Holding the Line

“A real threat” and “expected to contend for a national championship” are just a few ways that the media is describing the current state of the Texas A&M football program. The perception of Aggie football is changing and with 15 starters returning, the team is poised to take the next step. Led by their veteran defense, prized to be one of the top in the country, the time is now and they are ready to show it. 

The Aggies finished ninth in total defense in the nation last season, leading the way to an Orange Bowl victory over North Carolina and a top-four finish in the final AP Poll. In the third year of the Jimbo Fisher era, the Aggies fielded the second-best rush defense in the FBS. Returning 12 of its 15 top tacklers, the Maroon & White defense again looks to be one of the top in the country.

Texas A&M football is developing a championship mindset and junior DeMarvin Leal and graduate Michael Clemons are making sure it's here to stay. They know what it takes to be a top-four team in the country, but that isn’t enough for them. Standouts on the defensive line, they want more and they are becoming exceptional leaders in the process.

The versatility and quickness of Leal paired with the length and pass-rushing ability of Clemons are primed for the spotlight, but both are humble in conveying that they must earn it. Leal enters his third season after his 2020 campaign where he led the team in QB hurries, recorded 38 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks, while Clemons registered 4.0 sacks and 4.0 tackles-for-loss in just five games before his season was cut short due to injury. 

Before arriving in Aggieland, Leal was a top-20 recruit nationally, boasting offers from 20-plus top Division I programs. Hailing from the powerhouse high school of Converse Judson northeast of San Antonio, Leal was destined to become an Aggie. From the very beginning of his recruitment, Leal said, “I knew I wanted to come here from day one, since my freshman year getting this offer.”

Leal has been a staple on the Texas A&M defense since he first arrived, appearing in 22 of 23 games through his first two seasons in Aggieland. He’s fought hard to be an impact player, having sustained a torn meniscus in January 2019 as an early enrollee, causing him to miss the spring he left early for. By the time fall camp came around, it was a broken hand that stunted the start to his debut season.

The heralded 2019 signing class made an immediate impact with the likes of Isaiah Spiller, Demani Richardson, Jalen Wydermyer and Ainias Smith earning key roles and seeing early success playing at a high level. After a dominant 2020 campaign, Leal has joined his high-performing classmates to give the Aggies championship aspirations.

Gaining more and more recognition, including multiple preseason first-team All-America selections, Leal didn’t get to where he is now in a snap. Leal credits his close friend and defensive line teammate, Clemons, for helping develop himself as a person and as a leader. 

“I started following Mike,” Leal said when asked last season about how he could be a leader. “My thing every day is to try to be better than Mike.”

Clemons arrived in Aggieland in 2017 as a top-25 overall JUCO recruit out of Cisco Junior College. Despite having bad luck with injuries, Clemons is a force to be reckoned with in the pass rush. The message stays consistent when describing Clemons, whether it is from head coach Jimbo Fisher, defensive coordinator Mike Elko or many of his teammates.

“DeMarvin Leal, that’s my guy,” Clemons said at the Aggies’ fall media day. “Ever since he came in as a freshman, I’ve been trying to help him out and help him develop, and he has grown tremendously.

“During special teams practice he and I utilize our time by going off to the side and working on pass rush moves that we plan to use in practice,” Clemons added. “We get mentally prepared for what we have to do instead of just standing around.”

That’s just the type of person that Clemons is, and it speaks volumes to him as an individual.

Players like Clemons, who lead by example, have helped change the culture within Texas A&M football. Leal is following in his footsteps and becoming that leader. They share the same goal, having a do-whatever-it-takes attitude to make their teammates and themselves better.

“Just being able to get back together as a whole and getting after it is something I've been waiting for a long time,” said Leal. “We're looking forward to setting our standard and just showing how the culture has changed.”

While everyone is focusing on the future, Leal is locked in on the “now”. From the NCAA recently allowing college athletes to earn money off of their likeness, to analysts on NFL Network breaking down his footage in previewing for the 2022 NFL Draft, Leal cares about the team and wants to show his younger teammates what they need to do to be successful.

The duo of Leal and Clemons is ready to disrupt opposing offenses this fall. Coach Elko praised both, mentioning “Those two kids have elevated their games so much over our time here. Even through the first couple days of fall camp, we’ve seen them take another step.”

Clemons and Leal are excited to display that “championship mindset” in front of a full house inside Kyle Field, as if September 4 couldn’t come any sooner.