'Blanket' confident 12th Man can find warmth in upgraded secondary

Admit it.

On those cold Saturday nights last November, you experienced feelings of discomfort when opposing quarterbacks dropped back to pass on Texas A&M.

Those feelings were warranted.

South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers passed for 244 yards and two touchdowns.

Auburn’s Payton Thorne torched the Aggies for 301 yards and two touchdowns.

Texas’ Quinn Ewers was limited to 218 yards and a touchdown, but primarily because the Longhorns ran so effectively.

Then, in the Las Vegas Bowl, USC’s Jayden Maiava passed for 295 yards and four touchdowns.

There was no denying the cold, hard fact that A&M was woefully vulnerable in pass defense. Yet, there remained one source of warmth — a “Blanket,” if you will.

“The Blanket,” of course, is Will Lee III. He performed at an All-Southeastern Conference level. He was even an electric blanket when he returned an interception 93 yards for a touchdown against Texas.

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In his first season as an Aggie, Will Lee III had two interceptions, 12 pass breakups and 42 total tackles in 2024.

Alas, even an All-SEC cornerback doesn’t make a strong pass defense.

Quarterbacks can simply look in another direction. Opponents exploited the inconsistency in other areas of the A&M secondary.

One blanket isn’t enough on a cold night in November.

However, Lee promised at SEC Media Days that another has been added to the Aggies' coverage. The identity of that blanket?

“Julian Humphrey,” Lee said. “We’ve got two blankets. Two are better than one. We can strap up everybody and keep the field warm.”

Humphrey transferred from Georgia, where he started 10 games in 2024. He tied for the team lead with four passes broken up.

Unfortunately, even two blankets aren’t always enough. There’s so much space to cover, especially if an opponent has a speed-demon receiver who can stretch the field vertically.

A&M allowed 24 passes of 30 yards or more last season. That’s more than any other team in the SEC.

That’s worrisome considering the Aggies will once again face Sellers as well as LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Florida’s DJ Lagway, Texas’ Arch Manning and Arkansas’ Taylen Green, who threw a 75-yard touchdown pass on A&M last season.

Obviously, A&M will need an upgrade at safety and nickel, as well as the other corner. The Aggies also must dramatically improve zone defense, an aspect of coverage in which they struggled.

Lee is confident those upgrades will be made. He cites transfer portal additions like Humphrey and Jordan Shaw, the added experience of veterans and three-year starter Tyreek Chappell returning from injury.

"We’ve got a lot of veteran guys that know the defense more,” he said. “The communication on the back end is going to be more clear. That’s going to pick up for all the zone mistakes we made last year.

“Jordan Shaw. Julian Humphrey. Those guys have been outstanding guys in the offseason, during spring ball. They’re really playing at a high speed. We’re doing everything we can to make sure those guys are comfortable in the defense and making sure they’re getting everything and treating them like family. Those two guys are key players."

Significant improvement in the secondary could make A&M a legitimate SEC championship contender. And an SEC championship contender is a national championship contender.

“There’s nothing we can’t do,” Lee said. “We’ve got all the pieces. We’ve got everybody we need. I feel like we’ve just got to go out there and show everybody.”

That attitude and confidence could ease the discomfort Aggies were feeling last November.

“The Blanket” is also a comforter.