Published: November 02, 2009 06:03 pm      

A&M's offense humming along

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M's offense put up big numbers in its first three games, but the level of competition raised doubts about how good the Aggies really were.

After losing three in a row, A&M (5-3, 2-2 Big 12) has now topped 500 total yards in consecutive Big 12 victories and the offense remains one of the nation's best.

The Aggies rank third in total yardage (490.5 yards per game), eighth in scoring (35.8 points per game) and fourth in third-down conversion rate (52.5 percent) heading into Saturday's game at Colorado (2-6, 1-3).

While junior quarterback Jerrod Johnson has put together one of the best seasons in school history, the offensive line has taken a lead role in the last two weeks, paving the way for the Aggies' top two rushing games of the season.

Earlier in the year, coach Mike Sherman shuffled players up front because of injuries and inexperience, and the unit struggled to open holes and protect Johnson. Sherman has found the right mix now, and the Aggies averaged 294 rushing yards in lopsided victories over Texas Tech and Iowa State.

The running game taken some of the burden off Johnson, who ranks among the top 10 nationally in total offense (329 yards per game) and passing yards (295.6).

Johnson averaged 43 pass attempts in A&M's first six games, but threw only 28 passes in each of the last two.

"Now, it's more along the lines of the way coach Sherman wants it," Johnson said. "Our offense gives us versatility to where, if the running is not working, we can throw the ball. But I know he definitely wants a balanced attack and the last couple games, it's more what he wants our offense to be."

The Aggies use an up-tempo, no-huddle system and average 83 snaps per game, second in the nation. Johnson seems more and more comfortable running it and Sherman has given him more freedom to call audibles at the line in the second half of the season.

Johnson said the offense is clicking now because every player knows Sherman's complicated playbook so well.

"Now, we're just starting to come around to where everybody understands it, executes it and makes decisions on the run," Johnson said.

Johnson has completed passes to 13 different receivers and his favorite target — sophomore Jeff Fuller — is back after missing four games with a broken right leg. Fuller caught a touchdown pass in last week's 35-10 win over Iowa State.

Sherman said the receiving corps, like Johnson, has made a marked improvement since he became A&M's coach in November 2007. Fuller is one of 10 players with TD catches this season.

"When we first got here, boy, we struggled catching the football," Sherman said. "They catch the ball pretty well. We just don't drop the ball. I'm adamant about that. The guys have bought into that."

A&M ranks 12th nationally in passing offense (299.4 yards per game). The Aggies have moved from 49th to 23rd in rushing offense in the last two weeks, now averaging 191 yards per game.

Sherman said he's scaled back the variety of running plays lately, calling many of the same ones repeatedly. That's simplified the assignments for the linemen, and helped them recognize how opposing defenses are trying to stop them.

"If you keep calling the same play consistently, if you screw up on the first one, you know why you screwed up and you can take a different angle or a different step to make it work the second time," senior left tackle Michael Shumard said. "You learn throughout the game how the defense is going to play it. If one guy goes one way on a certain play, you learn that he might do that the next time."

Colorado's defense ranks ninth in the Big 12 (382 yards per game) and 10th against the run (154 yards per game). A&M will face two of the league's top defensive teams — No. 20 Oklahoma and No. 2 Texas — in the coming weeks, but Sherman thinks the Aggies have reached a point where they believe they can move the ball on anyone.

"I don't think there's a situation that comes up on the field that they feel overwhelmed with," Sherman said. "I would think they have pretty good confidence in themselves. We still have a lot of football left to play, a lot of good teams to play. The true tests will be as we wind up the month of November."