Says he's really pleased with how the team did in camp, and that they're largely healthy.
The focus has to be on all the little details between now and Saturday night. He told them to go out there and outwork Notre Dame this week. "All those little things you can do to give yourself an advantage, you have to do. You can't overprepare."
Says he's known Marcus Freeman since both of them were in the MAC.
Expects Notre Dame to be "extremely prolific" on offense. Says Riley Leonard will present a big challenge.
Like A&M, says their defense starts with their line.
Says they're "really elite" in the secondary.
"It's a big challenge, it's a challenge we'll be ready for."
Says it's "interesting, weird and not something I want to do" to face Leonard. Says he's got a lot of respect for him as a player and a person.
Says first games are filled with adjustments, and you have to make a lot of adjustments on the fly.
Asked about going into the coach at A&M going into his opener, he said that it'll hit him when they're behind the drumline, until then it's head down and go.
I asked him if knowing Leonard and his instincts are an asset, and he turned it on its head, saying Leonard probably has an advantage because he knows the defense.
Interesting that he mentions the social media presence the football team has, that they've increased their content output because kids live on social media. "I would never mistake us for not marketing our program at a high level...we just want to market substance."
Says he thinks that if these kids on the OL are starting for Notre Dame, it probably means those kids are going to be NFL draft picks. That's how A&M's preparing for them -- really big, really talented and capable of dominating the line of scrimmage.
Rueben Owens is the only guy they won't have for week 1. (I would doubt Garrett Miller, personally)
Says he thinks A&M does have a #1 receiver (Thomas), but you have to have more than that. And he thinks they do.
The focus has to be on all the little details between now and Saturday night. He told them to go out there and outwork Notre Dame this week. "All those little things you can do to give yourself an advantage, you have to do. You can't overprepare."
Says he's known Marcus Freeman since both of them were in the MAC.
Expects Notre Dame to be "extremely prolific" on offense. Says Riley Leonard will present a big challenge.
Like A&M, says their defense starts with their line.
Says they're "really elite" in the secondary.
"It's a big challenge, it's a challenge we'll be ready for."
Says it's "interesting, weird and not something I want to do" to face Leonard. Says he's got a lot of respect for him as a player and a person.
Says first games are filled with adjustments, and you have to make a lot of adjustments on the fly.
Asked about going into the coach at A&M going into his opener, he said that it'll hit him when they're behind the drumline, until then it's head down and go.
I asked him if knowing Leonard and his instincts are an asset, and he turned it on its head, saying Leonard probably has an advantage because he knows the defense.
Interesting that he mentions the social media presence the football team has, that they've increased their content output because kids live on social media. "I would never mistake us for not marketing our program at a high level...we just want to market substance."
Says he thinks that if these kids on the OL are starting for Notre Dame, it probably means those kids are going to be NFL draft picks. That's how A&M's preparing for them -- really big, really talented and capable of dominating the line of scrimmage.
Rueben Owens is the only guy they won't have for week 1. (I would doubt Garrett Miller, personally)
Says he thinks A&M does have a #1 receiver (Thomas), but you have to have more than that. And he thinks they do.