Aggies ooze confidence and championship mentality ahead of 2021 season

Some football teams might prefer entering the season flying under the radar.

Texas A&M isn’t one of them.

That was more than clear on Sunday morning as the Aggies came on like Desert Storm. They’re aiming at the national championship and apparently don’t care who knows it.

“I think we’re ready to take that leap,” star running back Isaiah Spiller said. “We’ve been hearing that stigma on us. I think we’re ready to get that off of us right now. Every day we’re having that in our mind. I think we’re ready to take that leap.”

Spiller didn’t specify exactly what is the stigma that’s on A&M.

But there is the fact A&M has not won the national title since 1939 or a conference championship since 1998. Perhaps that was the stigma that led to the Aggies being omitted from the College Football Playoff despite an 8-1 record entirely against Southeastern Conference competition.

Jasen Vinlove/USA Today Sports

The 2021 Orange Bowl win was the Aggies’ first in program history. 

The Aggies ultimately defeated North Carolina in the Orange Bowl to finish 9-1 and ranked No. 4 in the nation.

“Last year we got cheated as a team,” sixth-year defensive end Micheal Clemons said. “I feel like we’re going to win the national championship. I wanted to be a part of it.”

That championship goal is the major reason Clemons opted to return for a “super” senior season.  Defensive tackle Jayden Peevy, linebacker Aaron Hansford, safety Keldrick Carper and cornerback Myles Jones also opted to return for “super” senior seasons.

That ensured the Aggies would have nine starters back from a unit that ranked ninth in the nation in total defense last season.

“We didn’t come back just to come back,” Clemons said. “We came back to win the national championship.”

The Aggies are projected to be ranked among the top ten when the preseason rankings are posted. That’s a concrete indication that A&M is a championship contender.

However, Clemons said his confidence is based on a more intangible quality.

“I think the mentality we have is further along than we’ve ever, ever been,” he said. “Each year we’ve continued to get better. I think we’re real close. I’m excited where this team is right now.”

He said consistency is all that’s needed to field a championship-caliber team.

“It’s a long season. Every single day you’ve got to show up with the mentality to win. A championship mindset,” Clemons said. “That’s with everything you do from meetings, to practice, to staying engaged with everything that you’re doing. Once you’re doing those daily habits day by day it adds up.”

“The teams who can stay determined, stay hungry and stay consistent throughout the course of a season…those are the teams that you see have success,” Clemons added. “I think the team we have right now, we’re there.”

“Everybody has the mentality that we’re ready to win. Take this thing the distance. I think the mentality is the biggest thing. Guys aren’t just here going through the motions. Everybody has an intent and it’s a championship. I’d say it’s the best mentality as a whole that I’ve been around.”

There will be skeptics, and rightly so. The Aggies will start a new quarterback — either Haynes King or Zach Calzada — for the first time in three seasons. Also, the offensive line must be rebuilt.

Teams with new quarterbacks and rebuilt offensive lines typically aren’t projected as national champions.

Spiller, though, insisted he’s not worried about the quarterbacks or the line.

“I think Haynes and Zach… they’re going to be great, especially toward the end of the season,” Spiller said.  “They’re going to be more comfortable and know the offense in and out.

“I think they’re going to be ready. We’re definitely going to be ready. I’m going to be ready. (receivers) Ainias (Smith), Chase (Lane), Jalen (Wydermyer), the O-line is going to be ready. They’re going to have time to gel. I think the offense is going to come together at a vital point.”

That vital point figures to be Oct. 9 when defending national champion Alabama visits Kyle Field. Alabama is the last team to defeat A&M. Most prognosticators will expect the Crimson Tide to win again. 

“I don’t really care about (getting) respect from nobody,” Spiller said defiantly. “It don’t matter. We’ve still got to play.”

Indeed, the Aggies have to play five games before facing Alabama. That’s a detail coach Jimbo Fisher won’t allow his team to forget.

“Whether the first game or the last game you play them the same,” Fisher said. “Every game is the most important game in the world.”

“Everybody says that’s a big game. Lose one game and see which is a big game. They’re all one win or one loss. It doesn’t matter. You have to approach it that way. There’s a mentality and an understanding that way.”

Fisher indicated this year’s team has that mentality and understanding.

“You can only control what you can control,” he said. “That’s the standard in which you approach the game, how you prepare for a game and how you then perform in a game. That’s what you have to do.”

“That’s the standard that we have to learn to do and I think we’re in the process of doing that.”