Texas A&M
3-0 , 0-0
New Mexico
2-1 , 0-0
No. 7 Aggies Shutout New Mexico, 34-0
Sep 18, 2021 | Football
BRYAN- COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Maroon & White defense put on one of their best performances since 2001 as the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies dominated the New Mexico Lobos, 34-0, at Kyle Field on Saturday afternoon.
The win marked A&M’s 11th consecutive victory, tied for second longest active win streak in the FBS and most consecutive wins for the Aggies since the 1992 season (12).
The Aggie defense stymied New Mexico, limiting the Lobos to 122 yards of total offense, the fewest A&M has surrendered since 2001. UNM’s 33 passing yards is the lowest Ol’ Sarge’s charges allowed since 2017. New Mexico’s offense trekked into A&M territory on just two occasions, including their last drive of the game, with the Lobos only able to get as close as the 37 yard line midway through the third quarter.
Texas A&M’s defense logged 11.0 tackles-for-loss, including 4.0 sacks. Edgerrin Cooper snatched his first career interception and Aaron Hansford made a career-high 2.0 tackles-for-loss, along with a sack and a pass breakup. DeMarvin Leal and Micheal Clemson each tallied a career-best 1.5 sacks. Tyree Johnson registered his first sack of the season.
New Mexico began the opening drive with a three-and-out, and the Aggies answered immediately, putting together a three-play, 43-yard drive that was capped off by a Zach Calzada 26-yard touchdown pass to Devon Achane.
On the following drive, Demond Demas hauled in his first career reception on a 70-yard bomb from Calzada and ran into the end zone untouched. Demas’ score is the first of his career and the longest TD reception since Oct. 28, 2017 when Camron Buckley hauled in a 70-yard pass and took it for six. Demas led all wideouts with 100 receiving yards off two catches, including a 70-yard TD reception.
The A&M offense continued its scoring effort, putting together a 13-play, 60 yard drive that was capped off by an Isaiah Spiller 5-yard touchdown run. Seth Small extended the Aggies’ lead to 24-0 and closed out the scoring for the half after booting a 35-yarder through the uprights.
Moose Muhammad III caught a SportsCenter-worthy one-handed catch for his first career touchdown late in the third quarter. Muhammad finished with three receptions for 24 yards.
Calzada scattered the ball to seven different Aggies, finishing the day 19-of-33 passing for 275 yards and three scores in his first career start. Blake Bost saw action for the first time at quarterback this season late in the fourth.
Spiller rushed for the 12th 100-yard game of his career with 117 yards on 15 carries. Achane added 112 all-purpose yards.
Small accounted for 10 points in the game, upping his career total to 299 to gain sole possession of fifth highest scorer in A&M history.
3-0.
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 18, 2021
AGGIES WIN! #GigEm pic.twitter.com/CyfZ6ZUnMO
Team Notes
- The Aggies have allowed 17 points through the team’s first three games of the season, marking the second-fewest points allowed to start the year since the 1997 season when A&M gave up 16 points through three games.
- Texas A&M has held its opponent scoreless through the air so far this season and is one of 11 teams in the nation that has not allowed a passing touchdown this year.
- The game marked Texas A&M’s first shutout since a 67-0 blanking of Prairie View A&M on Sept. 10, 2016. It was A&M’s first shutout against an FBS opponent since a 25-0 victory at Vanderbilt on Nov. 21, 2015. The Maroon & White registered their first FBS shutout at Kyle Field since blanking Wyoming, 31-0, on Sept. 11, 2004.
- The A&M defense limited the Lobos to 122 yards of total offense, marking the fewest yards allowed by the Aggies since Dec. 28, 2001, when TCU had 118 yards of offense. New Mexico’s 33 passing yards were the fewest allowed by the Aggies since limiting the Lobos to 24 yards on Nov. 11, 2017.
- Texas A&M’s defense registered 11 tackles for loss, including 4.0 sacks on the day.
- The A&M defense allowed New Mexico into Aggie territory on just two occasions, including UNM’s final drive. The Lobos’ deepest penetration was the A&M 37 yard line midway through the third quarter.
- The Aggie passing game spread the ball around to seven different receivers, with three players recording TDs.
- The victory over the Lobos marked the first 3-0 start in the Jimbo Fisher era and the team’s first 3-0 start since 2016.
- The Aggies have won 11 straight games, marking their longest win streak since stringing together 12 consecutive victories in 1992. The streak is currently tied for the second longest in the country.
- Today’s captains against New Mexico were WR Ainias Smith, RB Isaiah Spiller, DL DeMarvin Leal, OL Kenyon Green.
Individual Notes
- In his first career start, sophomore QB Zach Calzada completed 19-of-33 passes for 275 yards, three TDs.
- Freshman WR Demond Demas recorded the first 100-yard receiving game of his career, finishing the New Mexico game with 100 yards on two receptions. Demas and Calzada connected early in the first quarter on a 70-yard strike downfield that Demas brought to the end zone for the first touchdown of his career.
- The 70-yard pass from Calzada to Demas was A&M’s longest offensive play in 2021.
- Sophomore RB Devon Achane got A&M on the board when he took a 26-yard reception to the end zone for his second career score through the air.
- Freshman WR Moose Muhammad III used a one-handed grab in the back of the end zone to secure a 7-yard pass from Calzada for the first score of his career. He finished the game with 24 yards on three receptions.
- Junior RB Isaiah Spiller recorded the 12th 100-yard game of his career, tallying 117 yards on 15 carries, including a 5-yard touchdown run, the 20th TD tote of his career.
- Sophomore LB Antonio Doyle Jr. helped lead the Aggie defense with a career-high five tackles in the victory.
- Graduate DL Micheal Clemons matched his career high with 1.5 sacks and three QB hurries in the game.
- Freshman LB Edgerrin Cooper made the first interception of his career midway through the fourth quarter after senior DB Leon O’Neal Jr. broke up a pass that landed in the hands of Cooper for the turnover.
- Sophomore P Nik Constantinou boomed four punts for 182 yards (45.5 ypp), landing inside the 20 yard line on all four punts, including pinning the Lobos inside the 10 yard line on three occasions.
- Senior PLK Seth Small moved into fifth on A&M’s all-time career scoring list as he upped his total to 299 points, after going 4-of-4 on PATs with a pair of field goals.
Postgame Press Conference: Jimbo Fisher
COACH FISHER: Proud of our guys. We come out, got a win. That's the number one thing we got to get to, but how you get it matters.
I thought defensively, we were outstanding. We gave up 122 yards. And they did an I violate and did a great job on the perimeter. Got one little naked pass early, and I don't think we got outflanked other than that anytime. I mean, did a great job there. Fit to run as well. Fit to play actions. Covered the passes. I thought they were outstanding. Pressured the quarterback on third down. Give up a couple of third-and-longs that I didn't think we needed to a couple times, but they were outstanding in the game. And to get a shutout in today's time is a hard thing to do. I don't care what happens and what we did.
Special teams-wise, sloppy. Punt return, excellent. Ainias [Smith] set up a couple big scores, almost had a third one, I guess. I couldn't -- did they said his forearm was down or elbow was down. Is that what it was? That was it. Almost had another one there that set up a score. He was outstanding in the game, in that part of it. Nik Constantinou, he was awesome. I think he had four punts inside the 20. I think he did his job right there and still averaged 45. One of them, I think, we were backed up but he hit a bomb. So I think he was outstanding. But our kickoffs, we had two bad kickoffs in the game. Had a bad snap on a field goal. Seth [Small] was good on his field goals. But, I mean, just sloppy there.
Offensively, hit some big plays. Made the big plays. Made some nice runs. Started off very well. Did a really nice job, but then didn't play with any consistency. Up front, didn't play very well. I thought they played harder than we did. I thought they were physical. I thought they banged us around. Whenever they wanted to, they kept getting after us. We need to learn to grow up and play a lot more physical, I mean, across the board, tight ends, backs, I mean everything. Our running backs, 28 [Isaiah Spiller] and 6 [Adarious Jones], I thought were pretty good in the game. They were picking up blitzes, hitting things, and having many runs. But we got to block better. We got to do a better job, point blank.
Zach [Calzada] did a solid job in the game. Hit some big plays. Missed a couple of throws he should have made. Made one foolish mistake with the interception, just throwing the ball away. And he also took a sack. We got lucky. They got a holding call on one of them in the first half. He took a sack on a first-down play in the red zone. They just got to throw the ball away. Every play ain't a touchdown. That's part of playing quarterback. Quarterback is managing -- first and foremost, everybody talks about a guy's arm. Can he run? Decision-making. For the most part, he was good. But when you're playing the whole game, you got to manage every situation. Every decision you make can change the game. And we got to clean those up a little bit. But he made some really nice throws in the game. 6-14 on third down. He still had a couple decisions he should have made that I thought could have been better. But we're a work in progress. We got to get better. Things don't get you till they get you. We need to quit letting them get us.
They had a couple drops in the game, a couple missed routes later on by guys that were doing real good and then, all of a sudden, just don't run a route the right way. That inconsistency, that drives you crazy. That's discipline and that's want-to and that's desire. And that's when you get tired and you start drifting mentally. And that's a very immature team. That's a reflection of me and our coaches. We've got to do a better job of putting them in position on offense, especially to do those things. And we'll do it and we're going to practice better, I promise you.
By the way, I want to say this, New Mexico did a great job. They played their tails off, man, they're a great football team.
Q. When you say you need to learn to grow up and play more physical, is that something you can achieve in a week's time?
COACH FISHER: We'll find out, we better because that team we're playing is very physical. That team we're about to play and the rest down the line, in this league, that's big-boy ball. You better grow up. It's not just always there, across the board. Talking about how you run routes, how you do things, block, run routes, catches, throws. On defense, do we want to take things on consistently? Keep doing everything. We've got to make sure we're a physical tough football team if we're going to make it in this league.
Q. In what ways did you see Zach [Calzada] grow from when he was thrust into action last week to when he had a week to know he was starting?
COACH FISHER: His early throws in the game. Made good decisions early and was relaxed. Sometimes when you play really good and that goes off really good, you keep thinking everything is a home run. Just hit the baseball. Just hit it hard or make the right decisions is what I keep saying. It ain't about throwing touchdowns. It's about throwing to the right guy. Making decisions. Making checks. The game is bigger than everybody that's ever played it or coached it. It will bite you right in the tail when you think you're just going out to go out there and do this and that. And that's one of the things he's got to continue. He has ability, but you've got to continue to make the right decisions on every play.
Q. Coach, how much did you think the missing Layden Robinson kind of messed with the chemistry?
COACH FISHER: I don't think it messed at all. We missed Layden, don't get me wrong. Very, very missed him. But we practiced and those guys were plenty good enough. They wouldn't be here. In this league, you've got to play. They did nothing that we hadn't seen before. And that's kind of what irritates me the most.
Q. And how impressed were you with some of the young wide receivers that went out there?
COACH FISHER: I thought Moose [Muhammad] was really outstanding in the game. [Demond] Demas made some really good plays. A couple times late routes. We got to stay disciplined on doing them exactly the right way. [Jalen] Wydermyer, I thought he was just okay. I think Jalen's got to play better for us to be the kind of team we're going to be. I love Jalen. He's a super player, but he can play better and doing the things he does. But Moose was good. Devin Price got his catch. Who else got a first catch? I'm trying to think. Let me look. I don't know if I got everybody on here. We got shady people in the stat room up there. I can't get good information on this stuff. Devin Price had his first catch. Moose's touchdown catch was outstanding. Demas had a great catch, the first one. He another good catch, broke a tackle. Anybody else in that group? I don't think so. But those guys, they're good players, man. They got a chance to be good players. They're going to have to play for us.
Q. Update on Ainias [Smith].
COACH FISHER: He's good. I think he got banged. We just held him there on the sideline for the second half. I don't know. We'll have to wait and see. Everything seemed to be okay. We'll have to wait and see.
Q. During today's game, we saw an emphasis put on scoring during the first half with y'all scoring 24 total points during the first half alone. Especially when you compare this to the previous two contests, how much does having a mentality focused on scoring early contribute to y'all's success?
COACH FISHER: I promise you, we got the mentality. We finally executed early. We finally got the good punt return and set us up to hit a nice play and hit the deep ball. Then we went for a dry spell. Then we drive down and get a first. If I'm not mistaken, weren't we on the 22, 23-yard line, first down? Then lose a run for about 4 yards. Then drop back and just completely blow our protection and get a sack. And all of a sudden we're ready to go up three scores, which is a big part of the game, to get up three scores and how you're playing and do that. But the emphasis has been there. We just got to execute. We've got to do a better job coaching. We got to do a better job executing and playing.
Q. Coach, you had two young defenders making a lot of big plays in Deuce [Harmon] and then you had Edgerrin [Cooper] getting the interception. What have you seen from them, especially with Edgerrin and Aaron [Hansford]?
COACH FISHER: Edgerrin is a super athlete. He learns to really grasp what we're doing consistently. He can be all over the field. He can cover. He can run. He's physical. He can do everything. Deuce is a really good, young player. Him and [Tyreek] Chappell and those guys, we're really high on them. Shemar [Turner]. All those guys are going to be really good players, man. We're going to have to have those guys.It was great to get them. Great time today. [Jardin] Gilbert, too. Gilbert made some really good things today and played some really good ball. Those young guys -- I don't think there was any other young -- Those guys all played good significant time today and did a nice job.
Q. Coach, Demond [Demas] got his first touchdown. Fans were real excited to see that play. Can you talk a little bit about the excitement of getting him involved?
COACH FISHER: We've been trying to for a while. The time come right. He's been in the games lately, and the ball didn't go to him. It could have. We have calls. They just went somewhere else with it. Got him on a deep ball. They ran the coverage and a double post. They come off on the over and left him open. He made a great catch. The other great route he made, made a nice catch and run. Listen, he's got all the ability in the world. And he's really practicing good, doing good. I'm very pleased with his progress right now. And if we're going to be who we can be, he needs to be a part of it, that's for sure.
Q. Coach, was there an emphasis to get Zach [Calzada] in kind of a rhythm early on with some of those quicker passes?
COACH FISHER: I think it's about the way they played and the things they did. It's all good to get him off to a good start. But also their style of play dictated that. I thought we needed to do that and get some of our space guys out there.
Q. Coach, first of all, anything you know about the status of Devon [Achane]?
COACH FISHER: He's fine.
Q. Is he?
COACH FISHER: He's fine.
Q. Okay. We saw him in the tent.
COACH FISHER: He walked out. He just got nicked. They just checked him out. He's fine. You didn't see me come out and give a thumb's-up? I knew everybody wasn't watching when walked in there. So I walked out gave a thumb's-up. You must have been up there drinking a Coke and eating a hamburger, eating a hot dog. You thought the game was over. It was late in the game. Didn't you?
Q. When you say your offensive line guys aren't playing physical enough --
COACH FISHER: They have got to be where's the hat. They've got to be where they've got to be. You've got to move people. You can get in somebody's way and block people. I want people moved, and they can do that. I watched us do it on our guys. You got to get the twitch. You got to get the stunt. You got to see it. You got to anticipate the blitzes. You've got to carry it from the practice field to the game field. You got to want to be nasty. That's grown-man ball in there, man. That's big-boy ball. That ain't for the faint of heart. You've got to put your nose in there and like it.
Q. To beat a team 34-0 and come off the field and tell the sideline reporter, "We're very average right now," is that a commentary on the expectations you have and where y'all are trying to go?
COACH FISHER: That's the truth. We're playing very average. I mean, we're much more capable in what we can do. Listen, potential is the worst thing you can have. That means you ain't done it. I hate the word "potential." Somebody says you got "potential," that drives me nuts. That means I'm not coaching right and they're not playing right. We've got to get better in all those aspects. And we've got to grow up across the board and in everything we do and play with much more consistency as a team and learn to play off each other.
Q. Along with those new guys, y'all had seven receivers make some catches throughout. What do you think that says about the depth of your receiving corps?
COACH FISHER: We're going to keep using them and playing them and all the other guys -- best player is going to play. It's about competition and performance. We're going to get guys to play and play.
Q. Do you think we'll see more breakout performances with some of those guys?
COACH FISHER: I pray to God we do. That means good things are happening. That will be the idea, I promise.
Q. Coach. Can you talk about this team getting ready for conference play and what do you feel like they've got to do?
COACH FISHER: What I just said. We've got to get better across the board fundamentally, mentally, and psychologically to understand what's in front of you and to embrace it and attack it and not just go through it. You're going to play real teams. This is SEC West. It don't get no better. This is as good a ball as there is. You better strap it on and better understand -- and you better like it and you better ready for it in all phases: Skill guys, quarterbacks, linemen, tight ends, backs, defensive linemen, linebackers, kickers, everything. We need to get fundamentally better and get a nastier, meaner, tougher, more competitive attitude.
Q. Coach, you mentioned Nik [Constantinou] getting four punts inside the 15. What does that do for your defense, especially when your offense is struggling?
COACH FISHER: Here's the thing, at least on offense, you move the ball. I want to say he moved it and got midfield, then hit those punts. You didn't finish drives, but that's all part of it. Play to your defense. Play to your field position and do things. When people are backed up, they can't call the same plays they pull in the middle of the field. They can't be as aggressive. Mistakes are made. Things happen. Certain people can, if you're really good. If you're really talented and you're really experienced on offense, backed up doesn't bother you. But you can play a lot of field position games and helps their defense. Like us, on offense, you got to play on the short field.
Saturday's at Kyle Field. Can't beat it. #GigEm pic.twitter.com/NBZuQbnLwy
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 18, 2021
Postgame Quotes: Isaiah Spiller
Q. What did you think about Zach [Calzada] today? Did you feel like he was more comfortable after having a week to prepare?
ISAIAH SPILLER: Yeah, I felt like Zach had a great day. He managed the offense pretty well. We just got to finish towards the end of the game, but Zach did a great job today.
Q. The first half, I saw after a couple of the runs, you were kind of slamming the ground, a little bit frustrated. What was the frustration in the first half for you? And how did that kind of change around in the second half?
ISAIAH SPILLER: It was just mainly just us not focusing on the details. And the second half, we came out and did those things that we wasn't doing. I feel like just us keep working and giving the O-line time to gel, we're going to be fine.
Q. Did you feel like you were getting the push you needed in the first half? And what kind of changed with the offensive line in the second half?
ISAIAH SPILLER: Yeah, I felt like I did. I felt like the second half, they came out more focused and ready. So we're just going to need that all game next week.
Q. Coach (Jimbo Fisher) just kind of said throughout the entire off-season and in the spring that Demond [Demas] was just on the cusp of finally breaking out. And finally for him to be able to get that touchdown, 70-yard play, another really big 30-yard play, what does that do for your offense, especially with the vertical threat of the passing attack?
ISAIAH SPILLER: It really opens up the offense a lot. Demond is fast. Nobody is going to run with him. He's going to go up and catch it. I see Demond being a great player out here. He's going to have a bright future. I'm proud of him, happy for him today. So can't wait to see.
Q. We just heard from Jimbo [Fisher]. He said he felt you guys kind of played average today is how he described it. Is that accurate? I mean, you won 34-0. do you feel like it was an average performance?
ISAIAH SPILLER: Yeah, I feel like it was average. Towards the end, we didn't finish. That's something we've been trying to work on. We've still got a young team. So just working that out every day in practice. So we just going to keep working. That's all we can do.
Q. I don't want to hammer the same point, but you guys started off so strong, and then it just seemed like you couldn't really get it going again. How do you fight against that going into next week's game against Arkansas?
ISAIAH SPILLER: Just our mentality of finishing. I feel like that's the keyword for this week, finishing as a team. You know, the O-line, receivers, running backs, finishing our plays and just not losing focus throughout the game because we’re winning. Staying focused and locked in the whole game.
Q. You mentioned giving the offensive line time to gel. What goes into that process in terms of starting?
ISAIAH SPILLER: Yeah, I feel like just practicing and those guys focusing on the details. I feel like we all need to do that. So I feel like this week is going to be very important for the O-line and the running backs, you know, just getting our tracks right so they can set up their blocks so they can get on the guys hat to hat. So I feel like it's just a combination of the team. I feel like we all need to keep working.
Q. Isaiah, congrats on the win. You know, A&M's offense is typically pretty run heavy. We see that with you a lot. So when receivers put up 275 yards, does that take pressure off of you guys? What's that do for the running back corps as a whole?
ISAIAH SPILLER: Yeah, it really does. It takes a lot of pressure off of us, give us the open, a downfield threat, which makes the defense worry about us running over top. So then we run it, and it's just going to open up big holes for us. So I feel like they did a great job today, those young guys, especially, like, [Demond] Demas, Moose [Muhammad], Ainias [Smith]. Those guys did a great job today.
Q. Isaiah, you said something about can't lose focus. Did y'all lose focus after you got up by 14-0? And if so, what happened? Why?
ISAIAH SPILLER: I felt like we just got a little relaxed. I wouldn't say we lost complete focus; I'd say we just got relaxed. That's human nature. But we got to fight that every day, even when we are out there. So just staying locked in the whole game, no matter what the situation is, no matter how you feeling. So that's just a big pointer for us.
Postgame Quotes: DeMarvin Leal
Q. DeMarvin, this is the first shutout y'all have had since a 67-0 win over Prairie View A&M in 2016. What does that show about this defense?
DEMARVIN LEAL: I would just say that it shows that we're trying to dial down on stopping the run, stopping the pass, and just having a complete game, where we're all locked in from the start and to the finish.
Q. DeMarvin, a couple young guys made a couple of big-time plays. You had Edgerrin [Cooper] making the big play. You had a couple pass breakups from Deuce [Harmon]. You had a few plays from Tyreek [Chappell]. What does it mean to have young players be able to make a big impact on this defense?
DEMARVIN LEAL: You know, making plays. There's no age limit on making plays. So it's the next man up. So just knowing that it's their time, you know what I'm saying, to step into that role and just to get after it. I'm just happy for them and happy to know that they have our backs as much as we have theirs.
Q. DeMarvin, I have two for you real quick. After the first quarter against Colorado, this defense has completely shut down the run game against two opponents now. What kind of change Since week 1, where Kent State was able to get some sloppy yards off you guys?
DEMARVIN LEAL: I would just say paying attention to detail. Just fighting to have every single crumb that there is and just getting after it every single play.
Q. We haven't had a chance to talk to you yet, but after the Kent State game, Leon [O'Neal Jr.] said his nickname for you is Madea. What's that about?
DEMARVIN LEAL: No comment.
Q. DeMarvin, can you talk about the confidence that this defense will take into the Arkansas game next week and how important it is with the ability that they are able to move the football and be as physical as they always seem to be?
DEMARVIN LEAL: Confidence is definitely going to be the key. First SEC game of the year. There's definitely going to be lots of craziness going on. So just being able to dial down and just get after it is going to be the biggest key.
Q. Yeah, DeMarvin, Coach (Jimbo Fisher) seemed kind of frustrated with the offensive line and talked about they need to be nasty, I think is actually a word he used. You go against those guys. Have you ever felt like that's an element that those guys lack?
DEMARVIN LEAL: I wouldn't say lack. You know, again, it starts with the attention to detail and just wanting to get after it every single play, starting the game fast and finishing it strong. So I feel like, you know, there's certain things that the offense has to fix and definitely will help try to be encouraging them to fix it.
Q. They have some nasty offensive line?
DEMARVIN LEAL: Oh, yeah. No question.
Q. Who's nasty?
DEMARVIN LEAL: All of them.
Q. Coach said, on the whole, he said the team was kind of average today. I know the stats say y'all did good. How would you rate just the defensive side of the ball's performance today?
DEMARVIN LEAL: I would say it was okay. This is the beginning. It's the start of us rising as a whole. It was a complete game, and we're all on the same page. We started the game fast and finished it strong. It doesn't matter who was in the game. So I say that's just the first improvement.
Q. DeMarvin, I know that you've been trying to come up with a nickname for this defense. You didn't want to be Wrecking Crew 2.0. Have you guys finally come up with that name? And, if so, what are you guys calling yourselves?
DEMARVIN LEAL: Look, got to keep it under wraps. It's not that time yet. Y'all will know when it's time.
Q. So the nickname is “Under Wraps”?
DEMARVIN LEAL: No, no, no. It's unknown.
Q. You said you needed to encourage the offensive line. Is one of the ways to encourage them to get after their heinies during the week?
DEMARVIN LEAL: No question, that's part of it. And also, when Coach (Jimbo Fisher) yells at them, just to encourage them through that time as well. Just make sure after practice, we talk to each other and see why they did that, what they saw. Like me and Kenny (Kenyon) Green, we talk all the time, just what did you see on this rush? What did you see on this play? Just telling that to him. We just conversate, stuff like that.
Postgame Quotes: Kenyon Green
Q. Kenyon [Green], since you heard us talking about it, as an offensive lineman, what's your reaction to Coach [Fisher] saying you guys got to play nastier and want to stick your nose in the buzz saw and all those things?
KENYON GREEN: He's correct. We just got to get better. Got to get more physical. Got to focus more into detail, hat placement, hands inside, driving our feet. Doing the stuff that we practice every day, we need to take that to every play on game day.
Q. Kenyon, what were some of the biggest adjustments you saw from sack from last week to this week?
KENYON GREEN: A little more confidence, louder, more demanding on the field. That's good. We're going to need that throughout the season.
Q. We talked about it before where you're willing to play wherever. Could you speak to that? And also, how it will help to have Layden [Robinson] back, and would you expect to go back to the outside at that point as well?
KENYON GREEN: Whoever is playing, I'm just filling in whatever I got to do so we can win games. But yeah, I'll help Layden to get well and he can get back.
Q. What do you feel like in practice leading up to next week's game y'all need to do to kind of get that physical edge that Jimbo [Fisher] was talking about?
KENYON GREEN: Intensity throughout practice the whole time. They're staying focused, staying intent, staying locked in. You know, just making sure that we're paying attention to everything that we need to so we can play as fast and as powerful as we can.
Q. Do you feel like the line as a whole is ready for SEC play?
KENYON GREEN: We still got some work to do, but I think we are.
Q. Is it encouraging to you guys to have won 34-0 but know you can still get a lot better?
KENYON GREEN: Oh, yes, most definitely. Seeing that we still make little mistakes and stuff that we can adjust on makes us want to work better and more so we can actually go out there and play a perfect game.
Q. Hey, Kenyon, you know, y'all's first two scoring drives, those possessions were each under 90 seconds, especially with the passing game. What does that pace of play really mean for your offensive line, and how do y'all have to adjust when you're moving that quickly?
KENYON GREEN: It's really normal what we’re doing, just seeing the front, you know, stuff that we're seeing during practice and just locking in. They twist a lot. So it was just making sure your eyes was in the right spot.
Q. How encouraged were you with the way you guys got started today? I know you couldn't keep it that way, but just getting started and what do you feel like you've got to do to be consistent, as Coach (Jimbo Fisher) said earlier?
KENYON GREEN: Like I said earlier, just staying focused into the details. Being intense in practice, making sure our practice reps are like game reps every day. That's what we've got to do, and as a leader, I'm going to have to install that and push that more.
Postgame Quotes: New Mexico Head Coach Danny Gonzales
On his thoughts about Texas A&M’s defense today…
“I mean obviously they out-physicaled us. They’re good. They’re really good. There is a reason that they are ranked the 5th best team in the country. My biggest disappointment as a football team was they didn’t believe they could play with them till it was too late. We gave up two touchdowns in the first five minutes of the game with 9:28 to go in the quarter before they realized they are just like us. They were a little bit faster than us, but I mean on defense from the rest of that point on we gave up 10 points on the rest of that half and 10 points in the second half. Really disappointed in the touchdown drive in the second half cause I thought we laid down and challenged ‘em and then they came out and played with some fight. Up front they were more physical than us on their defensive line than our offensive line. We couldn’t give Terry [Wilson] enough time to throw the ball. And then we didn’t expose enough stuff up early. We thought we could move 'em around sideways and make' em run sideways and try and outrun those guys in the middle. We didn’t block well enough on the perimeter to take advantage of some of those things. We were playing behind the sticks a whole lot today and that makes it really hard. I mean- they out-physicaled us on that side of the ball.”
On the morale of his team…
“If you’re true to yourself, you look at it and realize, okay: If we would have approached this with the belief that we could play with these guys, we could be a heck of a lot more competitive than we were today. And that’s one of the things that we are changing around here. You have to believe and expect to win. I can talk about it, but until they believe that it is gonna happen… I think that the fact that we played with them beyond that point, that there is the opportunity to show yourself that if you prepare right and believe in what we are doing, that we can be competitive in these games. There’s gonna be a point where we are playing these games here and there, it’s a couple years. The attitude that we’ve had success with in the past is those guys have no idea what’s about to happen to ‘em- we aren’t there yet.”
Team Stats
UNM 0, TAM 7
TAM - Achane,Devon 26 yd pass from Calzada,Zach (Small,Seth kick) 3 plays, 43 yards, TOP 01:10
UNM 0, TAM 14
TAM - Demas,Demond 70 yd pass from Calzada,Zach (Small,Seth kick) 1 plays, 70 yards, TOP 00:10
UNM 0, TAM 21
TAM - Spiller,Isaiah 5 yd run (Small,Seth kick), 12 plays, 60 yards, TOP 05:51
UNM 0, TAM 24
TAM - Small,Seth 35 yd field goal 7 plays, 44 yards, TOP 03:04
UNM 0, TAM 27
TAM - Small,Seth 44 yd field goal 5 plays, 36 yards, TOP 01:45
UNM 0, TAM 34
TAM - Muhammad III,Moose 7 yd pass from Calzada,Zach (Small,Seth kick) 8 plays, 90 yards, TOP 04:12
