Texas A&M has completed its first five practices of fall camp, and the Aggies will return to the practice field on Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, Mike Elko, Collin Klein and Jay Bateman spoke to the media and provided updates on the Maroon & White's progress thus far.
The following are live, paraphrased notes from Tuesday’s media availability:
Mike Elko
- I want to address the Dalton Brooks situation. It's something we know about, and we take seriously. We will look into it and handle it internally.
- Amari Niblack was an interesting recruiting process because of his relationship with Coach Holmon Wiggins. We were looking for a taller pass-catcher. He is a tall, long and athletic kid. He continues to get comfortable. He has a chance to be a weapon for us this year.
- You have seen pocket passers and dual-threat kids. You have seen the whole gamut with the quarterback. The trait you look for is competitiveness and the ability to bring together guys around them. You have built an offense around your quarterback’s strengths.
- We are great on the injury front. There is potential there for the defensive line. It's the same names. A couple of names that have been on the radar are Dealyn Evans. Marco Jones, with the summer he had, has elevated himself. There are veterans who have played a lot of football.
- In the run game, we have pointed out the differences between No. 11-12 and No. 2-3 in the conference. Those are small margins. The margins come down to those big plays. The big runs happen because of a misfit or being out of a gap. That happened at times. We would lose perimeter leverage.
- We want competition across the OL. There is a competition at the center with Mark Nabou Jr. and Koli Faaiu. Trey Zuhn III is getting a lot of reps at that position. Nabou is trusting it now.
- With Zuhn taking snaps at center, we move kids around a lot so we can always ensure the best five are out there. There is a need to have flexibility with Zuhn.
- This Saturday’s scrimmage will be treated like past scrimmages. The challenge is to have a veteran group, and you have to make sure they check every box. One of those is the physicality. We get eight days in full pads.
- What is noticeable is that there is a much better comfort level playing together in the secondary. When you are familiar and comfortable with the guy next to you, it gets easier. Will Lee III, Bryce Anderson, Brooks, Marcus Ratcliffe and Dezz Ricks have all played together. You see the new guys getting comfortable.
- It's the hardest thing for a kid to have the season taken away from him. For Rueben Owens II to come back the way he did, he still went out in the last games of the year... That is a credit to who he is. You go through the rehab, and you realize how much you missed it. He loves this game, and his urgency to do it at a high level has stepped up.
- Tyreek Chappell is the best cover guy we have in the secondary who can play in the slot. Having him back, those things matter. He has the flexibility to play different places.
- We want the identity of this team to be a team that pours everything they have into each other to play the game the right way for themselves, each other and for Texas A&M University. That's kind of been the standard that we wanted to create in the program from Day 1. They are in the elite one percent of their age group in the world. There are things that come with that. We are making daily progress.
- Marcel Reed is a lot more comfortable going through progressions. So much of the passing game is timing and rhythm. That is how we will prove, efficiency of timing and operation. There are times we are getting through progressions better. A lot of the time, you see a bad throw, but we see the eyes and body not moving together. You are starting to see it click a little more every day.
- I am a poor coach if, in my mind, I know who the starting 22 will be. Our job as coaches is to create an environment where anything is up for grabs every day. There is the ability for someone to elevate themselves. That’s what you owe your locker room.
- Jerome Myles was not healthy when we got him. He was not ready to cut or decalibrate. He has been rehabbing a lot. There is an athletic skillset that is unique. Last night was the first night that we were able to get them out there. There is a skillset there that we are very excited about.
- I love Scooby Williams. He is really athletic and tough. He has the ability to make a lot of plays. He is a good blitzer and cover guy. He was out during the spring, so there is more rust that needs to get knocked off.
Collin Klein
- The LSU game was a lot of different things coming together at one time. There were schematic changes they were doing in the first half that they had not shown. We needed a spark. We have a lot of depth and talent. We have to stay healthy. Injuries added up last year. Another year in the season, it's been fun to watch across the board. The entire unit is in a better place.
- I want to see progression in the display from Reed. The pieces around him are coming along nicely. Using the arm talent to distribute to his playmaker will be the next step.
- Being able to have flexibility, if someone does get hurt, you can move pieces around. The competition part is critical.
- I really think the offense is a year-to-year question. Last year we were thin in certain spots. We are 33 percent 12 personnel than the usual 38 percent. Who are the guys who package together, who we think give us the best chance to win? The whole offense was in. I think our capacity has grown. Every position group had deepened its understanding of the game.
- I think one of the first things I look for in a quarterback is whether they are competitive. What is the internal fight? You have to have arm talent, but you have to have the brains to do it.
- Really excited about the growth and steps Reed has taken. Now he knows. He has taken advantage of that. He is around the building, asking questions and talking about football. He has a passion for the game.
- Coach Tommy Moffitt and his crew have prepared the wide receiver room. There have been gains. KC Concepcion and Mario Craver... Both of them love to compete and love football. They play hard every snap whether the ball is coming their way or not. They have brought in tablet things to our unit. Ashton Bethel-Roman, I am really excited about. I could say the same about Izaiah Williams. A lot of great things about that group.
- I have been very pleased with Myles O’Neill. He is attacking every day, and he has good skills. The game is slowly down for him. Jacob Zeno is understanding the offense better. Brady Hart has made a nice throw in the first couple of days. It's competitive. The depth chart isn’t what matters. It's that we play winning football at the quarterback position.
- It's a great thing to see Le’Veon Moss is back. He's an unbelievable young man. Watching him and how he has attacked the rehab and been able to stay positive and encouraging to his teammates throughout the process was really encouraging. It has been a positive for him and our team.
- Ar'maj Reed-Adams brings a lot of energy. He is a passionate player. He is a great teammate. He is physical at the point of attack. He is a better player than he was last year.
- I am not afraid to throw the ball to any of the running backs. Owens, Jamarion Morrow and EJ Smith stand out in terms of route running, but I will throw it to any of them.
- The most important thing is what the team needs to be successful. What I tell the guys is we are trying to get touches to everyone, but what does the team need to win?
- The timing and sequencing will be better. Experience at QB will be better. Team speed is better. Everything is tied together in this game.
Jay Bateman
- The pass rush last year, we did miss opportunities. We managed the defensive line in a way that it limited the ability to rush the passer. Tyler Onyedim has been good so far. There were schematic adjustments we did last year that we won’t have to make now.
- The team believes in Reed. Our kids have a lot of faith in him. As a coach, I see faster decisions. He's hard to defend. He runs like a running back. He throws like a really good quarterback.
- Ratcliffe is a great example of the strength program. He came from a Group of Five program and had a good first year, and now, you look at him physically, it's like, “Wow.” Everything you want a kid to improve upon, he has.
- The kid at linebacker who has impressed us the most is Jordan Lockhart. He has a really bright future. Daymion Sanford is doing a good job. Noah Mikhail is coming along as a freshman.
- Our young men and coaches have acknowledged that we haven't done things very well. The communication is better. The knowledge base has improved a lot. The veteran players understand what we want from them, and I think that will pay off.
- Jones is a super-talented kid. That was a knife fight recruiting him. He is in a group with really good players. He is going to play and contribute this year.
- Chappell could easily go play corner. Losing him was a blow last year. He has rotated out of the nickel and corner. Jordan Shaw has come on, and Bravion Rogers, Ricks and Julian Humphrey have all had a good camp. In that back five, there will be a pretty good improvement.
- Practice hasn't changed a whole lot. Elko is more involved with the defense now. In games, I think it will change more.
- Landon Rink has been awesome. I think DJ Sanders has much upside as anyone. I feel way better about our depth right now. I feel way better about the younger kids coming along. In that back five, there has been definite improvement. We are in a good situation there.
