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12thman.com's next "Camp Conversation" features a visit with second-year offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone.
In year one under Mazzone's direction, the Aggies were one of a handful of FBS teams to average over 200 rushing and passing yards per game. A&M's 467.1 total yards per game ranked in the top 25 nationally and was the SEC's second-highest total. The Aggies' balanced attack featured 28 rushing touchdowns and 25 passing scores.
For just the third me in school history, Of note, 2016 marked just the third time in school history where a Texas A&M team gained more than 3,000 passing yards (3,317) and 2,000 rushing yards (2,754) in the same year.
Mazzone's squad brings back 16 letterwinners, including five starters, from last year and welcomes in an impressive haul of new talent making its maroon-and-white debut in 2017.
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WJ: Now that you've got the team on the field, you have a quarterback competition ongoing. What do you look for? What says to you that you've got the man for the Rose Bowl on September 3?
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"Well, they all bring some really good stuff to the table. Now it's just a matter of how we set that table. You know -- like any quarterback -- we're looking for a guy who can make good decisions for you, who's accurate with the football, and then (who will) show some of the leadership qualities in that position. It's a great group of guys I'm getting a chance to work with that this football team has here. It's going to be exciting. Like I told them in the meeting this week, life is performance-based. You don't talk your way into being a starter or doing anything successful. You work your way into that. So we're going to let them go battle for a few practices here and see where the chips fall."
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WJ: You're working with three guys that have some real potential tight-end wise—Kalvin Cline, Aaron Hansford and Tanner Schorp. How big is August for that trio?
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"Yeah, like real tight end guys, right (laughing)? They might line up next to a tackle once in a while, who knows (laughter). But yeah, with all those guys, I'll tell you…what I've really been happy with is how hard that group has worked since January. You know, being the type of player not only mentally but physically to be that guy that can play out in space and also get in there and mix it up with the big fellas in the box in our run game. So I'm really excited about where I think they'll help us in our run game because I think we've got a couple of really good running backs. It's going to be fun."
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WJ: Yeah, those running backs will follow that offensive line…how big is it having Jim Turner through year two with that group up front?
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"That means I've got to survive Turner for another year, is that what you're telling me (laughing)? No, you know what's a great o-line coach? It's when I don't worry about it, you know? He takes his guys, I don't know what they do. They go in their meetings, they shut the door, I never go in there. I just call the plays and hope he'll get them all to block the right guys. But I think what's exciting for him right now and all of us is he's got a chance to develop some depth—which was an issue for us (last year). He's brought in four or five really young guys. He's bounced a couple of kids back from some injuries last year that are now fully healthy. So now he's able to develop some competition in his room."