5 takeaways from Texas A&M-New Mexico: Aggies look poised in season-opening rout of Lobos

Texas A&M dominated New Mexico 52-10 in its season opener at Kyle Field.

Here are five takeaways from the Aggies’ victory:

Thank you, Boston College

On April 18, A&M landed a defensive player out of the transfer portal to add to the limited number of corners the roster possessed. On Sept. 2, that same transfer brought more to the roster than just an extra set of hands.

Josh DeBerry, a graduate transfer from Boston College, raised eyebrows in the win over New Mexico. Whether it was in the end zone, at the line of scrimmage or in the opponent’s backfield, he did not go unnoticed.

DeBerry ended the night with seven solo tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and the game’s only interception. He also made an impact early, recording the contest’s first sack.

Defensive dominance

As a whole, the defense came away with 10 tackles for loss, five pass breakups and two sacks.

Junior linebacker Edgerrin Cooper tallied eight total tackles on the night and three tackles for loss. His role on the defense should take some weight off the shoulders of those worried about A&M’s linebacker depth.

Changing of the guard

Last season, injuries plagued the offensive line. After tonight’s performance, A&M coach Jimbo Fisher has more guards than he knows what to do with.

Redshirt freshman Mark Nabou Jr. opened the game in what was expected to be sophomore Kam Dewberry’s spot at left guard. The pair alternated drives throughout the game.

Confident on offense

Conner Weigman became the first quarterback in A&M history to throw five touchdowns in a season opener. The Cypress native looked more poised in the pocket than any Aggie quarterback in the past two seasons and was efficient on each drive.

As a whole, the Aggies tallied 411 total yards and seven touchdowns. It took, on average, a little over two minutes and only five plays to reach the endzone. As far as converting in crucial situations, they went 2-for-3 on third-down attempts. They also converted a fourth down toward the end of the first quarter.

“Feed the stud” philosophy

In his first press conference in College Station, Bobby Petrino said his offensive philosophy is to “feed the stud.” That point became relevant immediately in the first half.

Weigman connected with the two “studs” of the game, sophomores Noah Thomas and Evan Stewart, on 14 separate occasions. They accumulated 189 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Thomas (6-6, 200 pounds) was unguardable in the red zone. His defender left the game with five penalties. Thomas’ ability to use his wingspan to bring in each of his three touchdowns made Weigman’s job a lot easier.

Stewart’s ability to create separation off the line of scrimmage and with the ball in his hands was a great complement to Thomas’ skills. Stewart led the Aggies with eight catches and 115 yards.

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