Defense finds its swagger in narrow loss to Clemson
Unit pushed No. 2 Tigers to the limit
COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M and Clemson had not played since 2005 before last weekend, but Aggies defensive tackle Daylon Mack figures the Aggies might not be done with the Tigers this season.
“If we take care of business, maybe we’ll see them again,” Mack said after No. 2 Clemson edged A&M 28-26 at Kyle Field.
Doing so would mean the Aggies (1-1), who host Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday night, running the table in the SEC — along with Clemson taking care of its own business. However, A&M has never finished higher than third in the SEC West since joining the league in 2012.
“The potential is scary, honestly,” A&M linebacker Tyrel Dodson said of the Aggies’ immediate future. “The potential is to win every game, and I think that’s what we’re going to do from now on. … Playing that good against Clemson gave us a boost of confidence — a boost of swagger.”
While the Warhawks aren’t expected to challenge the Aggies, who are just outside the Associated Press Top 25 poll, their newfound swagger will get the ultimate test next week against top-ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Why are A&M’s defenders dripping with bluster after a loss? It has to do with how they played the fourth quarter against the Tigers, the 2016 national champions and a College Football Playoff mainstay the past few seasons.
“We almost ended up getting (the win) at the end,” Mack said.
Clemson scored four touchdowns over the first three quarters before the Aggies defense stuffed the Tigers on three consecutive fourth-quarter drives. Clemson went three-andout on the last two while leading 28-20.
“We’re getting vertical and getting up field and being disruptive with coach Elko,” Mack said of firstyear defensive coordinator Mike Elko. “There’s nothing really sideways scheme wise; that’s really been the biggest difference.”
The Aggies defense time and again got sideways last year, in what turned out to be the last one at A&M for coach Kevin Sumlin and defensive coordinator John Chavis. In the last two games, they allowed a combined 100 points to LSU and Wake Forest, losses capping a 7-6 season.
Sumlin was fired and Jimbo Fisher was hired from Florida State. In January, Fisher turned to Elko, then the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. The Aggies still have the SEC schedule in front of them, so it’s to be determined how improved — if any — they’ll be under the new regime, with many of the same players.
“We have to remind ourselves to stay with hard work, stay patient, keep working out and being in your playbooks,” Dodson said. “We need to keep reminding each other that this is our year, and this is the team that we can be every single week.”
If they are to make their case in the SEC West, they’ll likely need to stay free of injuries at linebacker the rest of the way. A&M is down another starter after Fisher announced this week Anthony Hines III suffered a season-ending injury against Clemson.
The Aggies are solid and experienced at the top of the depth chart at linebacker with Dodson, Otaro Alaka and Buddy Johnson, but the drop off is steep. Ikenna Okeke, who was expected to earn plenty of playing time this season, was lost for the year with an injury during camp.
Santino Marchiol, who had a decent spring game, left the program in the offseason. Safety Larry Pryor is expected to earn more playing time at linebacker, and that shouldn’t be a problem against LouisianaMonroe. But giving up size in the SEC West might prove to be a big problem for the Aggies once conference play begins in earnest next week.
The Aggies are hearing none of it, however, after their fourth-quarter shutout against a program that’s played in two of the last three national championship games.
“We remind each other every single day, don’t get complacent,” Dodson said. “We’re going to grind every single day until we get to the top — we’re not going to be satisfied. And not being satisfied is going to drive us throughout this season.”