Former DB Toney Hurd Jr. shares expectations for A&M's secondary

In a little over a month, football will be back at Kyle Field as Texas A&M opens up its 2025 season hosting UTSA. Former defensive back Toney Hurd Jr. joined Monday's edition of TexAgs Live to speak on a few defensive returners in Aggieland and his expectations this season.

Key notes from Toney Hurd Jr. interview

• I think one of the main issues was the lack of pass rush. We were ranked 13th last year in getting sacks, and in the secondary, there was a lack of communication. We looked at the film pre-snap, and we really see guys doing moves and expressing what they are doing, what the play calls are, and what the down and distance are. Pre-snap analysis is important, and when we flip the games, we rarely see a lot of communication in the secondary, and that affects the zone play. It's understanding the concept and what's to come and expect in the secondary, so those are the two main factors that led to a lackluster defense last year.
   
• When thinking about the defense, we think about Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton, who are pass rushers. A&M didn't finish all the way to the play. With the athletes we have, I think it will be easy to turn that swoopage and give a full eight to ten seconds to play.
   
• Will Lee III brings a lot of athleticism and is strong in man coverage. He provides stability on the back end with a lot of communication and high energy. We can look forward to him being drafted in the earlier rounds.
   
• For Dezz Ricks, honestly, most of it is mental. At that age, your body is developing, but mentally, it is the biggest asset to apply to your game to take you to the next level. I hope that over the course of this offseason, he was able to get more film exposure, speak with the coaches and become more comfortable within the scheme. I hope he took that jump this year and will have a great year.
   
• Julian Humprey brings a lot of experience from a top program. He's expected to compete for CB2 or CB3. He is ready to go, and he's got high energy and great communication, like Lee, who's a great asset for our secondary.
   
• With Bryce Anderson, I expect big things from him. He's versatile and physical. Even though he doesn't have the biggest stature, he reminds me of myself, who's not afraid to come down and tackle someone. Even exceptional in coverage, and I'm looking forward to him having a great season. This summer, he took a big jump, and in the spring game, we saw he had a lot of confidence.
   
• With Dalton Brooks, though he's not a household name, he is a steady contributor for our secondary. He's someone whose confidence grows, and the sky's the limit. He's at a stage in his career where everything is fresh, and he needs to learn from coaches and players to grow. Everything is in his hands, so the sky's the limit.
   
• With Jordan Peterson at the helm, those guys will have an exceptional year. They have some great leaders at the helm and with the players. That's the biggest thing. Can the players lead the secondary? It's time for younger and older players to play like veterans.
   
• Last year, our linebackers played pretty well despite everything on the front end. This year, they can improve by continuing to get depth in the zone drops. Zone coverage is always a hole in the defense. So I would say continue to drop and make sure they are connected to the secondary, so there are no issues on the defense.
   
• First and foremost, when your leader is a part of the defense, it shows that defense wins championships. The best teams that play in the playoffs have defensive-minded coaches, and that puts A&M in a different category. With Mike Elko being a former defensive coordinator, it matches and links up well. They will have great energy and production next year. It will be fun to watch our defense fly around.