The fifth in a series previewing SEC football teams.
HOOVER, Ala. -- Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin recognized after three seasons in the SEC that his program needed a new approach to achieving and sustaining success.
So the Aggies are emphasizing a brawnier approach in 2015.
Texas A&M
2015 SCHEDULE
Sept. 5 @Arizona State, 6 p.m. (ESPN)
Sept. 12 Ball State, 6 p.m. (ESPNU)
Sept. 19 Nevada, 11 a.m. (SECN)
Sept 26 #Arkansas*#
Oct. 3 Mississippi State*
Oct. 17 Alabama*
Oct. 24 at Ole Miss*
Oct. 31 South Carolina*
Nov. 7 Auburn*
Nov. 14 Western Carolina
Nov. 21 at Vanderbilt*
Nov. 28 at LSU*
*SEC game; @At NRG Stadium, Houston; #AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Texas A&M glance
LAST SEASON 8-5, 3-5 (6th in SEC West)
COACH Kevin Sumlin (28-11 in 4th year at Texas A&M, 63-28 in 8th year overall)
RETURNING STARTERS 17 (offense 8, defense 8, specialty 1)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS QB Kyle Allen, RB Tra Carson, DE Myles Garrett, OT Germain Ifedi, P Drew Kaser, C Mike Matthews
SEC TITLE SCENARIO A rapid turnaround from the lackluster defense under new coordinator John Chavis is imperative if the Aggies are to move up in the SEC West order. Sophomore Kyle Allen is 3-2 as the starter, so he has something to prove under center. Striking a better offensive balance is also a key for the Aggies to contend
"One of our biggest goals in the off season was to become a tougher team physically and mentally," Sumlin said.
Texas A&M made a strong debut in the conference with a 6-2 record and a 29-24 road victory against No. 1-ranked and eventual BCS national champion Alabama in 2012. Since then, Texas A&M has gone 7-9 in league games, including a sixth-place finish in the SEC West with a 3-5 mark last year.
"I think we came into the SEC with an attitude that, hey, we want to win right now, and the best way to do that is by scoring points, and then building off of that with recruiting and generating excitement and doing those things," Sumlin said. "We've done that. Now let's take the next step and from a recruiting standpoint, develop a depth standpoint that we need.
"I've said it before. The SEC is not only a line of scrimmage league, it's a line of scrimmage and depth league."
Sumlin addressed what he felt was two problem areas -- the running game and overall defense -- over the winter by luring defensive coordinator John Chavis away from LSU and hiring Dave Christensen, the former Wyoming head coach and Missouri offensive coordinator, as running game coordinator and offensive line coach.
Chavis' track record in 26 seasons in the SEC at Tennessee and LSU includes six SEC championship game appearances, the 1998 BCS national title and the 2011 Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach.
"Chief is such a fiery personality," Aggies defensive end Julien Obioha said, referring to Chavis by his nickname. "You could tell that by the way LSU played. You could tell they played with so much swagger. It started with John Chavis."
Chavis' defenses at LSU held Texas A&M to 20 or fewer points in three consecutive games, prompting a reporter to ask Sumlin if he "kind of" took the mind-set that if he couldn't beat Chavis he could hire him.
"I didn't kind of," Sumlin said. "That's exactly what I did. There's really nothing more to the answer than that.
"We've studied the defense. We get it. We struggled. It's a great fit for us and a great fit for him. He was ready for a new challenge."
The Aggies expect a quick turnaround under Chavis from a defense that ranked last in the SEC by allowing 451 yards per game.
"His knowledge of opponents, his knowledge of the league helps me as a head coach, but it also helps our team and brings confidence right away to a defense that really needed it," Sumlin said. "His style, we've studied it so much over the course of the last three years in the off-season to try to get better."
Texas A&M was fifth in the SEC in total offense a year ago, but its running game ranked 12th with 150 yards per game. The Aggies think their focus on toughness will result in a more balanced offensive approach.
"At times last year it seemed maybe we didn't have the tools to be able to run the ball," offensive tackle Germain Ifedi said. "Now we've gotten more comfortable in our run game and being able to use it whenever we need to."
Quarterback Kenny Hill's transfer has left sophomore Kyle Allen, who went 3-2 as a starter the last five games, atop the depth chart. His top targets are 6-5 Ricky Seals-Jones, 6-4 Josh Reynolds and 5-11 Speedy Noil.
Tra Carson is back at tailback after leading the team with 581 rushing yards, and he's in competition with James White and Brandon Williams in the Texas A&M backfield.
The Aggies have what looks like a favorable schedule, beginning with their crossover games against SEC East teams South Carolina and Vanderbilt. The Aggies don't leave their home state until late October. They open with a neutral-site game against Arizona State at NRG Stadium in Houston, start conference against Arkansas at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, then have SEC home games against Mississippi State and Alabama before traveling to Ole Miss on Oct. 24.
Sports on 07/18/2015