Notable PFF grades after Texas A&M's 48-20 win over Arizona State
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No. 9 Texas A&M (2-0) entered halftime of Saturday's 48-20 blowout win over Arizona State leading 17-10, and while starting quarterback Marcel Reed connected with transfer wide receiver Isaiah Horton for the first of two touchdowns on the day, ASU's RPO-heavy passing attack gave the Aggie defense plenty of issues, especially in the secondary.
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After the half, Arizona State quarterback Cutter Boley's 58-yard pass to wide receiver Reed Harris was the final successful play for the visitors, as A&M's defensive line began to dominate in the trenches, leading to defensive end T.J. Searcy's pressure that resulted in sophomore Edge Marco Jones's pick-six, giving the Aggies a 38-20 lead in the fourth quarter.
Followed by senior cornerback Julio Humphrey's pick-six, Texas A&M's defense was utterly dominant when it mattered, while Marcel Reed's three touchdown passes capped off the 28-point win that felt like it could have gone the other way if the 24-point fourth quarter hadn't come to fruition.
The Pro Football Focus grades for Texas A&M's offense and defense reflected the up-and-down performance on both sides of the ball, adding context on which players stood out. Before hosting Kentucky on Saturday afternoon, here are the updated PFF grades for Texas A&M after Saturday's 48-20 win over Arizona State.
PFF Texas A&M offense grades
- C Mark Nabou — 77.3 offense, 84.2 pass blocking, 71.9 run blocking
- RB KJ Edwards — 72.1 offense, 69.8 run offense, 60.0 run blocking
- WR Terry Bussey — 681. offense, 71.1 passing, 62.1 running
- WR Jayden Warren — 67.9 offense, 76.9 run blocking
- TE Kiotti Armstrong — 67.3 offense, 67.3 run blocking
16 players on offense graded out with 60 or above offensive grades, which is above average, while QB Marcel Reed's 62.7 passing grade pretty much summed up his day in the pocket, while KJ Edwards' seven snaps were deemed successful and should result in Mike Elko and Holmon Wiggins getting him on the field much earlier.
Terry Bussey led the Aggies with four receptions for 48 yards, providing Marcel Reed another reliable target in the passing game, and stated after the game that he will do "whatever it takes" to help the Aggies this season.
Along the offensive line, starting center Mark Nabou allowed zero sacks and zero pressures, while left tackle Tyree Adams allowed two pressures after leading the O-line last week.
PFF Texas A&M defense grades
- Edge Sam M'Pemba — 94.0 defense, 94.3 run defense, 72.2 tackle, 62.8 pass rush
- Edge Anto Saka — 78.1 defense, 66.4 run defense, 77.8 tackle, 72.6 pass rush
- CB Julio Humphrey — 77.7 defense, 79.9 coverage
- DL DJ Hicks — 73.2 defense, 67.7 run defense, 69.7 tackling, 70.3 pass rush
- CB Bravion Rogers — 72.4 defense, 77.9 tackling, 71.4 coverage
These top five ratings completely reflect Texas A&M's elite defensive effort in the second half, as Sam M'Pemba was highly effective during his 14 snaps, forcing a fumble, while Anto Saka recorded a pressure and three tackles, combined with T.J. Searcy's three pressures and Marco Jones' five pressures, making up a chunk of the 14 total pressures on the day.
In coverage, Julio Humphrey led the way, allowing just 42 yards and one of three Arizona State touchdowns, while CB Dezz Ricks (71.9) and nickel Bravion Rogers (71.4) were also impressive in coverage. However, Tennessee transfer Rickey Gibson struggled and finished with a poor 42.8 coverage grade.
At linebacker, sophomore Noah Mikhail was the most consistent of the starting rotation, finishing with an 83.8 run defense grade and an 80.7 tackling grade.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Notable PFF grades after Texas A&M's 48-20 win over Arizona State