The last two years have not been very fruitful for Texas A&M’s defense. That’s the reason John Chavis is now in College Station, tasked with putting a competent defense on the field.
Despite the subpar results from 2013 and 2014, both of which saw Texas A&M finish in the SEC’s cellar on defense, the pantry is far from bare. In fact, Chavis has a kitchen full of ingredients to cook up the answer to the Aggies’ defensive woes.
Just look at the last two recruiting classes. Between the 2014 and 2015 classes, the amount of talent Texas A&M has brought in is impressive. Over the two classes, the Aggies have landed 14 four-star recruits and two five-stars on the defensive side of the ball. The numbers for each year are as good as many teams’ entire classes.
A good bit of that talent — Myles Garrett, Otaro Alaka, Armani Watts — found a role on the field in 2014. Others, like Qualen Cunningham and Nick Harvey, showed promise in limited opportunities.
This year’s class should have as much or more of an immediate impact. The Aggies didn’t bring in any blue-chip linebacker prospects, missing out on Malik Jefferson. It doesn’t seem like that’s going to be an issue for Chavis.
The new DC is reportedly high on junior college transfer Claude George. Chavis likes George’s versatility and sees him as a player that can defend both the run and the pass. The same goes for early enrollee Richard Moore, a physical player who can help at the point of attack — an area Texas A&M stands to improve a good bit.
Those two help address one of Texas A&M’s biggest needs. So do four-star safeties Justin Dunning and Larry Pryor, as well as JUCO transfer Justin Evans. Evans is likely the most ready of the three to get on the field immediately, with size and some college playing experience under his belt.
There’s also the jewel of the Aggies’ 2015 haul: Daylon Mack. With the way Chavis built around outstanding defensive tackles at LSU, there’s good reason to think Mack can be not just a contributor but a vital cog from the early going.
Most importantly, Mack could help truly unlock Garrett. Sure, the defensive end set the SEC freshman sack record in 2014. He did most of his damage in the Aggies’ non-conference tilts though, with the team going up big and the defense pinning its ears back. Against the SEC, it was a different story. Offensive lines could key on the pass-rushing phenom, sending two and three blockers his way to slow down his pass rush.
Mack has the makings of a destructive force in the middle, a big and nimble player who can both draw in and blow past blockers. His presence alone should make Garrett’s life easier on the edge.
Can Chavis mold those young pieces into an above-average unit in his first year? Texas A&M players like Deshazor Everett insisted that a coaching change wasn’t necessary and the players simply needed to step up, even though everyone knew a change was coming.
The pieces are there. Now, the Aggies have the coach to put them together.
Chavis more or less guarantees success. His LSU defenses consistently ranked in the top 15 nationally. He pulled off the feat once again in 2014, putting together the top-ranked defense in the SEC. That was despite lacking any pass rush and having no run stoppers along the defensive line.
His talent level at Texas A&M is not far behind what it was at LSU. Ranking in the top 15 nationally or at the top of the SEC is probably out of the question in year one, but bringing the Aggies up to par in the SEC is definitely within Chavis’ sights. Within a few years, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them get up to LSU levels of nastiness.
A former freelance journalist from Philadelphia, Brett has made the trek down to SEC country to cover the greatest conference in college football.
