Jimbo Fisher addresses concerns of protection for Texas A&M

Texas A&M has had offensive issues plague the second halves of their last two losses, and one factor in those shortcomings was a lack of solid protection from the Aggie offensive line.

Especially late in the most recent loss to Tennessee, the A&M pocket just couldn’t hold up as the Aggies ultimately squandered a chance to score in the fourth quarter to even up the score. This week, head coach Jimbo Fisher did not deny that protection was an issue.

“Protection, if you look at it, it came late in that game. There was four balls that he had a contested pocket until the last drive,” he remarked this week. “There’s three parts of protection. You’ve got to protect the passer. You’ve got to read it and get it out. And you’ve got to run the route and be at the right place.”

Sure, the offensive line has been at fault and could hold up better, but there’ve also been other factors at play making the line look less-than-stellar, including some nasty defensive fronts from Alabama and Tennessee.

“So, I mean, at different times are different things. I mean, sometimes some guys get beaten. In the last two weeks we’ve faced some really good pass rushers,” Fisher said. “I mean, the last two weeks there’s four ends, three or four ends that are going to make a lot of money. And interior guys that can really rush and do a good job. You’re playing good people.”

One important way to help the offensive line is to avoid putting them in obvious passing situations — like second or third and long — where the defense knows the QB is going to drop back to pass and can send all sorts of pressure at the line. Whereas, if A&M stays on schedule and is going for third or second and short, rather than long, the line has an easier job.

“You know, stay ahead of the down and distance, too. When we’re doing that, we’re doing a really good job in what we’re doing,” added Jimbo Fisher.

Whether it’s the quarterback getting the ball out quicker, the offense operating more efficiently on earlier, downs, or simply the line needing to block better — there’s more than one fix for the protections issues.

“So we just — it’s been varying things at times. But it’s – you know, sometimes you’ve got to get the ball out,” Fisher said. “Sometimes you’ve got to get open a hair quicker. And sometimes you’ve got to protect longer. So it’s been all three at different – and it’s been really good at times. I mean, up and down the field.”