Texas A&M Football
Kevin Sumlin recaps the lessons from Texas A&M's 2016 spring football
Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin confirmed on Thursday night that junior receiver Speedy Noil will not play in the football season-opener against UCLA as part of a two-game suspension.
Noil did not play in the Aggies’ Music City Bowl loss to Louisville last December.
“He’s still suspended for the opening ball game after serving a suspension from the bowl game,” Sumlin said after Thursday’s session of spring drills, which is the final practice session before Saturday’s Maroon & White spring football game.
Noil, who was recently arrested in Bryan for driving without a driver’s license, will be allowed to participate in the spring game.
“He’s had his share of hiccups,” Sumlin said of Noil, who has been suspended twice. “It’s two steps forward and one step back deal with him. We, internally, have done some things with him from a discipline standpoint. We always have.
“There’s some other things he’s got to get done. He’s practicing. The consistency part has been an issue. He was moving forward. Just like in life, it takes one hiccup or misdoing to throw all that off. He’s got some things he’s getting done for us. Obviously, he’s out for the first ball game.”
Even with Noil’s relatively minor transgression it’s been a rather uneventful spring for Sumlin. With minimal off-field issues, he’s been able to keep his full attention on the football team.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Erik McCoy is among those Kevin Sumlin specifically singled out as having made huge strides during spring football.
He said he likes what he’s seen thus far this spring.
Sumlin said he’s seen significant progress made on the offensive line and some interesting competition at cornerback throughout the spring.
He specifically mentioned freshman center Erik McCoy and senior tackle Avery Gennesy as making strides.
“(McCoy) has done a nice job as a center. He’s 310, 315 … setting protections, doing a lot of things,” Sumlin said. “(He’s) a smart guy. I’ve been really, really impressed with him.”
Sumlin has also been impressed with Gennesy’s growth at left tackle.
“It can be frustrating for two-and-a-half hours every day and dealing with (All-American defensive end) Myles Garrett. That’s not fun,” Sumlin said. “But he’s blocked him some times, which is an improvement from not blocking him at all. He’s gotten better.
“Those two guys have really done a lot up front.”
Sumlin also remarked on the excellent play at safety where starters Armani Watts and Justin Evans are returning starters.
Sumlin is also pleased with the progress at cornerback even though 2015 starters De’Vante Harris and Brandon Williams must be replaced.
Junior Nick Harvey, who frequently spelled Williams last season, figures to move into the starting lineup on one side. Sumlin said there is an intense competition between UCLA transfer Priest Willis and sophomore DeShawn Capers-Smith on the other side.
“We’ve still got a real battle at one corner spot with Priest Willis, who’s got length and has played, and Capers-Smith, who played a lot of special teams last year,” Sumlin said.
Sumlin acknowledged more improvement is still needed at the troublesome linebacker spot, but found reasons to be encouraged with sophomore Otaro Alaka back from an injury that sidelined him most of last season and others showing growth, both physical and mentally.
“We’ve got to keep coming at linebacker,” he said. “Getting (Otaro) Alaka back is good. (Senior) Claude George has made some strides. Alaka and (senior) Shaan Washington are 240 (pounds) apiece now, can run and they’re as talented as anybody in the league. Their development in the fall will be key for this defense.”
He’s hoping to see more signs of that development at Kyle Field on Saturday as the Aggies stage their first spring game in three years.
“The get the guys that we know can play – we’ll get them some work early. Then, some of the guys that haven’t done much or we’re counting on to do more this year, they’ll play the majority of the game.”
Sumlin also said that quarterbacks Trevor Knight and Jake Hubenak will both work with the first- and second-team offenses.
“They will play with both groups,” Sumlin said. “We’ll have the ones vs. ones and twos vs. twos, so we don’t have that (second team) line trying to block Dae Dae (Daeshon Hall) and Myles. We’ll never get the ball off.
“But that’s a good thing, unless you’re the No. 2 tackles and quarterbacks.”
Noil did not play in the Aggies’ Music City Bowl loss to Louisville last December.
“He’s still suspended for the opening ball game after serving a suspension from the bowl game,” Sumlin said after Thursday’s session of spring drills, which is the final practice session before Saturday’s Maroon & White spring football game.
Noil, who was recently arrested in Bryan for driving without a driver’s license, will be allowed to participate in the spring game.
“He’s had his share of hiccups,” Sumlin said of Noil, who has been suspended twice. “It’s two steps forward and one step back deal with him. We, internally, have done some things with him from a discipline standpoint. We always have.
“There’s some other things he’s got to get done. He’s practicing. The consistency part has been an issue. He was moving forward. Just like in life, it takes one hiccup or misdoing to throw all that off. He’s got some things he’s getting done for us. Obviously, he’s out for the first ball game.”
Even with Noil’s relatively minor transgression it’s been a rather uneventful spring for Sumlin. With minimal off-field issues, he’s been able to keep his full attention on the football team.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Erik McCoy is among those Kevin Sumlin specifically singled out as having made huge strides during spring football.
Sumlin said he’s seen significant progress made on the offensive line and some interesting competition at cornerback throughout the spring.
He specifically mentioned freshman center Erik McCoy and senior tackle Avery Gennesy as making strides.
“(McCoy) has done a nice job as a center. He’s 310, 315 … setting protections, doing a lot of things,” Sumlin said. “(He’s) a smart guy. I’ve been really, really impressed with him.”
Sumlin has also been impressed with Gennesy’s growth at left tackle.
“It can be frustrating for two-and-a-half hours every day and dealing with (All-American defensive end) Myles Garrett. That’s not fun,” Sumlin said. “But he’s blocked him some times, which is an improvement from not blocking him at all. He’s gotten better.
“Those two guys have really done a lot up front.”
Sumlin also remarked on the excellent play at safety where starters Armani Watts and Justin Evans are returning starters.
Sumlin is also pleased with the progress at cornerback even though 2015 starters De’Vante Harris and Brandon Williams must be replaced.
Junior Nick Harvey, who frequently spelled Williams last season, figures to move into the starting lineup on one side. Sumlin said there is an intense competition between UCLA transfer Priest Willis and sophomore DeShawn Capers-Smith on the other side.
“We’ve still got a real battle at one corner spot with Priest Willis, who’s got length and has played, and Capers-Smith, who played a lot of special teams last year,” Sumlin said.
Sumlin acknowledged more improvement is still needed at the troublesome linebacker spot, but found reasons to be encouraged with sophomore Otaro Alaka back from an injury that sidelined him most of last season and others showing growth, both physical and mentally.
“We’ve got to keep coming at linebacker,” he said. “Getting (Otaro) Alaka back is good. (Senior) Claude George has made some strides. Alaka and (senior) Shaan Washington are 240 (pounds) apiece now, can run and they’re as talented as anybody in the league. Their development in the fall will be key for this defense.”
He’s hoping to see more signs of that development at Kyle Field on Saturday as the Aggies stage their first spring game in three years.
We’ll have the ones vs. ones and twos vs. twos, so we don’t have that (second team) line trying to block Dae Dae (Daeshon Hall) and Myles. We’ll never get the ball off. But that’s a good thing, unless you’re the No. 2 tackles and quarterbacks.
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“For the spring game we’re going to line up and be pretty basic,” Sumlin said. “We’re going to go at each other. I want to see some sound gap defense. I want to see some tackling ... basically, some physical football.“The get the guys that we know can play – we’ll get them some work early. Then, some of the guys that haven’t done much or we’re counting on to do more this year, they’ll play the majority of the game.”
Sumlin also said that quarterbacks Trevor Knight and Jake Hubenak will both work with the first- and second-team offenses.
“They will play with both groups,” Sumlin said. “We’ll have the ones vs. ones and twos vs. twos, so we don’t have that (second team) line trying to block Dae Dae (Daeshon Hall) and Myles. We’ll never get the ball off.
“But that’s a good thing, unless you’re the No. 2 tackles and quarterbacks.”
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