COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Last season, Texas A&M took a seven-game winning streak into South Carolina and had perhaps its worst performance of the year in a 44-20 loss.
That was the beginning of a downward spiral for the Aggies as the first of three losses in four games that dropped them to 8-4 and spoiled any shot at making the College Football Playoff.
As the third-ranked Aggies (9-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) prepare to face the Gamecocks again Saturday, they’re still thinking about what happened last year and determined to avenge that defeat.
“We got embarrassed at South Carolina last year,” linebacker Taurean York said.
Then he added: “It’s personal.”
And while they try to look ahead and not behind, these Aggies are intent on not repeating past mistakes as they try to remain undefeated and move closer to reaching the playoffs for the first time.
“Obviously, you can’t look back at last year and try to bring that type of energy into it, but it is personal,” quarterback Marcel Reed said. “Those were one of the teams that got us out of getting into the playoffs last year and took us out of the SEC Championship conversation. It’s just a 1-0 mentality ... they’re in our way just like every other team, so we’re just going to go handle business this weekend.”
This year’s South Carolina team isn’t nearly as formidable as the one they were routed by last season. The Gamecocks are 3-6 overall, 1-6 in conference play and have dropped four straight games.
But Coach Mike Elko knows better than to underestimate them.
“Every Saturday you’re at risk in this conference. That’s just the way it is,” he said. “We have to go play, regardless of what their record is, a really, really talented football team on Saturday and it’s the same team that beat us by 25 points or whatever it was last year and really embarrassed us up and down the field. So, if any of our players or anyone thinks it’s going to be anything different than that, they’re kind of crazy.”
Saturday’s game ends a stretch of four straight ranked opponents for the Gamecocks and will be their third in a row against a top 10 team. Coach Shane Beamer expects this to be their biggest challenge of the season.
“I don’t really see a weakness in them,” he said. “Their record and body of work speaks to that.”
Two-way player?
After Texas A&M safety Dalton Brooks had a 26-yard fumble return and gained 48 yards on a fake punt in last week’s win over Missouri, some wondered if Elko might use him on offense down the stretch.
“No, shoot, he should have scored on both of them is what I told him,” Elko said with a laugh.
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Brooks has often bragged to Elko about his prowess as a two-way star in high school at a small school in Shiner, Texas. As a senior there, he had 120 tackles and two interceptions and ran for 2,519 yards and 36 touchdowns.
“It kind of felt like back in high school,” Brooks said of his big game against the Tigers.
Elko was impressed by his work Saturday even if he didn’t get in the end zone.
“He’s a really talented kid,” he said. “He’s a really athletic kid. Obviously that’s a game that you dream of when you’re playing safety, to be able to account for (74) total yards. That’s obviously two huge, huge plays for us from a momentum standpoint.”
New play caller
The Gamecocks will have a new play caller Saturday after offensive coordinator Mike Shula was fired after the team’s 30-14 loss to Mississippi two weeks ago before last week’s open date. Receivers coach Mike Furrey has taken over Shula’s duties for the remainder of the season.
Shula was fired with the Gamecocks ranked last in the SEC in points per game (19.7) and total yards (294.1). Beamer hopes the change will help turn things around.
“He’s kind of got that swag or whatever you want to call it, and he’s brought that to the offense,” Beamer said. “And I’m not saying that we didn’t have it before, but he’s definitely brought confidence ... this will hopefully give us a little bit of a spark.”
Stopping Sellers
The Aggies know the key to beating South Carolina will be controlling quarterback LaNorris Sellers. The dual threat signal caller has thrown for 1,536 yards and seven touchdowns and added 158 yards rushing and three scores.
“He’s built like Rob Gronkowski,” York said. “So, it’s hard to tackle him up high. You’ve got to drive through the thigh board.”
Elko agreed and said they also must account for receiver Nyck Harbor because of his size and speed.
“They’ve got one of the most physically impressive wide receivers I’ve seen in 30 years of college football,” Elko said. “Nyck Harbor’s 6-5, 235. He’s probably going to run 4.27 or faster at the combine. I hope I didn’t insult him ... but he can absolutely fly. DBs are running away from him on the snap and he still runs past them. It’s one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen.”
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