Aggies Roll to 52-10 Win in Season Opener

Saturday, September 2

Bryan-College Station

6:00 PM

Texas A&M

1-0 , 0-0

New Mexico

0-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

New Mexico

Texas A&M

Photo by: Brendall O'Banon/Texas A&M Athletics

Sep 02, 2023 | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Highlights Postgame Show Exposure (Photos)Photo Gallery

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Conner Weigman tossed five touchdown passes, including four in the first half as the No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies rolled to a 52-10 victory over the New Mexico Lobos in Saturday's season-opener at Kyle Field.

Weigman's scoring strike tally was the most for an A&M quarterback in a season opener and ranks fifth in the Aggie record book. Playing in just the first three quarters, he finished the day 18-for-23 for 236 yards. Weigman's five touchdown passes marked the most by an Aggie in a regulation game since Johnny Manziel in 2013.

1-0. #BTHONewMexico ? pic.twitter.com/DJtMLNSUmL
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 3, 2023

The receiving duo of Evan Stewart and Noah Thomas combined for 189 yards and five TDs on 14 receptions. Stewart caught eight passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Stewart had his first career multi-touchdown game. Thomas registered three touchdown receptions, all in the first half, the most for an Aggie since Mike Evans in 2013. He hauled in six catches for 74 yards.

Have a day, Noah ?? pic.twitter.com/sez042VWFz
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 3, 2023

The Aggies scored a touchdown on their first five drives of a game for the first time since 2017. They averaged 8.1 yards per play in the first half, facing just three third downs en route to 275 yards.

The scoring started with a 15-yard Weigman-to-Thomas connection with 5:00 remaining in the first quarter. Weigman hit Stewart for a 35-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second quarter.

So smooth. 1??5?? ? 3??.

?? ESPN pic.twitter.com/beKQGNXmXI
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 2, 2023

After New Mexico cut the lead to 14-7 on the next drive, the Aggies sandwiched Weigman-to-Thomas scores around a Le'Veon Moss 2-yard scoring dive, closing out the half with a 35-7 lead.

Weigman's last touchdown toss, an 8-yard completion to Stewart, came with 2:30 remaining in the third quarter, stretching the Aggie cushion to 42-10.

Max Johnson tacked on a 12-yard TD pass to Moose Muhammad III and Texas A&M came up just one aerial score shy of the school record of seven set in 2002.

Saw 'em off ???#BTHONewMexico pic.twitter.com/CkK0KGZsTO
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 3, 2023

Gallery: (9-2-2023) Football vs. New Mexico, 9/2

Texas A&M Postgame Notes

Team Notes

Texas A&M is 17-2 in season openers at home since 2000 and 10-2 in season openers since joining the SEC in 2012.
The Aggies moved to 31-4 when scoring first and are 29-1 when leading after the first quarter under Coach Fisher.
Texas A&M's six touchdown passes were one shy of the school record set against Texas Tech in 2002.
The Aggies' 52 points were the most since topping Prairie View A&M on November 20, 2021, and the most in a season opener since 2018 (Northwestern State – 59-7).
Texas A&M scored touchdowns on its first five drives for the first time since November 11, 2017, against New Mexico (55-14).
The Aggies' 35 first half points were the most since scoring 38 against Prairie View A&M on November 20, 2021, and the most against an FBS opponent since putting up 48 against New Mexico on November 11, 2017.
The Aggie defense held New Mexico to 91 yards on the ground on 32 carries for a 2.8-yard average.
The A&M defense held the Lobos to 3-of-12 on third-down conversions, including just 2-of-9 passing for 13 yards in the air.
Texas A&M went 5-for-5 on red zone trips, capping them all with touchdowns.
Today's captains against New Mexico were OL Layden Robinson, DL McKinnley Jackson, DL Fadil Diggs and WR Ainias Smith.

Individual Notes

Sophomore QB Conner Weigman made his fifth career start under center and finished the game 18-of-23 with 236 yards and five touchdown passes.
Weigman's five touchdown strikes are the most in regulation by an Aggie QB since Johnny Manziel (2012-13) threw five touchdown passes against Mississippi State in 2013 and the tally is tied for fifth on A&M's single-game chart.
Weigman matched his career high in scoring strikes in the first half alone, connecting on four passes to the end zone, including three to sophomore WR Noah Thomas and one to sophomore WR Evan Stewart.
Weigman entered the season as the only SEC quarterback with at least 85 pass attempts that had not thrown a pick. He has attempted 154 career passes and has yet to turn the ball over.
Sophomore WR Noah Thomas logged the first multi-touchdown game of his career with three scoring receptions in the first half. Thomas came up with in a 15-yard pass in the back of the end zone to put the Aggies on the board in the first quarter and added 34- and 9-yard touchdown grabs in the second quarter.
Thomas' three TD receptions were the most by an Aggie since Christian Kirk's (2015-17) Belk Bowl effort against Wake Forest in December 2017. The last A&M player to catch three scoring passes in the first half was Mike Evans (2012-13) against Auburn on October 19, 2013.
Sophomore WR Evan Stewart recorded the third 100-yard game of his career and his first game with multiple trips to the end zone. Stewart finished the victory over New Mexico matching a career high with eight receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
Graduate WR Ainias Smith made it 28 straight games with a reception, a streak that dates back to the 2019 season.
Junior WR Moose Muhammad III hauled in his ninth career touchdown reception with a 12-yarder in the fourth quarter to move into 24^th on the A&M all-time list.
Junior RB Amari Daniels averaged 7.3 yards per carry, logging 51 yards on seven totes.
Sophomore RB Le'Veon Moss registered his second career touchdown run with a 2-yarder midway through the second quarter.
Graduate DB Josh DeBerry filled out the stat sheet, leading the team with a career-high 10 tackles while adding a pick, a solo sack and a QB hurry.
Sophomore DL Walter Nolen tallied a career high in tackles with seven, including one TFL.
Junior LB Edgerrin Cooper had eight tackles including a career-high 3.0 TFL.

Jimbo Fisher Postgame Press Conference

(quotes courtesy Caption Pros)
COACH FISHER: Again, very proud of our guys. A good opening win of the season. Thought the guys played hard, played physical. Thought we were very efficient, especially in the first half. I really liked how we started the game with no self-inflicted wounds from ourself from substitution issues and penalties and that kind of thing. Took care of the football very well. Offensively, we have the ball five times, scored five drives. And had another two-minute drive that was very good. Got a field goal block, but did a nice job there.

Defensively, got to come out. They hit some little nickel-and-dime throws -- not to say nickel and dime -- good throws, slants. We got inside and got that fixed. And we played the run extremely well in the game. Then we got some pressure on the quarterback, and we got there.

Second half, only thing I was disappointed in the way we started. Come out, got the wrong guy -- I mean too many guys got on the field because they got confused on who was going in. Got a penalty like that and get you started bad and then end up getting a sack.

Then they drive and kick a field goal. We had two or three penalties on defense, personal fouls, pushing and hitting. Listen, there's no excuse for those. Those are undisciplined penalties. They cannot happen no matter what.

Some guy, they hit you in the head, you don't do anything. You got to let it go because those end up hurting your team. And they kept their drive alive. They got down there, and we got them stopped for a field goal. Then we come back and scored. Had a really nice drive.

New Mexico's a tough team to prepare for offensively. They bring multitudes of blitzes, bunches of looks. Our guys -- young linemen did a good job up front. Conner [Weigman] did a nice job. Receivers were excellent tonight.

I thought our coverage teams -- our kick-off coverage team was excellent. I think we've tackled them every time inside the 25 and a couple times inside the 15 and 10. And I think one time they bobbled one, and we got them on the 2 or 3.

Punt team did a good job. Our return team almost popped a kick-off there. One of them was very good. Reuben [Fatheree II] got back there and got a good kick-off return.

I thought our punt return -- Ainias [Smith] broke one and gave us great field position on another, so we won that battle. That's important. We've good returners. We've got to keep giving them space. And we've got to cover kicks. We've got good kickers. So thought it was a good solid game, but there's a lot of things we need to clean up. We'll watch the film and get all the details so we can get on to Miami.

Q. In terms of the transfers, Josh DeBerry led you with ten tackles, had a sack. If you could speak to his play.

COACH FISHER: I thought he played -- very physical tackler, very sure tackler. Played the ball well in different spots. Played very smart, very intelligent. You can tell he's an older guy who's played a lot of football. And he played that way. Played a very good football game. I thought he was really good.

Jahdae Walker on offense made some really nice catches. Some of our other guys, in the transfer portal, like I said, it was good to us.

Q. What was this game like for you with Bobby [Petrino] calling the plays?

COACH FISHER: Great. It was great. We were talking back and forth, sharing ideas, what we could go to, what we could not, giving suggestions, what we think we can see down there. Reminding of things we do in the game plan. Just like we do in the meeting. It was excellent. Had fun, a lot of fun.

Q. What did you think about Conner [Weigman] overall? And you talked about efficiency. He was very efficient for your offense.

COACH FISHER: Very poised, very experienced, handling blitzes, drifting -- a lot of little things you don't see like drifting away from plays to create an extra step when they have an unblocked guy. In other words, with an extra blitzer coming, and buying time and doing those things.

I thought our receivers did say a really nice job. I kept saying all night, I think Noah [Thomas] had three touchdowns. I think Evan [Stewart] had two and 100 yards.

But I really liked the way Ainias [Smith] played, too. Ainias has a lot of things that don't go in the stat sheet, but there's a lot of hidden things he did for us on that football team with blocks and calls and checks and routes. And he got his catches, too. I thought he was excellent on the night.

And it was all -- those guys did a really nice job. I thought 15 (Conner Weigman) was really, really good on the night.

Q. You mentioned Evan [Stewart] and Noah [Thomas]. I was hoping you could elaborate a little bit more on what you saw out of them because obviously both of them had a heck of a night.

COACH FISHER: That's what I've been saying. That's what I've been saying in those scrimmages and the practices. We've been playing really well. They've been very efficient. Whether it's underneath routes, over-the-top routes, making contested catches, running moves, they're a talented group of guys. And you know, got -- Ainias [Smith], Moose [Muhammad], Jahdae [Walker]. Jahdae had a couple of critical third downs early. That whole group, it's a very good group in my opinion. And they play well.

Q. We didn't get to talk to you since you named the 12th Man was Sam [Mathews]. What went into that decision of why Sam was the selection?

COACH FISHER: Everything he does, we seen tonight. He's making plays, he's starting on every special team. He gives you every ounce of energy he has in everything he does. He's a high-character person. He represents what that person is and what A&M is about. And there was a lot of good choices, believe it or not. But Sam, there's nobody that puts more effort into practice daily, this team daily, and what he does. Everything his heart and soul is in it. And he plays his tail off. Very well deserving of being the 12th man.

Q. And then a very emotional night for you guys with the passing of Coach [Terry] Price to honor him. What did you it mean to you to be able to get this win?

COACH FISHER: Terry Price will always be part of this family, part of our staff. Always be part of A&M, but he will be part of our personal staff and who he is as a person and what he is. And he will never be forgotten. He would have been the first one right there yelling, hooping and hollering. I could hear him from up top. I know he was up there hollering all night. Not a bigger A&M guy in the world. Very special for us. And we're going to play that way for him all year.

Q. With Noah [Thomas], was he 100%? Was he battling through any injuries?

COACH FISHER: Guys are nicked and knacked, but he's fine. I think he got his foot stepped on tonight or something one time. But he's fine.

Q. And a lot of deep shots tonight. How much of that is the identity of what this team is going to be?

COACH FISHER: Depends on match-ups. There were routes. How they matched it up allowed us to did that, but there's options underneath. And the reads that we would go to, that's a play that we've used a lot. If you got the ability to go deep, but you got underneath options with it too -- that's the same one we hit deep.

We hit Evan [Stewart] on the slant a couple times backside, and it came out real good on slants. That was the same play. And we hit Moose [Muhammad] one time short on it. We hit -- I mean, on that particular play, I believe four out of the five different potential receivers, we hit four of them on the night in different ways that caught the ball on that play.

When that read was there -- that's why I say Conner [Weigman] was so efficient, when the play was there, he took it. And when he wasn't there, he was dumping it down underneath and being efficient and keeping it in -- you know, down in distance and the things we did. So that's why I was so happy about the efficiency and the way we played.

Q. Speaking of some of those deep shots, you know, seemed like Conner [Weigman] was extremely accurate as a quarterback. Does his accuracy --

COACH FISHER: He was. He's very good. And also, he underthrew one, one time. He underthrew one, one time to Jahdae [Walker]. We had one to Jahdae.

I don't mean that, but we're going to keep taking those shots. You got to throw them down there. It's the only way you can catch him. And our guys made contested catches.

And we almost made a great catch by one down the sideline. He went up on a go ball, had it, and got broken up. Those guys can go up and win those contested catches and make those plays. And you got to get those chunk plays.

And that's why I say our offensive line, you go back to that -- talking about them. But we had time to throw the football.

The maturity up front is showing. The maturity up front in the offensive line. He had a clean pocket where he could step up and make the throws. And those guys a year ago with all the injuries and banged and bruised, that manufactured for us tonight, too.

We had clean pockets that we could step and throw the football which allow you to get the ball down the field. So it's a combination of all those things. I thought our line did a really nice job, especially the multitude of blitzes and things they saw tonight, they did a really good job.

And our backs, you know, picking up from side to side and protections on that first touchdown. 4 (Amari Daniels) made an unbelievable job going across, scanning on the backside, which is very hard to do. And I thought our protections and our routes -- and again, 15 (Conner Weigman) was excellent. He made throws and was giving guys chances to make plays.

And we got two or three interference calls because of it, too. We took those shots and had them in one-on-one situations.

How many interference calls did we get?

Q. Five. On one guy, five.

COACH FISHER: Really? I knew he had three or four. I didn't know he had five. Wow. Pretty good.

Q. Coach, I know it wasn't the cleanest game that you wanted, but it was a lot cleaner than last year's opener. Can you talk about how that helps from you from a confidence standpoint going into Miami?

COACH FISHER: We kind of flipped it. Last year, we were sloppy in the first half and relay good in the second. And this year, we were great in the first half and sloppy in the second.

It is. Listen, game by game, you grow every game. Everybody says between the first and second game. I ain't ever figured that one out. One of y'all must have made that up.

But I hope you keep getting better every game, as you stay healthy and get experience. It gives you confidence. You know you went out there now when the lights are on and the scoreboard.

You've had some guys -- even though that Conner [Weigman] hasn't played but five games. 3 (Noah Thomas) has played five or six games. They are all still relatively young guys. And the more guys go out on the field and play and have success -- you had a starting right tackle as a true freshman tonight, Chase Bisontis, who played out there.

So the more those guys get on the field, have success -- Amari [Daniels], those backs, the true significant playing time they had, they did a really nice job.

The more they get out there and play -- the young DBs, Bryce [Anderson] and all those guys on defense and Shemar, they're going to gain confidence. And that's what we got to have.

Q. Jimbo, I think the longest play you gave up on defense tonight was that 27-yard touchdown run. Other than that, you kept them at bay. Overall defense, not giving up big plays and controlling the line of scrimmage.

COACH FISHER: I'll tell you what we did. I thought we tackled well in space. You are talking about Josh DeBerry, when guys had chances to tackle in space, we really stuck to them.

Bryce [Anderson] had a couple I saw. Josh DeBerry, the safeties, Demani [Richardson], Jordan [Spasojevic-Moko], all those guys. We tackled well in space. They eliminated the big plays.

I thought our front really dictated the tone in the run game and allowed some pressure and made the ball have to get out. They hit a couple slants, and one maybe broke there. But for the most part, we did a really good job.

Listen turnovers and big plays dictate the outcome of the game as much as anything. Getting turnovers and not having them and creating big plays and not having them on defense is as big of a factor in winning and losing as anything now. Keeping big plays down was huge.

Q. Jimbo,how do you assess the pass rush tonight? And also Taurean York, true freshman, his game.

COACH FISHER: How about him making all the calls and doing everything as a true freshman.

You had two true freshmen playing linebacker and tackle. That's two pretty good positions in the SEC to be starting at as a freshman. It's pretty dadgum tough, and those guys did a great job.

I thought Taurean was outstanding in the game, I really did. To be able to make those calls and trigger and do the things he does, like I say, he's a very mature guy. And he's going to get nothing but better and better. And loved the way he played and what he did.

Conner Weigman Postgame Press Conference

Q. Conner, you may not know this, but you are the first Aggie quarterback in history to throw five touchdowns in an opener.

CONNER WEIGMAN: Oh, wow.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about how you were feeling tonight, your comfort level, because it seemed like you were in the zone from the word go?

CONNER WEIGMAN: I felt good. Like Coach [Bobby] Petrino always says, we got to feed the studs. They made my life easy out there. And the O-line, they went to work all night. I can't say enough about the O-line, the receivers, running backs. They stepped up as well. Just get the ball out of my hands as quick as possible and get it to my play makers.

Q. You mentioned [Bobby] Petrino. Could you talk a little bit more about working with him and how it was? I know you've been working with him in practice, but in an actual game, how that went and what you thought about it overall.

CONNER WEIGMAN: It was awesome. We went out there, we executed the game plan. Just took it one play at a time, one drive at a time. Like I said, just give it to my playmakers and they make my life easy out there.

Q. Conner, a lot of accuracy on the ball's 20-plus yards. How much of that was what they were giving you? And how much of that do you feel like is the identity of the offense this year?

CONNER WEIGMAN: Yeah, we would love to throw the ball as much as possible like that. But I mean, every play, like Coach [Jimbo] Fisher always tells me, play the defense on that play. And that's what I went out there and did.

Q. What's the connection between you and Noah [Thomas] like? It seemed like that was clicking today.

CONNER WEIGMAN: Yeah, ever since spring ball, fall camp, every time we went out and throw routes in the summer, all those guys, they all go out and work for me. And I try to give them the ball and let them go make plays.

Q. Was there a moment throughout the summer and throughout the spring that you noticed the connection between you and Evan [Stewart] or you and Noah [Thomas]?

CONNER WEIGMAN: I don't know if there was one specific moment. We came in together. We knew what was expected of us. I feel like we went out there and did our job.

Q. Tonight was a very emotional night honoring Coach [Terry] Price. What do you think he would say after a game like this?

CONNER WEIGMAN: He would have a big ol' smile on his face. And he would just tell us how hard we worked. And we put in a lot of work to get to where we are right now, through spring, summer, and all that. So that's my guy, Coach Price.

Q. Just the big plays in general, I know your progression maybe is not your first read, but to get those big pays, what's that do for you guys, especially when you hit them.

CONNER WEIGMAN: It gets the crowd into the game. The O-line, they had good pass play the whole game. To have time to be able to make those plays and then just get the ball to my receiver, and they're going to make a play every time I feel like.

Q. And maybe the fourth quarter, it was pass interference -- or they didn't call pass interference on [Evan] Stewart. And went back to the same corner route. Is that a [Bobby] Petrino thing? How did y'all communicate that? That was kind of cool to see the same play come right back to it.

CONNER WEIGMAN: We knew what coverage they were going to be in. We just had to go out there and execute the play. We didn't execute it how we wanted to it the first time. Right back to it.

Q. Can you talk about what this does for you guys from a confidence standpoint and preparation standpoint as you get ready to hit the road and play Miami next weekend?

CONNER WEIGMAN: We just try and take it one game at a time, one week at a time. We're going to celebrate the win tonight. And we're right back at it tomorrow with stretch and stride and film. We're going to break the film down from this game, and it's on to Miami.

Q. Second play of the game for y'all on offense, I think you went for 17 yards. How much fun is that for you to be able to tuck it and show you can run it as well?

CONNER WEIGMAN: Oh, yeah, it's really fun. I always tell Coach [Jimbo Fisher], I ask him if I remind him of Lamar [Jackson]. (laughter)

Q. Did he give you his answer on that?

CONNER WEIGMAN: He just shakes his head.

Q. So you've talked about how much different it is now compared to being a true freshman last season. But how about the deeper and the far sideline and the throwing on the run, those kind of plays where you really got to use all your arm strength or a lot of your talent. How much more confident are you to make those throws than you were compared to last year?

CONNER WEIGMAN: I feel like I was always confident. Whenever that play arrives, you got to go out and make the play. And I feel like we went out there and did that today. And being able to go out there and execute each play, I feel like we did that really well.

Q. What did you make of the pregame entrance, the new entrance you guys have this season?

CONNER WEIGMAN: Oh, yeah, it was awesome. They showed us like a week ago. And I feel like it got the crowd into it. It was really cool to see.

Q. You know, you mentioned execution. It seemed like last year when you guys had troubles, you guys were talking about executing and trying to improve. Now that you have a game with some tangible experience and something you can look at, what do you see as the biggest growth and difference that you guys are actually able to did that right now?

CONNER WEIGMAN: I guess our maturity level, just being able to take it from the practice field onto the game field. And I feel like we did that really well.

Q. Can you talk about the effort by the running backs tonight, the four that saw playing time?

CONNER WEIGMAN: It was huge. All four of them, they come in. They run the ball hard. They block hard. I mean, they're doing their job every play. And I feel like, I don't know, I can't say enough about those guys. They worked really hard tonight.

Q. Talk about the atmosphere tonight in general, here in Kyle [Field].

CONNER WEIGMAN: It's awesome. It's nothing like it. Every time we step out on that field, it's a crazy atmosphere. You come in from warm-ups, come back in the locker room and come back out to 100,000 people cheering you on, and there's really nothing like it.

Q. Compared to the offense last year, y'all coming out on a drive, you can have three, four, five different personnel sets and some that aren't typical. Do you feel like you took them by surprise a little bit? And how much fun is it to have those different options and different looks as a quarterback?

CONNER WEIGMAN: It's really fun. They make my life easy. Tight ends, running backs, receivers, they make my life so easy. Just give them the ball and let them go make plays.

Q. So going back to high school, you're excelling at football, you're excelling at baseball. What was it that separated football from baseball in terms of saying, hey, this is the sport I'm going to play?

CONNER WEIGMAN: I guess the atmosphere of playing football, there's really nothing like it. I always loved baseball, but football was my main sport always. I don't know how to answer that question. Just the atmosphere of football, really nothing like it.

Q. Looking more forward to it?

CONNER WEIGMAN: I mean, yes, sir. I don't know, I love baseball, too, and I wish I could have done both. This was just really difficult, especially being a quarterback. I felt like I had to be there with the team this summer.

Edgerrin Cooper Postgame Press Conference

Q. Hey, Edgerrin. Wanted to ask you about one of your teammates, Josh DeBerry, and just the night he had and what you saw from him?

EDGERRIN COOPER: You know, I wasn't surprised, but to see a person to hop into our program and be able to make an impact like that, that's pretty surprising. And you know, he kept the energy for us. Seeing him making those plays kept the energy for the defense going.

Q. Just over the offseason, you guys lost a number of cornerbacks. So to have a guy like that come in and be able have an impact like that, how critical is it for the position in general?

EDGERRIN COOPER: That's very critical. To have an advantage like that, to be able to have somebody step up and automatically make an impact like that. Whoever is out there on the field with us, it don't matter who it is, we have the same mindset, everybody. We just need to go.

Q. You had a big night tonight yourself. Do you feel a little bit more comfortable in the scheme now that it's in the second year? And Coach [D.J.] Durkin is coaching the linebackers directly?

EDGERRIN COOPER: Yes, yes. I mean, it's a lot more. I'm a lot more comfortable with where I'm at. And Dirk just making it simple for us. And letting us set our feet and play.

Q. Edgerrin, when you look back at tonight's game and you see an 18-year-old making plays like Taurean York, what's the first thing that comes to your mind?

EDGERRIN COOPER: That guy right there, he's been working hard since the day he got here. He even kept me on my toes. He tried to lead the linebackers. I listen to him. I don't care -- if you're a freshman or not, you have a voice. And the way he approaches practice every day, everybody listens to him because we see the type of guy he, and we know what he's coming in here for.

Q. And tonight was a very emotional night for you guys honoring Coach [Terry] Price's passing. If he could be here tonight, what do you think he'd say?

EDGERRIN COOPER: He would be very proud of us. We're here to play for him. Stuff happens but just have to keep going and do it for him.

Q. When the offense is playing like they are tonight, how does make y'all's job on the defense easier? Kind of take a load off your shoulders?

EDGERRIN COOPER: It takes a lot of weight off our shoulders. Seeing our teammates that we work hard with every day, it keeps the energy going for everybody. Energy, I feel like it's a big thing to have on a football field. And just everybody going, you know, heads down and just playing 100% every play.

Q. The offense took a lot of deep shots tonight. What was it like going against that this year with the accuracy that Conner [Weigman] has and the speed and ability the wide receivers have?

EDGERRIN COOPER: It's a big change. The wide receiver core is amazing. Amazing players. We're just looking forward to everybody just keep going and just stepping up.

Q. How do you feel like you guys did against the run tonight? The longest run you gave up was only 27 yards on that touchdown. Other than that, you fit pretty well. What did you think --

EDGERRIN COOPER: Yeah, I feel like everything went pretty fine. Just little stuff that was big things that came up that we have to fix. And we just trying to stack days and just go for it from now.

Q. How big of that is stopping the run tonight was that D-line letting you guys flow to the ball?

EDGERRIN COOPER: There's some animals down there. It's a fun time playing behind them.

Q. Could you compare this to the feeling that you had a year ago when you buys walked off the field after playing Sam Houston in your opener?

EDGERRIN COOPER: Yeah, but you know, we mainly not really worried about anything in the past. The mentality we came with this year is everything new. Forget about everything that happened in the past. We just want to start this new year being violent and leading the team and making some new things happen.

Q. I was looking for maybe stepping off the field, having a little more confidence after this opener as you get ready for Miami then. Maybe should have phrased it a little differently.

EDGERRIN COOPER: I'm sorry --

Q. How you played tonight versus last year in the confidence and you might have that you'll carry into the Miami game. I'm sure you guys walked off the field feeling a lot better than you did a year ago?

EDGERRIN COOPER: Yeah, a lot better. People just don't understand how much we're coming together, just to be together and just leading, just leading everybody. It's like we don't care who you are. Just a standard we have too. And we're just pushing toward that standard.

Q. I know you're an outdoorsman. You going dove hunting tomorrow?

EDGERRIN COOPER: Probably not yet. Got to make sure my guys around me, make sure we handle business first. And then we'll take care of the fun things after.

Q. Wanted to ask you one more about Taurean York. When he first got here and as he's progressed just in the off-season, what has really stood out to him and made him, you know, such a reliable person so quickly?

EDGERRIN COOPER: That's a special player right there. He loves the game. He truly loves the game. He's always studying film. Asking everybody that wants to come in to watch film. He's that guy, linebacker you want on any team.

Q. We haven't gotten to speak with you yet since the hiring of Coach [Bobby] Petrino. But with the philosophy of feed the studs, do you feel like that being able to go up against that style of offense through practice makes you guys more nuanced and seasoned for passing sets?

EDGERRIN COOPER: Yeah, I feel like the new looks he gave us, there's so many. And to go against that in practice, that helps big time. Once it comes game time, everything settles in. We can rely off our rules and just play ball.

Q. And Conner [Weigman] told Coach [Bobby] Petrino that he reminds himself a little bit of Lamar Jackson. Does he remind you of Lamar Jackson at all?

EDGERRIN COOPER: Little moves and jukes he has. Yeah, Conner, once he gets in open field, he can make things happen.

Noah Thomas Postgame Press Conference

Q. All right, you got three touchdowns. You have a favorite?

NOAH THOMAS: Definitely the first one. First one is always the best.

Q. Just because it starts off the season?

NOAH THOMAS: Yes, sir, for sure.

Q. Did you notice at any point during summer or spring your connection with Conner [Weigman] really take new heights under this new offense?

NOAH THOMAS: When I first got here, Conner's amazing. Raw talent. I knew it would be a great scene. And just us working on our timing every day at practice, getting better and better. It's hard to stop.

Q. And then tonight was a very emotional tonight to honor Coach [Terry] Price's passing. If he was here right now, what do you think he would say post-game?

NOAH THOMAS: He would be proud of us. I think we completed the mission for him.

Q. What did you think of the night overall on your connection with [Conner] Weigman and just how everything went on the offense with y'all scoring five touchdowns on your first five possessions?

NOAH THOMAS: We came in with a chip on our shoulder to prove to people that we're capable of leading this offense. We just love, trust, and believe in each other, coaches, players. And we made it happen.

Q. With the impressive game that you had, were you battling through any injuries? Were you 100% out there?

NOAH THOMAS: I was good.

Q. Yeah? A little knicked up?

NOAH THOMAS: I'm good.

Q. With the different personnel groups, the different kind of offense, how much fun is it to play in what y'all are doing this year? And do you feel like you kind of kept them off balance with the different ways y'all were changing formations?

NOAH THOMAS: Yeah, it was really fun. Just hearing that play call, I had to calm down my smile.

Q. Noah, was there anything that took place in practice or maybe in camp that you thought, man, when the opener comes around, you were going to have the kind of night you did?

NOAH THOMAS: I knew from just working hard in practice with my guys every day that we were going to come out there and show up for sure.

Q. The big plays to you and [Evan] Stewart, deep post for a touchdown, too. The big plays tonight, how cool was that?

NOAH THOMAS: It was amazing. Evan's [Stewart] my guy, so just seeing him succeed too. Love seeing my brothers eat.

Q. Everybody got involved tonight. I know the game plan will change and better competition will come, but the amount of weapons you have, how fun is it to see everybody get their time to shine?

NOAH THOMAS: I just love everyone doing their thing, so it's a great thing to see.