Zach Calzada Not Texas A&M's Biggest Problem, But Not Solution Either
COLLEGE STATION -- Just keep counting. It'll soon be over.
Games will continue to fly by. Opponents will continue face off against Texas A&M.
October is here. This is when A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said quarterback Haynes King would be back after undergoing leg surgery. Barring a setback, he should return following Halloween's bye week.
All Zach Calzada must do now is just stay afloat. Even that might be a challenge for the redshirt sophomore at this point.
It doesn't matter. The "real" season is over.
Now that No. 15 Texas A&M (3-2, 0-2 SEC) has two losses, the hope for a College Football Playoff appearance is over. A 26-22 loss to Mississippi State all but sealed any chance of a shot at Arlington or Miami. You win as a team and taste defeat as one, too.
READ MORE: Texas A&M Playing Short-Handed Vs. Mississippi State
No one should blame Calzada for the interception on the opening drive. When a ball hits a receiver's hands, he's expected to catch it.
Demond Demas flipped the pass up in the air, right into the hands of Mississippi State safety Fred Peters. The Bulldogs (3-2, 1-1 SEC) capitalized by scoring on the ensuing drive.
That's not on Calzada. The rest of the mess from A&M's offense was.
This is now a constant for Fisher's offense with No. 10 in the gun. For every great play comes one ending in disaster.
A 37-yard connection to wide receiver Jalen Preston would be followed up by a low snap and a sack. An 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jalen Wydermyer looked easy.
Why was a screen to Ainias Smith so hard to execute? Same with wide open shots to receivers in the end zone?
New day, new game, same story for Calzada. Experience is no longer an excuse, either.
Maybe it was against Colorado. This is midseason and he's got basically four games under his belt.
"Zach grew up and made some really good plays at times," Fisher said postgame. "There's a couple things he's got to get cleaned up, but he's grown as a quarterback."
READ MORE: Mississippi State's Rogers and Air Raid Offense Take Down Texas A&M
It's those exact little things that were the defining traits of Calzada's evening in Aggieland. Accepting dump passes instead of taking risk hurt the A&M whenever it had momentum.
So did holding onto the football for too long. The Bulldogs were able to record four sacks, one which came in the end zone for a game-sealing safety.
In the past, blaming the offensive line would work. With the return of Layden Robinson and Kenyon Green playing inside, protection held for most of the game up the middle.
Same on the edge with freshman tackle Reuben Fatheree and veteran Jahmir Johnson. At least Fisher trusted the run on Saturday. Calzada only made 20 passing attempts.
The Aggies rushed 32 times, including one ending in a 25-yard touchdown from the QB himself.
It still wasn't enough to beat Mississippi State's "Air Raid" attack with Will Rogers at the helm. A night and day difference at quarterback standing on opposing sidelines.
Calzada finished with 135 yards. Rogers had that five minutes into the second quarter. He finished with 408 yards through the air, his second-most of the season.
"This is the third game he's played and we got to continue to play better around him," Fisher said.
Maybe King wins this game. Maybe A&M is 5-0 entering Alabama week, and undefeated in conference play. Perhaps the offense has life outside the run game?
Plenty of questions. No answers offensively right now.
READ MORE: Mississippi State Downs No. 15 Texas A&M 26-22; Game Log
The Aggies must get past the Crimson Tide next Saturday. After that, games against Missouri and South Carolina should be in their favor.
Then again, Saturday was supposed be as well. Look what happened there.
Calzada proved even if he's not the biggest problem, he's not A&M's offensive solution. Quarterback is the most important position in the sport today.
Even with a top-caliber gunslinger, nothing is guaranteed.
The 12th Man fan base now must wait. Wait for King to return to the offense.
At this point, does it even really matter?
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