SEC PREVIEW TEXAS A&M

A&M confident it’s SEC material

Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin, in his first season with the Aggies, has what is expected to be one of the nation’s top offensive lines but his projected quarterback has thrown only five passes.
Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin, in his first season with the Aggies, has what is expected to be one of the nation’s top offensive lines but his projected quarterback has thrown only five passes.

— Texas A&M led in 12 of 13 games last season, but the Aggies won just seven games after opening the year ranked in the top 15.

A series of second-half collapses cost Mike Sherman his job as head coach and led to the hiring of offensive whiz Kevin Sumlin of Houston, just in time for the Aggies’ big jump to the SEC.

Texas A&M believes its strengths - one of the nation’s top offensive lines and an attacking defense that led the nation with 51 sacks a year ago - can make it a contender in the SEC West, home of the past four BCS national champions.

“I think we’ll come into the SEC ready, and I don’t think it’ll be too big of a culture shock,” A&M linebacker Sean Porter said. “When people say that the caliber is going to change so much, I just don’t know how much better it can get. I don’t think it’s going to be overwhelming.”

Sumlin, speaking a little more diplomatically, recognized the rigors his team faces when he was asked to assess the Aggies’ new league.

“What’s my assessment? It’s a pretty damn hard league. How is that?” he said. “That’s my assessment.”

Some Aggies, many of whom have been involved in three consecutive regular-season losses to Arkansas and a Cotton Bowl loss to LSU over the past three years, shelled out respect for their new home at SEC media days.

“I’ve heard a lot about the SEC, but it’s well-deserved,” preseason All-SEC tackle Luke Joekel said. “ We’ve played SEC teams before and there is a difference. There’s speed at every position in the SEC. Their defensive tackles can run with our running backs.

“It’ll be fun competing against them every week.”

Sumlin didn’t sound too pleased when a reporter asked him about Texas A&M being the only team in the country scheduled to play the past six BCS national champions this season.

“That’s about the fourth time somebody asked me that,” he said.

While the Aggies drew a tough schedule, which includes three consecutive SEC West road games in late October and early November, at least their inaugural SEC game is at home against Florida on Sept. 8 and they close their season at Kyle Field against Missouri on Nov. 24.

“The atmosphere is already getting crazy around College Station right now,” Joekel said. “I know the 12th Man will be as crazy as it will ever be for that Florida game.”

The Aggies might be able to match offenses with some of the league’s best. They bring back four starters on their line, including tackles Joekel and Jake Matthews, a running back in Christine Michael who was averaging 99.9 rushing yards per game before a knee injury in the ninth game last season, and a receiving group led by Ryan Swope, who is positioned to break Texas A&M receiving records during his senior year.

Sumlin has installed a Spread offense that has churned out 100 snaps in some games, but projected starter Jameill Showers has only five pass attempts and is the most experienced quarterback on the team.

“You’ve got to start somewhere,” Sumlin said. “All those guys that become veteran quarterbacks, they had to figure out a place to get started, so we’ll work through that.

“I think we’ve been able to develop quarterbacks in what we’ve tried to do wherever we’ve been. ... Certainly we’re comfortable with how we do things in the system that we have in place.”

On defense, the Aggies will switch to a 4-3 base set under Mark Snyder, the former Ohio State defensive coordinator who spent five years as the head coach at Marshall.

“I think the 4-3 is made for stopping the run,” Porter said. “The SEC is full of hard-core running teams. I think it’s a good change for us going into the conference.”

The Aggies return most of their top sackers, including Porter (9 1/2 sacks last season), fellow linebacker Jonathan Stewart (3) and defensive end Damontre Moore (8 1/2 ).

“We’ll get a bunch of different guys to the quarterback,” Porter said.

The Aggies think they can hit the ground as an immediate contender.

“We don’t want to be overlooked,” Swope said. “We want to be right up there with the big dogs.”

Sumlin said his expectations are to win early as well.

“I said that from Day 1,” he said. “Everybody talks to me and acts like I didn’t know what I was getting into when I took the job. We had already entered into the SEC under the agreement when I took the job.”

NEXT: Florida

Schedule Aug. 30 La. Tech (Shreveport) Sept. 8 Florida+ Sept. 15 at SMU Sept. 22 S. Carolina State Sept. 29 Arkansas+ Oct. 6 at Ole Miss+ Oct. 20 LSU+ Oct. 27 at Auburn+ Nov. 3 at Miss. State+ Nov. 10 at Alabama+ Nov. 17 Sam Houston State Nov. 24 Missouri+ + SEC games

About the Aggies

LAST YEAR 7-6, 4-5 (tie 6th) in Big 12 RETURNING STARTERS Offense 8, Defense 6, Specialists 1 SURE THINGS Offensive line, linebackers UNSURE THING Quarterback OFFENSIVE MVP Receiver Ryan Swope DEFENSIVE MVP Linebacker Sean Porter

SEC TITLE SCENARIO Many things will have to fall into place, starting with better-than-expected play at quarterback - where sophomore Jameill Showers is the projected starter - and a return to health by running back Christine Michael. The offensive line, anchored by tackles Luke Joekel and Jake Matthews, could be one of the nation’s best. The new 4-3 defense must hit its stride with veteran linebackers. The Aggies play six SEC games in a seven-week span, including four on the road, and the home games are against West contenders Arkansas and LSU, making a West title run unlikely.

Sports, Pages 19 on 07/20/2012

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