We're back. ??#GigEm pic.twitter.com/TGJNgmxsTP
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) March 21, 2019
Texas A&M took the field for the first of 15 workouts on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon. Following practice, Coach Fisher and Kellen Mond met the press and video can be found below. Subscribe to our free podcast at 12thman.com/podcast to get audio delivered straight to you all spring long.
SUMMARY OF JIMBO FISHER'S COMMENTS
It was good to get back out there for the first day of spring. Guys were ready to go, coming back off a break, came back in pretty good shape. Energy level was good. Course execution's got to get better but good good first day good start, now we've got to keep learning and these young guys get them in the right positions and the older guys keep taking the next steps to the next level on things and we'll get there. But good solid day good energy.
On who may stand out after day 1...
Everybody stands out good and bad. That's way to know we're seeing a lot of guys are stepping up. Leadership comes in consistency. Good day out there but after I just said make sure they stay consistent with it but I'm not disappointed in what we got going on at all.
On things he hopes to see Kellen improve in this spring…
Everything. The decision-making, accuracy, quickness, getting in and out of checks, getting out out of things, but also the guys around you have got to function. We always put it on the quarterback. In this game it doesn't matter what your quarterback does if the guys around you don't function. Then when they function he's got to function. From his standpoint I think just his knowledge of the offense which got better and better at the end of the year, consistently getting to be a better thrower, a better a decision-maker, which he did a solid job of today.
On the end of the 2018 season helping Kellen's confidence…
At the end of year he had success bringing the team back on a big victory, winning a bowl game, which you haven't done, learning how to prepare. You can see it, definitely, that he feels very comfortable in what we're doing and he's a lot more advanced in how he's talking, the conversations we have, the reads, I mean you can just see it.
On the one thing in particular he wants to see Kellen improve on…
Just overall knowledge in command and the consistency in which you play with and then decision-making, accuracy, all those things which should grow as your knowledge grows. And the other thing is you say that the guys around him will run better routes, will do their job better because they know what's going on better so that really helps him.
On the move of the Texas State game to Thursday…
It was very good. It's a Thursday night game, there's not many games that night so you get a lot of attention, you get a lot of TV coverage. You're on the SEC Network. And then if it wouldn't it probably would have been an earlier day game on Saturday so it helps that way. And then I think it allows you two more days preparation when you go play Clemson.
On the biggest steps the wide receivers need to take…
Taking the next step. How they get open, the separation, the knowledge, the consistency in the routes, the reading of them, and then I think making contested catches. In this league you play great people. When you go look at the combine where they rank the players we played against 14 the top 25 defensive players. So my point is the guys you're going to be running routes against, the linebackers, the safeties, the corners, making contested catches, making tough catches, and making your routes even more precise and crisp so the guys don't read them and you can get open more for your quarterback.
On the depth chart going into spring…
I don't worry about it. You've got to have a depth chart to go out there and get reps. Depth charts right now doesn't mean anything because if you saw we're on both fields practicing, guys getting the same amount of reps and we're just trying to do it so we can let the guys know where they've got to be and we'll work different combinations all through spring.
On how Kellen's approach changes now that he's the starter…
I hope it doesn't change at all. I hope his confidence grows, I hope his execution grows, but I hope his desire to compete and understand and play like there's a guy behind you, as I say play with a chip on your shoulder and play like there's no job security. When you get content…you can never be content. You've got to keep going to the next level. Good enough can never be good enough. And what can I improve on, what can I work on, and where can I take this team. And if they all have to go on my back then they all go on my back and that's the way you've got to look at it.
On the difference now from a year ago at this time…
Well at least you know the guys and they know us, and they know or at least have a head start on what to do, where to line up, and what goes on. So from that standpoint you're comfortable now, you've just got to push to take those next steps.