This is a turning point season for Texas A&M under coach Jimbo Fisher, who enters his third season in College Station and opens with Vanderbilt this week.

Fisher said he’s seen a lot of leadership and depth emerge among his players, and it’s why this preseason has been different than others.

“I think one of the best ones we’ve had, I mean, since we’ve been here,” Fisher said on the SEC coaches media teleconference. “I think our guys understand the culture of what we’re doing, the picture, the way they’re practicing, the types of practices we are having. the focus they have in it. I’ve been really pleased in that regard. it’s not — when things get, you know, if things are a little bit off or good, coaches don’t have to provide all the energy these leaders are doing that addressing guys, whether it’s good bad indifferent and now we’re doing things I think from that standpoint, it’s been really good.”

Improving overall numbers and making more inroads in recruiting is starting to pay off, Fisher said.

“We’re hitting on our classes,” he said, “and our young guys are really developing so they’re giving you either either starters or really quality, quality backups on with your older guy so I think that’s always a big thing is not just how well you recruit this guy. The ratio of guys that you think that are playing and developing and I think it’s been very refreshing to be able to do that but you might say he always need more depth but for right now we’re getting in that situation a lot better, that’s for sure.”