Everything we learned from Texas A&M's 44-22 win over Utah State

Texas A&M defeated Utah State 44-22 on Saturday afternoon. For a large portion of the online fan base, this was not a convincing victory heading into next Saturday's primetime battle against Notre Dame in South Bend. Well, as they say, a win is a win, and plenty of positives can be taken away, including starting quarterback Marcel Reed's continued progress in the pocket.

Coming into the game, coach Mike Elko emphasized improvement in the run game, leading to 235 yards on the ground, led by senior running back Le'Veon Moss's 68 yards and his first touchdown of the season. Still, OC Collin Klein is confident in Marcel Reed's ability to make plays through the air, connecting with wide receiver KC Concepcion for two of his three touchdowns, while reaching the endzone with his legs.

On defense, the Aggies held Utah State to virtually nothing on the ground, while one of the three touchdowns allowed came in the final minutes of the game against Texas A&M's second and third string players. However, senior cornerback Will Lee III struggled throughout the afternoon, which isn't the best sign before taking on a much more skilled receiver corps next week.

After losing starting left tackle Trey Zuhn to an injury, Marcel Reed also went down with an apparent injury, leading to plenty of speculation regarding both key players' availability heading into the week. Elko stated after the game that he anticipates both players will be available before heading to South Bend, but time will tell.

Ahead of the big showdown vs. Notre Dame, here are five takeaways from Texas A&M's 44-22 win over Utah State.

Texas A&M Edge Cashius Howell, welcome to the party

"Epic" is the only way to describe senior edge Cashius Howell's dominant afternoon against Utah State, as the former Bowling Green standout has been considered by many, including myself, as the program's best athlete going back to last season as a reserve behind Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart, who departed for the NFL.

Late in the first half, after the defense allowed Utah State to reach the endzone for the first time, Howell saw red, terrorizing Utah State's left tackle, Trey Anderson, for three consecutive sacks, which was the first time since 2015 that any college football player reached the quarterback three times in a row.

This performance is unlikely to happen again, and while the competition will increase, Mike Elko is certainly pleased to see his preseason breakout candidate live up to expectations.

Texas A&M's run defense improved after last week's poor showing

After allowing over 200 yards against UTSA, including over 175 yards from running back Robert Henry IV, Mike Elko challenged his defense throughout the week, which paid off against the visiting Aggies, shutting down their rushing attack for just 78 yards, with most of those coming in the fourth quarter when the Aggie reserve defenders entered the game.

This was a good start before facing Notre Dame, especially the progress made in the interior, which now includes Iowa State transfer defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim. The Aggies produced nine tackles for loss on Saturday, and there were still several players in the linebacker rotation, led by Taurean York and Scooby Williams, who still looked out of place early in the game.

Notre Dame will be the true test, especially running back Jeremiyah Love, who could easily expose Texas A&M's defensive line if this group isn't prepared.

Senior RB Le'Veon Moss looks back to form

Texas A&M's 2025 rushing attack has yet to explode, but 235 yards against Utah State is a solid start before heading to South Bend. Without Le'Veon Moss, who rushed for nearly 800 yards and 10 touchdowns before his season-ending injury, Texas A&M would not have started 7-1 last season, dropping to 8-5 after Moss departed.

While his rehab was extensive, Moss only received three carries against UTSA, which was likely the plan to ease him back into the lineup. On Saturday, Moss led the team with 10 carries for 68 yards and a touchdown, averaging a healthy 6.8 yards per carry, and looks ready to take a majority of the snaps vs. Notre Dame.

Rueben Owens also had a solid day with 40 yards, while freshman Jamarion Morrow, who entered at the end of the game, might see more playing time moving forward.

QB Marcel Reed continues to progress as a pocket passer

Marcel Reed's status heading to the Notre Dame matchup is a mixed bag, even though coach Mike Elko all but confirmed that he will be ready to go. Still, trusting Elko is all we can do at this point, and focusing on Reed's continued progress is what we're weaving through in this article.

In two games this season, Reed has connected on seven passing touchdowns, including five to new wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, who have unlocked OC Collin Klein's playcalling during his second season with the program.

On Saturday, Reed threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns, while, for the first time this season, he used his legs to make a play when things broke down, rushing for 66 yards and a touchdown. Overall, Reed's accuracy was solid outside of several missed throws, while his best throw came in the first quarter, hitting Terry Bussey in stride for the 34-yard score.

Collin Klein's playcalling, combined with the added speed and versatility in the passing game, will continue to improve. Still, we will see just how this group performs against Notre Dame's tough secondary.

Texas A&M senior CB Will Lee III struggled in coverage

It was not a banner day for senior cornerback Will Lee III, who was targeted five times, resulting in three catches for over 40 yards and a touchdown against Utah State's less talented receiving corps. On the surface, this is a bad time for Lee to struggle before facing Notre Dame and entering SEC play.

Still, like every player this early in the season, he deserves some grace, knowing that he's not the only star defender who has struggled against lesser competition this early in the year. While I believe Lee will bounce back, if these struggles continue, Mike Elko has enough depth to throw in Julio Humphrey, who played well in 31 snaps, in case things go south against the Fighting Irish.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M football's top takeaways 44-22 win over Utah State