Brooks Austin details how A&M consistently keeps defenses guessing

Key notes from Brooks Austin interview

• A&M fans found this out this weekend, but a lot of people just record scout. They don’t look at ball. Arkansas was a top-25 offense. Say what you want about their record or Bobby Petrino. You were getting a very aggressive, multi-faceted, methodical offense with a QB that's playing high-level football. I look at 42 points, and I'm like, “Yeah, Arkansas had a good day.” They tend to do that.
   
• For A&M, they played the definition of complementary football. What does that look like? “Hey, we can't get a stop defensively right now, so we need our offense to go 10 plays, 75 yards.” That's exactly what they did. They are making football teams be so overly dedicated and committed to stopping the run that it's a death sentence.
   
• KC Concepcion and Mario Craver do not need to catch the ball 40 yards downfield to take it 75. They can catch the ball five yards from the line of scrimmage and take it 75. That’s what's concerning. Most defenses have to have eight or nine sets of eyes on the box to try to stop the run. They are still failing to do so.
   
• This summer, I thought this running back unit had a chance to be a machine on the ground. That is what they are turning into.
   
• I think Petrino sandbagged for four weeks. I think he knew Sam Pittman was on the way out, and he had an opportunity to call seven games of great offense after Pittman left. I watched that Arkansas vs. Notre Dame performance and then the Razorbacks vs. Tennessee and A&M... It’s not a totally different offense, but they are playing a lot better. I am not accusing Petrino of doing something fishy, but I wouldn't put it past him.
   
• I thought LSU was bad last year up front. LSU had two NFL offensive tackles, but there was some food, guard-to-guard. SEC defensive lines looked at that interior and knew A. They wouldn't be able to run the ball unless they ran off tackle, and B. “If we want to get home right now, we can get home over any of these three options.” Now, that’s become five-wide. I have given up on their opportunity to establish balance. I have given up on any analysis of “Hey, maybe LSU will figure out the run game.” No, they won't. We are seven games in. They are a football team that will have to win 24-21. That puts it on the defense’s shoulders. They get left on the field way too long. They give up gashes.
   
• A&M’s offensive is explosive. They are also a football team that can slap-grind you out in drives. That terrifies me in drives. Time of possession may get shrunk.
   
• Marcel Reed doesn't have to be a pocket passer. Y’all can win games in 12 personnel, taking deep shots off play action.
   
• LSU’s last home game did not sell out vs. South Carolina. They need to show up for A&M, but that place was not 103,000 deep. LSU could eventually put it together. Garrett Nussmeier could get 100 percent healthy, but I am not a believer in one-dimensional football teams. Arkansas and Notre Dame can beat you in multiple ways. I don’t think LSU can. A&M is the far more consistently complete football team. They should handle this game.
   
• EJ Smith, holy hell. What a freight train that kid turned out to be last week against Arkansas. Most of your runs are on the perimeter. Most of your downhill runs are QB power or Le’Veon Moss. You had to replace the thumper. I thought Smith did a tremendous job.
   
• You have to go 2-2 down the stretch. You have the right to be in this situation. Wins over Notre Dame and Auburn were huge. The Arkansas score was what it was, but I thought that game was solidified with eight or nine minutes in the fourth quarter. There were garbage-time scores. That was not a three-point game. I feel really good about A&M’s chance to be 2-2 down the stretch. I don’t know how to fix all of Texas’ problems. They patch-worked against Oklahoma. 
   
• A&M has a consistent football coach. I feel good about the Aggies being a playoff team.