Aggies DB Jacoby Mathews Giving Texas A&M 'Great Depth' With Gilbert Out
With a momentum-building win under their belt ahead of SEC play, the Texas A&M Aggies are now looking ahead to facing Auburn at Kyle Field.
If the Aggies want to take home a win, they will have to continue to roll on offense — which largely falls on Conner Weigman — by finding a rhythm early and keeping it going throughout the game, otherwise known as the two-step equation that Fisher proposed prior to facing Miami.
But offense aside, the Aggies' defense also needs to step up against a tougher conference opponent in order to keep the Tigers at bay, which could make or break the final result. Luckily for Texas A&M, one of its younger stars has begun to step up and make that a priority.
“I thought [Jacoby Mathews] played very solid in the game [against UL Monroe]," Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher said during his weekly press conference. "It is great to get him back in the mix."
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Aggies defensive back Jardin Gilbert was expected to play a big role in Fisher's defense, but an injury kept him out of the game against the Warhawks, leaving Mathews to fill his role. And that he did, recording four tackles while showcasing his athleticism at the same time.
"Jacoby is a big, long, athletic guy," Fisher said. "He can play second level and third level. He tackles well, covers, and is athletic. Getting him back into the mix is huge for us in what we are doing."
With Gilbert out — and potentially for an extended period of time after a social media photo saw him in a hospital bed — Mathews now has his chance to make a statement both for himself and for the Aggies' defense as a whole.
While losing a starter to injury isn't by any means ideal, Mathews' work ethic has made the transition relatively easy for Fisher and the defense, which bodes well for Texas A&M moving forward, as Fisher described.
“It gives us great depth," he said. "But also a great starter there who can play, run and is also a great special teams player. Jacoby has a tremendous future in the game. Just keep doing things right, playing and developing. He can be a really, really good football player.”
However long Gilbert remains out, Mathews will be in his place, though if his performance continues to trend the way it is, Mathews could stay longer than that. And as the Aggies enter their SEC schedule, they'll certainly need players to step up and perform, no matter their spot on the depth chart.
Jacoby Mathews and the Texas A&M Aggies will take the field Saturday against Auburn, looking for their first conference win of the season and second straight.
Kickoff from Kyle Field is scheduled for 11 a.m. CST.
