Kevin Sumlin reveals optimism at Houston Touchdown Club luncheon

HOUSTON — Linebacker Otaro Alaka is one of Texas A&M’s best football players, linebacker A.J. Hilliard has sufficiently recovered from an ankle injury, quarterback Jake Hubenak hasn’t yet arrived on campus and quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray won’t play at the same time.

Those are some of the things that Texas A&M football coach Kevin Sumlin revealed and reiterated during a press conference and later in a question-and-answer session with fans at the Houston Touchdown Club luncheon on Wednesday afternoon.

Looking sharp in a gray suit and maroon tie, Sumlin also told the audience at a Westin Galleria ballroom that the Aggies have more depth on the roster, are no longer reliant on freshmen to play and have more leadership.

Texas A&M starts the 2015 college football season in less than three months in Houston against Arizona State. Sumlin gave Aggies a reason for optimism by suggesting the defense, which was ranked 109th in the nation against the run last season, could be significantly better.

Among Sumlin’s reasons for the projected improvement is the emergence of Alaka, a true freshman last season, and the regained health of Hilliard, who suffered a broken ankle against South Carolina in last year’s season opener.

When asked by a fan about linebacker position, which has had problems the last two seasons, Sumlin immediately referenced Alaka, who was named the defensive MVP in A&M’s Liberty Bowl victory over West Virginia.

“Otaro Alaka is one of the best players on our team,” Sumlin said.

That’s good news considering the quality of talent A&M has on the offensive side and the need to upgrade the performance at linebacker.

Earlier Sumlin told the media that Hilliard has completed rehab and was ready to resume playing.

“A.J. was the last guy to really get out of rehab,” Sumlin said. “He is in the 240s (pounds) now. We saw in the South Carolina game he was playing really well and had a pretty several injury to that ankle.

“We’re a completely different team. Alaka was the defensive MVP of bowl game, (sophomore linebacker) Josh Walker, A.J. Hilliard … those guys can play. With as many lumps as we took last year those two freshmen (Alaka and Walker) played very well at the end of the year. I look for them to play better this year. We’ve got some experienced players.

“Last year we started eight (true) freshmen and two redshirt freshmen. Ten freshmen started at some point and time. I don’t know if that’s going to be the case this year. That makes me sleep easier.”

In Sumlin’s three previous seasons A&M has needed freshmen in the starting lineup and to provide depth.

Sumlin said that’s no longer the case, though he reiterated he’s not opposed to starting freshmen if they’re the best player at a certain position.

“I think for the first time since I’ve been coach at A&M, we looked at our freshman class coming in and there was not one guy saying, 'This (freshman) has to start for us to have a chance,'” Sumlin said.

However, one freshman that will have a chance to start is heralded quarterback recruit Kyler Murray.

Murray’s impending competition with sophomore incumbent starter Kyle Allen and perhaps Hubenak, a junior college who will soon arrive at A&M after finishing up at Blinn College, will be one of the hottest topics of discussion throughout the summer.

“Kyler plans on coming in and playing,” Sumlin said. “Kyle plans to continue playing. We’ll figure it out.”

But they won’t play together.

Asked if any offensive packages were planned to utilize Murray and Allen at the same time, Sumlin simply answered: “No.”