Texas A&M Football: Grading the Aggies Position by Position Versus Kansas State

Texas A&M lost to Kansas State 53-50 in four overtimes. The loss drops the Aggies to 5-5 on the year and 3-4 in the Big 12.

Per the norm this season, the Aggies had multiple opportunities to win this game but could not come up with the one play needed to finish it.

It is one of the more frustrating losses in recent memory for A&M, which is saying something considering how the 2011 season has turned out. The Aggies gave up double-digit leads twice in the game. 

They simply found a way to lose a game that they had no business losing.

This is a position-by-position breakdown of how the team performed against KSU.

Quarterback: A

Once again, Ryan Tannehill had a strong game despite the loss. Once again, he was victimized by multiple dropped passes by his teammates.

Tannehill was 27-46 for 210 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

Tannehill took what the defense gave him for the most part. He threw a couple of bad passes but nothing major.

If the wide receivers and tight ends had caught the passes that hit them in the hands, then Tannehill would have had over 300 yards passing.

Running Back: A

With the season-ending injury to Christine Michael, Cyrus Gray has been asked to carry the load at running back.

For the second year in a row, he has stepped up. Gray carried the ball 30 times for 218 yards and two touchdowns.

Ben Malena had 15 yards on three carries. He has shown nice speed and needs to see a few more carries per game.

Gray did everything you could ask for in this game. If all of A&M's athletes performed like Gray, this team would not be 5-5.

Wide Receivers: F

For the second week in a row, the wide receivers had a bad case of the drops. The bottom line in the KSU game was that if the wide receivers, tight ends and corners just had an average game, then the Aggies win by two touchdowns.

Ryan Swope had nine catches for 58 yards and a touchdown.

Jeff Fuller had four receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown. Fuller dropped the two-point conversion that would have won the game.

Uzoma Nwachukwu had four catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. He has developed a bad habit of trying to catch the ball with his body instead of his hands. It has resulted in multiple drops the past few games.

The Aggies cannot win games with their receivers playing this poorly.

Tight End: F

Nehemiah Hicks had quite possibly the worst game of any tight end in A&M history.

He had three drops, including one that could have set up the game-winning field goal in regulation. He also had two big penalties on kickoffs. He made one reception in overtime to convert a first down but that did not make up for the drops.

Hutson Prioleau also had a drop in overtime.

Michael Lamothe was decent with two receptions for 16 yards.

Overall, a very disappointing day for what is normally a reliable group.

Offensive Line: B

The OL did a solid job against a very tough run defense. The Aggies averaged over six yards per rush and the OL did not allow a sack.

Unfortunately, the Aggies were not able to run the ball effectively in overtime, and they failed to convert on 4th and 1 in the second half.

It was a good, solid performance from the OL. It could have been better but they played well enough to win.

Defensive Line: B+

The DL had a solid game. Spencer Nealy had a sack and Tony Jerod Eddie was active all day. Eddie had a tackle for loss. For the most part, they got a good push in the game.

The defense allowed only 2.5 yards rushing per carry. The DL did a good job of controlling the line of scrimmage.

They need to be better on 3rd and short and 4th and short.

Much like the OL, the defensive line played well enough to win the game.

Linebacker: B+

There were a couple of missed tackles but some of that has to do with trying to tackle a 6'5" 230 pound quarterback. Other than the missed tackles, the linebackers had a very strong game.

Jonathan Stewart had 13 tackles and a sack. He played one of his best games as an Aggie.

Damontre Moore showed why he earned the nickname "Damonster" as a freshman. He was all over the place against KSU. Moore ended the game with 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Steven jenkins also had a tackle for loss.

The linebackers were strong when the Aggies needed them to be. It was just not enough against KSU.

Defensive Backs: F

Lionel Smith and Dustin Harris both had terrible games for the Aggies.

When the Aggies were up by 10 with six minutes left in the game, Harris got beat for a long touchdown pass that let KSU back in the game.

Lionel Smith got beat all game long. A&M had to play man coverage in order to put more people in the box to deal with KSU's run game. Smith was simply not up to the task.

Trent Hunter had a solid game and had a tackle for loss.

Terrance Fredrick had a huge interception and return that should have put the game away.

Smith and Harris could not hold up in man coverage, and that cost the Aggies the ballgame.

Special Teams: B

Randy Bullock was three of four on field goals, including a perfect two for two in overtime.

The kickoff coverage unit did allow a 40-yard return, which was poor. They have been solid all year but allowed a return that helped KSU stay in this game.

Like multiple units on this team, the special teams played well enough to win the game.

Coaching: B+

Mike Sherman did everything he could to put his team in position to win the game. He cannot catch the passes for his players.

Sherman called a long pass to Nehemiah Hicks on 3rd and 1 and Hicks was wide open. Unfortunately Hicks stopped running on the route and dropped the pass.

You can criticize Sherman for not going for it on 4th and 1 in overtime.

Other than that, I thought the coaching was good in this game. Tim Deruyter came up with a good enough defensive game plan to win.

The coaches did their job, but the players did not hold up their end of the bargain.