Texas A&M Football kicked off spring practices Tuesday with morning and afternoon workouts at the McFerrin Athletic Center.
Coming from an impressive 9-4 season and an AT&T Cotton Bowl appearance, the expectations for fourth-year Head Coach Mike Sherman and his team are higher than ever.
The return of quarterback Ryan Tannehill and nine other offensive starters has many believing in an even better 2011 campaign.
There will be competition at linebacker to fill the losses of All-Big 12 players Von Miller and Michael Hodges. The backup quarterback and center positions will also need to be addressed, but Sherman wants to see competition at every position, whether it be freshmen or seniors.
“I would like to think that any kid that comes in and outshines the guy in front of him is going to be the starter,” Sherman said. “I would hope there is competition at every position. Realistically, some guys are a little further ahead and there’s a gap between them and the next guy. But I’d hope that we’d have competition at every position and every guy wants to be the starter.”
Sherman also pointed out the importance of spring practices in determining who gets significant playing time. While admitting that someone like returning senior wideout Jeff Fuller is likely to start, he stressed the opportunity presented to each player.
“I’ve already talked to the guys about stepping up if they want a job in the spring. Before we get into the spring drills, I talk to every player about where they’re at and what they need to do,” he said. “They know what’s at stake. If they want a spot in the two-deep, they are going to express themselves in spring ball.”
The defense will see the return of eight starters, but it will also be the second season for defensive coordinator Tim DeRutyer, who arrived last year from Air Force and transformed the Aggie defense into an attacking 3-4 squad.
“A year ago we were coaching coaches on how to coach the package.” DeRuyter said. “I was just getting to know guys. I knew about No. 40 [Miller], but the rest I wasn’t sure what kind of players they were or what they had in them. I was telling our defense that yesterday in a meeting and said, ‘Look guys, Mike Hodges was a guy last spring that I was trying to find someone to beat him out because he didn’t look good enough athletically, but he proved us wrong as coaches.’ That’s what is great about spring. Guys are going to get plenty of opportunities to show us what they can do.”