Published July 30, 2012 - 8:30am
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It’s pretty much a foregone conclusion regarding Texas A&M’s first year in the SEC that ‘those Aggies will get their butts kicked. They stand no chance’. After all, they are entering the toughest half of any division in the country, the SEC West. And the West has won the last three BCS National Championships.
And that was pretty much the general consensus that head coach Kevin Sumlin detected at SEC Media Days earlier this month.
Speaking at an event in Houston last week, Sumlin said he felt the overwhelming perception of the Aggies’ inability to even field a team. Heck, they might as well roll out with the JV squad, right?
“Guys, based on every question I got, they don’t think we have any defense. They don’t think our offense will work, and we don’t have a quarterback or kicker. Other than that we have no problem guys,” Sumlin told the crowd.
“We’re coming to play, we’re coming to fight our ass off and win every game we can.”
And it wasn’t just Sumlin who got the feeling the media thinks they are way in over their heads. The players felt it, too.
“I don’t think those people think we’re any good,” A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel said on the plane ride back. “They kept asking me what’s it like to be in the SEC. I tried to be positive, but I got the felling they think we’re going to get our brains kicked in.”
After all, the Aggies have three of the best players in the conference. RB Christine Michael, OT Luke Joeckel and LB Sean Porter are three of the finest college football players in the country.
And yes, year one will be tough. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little chip on the shoulder. And you better believe Sumlin will feed this to his players.
Game two is the one I have circled for the Aggies. If TAMU can pull an upset over Florida – is it really an upset?! – they have a chance at getting some momentum started off right.
But make no mistake about it, TAMU will come to compete each week. They won’t lay down for anyone.
