Jordan Pugh calls A&M the 'better team' ahead of Lone Star Showdown

Key notes from Jordan Pugh interview

• I’ve been looking forward to this week all year long. As a player, I know what this week meant. It is big time. Everything is on the line with it. There is so much. Who goes to the SEC Championship Game? Then it means something when you have a gripe with somebody, and when a team kept you out of your ultimate goal last year. What is at stake for the future of the program? It is heavy. This week is exciting. The matchup will be big.
   
• In the same way Georgia exposed Texas, we can do the same. From matchup to matchup, we are more skilled. I don’t think they can compete with us on the edge. Their defensive line is their strength.
   
• Arch Manning has been playing better. He is still inconsistent. He hasn’t seen a pass rush like ours.
   
• I think we are the better team. I only worry about controlling my emotions. Keep it in check and get the task done. The player, the fan, the Aggie in me doesn’t want to get my heart broken again. We are built right with the right mentality.
   
• The LSU win was the defining statement. We had the statement at Notre Dame, and that brought belief. Beating LSU was the defining statement of who we are as a team. Out of everything we’ve done, beating South Carolina was the most impressive win. It showed the grit and fortitude of who we are, and it showed that we can turn it on in an instant. We saw resilience and utter dominance after a lackluster first half. This Texas game means something different. A different feeling all week long. With that, we have a chance at the SEC Championship Game.
   
• We have overcome extreme adversity, and we have one more giant in our way that we need to knock down. I worry about the run game and special teams, but our special teams have been dynamic. We have been able to make adjustments to stop the run. We’ve made explosive plays in the second half. We have always found the answer. If something isn’t working, we adjust. We just need it to happen one more time.
   
• Manning has become a better game manager. His playmakers are making more plays for him. He is not doing anything big time. He makes throws underneath, and guys like Ryan Wingo are getting a lot of yards after the catch and breaking tackles. We have to be good at tackling. That is what we have to do.
   
• Earlier in the year, they tried to let Manning cook, but he wasn’t ready. He’s improved, but he’s throwing more intermediate throws and getting it to his players as quickly as possible. Now he is going against a defensive line that has been terrorizing people. We will see a lot of screens and offensive manipulation to utilize our defensive line, our greatest strength, against us.
   
• Our secondary has to be tight in open field tackling. They have good weapons on the outside. We are better than they are skill-wise on both sides of the ball.
   
• Our strength is the offensive line. Their defensive line can get after it. They got dudes. They are very talented without an identity. Their talent keeps them in games, but they fold under pressure. The only thing that keeps them in it is their defensive line. Our offensive line can stifle them.
   
• Our X-factor is Marcel Reed, and he creates hesitation for the defense due to his rushing and passing abilities. When you compare Manning and Reed, I know I can get to Manning. Reed is too versatile. It changes my aggression on the defensive line. Ultimately, I think we win because of the Reed factor.
   
• When Manning scored on A&M last year, it was a quarterback power. His running ability is not an X-factor. It is an addition you have to be aware of. It is not game-changing like Taylen Green. Manning is a pocket-first guy and uses his legs when necessary.
   
• The way we have manipulated teams to get into favorable third downs, we are going to confuse him. He has been frantic in the pocket. How we have our combo coverages and showing different looks at the line, it will slow Manning’s progression down. I am not sold on Manning. Anything he does well, they harp on his praises because of his jersey. Mike Elko needs to bring the mental attacks on.
   
• There is a difference between impact and numbers. It is easy to throw for 280-plus yards when guys are taking passes 60 yards. Manning, having the burnt orange on plus the last name, gets so hyped up. There are guys like Wingo who impact the game for A&M like Reed, Mario Craver, KC Concepcion and if we get Le’Veon Moss back.
   
• I am not buying it on Manning. When he plays a legitimate defense like Georgia, he looks average at best. Now he runs into another legitimate defense. The reality is, he is not an impactful player this year.
   
• Yes, you can be too amped up. There is a spirit in Kyle Field. I remember going into the locker room and telling coach Kevin Sumlin to calm us down. That plays a factor. That is why this game is about who controls the emotions. It is clear we are the better team. When emotions come in, they can sway up and down, so if we can control that, we should handle them easily.
   
• It can be a slow burn. We did that against LSU, down at halftime and slow burn. South Carolina, down at half, major recovery, we were explosive and took hope and life away. We are built right. We have passed the tests throughout the year. When Texas has been tested, they have folded. Georgia is a prime example. A&M has excelled when tested, which shows that you have a culture built on winning and grit. I don’t see that for Texas. I have an 11-game sample size to show.
   
• We can go down this whole deal. Matchup for matchup. Texas has been inconsistent and has wilted when the lights are on. For A&M, when pressure is on, they’ve risen to the occasion. For A&M, the No. 1 key is managing emotions. If we do that, we will handle business as usual. Handle the first punch. They will most likely score early. Steve Sarkisian will script the first 15 plays. How do we handle the ups and downs if something out of the norm happens? I trust they will, and that is why they are the best team in the country. We have to remind them who we are.
   
• I am so tired. Thanksgiving week with the kids at home, and all I hear is Texas and how they are going to beat us. Has anyone not watched A&M this year? Like we are non-existent because people are waiting for the fall. I am tired of listening to the noise. I am tired of people hyping up a soft football team. We have shown resilience. We show it week in and week out. All of that evidence, why is everyone making a case for the other team? There is a different intensity. Players know what this is. All it is for us we can manage the emotions. It will change everything we do.
   
• We didn’t sign up for complacency. That is why we moved to the SEC. Everything we have done, we have earned. The margin for error is small. I loved that as a player. Pressure is a privilege. I want you at your best. No excuses, so when I beat you, you know I was better than you. On top of that, we get to go to Atlanta by beating you on your home field and doing what you did to us last year. We know what we need to do to handle business. We will clearly beat Texas if we handle our emotions.