SPOTLIGHT: Finished Business

"We didn't finish the game. It's as simple as that."
 
That was Armani Watts' message to the media moments after the season-opening stunner in Pasadena.
 
"Our main focus now is we have to finish games and overcome adversity."
 
 
It's the kind of loss so surprising that it's one you probably won't see for another 50 years. The kind of loss where you could pick out any one of probably a dozen plays that, if they go another way, A&M walks out of the Rose Bowl victorious.
 
But, as we know, that's not how football works.
 
You've got to play every second of the 60 minutes. And, in some cases, more.
 
And on a team filled with youth and inexperience in key positions, a team which had just suffered two huge injuries…the big question had to be, how would the Aggies respond?
 
The results speak for themselves.
 
In the last four games, Texas A&M has found itself in a dogfight at some point in the second half.
 
In the last three contests—the Aggies have trailed at the break.
 
They've won them all.
 
Better said? They've finished them all.
   

Opponent	Situation	Final
Nicholls	tied at 14, 12:05 to play	W, 24-14
Louisiana	lead 28-21, 1:00 left in 3rd qtr	W, 45-21
Arkansas	trailed 3x in 4th qtr, last w/3:39 to play	W, 50-43 (OT)
South Carolina	down 17-7, 1:00 left in 3rd qtr	W, 24-17

  "I'm extremely proud," sophomore lineman Erik McCoy said, when asked of the team's ability to finish over the last month. "That was one of our problems last year, and that was one of our problems the first game. As time has went on, we've improved. And the coaching staff, they've made it a big priority. Finishing has really been one of our mottos."
 
Against Nicholls, a team that nearly picked off Georgia in Athens last year, the Aggies were tied at 14 with 12 minutes to play.
 
Final score? A&M 24, Colonels 14.
 

And, as always, the coaching--the teaching--never stopped.
 
"Hey, we've got to get some better performances out of people," Sumlin said in the locker room after the win. "That's what we have to have. That's what getting better is about. How are you going to get better this week? You get better individually? This team gets better."
 
One week later, the maroon and white erased a seven-point halftime deficit by blasting Louisiana-Lafayette 31-0 in the final two quarters. Even that game required some big plays in clutch situations as it was a one-score contest with just over a quarter to go.
 
But what could have turned sour turned into a blowout win. And another to build upon.
 
 
"The big deal today? Trust each other," Sumlin told the team. "Trust the coaches. Trust your teammates. Trust the offense, trust the defense, trust the special teams. It's about us. When we come back to work, it's about the people in this room. You've got to trust each other. We've got talent. We've got plenty of talent. You see it. But we've got to trust each other."
 
For a young team, trusting the process, and each other, was being proved by results. And they became even more bought in.
 
"Everyone starts believing in the process even more, believing in what we're doing to get those wins and finish those games out," defensive lineman Jarrett Johnson said. "Like after practice conditioning…a lot of guys might not feel like doing it, but when they see the results and see how it helps us finish the game because they're not exhausted…then you have guys who start running harder after practice and actually want to condition after practice. It's all really important."
 
Then, in the wild win over Arkansas, Texas A&M trailed three different times in the fourth quarter—the last coming with just under four minutes to go. The Aggies drove down, kicked a field goal to force overtime. Then cashed in their first drive in the free period. Soon thereafter, the defense sealed it with a turnover.
 
Offense. Defense. Special Teams.
 
All making a huge play within the span of 10 minutes.
 
And it all added up to victory.
 
 
"We can only get better," Sumlin said to the team. "Remember this…in times like this, don't forget who you believed in and who you still believe in. That's the people in this room. You've got to stay together. And we have to keep working to be better."
 
Saturday night's battle with South Carolina was just the latest chapter. Once again, the Aggies found themselves down in the second half. And in an instant—almost like flipping a light switch—they completely took over the game, demoralizing the Gamecocks' offense with a stifling defensive effort. The offense then took care of business on their end, and the scoreboard smiled in A&M's favor once again.
 
24-17 Aggies.
 
They'd finished. Again.
   

Opponent	Score	Final
Nicholls	winning 14-6	W, 24-14
Louisiana	down 21-14	W, 45-21
Arkansas	down 21-17	W, 50-43 (OT)
South Carolina	down 10-7	W, 24-17

 
"I could not be prouder of our coaching staff and of you guys," Sumlin told the team in the locker room. "I've got news for you—we ain't going away! The way you guys approached this thing, fourth quarter, second half…you won this game. You went out and won an SEC game in the second half. All of you. This is a team win. This is a team win, again. You don't win games like this by folding up and everyone screwing up at the end. You guys held your poise and played your ass off. Keep playing your ass off!"
 
 
Every week, Sumlin has made sure to point out one thing when evaluating his team.
 
"We're getting great effort from these guys," Sumlin said in the postgame press conference. "That's not a question. They haven't done everything right all the time…but their effort has been phenomenal. They're going to make mistakes, but as long as that continues, we're always going to have a chance."
 
The next chance comes in the form of top-ranked Alabama.
 
And while the caliber of opponent has ratcheted to the highest point on the scale, the message has not moved an inch.
 
"My message yesterday was plain and simple," Sumlin said at his press conference the following day. "If we get better every week, good things happen for us. And this team has continued to get better every week. If that's good enough, that's good enough. We'll see Saturday. With as many guys as we're playing…they're excited to play. And we've got to give them a plan that gives them a chance."
 
Bottom line?
 
"Hey, let's just go play."
 
They'll do just that on Saturday night, under the lights, in front of 100,000-plus screaming Aggies known as the 12^th Man.