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John Chavis making progress bolstering Texas A&M defense
By John Brasier
Published:
Opponents no longer tear through the Texas A&M defense like a hot knife through butter.
First-year defensive coordinator John Chavis is making progress with a Texas A&M defense that couldn’t have gotten much worse. The former leader of stingy defenses at Tennessee and LSU has toughened up the Aggies in the trenches.
The Aggies (5-2, 2-2 SEC) have risen to respectability in the toughest division of arguably the nation’s premier rushing conference.
Of course, the Aggies’ run defense couldn’t have gotten much worse.
Last season, Alabama rushed for 298 yards in a 59-0 loss at Alabama. Three other teams, rushed for more against the Aggies. LSU gashed them for 384 while Auburn piled up 363 and Missouri accumulated 335. The list went on … Arkansas 285, Mississippi State 280, Rice 240 (plus another 241 passing). The Aggies were at the bottom of the SEC in rushing defense and total defense.
Chavis, who accepted the Aggies position for a reported $1.5 million per year, installed an aggressive 4-3 scheme with a relatively young unit led by sophomore star Myles Garrett.
“We’ve got the pieces we need. There’s no question about that. It’s just getting experience in this system,” Chavis told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
This season, the Aggies are giving up 200 yards rushing per game. Though they’ve yet to play Auburn and LSU, the Aggies held Mississippi State to 198 and Arkansas to 232. Alabama’s 258 was a 40-yard reduction.
For the season, the Aggies are allowing 216 yards per game and 4.73 per carry — down from 5.01 last season.
Baby steps, perhaps. But steps, nonetheless.
The Aggies have shown significant improvement in rushing the passer. They are 29th best in the nation, giving up 191.4 yards per game with 6 interceptions.
Garrett is one of the nation’s premier defensive ends with 8.5 sacks to rank third in the nation. Sophomore safety Armani Watts has 69 tackles — 47 solos — to lead the Aggies.
The Aggies lose only three senior starters on defense for next year and return the entire second team. Freshman tackle Daylon Mack, an elite recruit, could team with Garrett to form a menacing 1-2 combination at the line of scrimmage.
The Aggies’ progress should be more obvious in the final season stats. Before finishing the season against LSU, they play struggling offensive teams South Carolina, Auburn, Western Carolina and Vanderbilt.
