No. 7 Texas A&M is now 4-1 following three consecutive SEC victories. The Aggies will look to extend that streak this weekend vs. South Carolina, and ahead of their trip to Columbia, Jimbo Fisher, Carson Green, Hezekiah Jones and Tyree Johnson spoke to the media.
Video courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics.
The following are live, paraphrased notes from head coach Jimbo Fisher's media availability on Monday.
- After going back and reviewing the film, it was a good win at home. Any time you can win an SEC game, it’s good.
- Caden Davis is kicking the ball out of the end zone, doing a great job. Our punt game is great. Ainias Smith got a couple of good punt returns for us. We got all of our PATs and things like that.
- Offensively, we were sharp in the game. We got six-straight touchdowns. We were moving the ball well after our first drive. We managed the game and got out of it, but I think we could’ve finished better. We were balanced. Ran and threw the ball well. We protected the quarterback well. We had three holding calls, and I think I’m going to ask about some of them. The distribution of the ball was good. Kellen Mond was very efficient.
- Defensively, we did not start well. We answered back on offense. The defense got a good stand before the half. That was huge. We settled down and did a good job of getting off the field on third down. We gave up some big plays. Usually, we’re good against the run, but they hit some big plays on us. We did a nice job in the third quarter when we stretched the game out. We need to improve.
- We’ve got a good South Carolina team coming up. They’ve got a very good couple of corners. They’ve got a strong offensive line and can run the football. Shai Smith had a big play on us last year, and he’s a good receiver. They’ll have a good scheme, and we will have to do it on a short week because we don’t have practices since we’re allowing our kids to vote. That’s the right thing to do. We’ll get after it on Wednesday.
- Our competitive nature and our ability to play resilient is huge. We play as a team. I love the camaraderie of this team. We’re learning to be a physical football team. We have balance on offense. We’re physical on defense. We’re going a good job on special teams.
- You never have enough good backs. With the physicality in this league, we need some more. I’m not rich at running back. We could always be richer, I promise.
- You have to live up to your own expectations. That’s how you prepare. You’re never a favorite in this league because everybody can beat you. It’s about handling your business each day. There are no favorites or underdogs. You have to play the game and be the best you can be.
- Don’t listen to the poison. Are you going to believe the staff and me? Or are you going to believe the people who are writing things? We tell them that things are written, whether you win or lose. You have success by blocking out the clutter. That process puts you in a position to have success. We remind them that every single day. Human nature is to be complacent and not grind things out. Human nature is to have breaks. To be a great team, you can’t have any of that. We’re teaching that to everybody in our building.
- We haven’t made any changes to the travel protocols. It’s been very good. Everyone is doing a great job of keeping us safe. Our plays are doing great as well. It has been really, really good.
- I think the third-down success starts with the quarterback, and it starts with protection from the offensive line. It’s a cumulative effect. Third down conversions are a huge thing. We start early in the week on our third and red zone conversions. We start that on Monday and do more than a lot of folks. Guys are doing good. We can do it and have been able to convert with both running and throwing it.
- You have to have a nucleus right around you in recruiting. Texas is a great place to recruit, and it produces so many players. To reach out nationally, everyone is doing that that is having success. When you can have a bigger blueprint of where you’re trying to get players from, it makes the job better.
- We’ve seen Will Muschamp. The players have seen it. Will is a tremendous football coach. They can make changes, but you have to be sound in your scheme. We know each other, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s an advantage. It’s just like playing anyone else.
- I love competing, but this business is rough, and at the end of the day, someone isn’t going to feel good.
- We were able to mismatch guys with Hez Jones. There’s no substitute for his experience. It was great to have him back.
- We watched film on Sunday, which is usually our off day. We had a complete walk-through. Engaging fronts and introducing blitzes, routes and stuff. It was a mental practice. We may extend our normal Monday practice, so it’s more like a typical Tuesday practice. We’ll be off on Tuesday and get into on Wednesday.
- We talk about voting and voting early. We’ve been encouraging it for the last couple of weeks. If you wait until Tuesday, make sure you’re exercising your right.
- When you become a target or have success like we did at Florida State, teams start laying it out there. They can make a name and a season. We hope to get A&M there. You have to expect everyone’s best in this league, but if you’re good for long enough, you’ll become a target. You have to expect their best regardless.
- Trust. Love. Believe. We tell them all the time. You have to have timing and rhythm. That comes with time. Kellen is trusting his eyes. He’s been doing it long enough. They did a good job of that on Saturday night. He has grown a lot in that aspect. He’s been doing it and understands more about what we’re trying to accomplish. Experience really helps in that area.
- Being on the road, you can have a competitive edge to you. Everyone who is there is not going to be for you. You have to have a chip on your shoulder and be there for your brothers. You have to have thick skin. There will be momentum swings, and we have to focus on the next play. You can’t let the momentum get away. We’ve won one and lost one. Both had big moments, even the Alabama game. We had control of the game against Mississippi State before a crazy bounce allowed them to get back in it. We responded.
- I expect this one will be very loud. They always get cranked up over there. The atmospheres on the road have been very similar.
- In all of the phases, you have to get better. We’ve done a good job against the run, but Arkansas had success. We have to pressure the quarterback more and limit big plays. We didn’t get any turnovers, but we’ve been getting better on that. We need to continue getting pressure. We always have to affect the quarterback, and we have to get off the field on those third-down situations.
- We have some young guys who can really run, and there are more young guys who aren’t playing much that can be explosive. Explosion is something we’re always working on, and that’s something you have to have for sure.
- When a guy opts out, we talk about why and what’s going on. You’re always open to those situations if they choose to come back. Scenarios change. We still respect what they have decided right now.
- First of all, we had to make sure we can practice getting Ainias Smith’s jersey on and off. If we couldn’t do that, we would’ve made someone change their number. It doesn’t cause a conflict, so I’m good with it. They’re doing a great job with it.
