Three Things I Know, Three Things I Don't: Aggies Head to Arkansas

After a 6-0 start and growing momentum both on and off the field, Mike Elko has Texas A&M in a position the program hasn’t been in for quite some time. Meanwhile, Arkansas has parted ways with head coach Sam Pittman, elevating offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino to interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The Razorbacks now sit at 2-4 as they prepare to face some familiar faces for Petrino this weekend.

While the Aggies hit the road for the first time since their trip to Notre Dame, a few questions still linger despite their hot start. They’ll face a hostile environment and a high-powered offense this weekend. With that being said, here are Three Things I Know, Three Things I Don’t.

Three Things I Know

#1: While the Aggies have already faced some strong offensive units this season, this will be the ultimate test for their defense — a group coming off one of its best stretches of play in recent memory, and certainly the best since the new staff’s arrival.

Despite what their record might suggest, Arkansas boasts one of the most explosive offenses in the conference, led by quarterback Taylen Green, who has continued to play at a high level. While he’s shown some inconsistency, Green is capable of beating anyone on any given Saturday — meaning this Texas A&M defense will need to be locked in.

This will be just the second road game of the season for the Aggies, and the challenge won’t be as comfortable as it’s been at Kyle Field. Still, if there’s one thing that travels in football, it’s defense.

#2: To control this game from start to finish, the Aggies will need to strike first once again — or at the very least, answer with points on their opening drive. They did exactly that a week ago against Florida and carried that early momentum into a dominant win at home.

It’s never easy to go into a place like Fayetteville and steal a win from a desperate team, but this is a must-win game for Texas A&M as they prepare to enter the toughest stretch of their schedule on the road against multiple ranked opponents. Early momentum — and those long, clock-chewing drives like we saw last week that lasted nearly eight minutes — will be crucial.

#3: We often talk about “who wants it more” being the difference in big games, and it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting this one more than Arkansas’ interim head coach, Bobby Petrino.

After a frustrating stint under Jimbo Fisher, Petrino found himself looking for a new opportunity once Mike Elko arrived in College Station and began assembling his own staff. Now, in his first home game back as Arkansas’ head coach, sitting at 2-4 and coaching a team desperate for a spark, he’ll be facing the very program that moved on without him.

There’s no doubt this one carries extra meaning for Petrino — and it’s exactly why Texas A&M will need to bring their A-game from the opening kickoff.

Three Things I Don’t Know

#1: Since the firing of Sam Pittman and nearly his entire defensive staff, Arkansas’ defense has really struggled. However, they’ve continued to mix things up, showing different looks from week to week — which raises the question: what exactly will Texas A&M see this time around?

Last week, Arkansas played its safeties unusually deep — a look that actually favors Texas A&M’s offense. They could stick with that approach again, especially if they don’t feel particularly threatened by Rueben Owens in the absence of starter Le’Veon Moss.

They’ve been a team that’s struggled with tackling in space and taking proper angles, which could set the stage for a big day from Texas A&M’s playmakers. This might be the week we see KC Concepcion and Mario Craver do serious damage after the catch — and possibly the one where Ashton Bethel-Roman finally gets going as well.

#2: With Le’Veon Moss sidelined for a “significant time,” Mike Elko has continued to praise Rueben Owens — even noting his development as a runner before Moss’s injury. Now stepping into the starting role, I’m wondering what exactly we can expect from the Aggies’ backfield moving forward.

While Owens has been productive, freshman Jamarion Morrow has continued to make big plays in his limited opportunities. Though the Aggies may not have planned to give him this much playing time so early, it’s clearly paid off — and he could end up being the biggest beneficiary of this sudden shift at running back.

EJ Smith has also shown effectiveness running the ball and could see an increased workload, but it remains to be seen how the backfield will perform moving forward. With a crucial stretch of the schedule ahead, the Aggies will need their run game to be consistently effective against some very talented defenses.

#3: Texas A&M has had no shortage of talent this season and has even overcome some preseason concerns about a potential lack of depth or experience at several positions. But as they enter the final stretch, the question remains: will we see a late-season emergence from someone stepping up in a big way?

We’ve already seen Daymion Sanford and Jamarion Morrow begin to make their presence felt, but sometimes another player starts to find their rhythm around this point in the season — stepping up and making a key impact when it’s needed most.

We’re still waiting on Ashton Bethel-Roman to turn a corner, and a few more connections from Marcel Reed to Amari Niblack and Terry Bussey could make a big difference. Another player who’s started to flash is defensive end Dayon Hayes, who’s looking increasingly comfortable in the Aggies’ system. If he can solidify the end spot opposite Cashius Howell, Texas A&M will be in very good shape.