In 2014, Julien Obioha showed a knack for getting to the right spot just in time to help Texas A&M win.

He was there to stuff Arkansas running back Jonathan Williams on fourth-and-1 in overtime to secure a win against the Razorbacks and had a fourth-quarter fumble recovery as the Aggies were able to upset Auburn.

This year he and new Texas A&M coordinator John Chavis think they’ve gotten Obioah to the right spot before the season has even begun. The senior is moving from defensive end, where he started for three seasons, to defensive tackle.

The coaching staff has shown with this, as well as the move of running back Brandon Williams to cornerback, they aren’t afraid to shuffle around personnel to fill some of the bigger holes in the defense. So while Obioah did a solid job at defensive end, making 47 tackles with five for a loss last season, the Aggies also have sophomore Myles Garrett and junior Daeshon Hall capable of excelling on the outside after combining to make 16 sacks last year.

“We feel like defensive end could be our strong point,” Chavis told the Houston Chronicle. “And not only at end, but (all) up front. We’ve got some really talented guys up there.”

Now Obioha, who leads the team with 36 career starts, moves inside to pair with senior Alonzo Williams in Texas A&M’s new, more aggressive defensive system. That gives the Aggies four starters on the defensive line who not only played a lot last year, but also frequently spent time in the opposing backfield.

Freshman Daylon Mack, a five-star recruit who checks in at 335 pounds, could also see a lot of playing time on the talented A&M defensive line, but he lacks the experience and leadership that Obioha provides.

What Obioha could stand to borrow from Mack is a few of those pounds. After playing most of his career at around 265, the senior beefed up to 280 before fall camp, but was still hoping to get to around 290 by the beginning of the season.

Regardless of size, the A&M coaches think he has what it takes to boost a defense that finished 102nd in the nation in yards allowed last season.

“He’s a physical guy,” A&M defensive tackles coach Mark Hagen told KAGS in College Station. “So he’s put on some muscle, put on a little weight and the thing he gives us inside is some explosiveness, some athleticism.”

The Aggies hope that even though he’s moving over a few feet for the start of each play, Obioha continues to find himself in just the right spot when the game is on the line.