Three takeaways from Week 2 of SEC football
Three takeaways from Week 2 of SEC football:
1. Texas A&M’s lack of return on investment
Doubt that Texas A&M spent mega-millions on Jimbo Fisher’s contract, plus NIL money for the nation’s best recruiting class, to see the Aggies lose 17-14 at home to Sun Belt Conference member Appalachian State on Saturday.
Fisher’s offense gained a meager 186 yards against the Mountaineers. Quarterback Haynes King passed for just 97 yards, hitting on 13 of 20 passes. And Texas A&M ran just 38 plays compared to Appalachian State’s 82 offensive plays.
“We did not execute and play at the level we needed to play and that’s my fault,” Fisher said afterward. “That’s the head football coach’s job.”
To rub salt in the wound, Appalachian State was reportedly paid $1.5 million to play at College Station. Plane problems forced the Mountaineers to spend extra time at the airport waiting on their flight after the game. As someone joked, the program could spend the extra time counting its money for beating the Aggies.
Next up for Texas A&M: No. 13-ranked Miami visits Kyle Field on Saturday night.
2. Spencer Rattler off to a shaky start
There was quite a bit of fanfare when Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler transferred to South Carolina in the offseason. After all, some NFL scouting services had rated Rattler as a possible No. 1 overall pick for the 2022 draft before Rattler lost his starting job to Caleb Williams during the 2021 season.
Through two games, including South Carolina’s 44-30 loss at Arkansas on Saturday, Rattler has struggled with his new team. He was 23-of-37 for 227 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions in the Gamecocks’ 35-14 win over Georgia State in the season opener. In Fayetteville, Rattler was 24-of-39 for 376 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Rattler did throw a 62-yard TD pass to Antwane Wells to pull South Carolina within 21-16 in the third quarter, but Arkansas’ quarterback KJ Jefferson answered by driving the Razorbacks right back down the field for the score.
Jefferson was a sparkling 18-of-21 through the air for 162 yards. He also rushed for 67 yards on 19 carries as Arkansas improved to 2-0 after beating Cincinnati in its opener.
3. It’s going to be a tough slog for Eli Drinkwitz
Eli Drinkwitz’s third season as the Missouri coach took a hit Saturday as the Tigers were whipped 40-12 by Kansas State in Manhattan on Saturday.
Missouri managed just 222 yards of total offense as quarterback Brady Cook threw a pair of interceptions. Meanwhile, Kansas State rushed for 235 yards, led by Deuce Vaughn’s 145 yards on 24 carries.
Drinkwitz is now 12-13 as Missouri’s coach after going 5-5 and 6-7 his first two seasons.
“Disappointing day all the way around, from top to bottom,” Drinkwitz said afterward. “A lot of things to correct. … “One game doesn’t define a season, it’s not going to define our season. How we respond to it will. It starts with me. I have to do a much better job being prepared. I’ve got to get more out of our football team than I did today.”
This story was originally published September 12, 2022 at 9:24 AM.
