With Johnny Football and Heisman talk ablaze across the country, the overachieving Aggie defense took a back seat in publicity. What often goes unnoticed are the integral contributions of A&M defenders including two senior linebackers to what could be A&Ms first 10-win season since 1998.
Senior linebackers Jonathan Stewart and Sean Porter will witness their final game at Kyle Field come Saturday, but their impacts to the program will be felt well
beyond 2012.
Entering A&M as a freshman in former head coach Mike Shermans second season a 6-7 season defined by program rebuilding Porter said he knew his class had potential to be great.
Ever since that summer we met each other, we all came in and always talked about how good of a team we could be because we thought our class was very talented, Porter said. I think with a lot of hard work, senior leadership and young guys stepping up, we had a great season this year.
It was a class that battled through its share of growing pains. After a surprising 9-3 regular season campaign in 2010, the Aggies plummeted to a disappointing 7-6 finish in 2011. Expectations were low for a team now standing among the SECs elite programs with a potential BCS berth on the line.
Stewart mentioned the roller coaster ride but said there would be time to reflect on his class impact in the future.
Since Ive been here [weve had games] where we got blown out, nailbiters we won and lost and games where we blew our opponents out, Stewart said. Its been a great ride but well probably wait until the season is over when we look at what we did to springboard A&M into the SEC, get recruiting going and getting back to where A&M needs to be.
The key to an A&M resurgence was the revitalization of its defense.
Leaders on a stout defensive unit, Stewart and Porter are the second and fourth ranked players in team tackle totals, respectively. Theyve combined for 70 solo tackles, eight quarterback hurries, seven tackles for loss and four sacks. While the numbers arent mindboggling solid as they may be the duo provides a coach-like presence for the rest of the defense.
Those two guys are coaches on the field. Ive enjoyed being with them and around them, said A&M defensive coordinator Mark Snyder. My challenge to those guys was to get in my head, because I cant play.
The linebackers responded to the challenge by rampaging through the vaunted SEC with a vengeance dispatching Ole Miss, Arkansas, Auburn, Mississippi State and Alabama in the process. Marching into Jordan Hare Stadium against a beleaguered Auburn team, the linebacker unit would show no mercy sacking the Tigers quarterback three times in their three initial drives.
The scheme began to click.
Around the middle of the season they started getting in my head, Snyder continued. You know things are going on when guys are coming to the sideline saying, Lets try this. And its a good idea.
Chemistry between the two seniors played a factor as well. Both freshmen starters at the young beginnings of their Aggie careers, Porter and Stewart would figure each other out as much as themselves through the growing process.
We were two of the 18 [freshmen] so we were young pups out there together and we just grew out on the field, Porter said. We have tremendous chemistry. I kind of know what hes thinking and he knows what Im thinking
Now prepping for their final huzzah in an Aggie uniform in front of the 12th Man, Stewart said it would be an emotional moment for the seniors to play and win in a last outing at Kyle Field.
The last time I walk off Kyle Field, hopefully its after we saw varsitys horns off, Stewart said. If were fortunate enough to win, the fans might be stuck in the stands for a while because Im going to be very slow walking off the field. Itll be emotional, but as long as we get a win, itll be happy emotions.