The first game might not be until Saturday, but the Texas A&M football team has been training hard all summer. That was the message head coach Kevin Sumlin conveyed at the first 2015-16 season weekly press conference Tuesday afternoon.

“We’re excited about this season,” Sumlin said. “I think we’ve had an excellent camp, just going through things. It’s been a little bit different for us and you get a little different feel, a little new energy, from the new players who’ve come in, arrived, had them in there this summer, and three new coaches who have really blended in well.”

The conference also featured new defensive coordinator, John Chavis. “The Chief” was announced as Texas A&M’s next defensive coordinator in February, and has since been working closely with Sumlin to revamp the defensive line.  
“It’s going to be, in my opinion, outstanding because that’s the way I feel about coaching and I get asked, ‘How long can you do this? You’ve done it for a long time, 37 years, how much longer can — I’m going to do it as long as somebody will have me and as long as I feel those butterflies,” Chavis said. “And yeah, if you want to know if I got butterflies today, yeah. It’s game week. It’s time to get ready to go play.”
Kickoff against the Arizona State Sun Devils is set for 6 p.m. and will be held at Houston’s NRG Stadium.