Fisher sees line play as early key
ATLANTA — By the time Erik McCoy woke up on Monday morning, seeing an unusually early time on the clock was something he was used to.
The Texas A&M junior center shuffled out of bed at 4:30 a.m. in College Station, Texas, went to workouts an hour later and then skipped out a little early so he and a few teammates could make it to SEC media days by noon in downtown Atlanta.
When McCoy and the Aggies stepped in front of the microphones, a new and improved sense of toughness in coach Jimbo Fisher’s first year was a point of emphasis. But something that has gone understated during the coaching transition is a need for stability on the offensive line.
That isn’t lost on McCoy, one of A&M’s top veterans and best 2019 draft prospects.
“There’s a lot of moving pieces and we know that coach Turner (A&M assistant Jim Turner) is going to make the best lineup for us to go play week-in, week-out,” McCoy said.
When Fisher arrived in College Station after eight seasons at Florida State, he emphasized the importance of playing well up front. In his SEC media days debut, Fisher repeated that point as one that is vital in a such a physical conference.
“I think the offensive and defensive lines, if you watch in this league, the guys who control them are the guys who win,” Fisher said.
One could argue that without solid play in the offensive trenches, A&M’s transformation under Fisher could take a little longer than expected, considering how vital it is to Fisher’s pro-style offense. Various circumstances caused the Aggies to use eight different starting combinations on the offensive line in 13 games in 2017.
Right now, it appears A&M is still trying to figure out which five should be on the starting lineup.
McCoy started the last 10 games of last season and was voted a preseason all-SEC selection by the media who were in Atlanta last week. However, for the second straight July, he’s still not sure he’ll be playing center or guard when the Aggies open the season.
In 2017, McCoy opened the year at left guard despite being A&M’s starting center as a redshirt freshman. By Week Four, McCoy moved back to his old spot for good while sophomore Colton Prater, who started every regular season game in 2016, was benched.
Once again, Prater enters the season as the potential X-factor for the Aggies’ offensive line.
“He’s definitely one of the toughest guys I’ve ever, ever met,” McCoy said. “Since he got to A&M, that’s just increased.”
Finding the right starting five quickly will be a point of emphasis for a team that will be protecting a sophomore quarterback (Nick Starkel or Kellen Mond) and opening a hole for a running back looking to regain his freshman form.
After rushing for more than 1,000 yards in 2016, Trayveon Williams struggled in 2017 as he battled a nagging ankle injury and the complications that come with opposing defenses constantly looking to stop the run.
In the final seven games of the season, the player known for breaking off big runs only had five carries of 10 yards or more. Williams knows how important it is to have a quality offensive line in front of him.
The junior is optimistic the offensive line will be in for a big year, one that could establish the tone for Fisher’s teams in the years to come.
“Right now, they’re grinding, and they know exactly where to be and when to be there,” Williams said. “We’re ready for a good season.”