Since his arrival at Texas A&M, the Aggie head coach has built his program on several key non-negotiable character traits.
Toughness. Effort. Discipline. Pride. Grit.
Oh yeah, you might want to add sweat.
Jimbo Fisher arrived at Thursday evening’s press conference in a good mood, presumably happy with his team’s performance on a day that saw temperatures hit triple digits.
But he also came prepared with a few barbs for the assembled media who had gathered inside rather than out in the blistering Texas heat where his team spent the previous few hours practicing.
“It’s really soft of y’all to do this here in the air conditioning. All meetings from now on will be set up outside in the sun,” Fisher said with a wink.
Jokes aside, Fisher left no doubt that he was pleased with his team’s performance, especially the pace of the day, following the eighth-straight practice of camp.
“Still got a lot of things we need to work on, (the) tempo was better.” He went on to add that there are, “still a lot of mistakes to clean up, but as far as my mindset I was happy that they were pressing each other.”
One of the ongoing August battles is the fight for the two offensive guard positions. As the midway point of camp approaches, Fisher says the Aggies are still working different lineups in an attempt to find the ideal combination among the road graders up front.
“We’re mixing and matching a lot of guys inside and trying to create as many players as we can. I’m pleasantly pleased with that.”
When asked about Kenyon Green, Fisher said the true freshman standout is certainly in the mix for one of the two starting spots at guard. At last month’s TexAgs kickoff event, Fisher mentioned Green working out at tackle, but that focus seems to have shifted as the Aggies search for their best five in the trenches.
Also of note, sophomore safety Leon O’Neal missed practice Thursday with what Fisher said was simply a minor finger issue that should not cost him significant time. The head coach hopes to have the sophomore defender back on the field Monday or Tuesday.
Now, after eight straight days of practice, the Aggies will have their first off-day of Fall Camp. Fisher hopes his team can keep their focus and intensity following the day of rest. “Another challenge. Some guys come back lackadaisical, some guys don’t. You’ve got to learn how to come back; it doesn’t matter if you’re tired or not.”
The Aggies will return to the field on Saturday, followed by Sunday’s practice which will be open to the fans at Kyle Field.
