Sunday morning was a busy one for the Texas A&M football team, with the team picture and members of the coaching staff meeting with the media. During his availability, head coach Jimbo Fisher discussed his surprise shuffle of the offensive coaching staff.
Without any prior announcement, the Aggies started training camp Wednesday with offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey working with the tight ends, former TE coach James Coley with the wide receivers and former receivers coach Dameyune Craig working with Fisher and the quarterbacks. When asked about the change, Fisher said the changes help the team operate "the way we want to go."
"We switched some guys around just a bit," he said. "They've all done it before; every one of them have coached those positions before."
The Aggies have had two practices in shorts and two in shells, which but Fisher said there were a few things he could look for even when contact was limited.
"I'm looking for consistency," he said. "I'm looking for mental and physical toughness. Can you give effort? Are you disciplined?"
Fisher said that, while a lot of attention is being put on the younger players, a number of veterans have impressed him with their development. He also had praise for a number of upperclassmen for the leadership they've exhibited.
"I think Demani (Richardson) has done a really good job on defense. I think AJ (Antonio Johnson)'s done a good. Layden (Robinson) has done a really good job. Ainias (Smith) has done a good job. I think that the quarterbacks, Haynes (King) and Max (Johnson) do that very well, very naturally," Fisher said. "McKinnley Jackson is really taking steps forward ... he's really jumped out to me."
The defense has a number of newcomers on the field, but another new arrival is their coordinator, DJ Durkin. When asked what his early impressions of Durkin were, Fisher said Durkin was “a really sharp guy.”
"(Durkin)'s a really detailed guy," Fisher said. ""He's doing a great job with our guys and getting them on the same page. I love the schemes he's putting together ... the guys are responding well to him. He has great command on the field."
Fisher said the team still has a ways to go in order to meet his expectations -- to say nothing of competing for the SEC crown -- but he has been pleased with the progress made to date.
""I like our work ethic. I like our demeanor," he said.
