Fall Day 13: Aaron Moorehead describes Aggie receivers' potential

Aaron Moorehead

On the development of receivers throughout camp…

“It’s been a good camp. There have been a lot of guys that have stepped up and made plays. The biggest surprise, which is a good thing, has been Damion Ratley. He has played really well and had a great camp. We’re really excited about his progress, especially from the spring. You look at a guy that was a junior college guy, just getting used to playing SEC football. With coach Chavis’ defense, there is a lot of press coverage and having to go against that every day, it took him a while to get adjusted, but he has had a great camp so far.

"Obviously, Ricky, Christian, Speedy and Josh have had a great camp. I’ve also been really excited about Jeremy Tabuyo. He has done a good job as well.

On Damion Ratley fighting for the fifth receiver spot…

“Yeah, I think so. Especially backing up the outside. Boone and Sabian Holmes are fighting for that inside job. Also, Jeremy is still fighting, and Ed Pope is a guy that has played here and done a good job. You’re never going to count out a guy that has had success at this level. He had a nagging deal early, but he got going towards the end, but he’s back to his full self, which is nice. Going into game week we have some good weapons, and that is always a good thing against Arizona State, who has a lot of good defensive players.”

On how he made the group tougher and where they are currently…

“I think you have to set the standard. If your standard is every day that you are going to play physical, than they will buy into that. They have done a good job of that. Every day they have gone out and tried to prove how physical they can be. A guy like Christian Kirk comes in from high school and wants to do everything right, and is a young, strong guy. He really was a guy who came in and started doing some really good things in the spring.

"Guys realized what it was going to take, which was funny watching a guy from high school. It made Ricky step his game up. It made Speedy step his game up. All those guys who showed flashes of being tough were constantly being tough. That’s a good thing.

"When I look at what the national people are going to think about us, I want them to see playmakers and guys that are absolutely the toughest group on the field. Again, we talk about standards all the time. If you are going to be the best pass catchers, you have to be physically and mentally tough and be able to different things in the pass and run game. That is where we are at and I think we did a good job of it this camp.

On Christian Kirk’s consistency…

“He has been really good. Honestly, he and Ricky have been our two most consistent guys in camp. They are doing a great job. Christian, for a young guy, has really matured. He does a nice job in the film study. A nice job of asking the right questions and staying after to work on his craft. Been really pleased with Christian and now it is time to turn the lights on and see what they young fella is going to do in Houston.

On how the rotation is shaping up…

“We’ll get that figured out when it is time.”

On the receivers' development as blockers…

“Everybody has it in them, it is just whether they are demanded to do it or not, and whether you are taught how to do it the right way. That is really something I pride myself on. Demanding toughness, demanding consistency and demanding that they are going to learn at a certain level. If I am going to teach them at a certain level, I am going to demand that eventually, they are going to get it. Having a spring to get them where I want them to be, then have the summer for them to help themselves out, then at fall camp getting this thing where I wanted it. That is usually what it is, it takes time.

"I am pleased with those guys, but we have to continue to get better. We cannot just stop now and all the sudden think it is going to be great for the entire season. We have to keep that thing going, keep the demands up and keep them on their toes. I think that is the most important thing. When you are going against the scout team, you do not slow down, you speed up. That is the way I was taught in college. That is the way I was demanded in Indy with Peyton and Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and those guys. They demanded greatness every day and I am not slowing down for anyone.”

On how the press coverage from the A&M defense has helped them…

“You have to grow. If you are out there on an island, you’ll get embarrassed if you can’t get off press coverage. If you cannot make a right break and you’re getting balls batted down or intercepted, it will make you grow up and that is a good thing. The guys that are competitive, the guys that want to get better will find a way to get better. They will start understanding the techniques and working them before and after practice, working them during the individual drills and that is where Damion Ratley has stood out. The guy just works and works, and if there is a problem he will fix it. That has been really encouraging.

"A guy like Speedy is physical and can do a great job out there. Josh is smooth and is working on different techniques that will allow him to add to his game. From an outside receiver's perspective, seeing press every day is great, because when you don’t, it is almost like a breath of fresh air, because you just get to get off coverage and run routes without somebody in your hip pocket.”

On where Ricky has improved the most…

“I think it is two fold. He has become tougher and a more consistent pass catcher. I think the game has slowed down for him. He was in high school playing quarterback, got hurt in his first year here and then played receiver last year. It was his first year playing receiver and it was tough for him, he’ll be the first to tell you that. I don’t think it was a smooth year for him. I don’t think anyone watching A&M football would think it was a smooth year, but the guy was fresh out really and just starting to play a new position in the best conference, with the best defenders in college football. He had an up and down year, but he is starting to see the defenses, the coverages and is starting to figure out how to get in and out of breaks. You can never take that for granted, because that is the hardest thing to do, to make the game slow down. Once that happens, that is where the pure athleticism, size and speed can take over.”

On Speedy’s improvement at receiver…

“The thing about Speedy is that he wants to be great. He wants to learn everything. Sometimes, you don’t think he is listening, but then you ask him a question and he spits it back to you verbatim. He is taking everything in, which is a plus. He has to continue to get consistent. That has to be something we continue to develop, not just with Speedy, but with everybody in our group. Again, he’s a guy that wants to do it and understand it. He watches a lot of film and we have given these guys lots of opportunities to watch film on their own and he does it all the time, then comes back and asks questions. There’s a lot of things we can continue to improve on, and we will as the year continues to go on, but moving into Arizona State, I think we are in a good spot.”

On expectations for a healthy Josh Reynolds…

“If I’m Josh, I’m looking to break my own record. I’m looking for a 1,000 yards. Look towards that next step. What can you do more, what can you do extra? Well, last year with a bad shoulder, he wasn’t a really good blocker, so continue to improve your blocking. He can continue to get off press coverage now that he has two good arms and I think that is important to him. He has done a good job. I’m excited to see his progress. These last few weeks have been the first time I’ve been able to see him, so I’m pleased with his progress and really excited with where he is at. Again, we have a great group. It is a daily competition. Having a Damion Ratley, having a Jeremy Tabuyo or Boone Niederhofer behind you makes those guys play better, because they know if they don’t play well, I’m putting the next guy in. I don’t care who you are and they know that, which makes my job a lot easier.”