Texas A&M opened SEC play against a desperate Auburn team, knowing that protecting home field over the next three weeks was crucial before hitting the road for three consecutive matchups. After scoring the first opening drive touchdown of the season, the Aggie offense stalled due to 13 penalties combined with Auburn‘s impressive defense.
However, Texas A&M’s defense was even better, completely shutting down both the run and pass, limiting the Tigers to just 115 yards on the day. The Aggies’ defensive line erupted for five sacks, including defensive end Dayon Hayes’ game-sealing sack, while the secondary, especially cornerback Will Lee III and Dezz Ricks, who had their best games of the season compared to last year’s 4 OT loss to Auburn on the road.
Starting quarterback Marcel Reed didn’t have eye-popping numbers. Still, Reed earned the second-highest Pro Football Focus score on the team (83.2) and an elite passing grade (84.8) after completing 15/22 for 207 yards, while his late interception was more on the confusing play call and wide receiver Terry Bussey bobbling the catch.
PFF is the end-all, be-all when grading player performances, but in a tight, defensive-led contest, these grades provided an accurate reading of how the Aggies performed on offense and defense. Starting with the offense, here are the top-8 ranked offensive players according to Pro Football Focus:
Offensive Grades
- TE Amari Niblack: 85.0
- QB Marcel Reed: 83.2
- WR KC Concepcion: 80.5
- RB Le’Veon Moss: 79.9
- RB Rueben Owens: 78.6
- WR Mario Craver: 74.7
- OL Ar’maj Reed-Adams: 73.0
- RB Amari Daneils: 70.9
Senior running back Le’Veon Moss led the game with 21 carries for 139 yards and a touchdown, averaging an impressive 6.6 yards per carry. Owens and Daniels combined for 94 yards when Moss was on the sideline, while wide receiver KC Concepcion led the Aggies with seven receptions for 113 yards.
Along the offensive line, left tackle Trey Zuhn (84.3) and left guard Chase Bisontis (86.4) earned elite pass protection grades, while Bisontis did not allow a sack, hit, hurry, or pressure, which are all career highs for the junior. Marcel Reed was sacked four times, but five offensive linemen, outside of right tackle Dametreous Crownover (35.0), earned at least 66-plus pass blocking grades.
Defense Grades
- Taurean York: 83.2
- Dayon Hayes: 77.6
- Will Lee III: 72.0
- Tyler Onyedim 71.2
- Dalton Brooks: 70.3
- Marcus Ratcliffe: 70.1
- Jordan Lockhart: 69.9
- Dezz Ricks: 68.3
Star linebacker Taurean York produced his best performance of the year, leading the team with seven tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss, and a pass deflection. Earning the highest defensive grade (83.2), York’s prolific pass rush grade (87.1) isn’t surprising after watching the junior make his way to the backfield on nearly every play.
Texas A&M’s defensive line stood out, led by Dayon Hayes and Iowa State transfer Tyler Onyedim, who combined for one sack and four hurries. Replacing senior linebacker Scooby Williams (injury), junior Daymion Sanford has another impressive outing, earning a 73.4 pass rush grade, two tackles, and two sacks.
The secondary, led by cornerbacks Will Lee III and Dezz Ricks, was lights out, as Lee allowed just three receptions for 48 yards, while Ricks allowed five catches for 25 yards. Senior nickel Tyreek Chappell allowed one reception and has continued to improve at one of the defense’s most important spots.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Notable PFF grades after Texas A&M football’s 16-10 win over Auburn
