JD PicKell: Haynes King is holding Texas A&M back

After the Texas A&M Aggies were upset on their home field by Appalachian State, On3’s JD PicKell has an idea on where the problem lies for the Aggies. It’s quarterback Haynes King, and he’s holding Texas A&M back.

“We gotta talk about the quarterback room at Texas A&M because the Aggies went out on Kyle Field and got it handed to them against App State,” said PicKell. “And traditionally, I have a rule to never really go after just one individual because, quite frankly, that’s a lazy thing to do. We’re going to bend that rule a little bit right now. Because when I went back and watched this game, Haynes King is holding Texas A&M back.

“This roster at A&M is extremely talented. Ainias Smith is a dog; Devon Achane, given the right set of circumstances, could be one of the best backs in the country. Evan Stewart is going to do great things at A&M. They have a lot of pieces here. The defense is littered with players. Here’s the issue. Your quarterback is inconsistent, doesn’t process extremely well, and the release, from my vantage point, takes a while to get out.”

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King had a performance to forget on Saturday, completing just 13 of his 20 pass attempts for 97 yards. And in the Aggie season opener, he might have thrown for 364 yards and three touchdowns, but he also had two interceptions. But King’s best ability may not be his arm but his legs and athleticism.

“I understand he’s a great athlete. Jimbo Fisher made it very clear. He’s one of the best athletes on our team. He has elite speed when he gets out in the open. The kid has phenomenal athleticism, and that’s probably the great equalizer. That’s why he won the job out of camp, to my understanding. However, if he’s not able to effectively push the ball downfield, if he can’t read the defense properly or can’t get from his second to third read efficiently, then you’re holding yourself back. Especially as an offense, but also as a program.

“I will say this — you probably get the football a little bit more if you hang onto it longer, obviously, if you can convert on third down. And Texas A&M was 2-8 on 3rd down. It’s not all on Haynes King, but as the quarterback, a fair amount of it is.

“There were throws that even on his completions, he’s throwing behind YulKeith Brown on a crucial down, where if he catches it in stride, he can turn up the field and run. I know there’s some criticism that’s probably fair right now on the offensive line, but if you’re not getting the ball out on time, if you’re not getting to that third read quick enough, there’s got to be some blame still on the quarterback.”

In the four games that King has been at the helm for the Aggies, the sophomore quarterback has struggled. In Texas A&M’s season opener last season against Kent State, he threw for nearly 300 yards with two touchdowns but also had three interceptions. King might be an impressive athlete, but as the quarterback, he needs to be able to move the ball down the field and put points on the board. Something that Texas A&M has struggled with last season and this season.

“Devon Achane ran a kickback; the offense really only scored seven points. And I understand it’s just one game, and the sample size for Haynes King is still relatively small, but the longer we go, the more into this Haynes King-era that we get the feedback isn’t great.

“In three games for Haynes King, as a starting quarterback, he has thrown five touchdowns and five interceptions. You say, OK, it’s not great, but who is he playing against? Here are those three opponents: Kent State, Sam Houston State, and Appalachian State. None of those teams are power five schools. None of those teams should be able to bother Texas A&M.”