Weekly Football Press Conference: Auburn
Sep 13, 2016 | Football
A&M gets set to open SEC play at Auburn on Saturday night (6 p.m., ESPN).
Summarized comments from head coach Kevin Sumiln, OC Noel Mazzone and DC John Chavis are posted below. Audio files are available to listen through soundcloud (soundcloud.com/aggieathletics).
KEVIN SUMLIN PRESS CONFERENCE SUMMARY
Sense that your team now starting conference play has more pep in step or is it just business as normal.
Last time I checked we need pep in step first weekend. Team approached season with same sense of urgency. Played ranked opponent right off bat. That got our attention in offseason. Got to continue to play at level that gives us chance to win. Last 2 weeks liked how we approached week and dealt with fixing things internally and try to execute that on Saturdays and play to certain standards. So far been able to reach those goals. Can we be better? Yes. But I like our approach now.
Size up offensive line and how it's coming along so far, particularly the interior.
We'll see Saturday. All you have to do is turn on video of Auburn and look at its defensive front. They are very talented. Big inside, athletic, experienced. Say what you want but they played really well against Clemson who has a lot of great talent. We've been tested against UCLA. Will see where we are. Guys have gained confidence the last few weeks. But that's what games like this are for. Coach Turner has done great job with those guys. This will be difficult test from a body type (standpoint) and just overall where these guys are. Who they're playing against this week will be little bit different than first few weeks.
Assess the SEC West heading into first conference game.
I don't do that. You guys do that. We bounce up and down in the rankings. Whole thing changes every week. With wins I will say this. We've stepped out of our league and played big time ball games across country. Whenever you do that you run risk of losing too. Says a lot about this league with non-conference games we've scheduled. Never know. In football a lot of time it's about matchups, who's healthy at the time, what time of season it is. Got a lot of football to play. Look at this game and whatever happens this week there's still heck of lot of football to play this season. To start conference play with game like this, 6:00 on road there is exciting for our football team.
Keith has been a very physical player. Likes to play the game. What you don't see are things he does when he doesn't have ball. Excellent pass protector. Been very physical in blocking. What a lot of people don't notice is he's flying down field on kickoff cover. Unselfish player. 215 pounds. Plays with all of that. Loves to play the game. As he gets more comfortable, one year of rust is a year of rust but physically and emotionally he brings everything to the game on Saturdays. Guys know that. Can feel that. Plays with intensity level. That carries over to other running backs. Saw those guys last Saturday. Competition in that room high. Good for them, good for us. Is everyone happy? Probably not but what they are is competitive during week of practice. Group is playing at level we expect them to perform across the board. There's only one football. They get that too. But with increased number of rushes everyone has opportunity to go into game and be successful.
Starting fifth year of playing SEC football. Where is program at right now versus when you first came in.
Considering fact we'd never played in league we're light years ahead. I came in, we were in Big 12, and I'd never coached (head coach) in the Big 12. When I got here we weren't supposed to win at all. We've created standard now where we're supposed to compete for championships. Pretty good raise of bar in 5 years. From my standpoint what I was tasked to do when I got here from a .500 program to where we are now we have gotten better. Is it enough? We want to be a championship team. Have had to try to make some drastic changes, from body types to personnel. When first got here we had some first-round picks but not anyone after that. Didn't have 3rd, 4th, 5th-round picks. Have to create those types of players to compete across board. Have we made strides? Yes. Is it where we want to be? No. Not for me. Want to build a championship program here. That's why I came here and that's our goal.
What is it about Gus Malzahn's offense that creates challenges for defenses?
They ran up and down the field last week. 706 yards. Hard to get that against anybody. We could not do it last week. 462 yards rushing. That gets your attention. Will be challenge for us coming from where we were last year as a rush defense. Makes sense they'll try to attack us that way. What you saw from UCLA was downhill lead, power team and toss. Different run attack than a Gus Malzahn team. More of a misdirection. Don't get it confused it's a power attack. But it's power and misdirection and get your eyes somewhere. You have to have lot of eye discipline. Be accountable for diff numbers, sort of like option football. Create gaps with all kind of things to get you away from what they're doing which is really power football. Takes disciplined guys who want to play their gap and have eye discipline. He knows what he's doing. Been good at it for a long time. We've got our work cut out for us. They are coming off game where they were able to get some real things done confidence-wise with Sean White. Two running backs are excellent. Got Tony Stevens going last week. We tried to get him here in the worst way. Threats from the outside. Can utilize all their people.
Last year's Auburn game ended up being a 26-10 home loss…how much did that one stick with you in offseason and how much different is this team mentally than last year's?
This is different year. I haven't thought about that game at all. Watched little bit from personnel standpoint, but as far as mindset and where we are as football team this is different team.
How much better do you think defense is against run than they were against Auburn last year.
Think without a doubt we are better team. How much better? We will find out Saturday. Just being honest. Were tested first week. Been tested couple of weeks. Personnel wise we're better. Linebackers showed up maybe more than people thought they would. Shaan Washington playing great. Extremely active. Otaro and rotation in there, trying to keep those guys fresh. Front guys playing well as well as back end. All works hand in hand. Will be another test cause that's basically where we are as team. Everyone waiting to see who we are and what we can do. Our team enjoys that kind of attitude. That's been kind of the attitude about us since week one…to see who we are against UCLA. Who we are against this team. This is another week to see what that is. Does that define us for rest of season? No. Play great, don't play great. Whatever happens in this game with our defense doesn't define who we are. If we learned anything last few years we understand that. Played very well early last few years. Approach with these guys has really been day to day. I like the attitude of where we are right now from our players and coaches.
Status of Richard Moore and Priest Willis.
Both available.
With guy like Trevor who is starter week in and out, not going to shuffle him in and out and guys know that. What difference does that make with an offense and scheme?.
I dunno. Went two years here with a guy who was taking every snap too. Our game plan is our game plan. What's most important is the learning process over last 2 weeks of what Trevor's skill sets are in a game. When you have a certain type of defense that is more set in ways like UCLA and see where he is, with what he's comfortable with and not comfortable with. And games like last week you can learn too based off an unorthodox style (of defense). Things that are hard to coach. Sometimes some guys are open it but may be 'unsound'. As I've said as a coach it's only unsound if doesn't work. Bring 4, 5, 6 guys from side. You see how he's able to handle that. That was learning process too, he was able to settle down and us be able to run it. Able to learn a little more about your players and Trevor and what he's comfortable with. Doesn't do us any good to force things on him when he's not comfortable with them. Right now it's more what do you like and what do you really like. Now let's come up with ways to do things you like as many different ways as we can.
Sean White and the ability to utilize John Franklin.
Sean didn't get chance to play against us last year, got nicked up. But he's got a skill set. Can throw it. Run game. Can throw it deep and accurately. Got ability to change things up. (Kamryn) Pettway and (Kerryon) Johnson, both those guys rushed for 100 yards. Can really run ball. Interchangeable. Seen plenty of wildcat when we've played Auburn. It's all those guys. Whoever is on the field that's not in the interior 5 blocking is eligible to carry the ball in that offense. Have to be aware of what's going on offensively. Got skill guys that can handle that. What's important is off the play-action fake to not let the ball get over our heads. They got guys who can get deep and Sean can get it there.
JOHN CHAVIS PRESS CONFERENCE SUMMARY
Pleased with effort got from team last week. Great to see them do what Coach asked them to do. Played 4 quarters of football. Difficult to get a shutout. Appreciate that but appreciate the win most of all. Moving forward have got things to improve. Have to continue to grow as football team. Good teams continue to get better. Got to be better this week.
Kevin Steele friendship.
Great friends. Played high school football together. Roommates in college together. I don't get caught up with who is on the other sideline though. His friendship means a lot to me. His family means a lot to me and still does.
What about a Gus Malzahn offense makes it so challenging.
So many principles in style of offense they run. Can throw ball down field as well as anyone. Lot of wing-T principles involved in what they do. When you don't play games into that every day difficult with run fits and keys. Go fast. Creates situation that our biggest challenge is get our cleats in ground and get ready to play when they at line of scrimmage. Fast pace has made it work. Having outstanding athletes makes it work. Gus has done tremendous job. Really fine football coach. Fundamentally sound in all things they do. Outstanding athletes. Play hard.
When you were at LSU what were you expecting to see out of A&M when they came into conference.
Didn't know lot other than we'd played them in a bowl game or two. Knew they were very talented football team. Coach Sumlin and the offense he brought to table. In his first year can that offense be successful in SEC? There's one question. And it has been. And it will be. Exciting offense to play in. Lot of things you have to cover and do to have success against that style of offense. Will tell you this, other than just football, biggest impression was just from the fan base. It was special. Fans have a passion for football here. As a defensive coach, back when the Wrecking Crew was here and they were real good on defense, that's what the people love to see.
How much will this game gauge for you where your defense is against the run?
Always a challenge. Playing SEC team. A team that prides itself on running football and being physical. Going into game we are going to prepare to be a physical defense. If I'm not mistaken either them or Arkansas will be teams who run the ball for most yardage every year. Will be good gauge for us. Got respect for their players and scheme. Have to go play well and be physical. That's what has to happen for us.
How far along has Shaan Washington come?
No comparison to where he was. Obviously he was talented too, don't misunderstand. Coming off couple injuries. Needed to get in weight room. Done that. Guy who loves to play the game. Not afraid of contact. Grown and matured. If he keeps growing, which he's going to, guy that has chance to play in NFL. Good chance. He's that talented.
NOEL MAZZONE PRESS CONFERENCE SUMMARY
Where run game is at right now and how important Keith Ford is in game like this.
Think all those running backs are important. Like way Keith brings physicalness to that position. Thought whole group did nice job last few weeks. Still in process of finding identity in run game. Getting closer every week.
Strength of Auburn defense is supposed to be front 7. Is this kind of a moment of truth game for the offensive line?
I don't look at it as moment of truth. Look at it as process of a season. Every week trying to improve and get better. This is another opportunity. Made improvement in just basic fundamental type things of a football team from week 1 to 2. Want to see same progress week 2 to 3. Very good team we're playing and chance to really see how far we have come.
When Trevor looks at video does he learn a lot from seeing that or is he more a learner from telling?
He wants to be good. It had been a while since he's played any meaningful football. 18, 19, 20 months or whatever. Greatest coach in America is experience. It's more that he's getting to take snaps in live situations in games I think is what's invaluable to him. Hope all the guys learn from mistakes, like all of us do. Sometimes you have to make mistakes to learn correct way to do it and Trevor has done good job of that last few weeks.
When a guy knows he doesn't have to look over his shoulder does the offense play better? Does that affect the quarterback mentally?
Don't know, never coached guys that way. Group effort. Don't ever talk about Trevor has got to be guy to lead us, or Ricky, or Christian. It's the whole group of them. Our room has to go out and perform and make great decisions. Don't think our kids are looking over shoulder. I can't coach that way. Don't think kids can play that way. Not something I really even think about.
Trevor's interception, conversation when he came off field.
The other guy was wide open! (laughter) No, it's a hard position to play. In red zone, real estate is at a premium down there. Make a split decision at that position and sometimes doesn't always play out right. What Trevor is doing a lot better job of and gets better every week and every practice is learning to play with his eyes. See things that are important to the play.
How difficult is balance between taking a shot and making the safe throw.
Don't want them to be scared to make throw but also want them to be smart. So that's a fine line. Kind of like my guys to have a little gunslinger in them. And when you're a gunslinger every now and then you get wounded. I've had QBs tell me before that all the room really you need to fit a ball in is width of a ball. That's good but you have to temper it a little bit and make sure it's good decision to make throw. I think Trevor keeps improving. Like I said been while since he's played live football games. I really saw big progress start of that game to third quarter, just how much more comfortable he started to feel.
After game coach described Trevor as having nerves even for older guy. Something you address with him? Naturally amped up guy.
#1 there is no age scales on nerves. Cause I'm 60 and I'm nervous all the time. He's an emotional guy. Love that about him. Passion. Wants to be great. Do all these things. Guys like that put lot of pressure on themselves to be good. Make mistakes, it hurts them. Nature is that he's that type of guy. What makes him a good player. Learn to temper that? Yeah. When in a lot of battles you can learn from that.
Atmosphere at Auburn.
Good environment. It's SEC football. Told our kids how lucky they are to get to play in these venues week in and week out in this league.
Lot of transfers starting on offense. Unique challenges with new guys in system?
Nah I don't think so. Football is football. They all get ideas and schemes. Think important part is these guys get to play together and get the 'me to you' factor. Get to know each other. Keep seeing that develop as season progresses.
Opinion over career on whether or not prefer your starters on special teams?
Never concerned myself with that. (Special teams) Huge part of our team. When our special teams are good it means we are scoring points or I'm getting great field position. I like when those kids play. When you have good players they are creating value not only for football team but for themselves. Area of football that's very important. If go to next level they're going to have to contribute to special teams. Been around for while I think we have the best special teams coach in country in Jeff Banks. Great for kids to learn those skills because can help further their career down the road.
