Trial by Fire: Fisher increasing intensity, pushing Aggies to improve

Thousands complain about the Texas heat in August.

Jimbo Fisher isn’t one of them.

On Monday night, the Texas A&M football coach seemed to suggest 100-degree heat is needed for a team to make a 180-degree turn.

He believes rising mercury can lead to a mercurial rise.

“You don’t know where you’re going to get to until you get tired and beat up and your mind gets tired,” Fisher said following the fifth practice of A&M’s August camp. “You’ve got to learn where you’re at mentally and physically. You’ve got to learn to get to a point when you’re tired and sore and beat up to find out if you can still execute.

“That’s what’s going to happen in championship-level play. This ain’t Utopia. This ain’t the perfect world. Football is a tough, hard-nosed game. You’ve got to go to places to find out if you’ve got anything in you.”

TexAgs

According to Fisher, the Aggies are making progress as fall camp rolls on. In particular, he said he was pleased with the defense, receiver and quarterbacks.

Of course, Fisher wasn't referring to the small Texas town of Utopia. However, his comments conjured thoughts of another Texas town about 80 miles north of Utopia.

Sounds like Fisher might next bus his players to Junction. You know that story.

Perhaps he would considering following the model of former A&M coach Paul Bryant. Except Fisher said he’s seen significant progress from the defense, receivers and, yes, the quarterbacks.

“There were good things today,” Fisher said. “I thought defense really played much better. Had some ups and downs on both sides, then the defense played really well. (They’re) starting to understand what they’re doing. Creating good leverage on the ball. Tackled well. Some things we’ve got to correct, but I thought we were much improved from the last couple of days. (Safety) Donovan Wilson and some of those guys are really leading and doing a good job. We’ve got to keep going. Look at the film and get ready to go.”

Fisher also lauded the effort of senior Kingsley Keke, who is a strong candidate to shift from defensive tackle to defensive end. Keke worked diligently in the weight room during the offseason. That’s allowed Fisher to move him to the edge, if necessary.

“He’s in tremendous shape, so (he’s) getting on the edge with his athleticism,” Fisher said. "We knew he was a good athlete, but then when he got in really good in shape you started seeing the athleticism.”

Fisher seems just as bullish on the improvement of the receivers as a group. He praised Quartney Davis, Camron Buckley, Jhamon Ausbon, Hezekiah Jones, Kendrick Rogers and Clyde Chriss, among others.

TexAgs

Aggie wide receiver Jhamon Ausbon and the rest of the position group drew praise from Fisher after practice.

“Overall, I’ve been pleased with our wide-outs. I really have,” Fisher said. “Quartney has really progressed. Buck. Ausbon is doing a great job. Rogers is getting in there. Hezekiah has lost some weight. He’s quick and fast and twitchier again. All the young guys I like. Chriss is catching, and he can run. They have things they’ve got to do a lot better, but they’ve improved a lot since spring in my opinion.”

Then, Fisher gave an impromptu lesson on instructing quarterbacks how best to get the football to those receivers. Fisher explained that passing consistency is a matter of getting the body in line. He compared the form to that of a rifle.

“You’ve got to learn to use your body,” he said. “It’s not arm. Your arm is the final part of it. (When) you throw the ball, it starts from the ground up. You have to generate the power and have the balance and body control and have your hips and shoulders in line and your head. That’s just the sights on the gun. Then, the barrel has to stay (high). When you do that, the barrel doesn’t move. Your elbow doesn’t move. It allows you to be more consistent.”

Fisher indicated that Kellen Mond and Nick Starkel are making progress in that regard.

However, he said redshirt freshman Connor Blumrick has sustained a strained knee injury and is expected to be sidelined “two to three weeks.”