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Texas A&M Football

Jackie Sherrill on preparing for Alabama, Spurrier's resignation

October 14, 2015
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Key quotes from Jackie Sherrill interview

“This weekend is going to be big.  If you look at the whole scope of what it has done for A&M to join the SEC, how many games like this have ever been at Kyle Field?  So, when you look at the magnitude all the way around, and the trickle-down effect from the economic standpoint, helping out Bryan/ College Station then, it’s a big, big plus.”

“Well, when you have the kind of pressure Alabama has this weekend, sometimes that goes against you.  You know A&M, even with one loss, will still be in the hunt. The crowd at Kyle Field, I feel that they will probably be a 104,000+, then you throw in the sound – you know, Alabama has not played in a venue that is going to be this loud. Certainly, Tennessee is not this loud, nor is Florida, nor is Tuscaloosa. So, with all those things, now when you break down talent versus talent, the front seven for Alabama is going to be very good.  We’ll have to rush the football somehow and take some of the pressure off because the front seven can put pressure and you have to keep Kyle Allen upright.

But, the advantage goes to A&M because of the spread offense.  When I was visiting with Nick Saban for the reunion, he said they match up with Georgia, LSU and Arkansas better than we do A&M or Mississippi – you know, they lost the game to Mississippi.  Then you come back to their running game, that is going to be an Achilles heel for us because what we will have to do is get some great play out the linebackers to be able to stop the running game.  The unfortunate thing for A&M is that the number one back player is Armani Watts.  When your number one back player is in the secondary, then that means the linebackers are not making plays.”

“I think the players that were there last year, you don’t have to bring 59-0 up.  But, that doesn’t mean anything to Christian Kirk, it doesn’t mean anything to some of the other kids.  But, the players that were there last year, they understand that no one enjoys getting their butt beat.  They’ll play and player harder.  The thing that Chavis gives you is that he’ll be able to put some people in position to make the team stronger.  Now, the good thing is being able to play press man. It limits Alabama ability to do play action and throw the ball deep.  I just don’t know if Coker can beat you running the football with his legs.  So, when you shut off the wide outs, it gives you the ability to play with the strong and free safety and in the box it helps you with the running game.  Now, the linebackers are going to have to do a great job with all the play action stuff with the tight end cross, or the tight end middle or the receivers underneath.  If we can’t do that, they’ll be able to move the football by throwing it.”

“The key to beating Alabama is getting the ball out of your hands quick.  Alabama’s secondary is not as good as it have been in the past.  So, that’s an advantage for A&M with the receivers. I would look for Speedy Noil, hopefully he’s back, you can use him.  The one I think that is going to be used most is Ricky Seals-Jones.”

“A few years ago, Mark Snyder in 2012, put one of the defensive ends over the nose guard and gave him a lot of problems.  Now, there’s a lot of people that have played them, in what we would call bare defense, which is basically covering two guards and the center and forcing where they can’t pull the guards.  I don’t know what Coach Chavis is going to line up in, but I would say, he will be equal to an eight man front somehow.”

“I think it would help to use Kyler Murray in certain situations and packages.  I’m not sure that they haven’t been saving that just to break it out against Alabama.”

“I know Coach Spurrier very well, we go back a long ways.  I think he met with the AD and said, ‘You know if I can’t turn it around, I will step aside.’  And, you know, you got to give him credit because if he had stayed, then the story everyday would be ‘When is Steve Spurrier is going to leave, or when are they going to fire him?’  So, by him stepping aside, it takes the focus off of him and puts the focus back on the football team, which is where it should be.”

“Spurrier has done a tremendous job wherever he’s been. He’s a different coach, he takes his different attitudes, but one thing about him – he has a great offensive mind.  You don’t want to be a defensive coach for him, because he’s not very happy on the sideline.  I have a picture of him hollering at the defensive coordinator on the sideline when we beat them 47-35, we had almost 400 yards rushing against him one year.  I haven’t sent him the picture yet, but now I can send it to him of him yelling at the defensive coach on the sideline.”
 
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