House that Johnny Built

Aggie Football After Johnny Football

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Behind the Scenes at SEC Media Days 2014

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Texas A&M Punter Drew Kaser Soaks in Spotlight at SEC Media Days

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Texas A&M Moves on After Johnny Manziel

Texas A&M must move on with a new quarterback in 2014, but that doesn't mean the previous one was absent from the discussion at SEC media days on Tuesday.

Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin discussed the transition to a new signal-caller after the departure of record-setting quarterback Johnny Manziel, who was a first-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns. A&M will turn to a young quarterback this season, either sophomore Kenny Hill or true freshman Kyle Allen.

"I understand there's not going to be another Johnny Manziel, the way he played the game," Sumlin said. "That's all part of it. Now, does that mean that we change offensively? Maybe. Does that mean that we changed offensively for him? That might be the case, too."

Sumlin touted the credentials of the two quarterbacks on his roster, neither of whom have started a college game even though both were well-regarded recruits.

Read more here. 

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Texas A&M makes commitment to 'go big or go home' when it comes to upcoming SEC Network

The SEC Network avoided igniting full-on mania by not bringing newly hired analyst Tim Tebow, the celebrity and ex-Florida great, to SEC media days. But the soon-to-launch venture is still promoting itself heavily here.

Texas A&M is doubling-down on the opportunity. The school has invested $12 million in new facilities and is not shy about its plans to take advantage.

“This is the next chapter,” said Jason Cook, senior associate athletics director for external affairs, of the next step after A&M’s 2012 move from the Big 12 to the SEC. “The commitment is go big or go home. We want to be on the SEC Network more than anyone else. We’re awfully competitive in our league. ... We work together, but we’re very competitive.”

Read more here. 

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If Sumlin can elicit an SEC title from these Aggies, picked to finish sixth in the seven-team SEC West Division by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview, the man will have deserved a bigger raise than the bump to $5 million per year that he received after last year’s 9-4 season.

Jimmy Burch on how Texas A&M Head Coach Kevin Sumlin has worked wonders, but Aggies shouldn't expect an SEC title run in 2014. 

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Texas A&M football coach Kevin Sumlin, defensive back Deshazor Everett, punter Drew Kaser and offensive lineman Cedric Ogbuehi met with the media in Hoover, Alabama. The main topic of conversation was how A&M will live without Johnny Manziel. 

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"I think it's a shame that Texas and Texas A&M don't play each other, though." 

South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier at SEC Media Days advocated for the Aggies and the Longhorns to renew their rivalry. 

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Johnny Manziel Left Texas A&M, But His Impact Still Lingers

Kevin Sumlin wants to remind everyone that there is more to Texas A&M football than Johnny Manziel.

Sure, the former Heisman Trophy quarterback cast a large shadow over college football and specifically the SEC, but judging by his comments during the conference's annual football preseason media event Tuesday, the Aggies coach has put Johnny Football in his rear view mirror.

Sumlin's opening remarks to the media touched on the $450 million renovations taking place to Kyle Field as well as the program's commitment to player-development programs such as those at the new R.C. Slocum Nutrition Center.

Nevertheless, all anyone wanted to talk about was Manziel and it wasn't long before the third-year coach squashed the line of questioning from reporters.

"Is this the SEC Media Days?" Sumlin exclaimed after being asked about his second question of the day about the former Texas A&M superstar, who now plays in the NFL. "That's a great question for the Cleveland Browns."

While the remark drew laughs, the point was clear: that was then, this is now.

Read more here. 

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Alabama Fan Fired From Texas A&M Kyle Field Construction Crew For Hanging Bama Flag

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Texas A&M, SEC in Good Shape Early With Top 2016 Prospects

Here’s a look at the top 10 with current Crystal Ball leaders:

1. Gregory Little, OT, Allen (Texas) High (Committed to Texas A&M)  2. Shavar Manuel, SDE, Tampa (Fla.) Blake (Florida State 100%)  3. Malik Henry, PQB, Thousand Oaks (Calif.) Westlake (UCLA 40%)  4. Keion Joyner, OLB, Havelock (N.C.) High (LSU 100%)  5. Rashan Gary, DT, Scotch Plains (N.J.) Fanwood (Alabama 100%)  6. Edwin Alexander, DT, Hammond (La.) St. Thomas (LSU 100%)  7. Kareem Walker, RB, Wayne (N.J.) De Paul Catholic (Alabama 83%)  8. Lyndell Wilson, OLB, Montgomery (Ala.) Carver (Alabama 82%)  9. Tavien Feaster, RB, Spartanburg (S.C.) High (Clemson 100%) 10. Kendell Jones, DT, Killeen (Texas) Shoemaker (Texas 100%)

Read more here. 

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Texas A&M Football Coach Kevin Sumlin at SEC Media Days.

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Life without Johnny Manziel officially starts for the Texas A&M football program Tuesday when head coach Kevin Sumlin along with senior defensive back Deshazor Everett, junior punter Drew Kaser and senior offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi will be front and center for more than 1,000 media at the 2014 Southeastern Conference Football Media Days

Robert Cessna on reporting on the first day in the post-Manziel era of Aggie football. 

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Sumlin says he expects Texas A&M defense to be better

Texas A&M football coach Kevin Sumlin doesn’t know who his starting quarterback will be, but he does expect his defense to be better.

A&M allowed 475.8 yards per game last season, which ranked 109th nationally.

“We ended the year rotating five D-linemen out of the four spots,” Sumlin said Tuesday afternoon at the Southeastern Conference Media Days. “That took its toll. As anybody will tell you in this league, it’s a line-of-scrimmage league.”

A&M went 9-4 in 2013 in large part thanks to a high-powered offense led by former quarterback Johnny Manziel. The Aggies won a pair of games when the opposition scored 41 or more points. For the season, A&M allowed 32.2 points per game, which ranked 95th nationally.

“We’ve got to play better ... that’s all we can take from it,” said senior safety Deshazor Everett, one of three players to accompany Sumlin at Media Days. “To give up as many points as we did as a defense is embarrassing. We’re definitely going to come out stronger this year.”

A&M returns seven starters on defense along with several others who played last season.

“We’ve recruited and have more depth,” Sumlin said. “Those guys are one year older. Jordan Mastrogiovanni moves into [middle] linebacker, which is his natural position. He’s 240 [pounds] now. He probably should have redshirted last year, but we didn’t have the luxury of doing that.”

Sumlin expects the front seven to be better even though he dismissed sophomore linebacker Darian Clairborne and sophomore defensive lineman Isaiah Golden from the team. Both were projected as starters.

“The key to our defense will be the rotation up front, the maturity of the guys who played last year,” said Sumlin, adding that getting better safety play will be another key.

Report by Robert Cessna at the Bryan-College Station Eagle

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Live From SEC Media Days

Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News has coverage on Texas A&M from SEC media days beginning at 1pm (CST).

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Welcome to the House That Johnny Built

Day One of the SEC Media Days is in the books, and the unofficial start of the college football season. Stay tuned to HTJB for Texas A&M football news and commentary. Follow our sister blog 2 at 22 for news and updates on Johnny Manziel's professional career.