Texas A&M DC Addresses Improvements to Communication, Third-Down Defense

The Texas A&M Aggies' collapse late last season was nothing short of deflating after such a strong start, and while there's plenty of blame to go around, the defense probably bears the brunt of the blame.

The Aggies' defense was exceptional early on, not allowing more than 24 points in any of their first eight games. That all changed once November hit, as the Aggies allowed 35+ points in three of their final five games, all of which predictably ended in losses. Obviously, there's more to the story than just that, but that exemplifies just how bad the drop-off was.

After an offseason of work, however, it seems like they're in a much better place on some key issues.

Jay Bateman Details Texas A&M's Growth on Defense

Nov 17, 2018; West Point, NY, USA; Army Black Knights defensive coordinator Jay Bateman speaks to his players in the locker room before a game against the Colgate Raiders at Michie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

While speaking with reporters on Tuesday, defensive coordinator Jay Bateman noted how far the Aggies have come in their communication on defense, which was sorely lacking late last year.

"I think, you know, there's a couple plays that stand out where like this motion happened or this shift happened, and you saw the communication go back where it starts," Bateman said. "It ain't perfect, but we're getting a lot closer to what the standard needs to be for us."

Bateman also noted how the third-down defense has taken a step forward this offseason. The Aggies only allowed 35.4 percent of third-down conversions last season, but in their final two games, they allowed 7-of-15 against Texas in the Lone Star Showdown and 6-of-13 against USC in the Las Vegas Bowl.

"Last year, we got to a point during the season where the coverage piece of it was a little bit scary. Now I think we feel pretty good about that," Bateman said. "We also had some edge guys on the defensive line that were pretty good one-on-one pass rushers, so we kind of morphed that way a little bit. Now I think you'll see coach Elko's exotic stuff in bloom. We've got a pretty good plan coming."

Perhaps the Aggies' greatest asset on defense is their depth, which Bateman believes to be exceptional at each position.

"I think every position's a little bit different," Bateman said. "Some guys, like Taurean York is penciled in pretty heavily there. Will Lee's pretty inked in. I think other positions it's more like, 'hey, this guy right now will probably start the game, these two or three guys are going to play a lot. I think at D-line especially, man there's a lot of kids that are going to play, have roles, I think really have big years."