without a productive starter.

There may not be an adequate replacement if Watts doesn’t play, but Banks is confident the Aggies can absorb Henderson’s absence.

“We’ve got a lot of guys we feel comfortable with. Obviously, that’s a strength of our team — the depth there,” Banks said. “Obviously, (freshman) Jayden Peevy’s reps will go up.”

Andrew Kilzer, TexAgs

It was reported that senior safety Armani Watts, one of the key pieces of the A&M defense, was absent from Tuesday's bowl practice.

Banks said junior Daylon Mack, who figures to fill Henderson’s starting spot, has been playing well, too.

“He’s gotten better every week,” Banks said. “I think he’s playing his best football right now. The LSU game was one of his highest-graded games. 

“We always expect big things from Daylon, but I think the last half of the season he’s really shown it. Sometimes Daylon makes those flash plays. I think what he’s done a better job of now is playing more consistently.”

The Aggies will need to be consistently effective, especially against the pass. Wolford averages 253 passing yards. A&M is 1-3 against FCS opponents that pass for 256 yards or more. The victory was 24-17 over South Carolina.

Limiting Wolford’s passing success seems the key for the Aggies to complete their season and the coach Kevin Sumlin era with a victory.

“All we’ve talked about the last three weeks is finishing on a high note for both coach (Kevin) Sumlin and our seniors and for the 2017 Texas A&M football team,” Banks said. “We’ll feel very proud to walk off the field with a victory and we want to win in a certain way. So we’ve got to play good in all three phases.”

The Aggies will need to play best on defense.