Kyle Allen's starting debut didn't go entirely as planned. (USATSI)In late 2013 Texas AM made Kevin Sumlin one of the FBS's highest paid coaches signing him to a new contract which paid him $5 million per season. That led to Steve Spurrier cheekily praising Sumlin as a good negotiator at SEC Media Days but it looked it was the Aggies who'd been shrewd when Sumlin's newly Manziel less team pounded Spurrier's Gamecocks in Week 1 and vaulted into the top 10. As recently as Sept. 28 the Aggies were undefeated and No. 6 in the country not bad after being picked to finish sixth in the SEC West at those same SEC Media Days.
Fast forward four games and that pick doesn't seem nearly so foolish and Sumlin's extension may not be nearly so wise. Given the current state of the division even more brutal than expected over the summer thanks to Mississippi State's and Ole Miss's ascension even sixth place wouldn't have caused too much angst over Sumlin's new salary if the Aggies were competitive in defeat if there was evidence Sumlin's magic touch with quarterbacks extended beyond Johnny Football if some of the defeaning buzz that surrounded the Aggies back in 2012 still remained.
This isn't to say that that buzz is extinguished entirely (the Aggies' recruiting is fine) or that Sumlin can't coach quarterbacks or that the grumbling over the team's past month is any louder than well grumbling. But after Texas AM had to feel fortunate to beat 32 point underdog ULM by a 21 16 score Saturday rest assured that grumbling is there.
How did the Aggies disappoint against the Warhawks Let us count the ways
Kyle Allen didn't provide a spark. Sumlin and offensive coordinator Jake Spavital had already turned to the five star freshman even before the struggling Kenny Hill was suspended Saturday morning but vs. ULM Allen didn't look like a quarterback ready to lead the Aggies to a big finish he racked up just 106 passing yards on 3.6 an attempt with one touchdown (for which he largely had to thank his receiver) and one interception.
The offense was an eyesore in general. Allen's 106 yards an unthinkable total for a Sumlin offense against an opponent like this didn't happen because the Aggies were too busy piling up the rushing yards they averaged just 3.3 an attempt on the ground. AM finished with 243 yards total didn't score a point in the second half and set up a golden Warhawk scoring chance with an Allen fumble on a sack.
They won in part because ULM played not to lose. The TAMU defense won't come in for too much criticism after holding ULM to just 16 points only six after halftime as the offense went missing and a meager 4.4 yards a play. Still the Warhawks came into the game as the FBS's No. 121 ranked scoring offense and could have won had coach Todd Berry gone for it on a 4th and Goal in the third quarter ... or on a 4th and Goal in the fourth quarter ... or on a 4th and 5 at the Aggies' 40 in the final six minutes. Instead Berry opted for a field goal ... and another field goal ... and then punted for a net of under 20 yards after a clever return off the bounce by Speedy Noil.
Yes AM might have stopped all three of those fourth down attempts and won even more handily. But that hypothetical doesn't change the bottom line after three pummelings at the hands of SEC competition including the infamous 59 0 immolation at Alabama Texas AM's bounce back win saw it outgained 347 243 at home by a 3 4 Sun Belt team.
Whatever the Aggies might have expected for their $5 million this season this isn't it.
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