Texas A&M suspended exciting upcoming sophomore receiver Speedy Noil for this week’s practices, coach Kevin Sumlin revealed after Saturday’s scrimmage.

The team took the field for the final practice of spring football without the standout kick returner and starting receiver.

This from Sumlin:

“Speedy has some things he has to complete. We had a discussion a week ago Monday. He’ll be back this week but we’ve asked him to do some things. He’ll be back this week. While he’s doing that, he’s been away from the program. Not (health-related). He’s responded well and doing what we asked him to do. There’s more to it than just playing football. Guys mature at different times and you hope to put some things in place to make sure guys understand what is expected from them. Sometimes, when you take football away from them and get them away from the team, the point is made. He’s doing what we’ve asked him to do and I would look for him to be back with us sometime this week.”

Noil, 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, caught 46 passes as a true freshman despite working through an MCL strain during the early part of the season.

As Sumlin indicated, he’ll rejoin the team now, but the Aggies won’t hold another organized practice for several months.

A&M staged a scrimmage of about 56 plays Saturday, but the media only got to watch three. (For a second consecutive year, the Aggies didn’t stage a spring game as the program renovates Kyle Field.)

As the team breaks after spring, Sumlin said one of the big takeaways is that he likes the philosophical changes the program has made defensively and with the running game. New defensive coordinator John Chavis’ ability to leverage the talent at defensive line is one of the most important priorities for 2015.

“It’s more of a get-up-the-field, one-gap oriented front instead of a two-gap read-and-react. It plays to the strengths of some of our guys,” Sumlin said. “The defensive ends are really happy. They’re cutting it loose.”

Other loose ends:

  • Receiver Josh Reynolds, running back Tra Carson and center Mike Matthews were out this spring due to injury.
  • Defensive back Noel Ellis “almost died” last year from Type I Diabetes, and is back competing for a role at nickelback or as a backup cornerback.
  • Upcoming sophomore quarterback Kyle Allen, listed at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, told the media he’s gained weight to reach 204 this spring and hopes to play at “210 or 212 pounds” this fall so he can better absorb hits. That will be crucial whether or not five-star quarterback Kyler Murray arrives in College Station this summer.