Much of the emphasis this spring in College Station is about learning. Jimbo Fisher has to learn what he has in the players he’s inherited at Texas A&M and the Aggies have to obviously learn a completely new system in all three phases of the game.

One thing that will be of paramount value to Fisher and his coaching staff in their first spring in College Station is something the Texas A&M coach has stressed every season of his coaching career — situational work.

Known for his masterful halftime adjustments, Fisher revealed during his most recent media availability that one of the keys to his coaching style is getting his players as much work as possible in situational football. The more he can get them into those situations, the more comfortable they will be when those situations inevitably arise in the fall. Or as Fisher puts it, “getting guys in situations to play situational football and be situation smart.”

Texas A&M’s coach went into great detail on what he’s trying to accomplish this spring in College Station and why he believes teaching situational football is so important to winning games at the highest level.

“You can play great football in between the 20s but if you don’t play situations on third downs, red zones, two minutes, things like that — you can get beat,” Fisher explained. “And you can play average there and play great in those situations and find ways to win games. You have to be able to convert on third downs, get off the field on defense, red zone stops, make the other team kick field goals, you score touchdowns, be able to handle two minute and before the half.”

According to the Texas A&M coach, this is something he’s always believed in and hammers home with his players as much as possible. Considering he also stresses the moments leading up to halftime and immediately after halftime, not just end of the game and third down situations, that explains why Fisher gets so much credit for his halftime adjustments — his players are continually prepared for those moments.

“You have to put them in last play of the game (situations), from the five, from the three, 10-yard line, 15-yard line, 18-yard line. A minute-32, no timeouts, 40 seconds, no timeouts, trying to get a field goal, trying to get a touchdown, two minute before the half, how you come out the second half,” Fisher continued.

“All those, you have to get them to think those situations, how I say steal ball games or steal momentum. Understand on third down — and third down in the field, compared to third down in the red zone — how do teams react? What do they do? The chances they take. It’s a whole different mindset; it’s a whole new mindset on offense and defense. Just getting guys in those situations as much as you can to make them aware of what their surroundings are and what’s trying to be accomplished.”

Getting his teams to perform at a high level in the fourth quarter would be enough to likely win over the 12th Man, but Fisher knows the key to winning in the SEC will come down to how well his teams perform in those crucial situations. That’s something he has always stressed, and his track record of success proves the work put in this spring will pay off this fall for the Aggies.