SEC Media Days: UF opponent Texas A&M

[Mark Wheeler]

Courtesy ASAP Transcripts...

MIKE ELKO: Excited to be back out here for SEC Media Days year two. Just really excited to go into year two of our program.

I want to start with something Commissioner Sankey said about my summer, maybe give a lot of kudos to my wife. When I took the job at Texas A&M, my wife stayed back with our younger son who was still finishing high school and my daughter. After recruiting in June, we went back and moved and packed the house.

I heard all the coaches before me come up and talk about the great summers they had. Mine got to spend the summer packing. To my wife, another apology and I owe her a huge vacation next summer. She's the rock of our family.

I want to acknowledge the recent tragedy that affected the Hill Country of Texas. The devastation from the floods and the damage and loss of life was heartbreaking. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Texas A&M football community are with everybody impacted in that region, both Texans and Aggies alike. Devastating and heartbreaking to see all of that.

I want to recognize Commissioner Sankey for his continued leadership through what is a very challenging time in college athletics. I talked about this last year, how important leadership was in this day and age. I think even 12 months later, it's probably more important.

To Greg and his staff, I think they not only do a great job of leading this conference, but I think providing the coaches with the information and insight that they need to lead our programs and continue to have the SEC at the forefront of college athletics I think is a kudos to him and everybody that works in the SEC office and really all of our sports.

I want to say thank you to Trev Alberts. I see him out somewhere. Really appreciate our partnership. I appreciate all the support that he's given me as we work together to try to drive this Texas A&M football program ultimately to fulfill its potential and become what we all believe it's capable of becoming.

Finally I want to recognize our recently retired SID, Alan Cannon. He's a true legend in this industry. A lot of you know him very well. He dedicated 44 years of his life to Texas A&M University. He was inducted into the College Sports Communications Hall of Fame back in 2014 and served another 11 years beyond that ushering Texas A&M into the SEC.

His mentorship, his friendship will be missed. But I'm really excited for him to continue to be around the program in a limited capacity as he kind of enjoys the next stage of his life. He certainly has earned it.

As we turn our attention to our football program, I kind of want to start with the three players we brought here today.

Starting with linebacker Taurean York. Taurean is a two-time captain for us. He started every single game at middle linebacker since he arrived on campus. He truly embodies what a linebacker is. The leadership, his play making ability, his ability to read and diagnose, communicate. He really is an exceptional linebacker in every aspect of the game. He's a tremendous leader. He sets a great example for our young players. He goes above and beyond with his ability to lead our program. We're really excited for him. He's going to be one of those kids that will go down as one of the great leaders in the history of Texas A&M football. He's originally from Temple, Texas, right down the road. Really great reconnecting with him.

Ar'Maj Reed-Adams. He joined us last year as a transfer. Offensive line, decorated off-season lineman. He's got an unbelievable personality. When you transfer into a new program, sometimes it's hard to find your way. He really let his voice stand out last year. I think he brings a lot of energy to that group, a lot of energy to what we're trying to do on the offensive line. I think that's one of the reasons why he was voted a captain for the 2025 season. He runs a local podcast partnering with Texas Ags and is really involved in a lot of things inside of our community. He's actually finishing up his last class right now, so he'll graduate here in a couple weeks with a business degree, then he'll start grad classes this fall as he finishes his career with us.

Then Will Lee, our starting corner, one of the biggest recruiting battles we had last year, first getting to decide to come back and finish his development with us, then getting him to do that at Texas A&M. He's our best cover guy. I think what he does for us, locking down one side of the field, really gives us an advantage on defense. Getting him back and seeing him grow this off-season to kind of develop into an even better version of who he was last year. Will is graduating this fall with a degree in leadership. He's going to provide a lot of leadership to our program and to our defense this year.

As we turn our attention to the 2025 Texas A&M football season, I just want to start with the program that we're building. I think when I got hired, we talked an awful lot about building a program that would help our young people develop into the best version of who they are both on and off the field.

I think people sometimes get so lost in the X's and O's and the play calling that they lose sight of what that culture can really do to impact and affect our program.

I think as we continued into this off-season, the challenge for us has been to elevate that culture to a championship-level culture, so that we are acting in our lives every step along the way as champions.

I said this to a lot of people when I got hired, this off-season, it's going to be our commitment to doing that every day that is ultimately going to get Texas A&M football where it wants to be. We are trying to speed that process up as much as we possibly can, but we've laid a really strong foundation for who we are as a program, who we want to be, and where we want this thing to be going forward. I think that was so critical.

In the past 12 months we've made a tremendous amount of strides in that area. You heard Commissioner Sankey mention we had a 3.07 GPA last year. I strongly believe that correlates to success in life and on the football field.

We have established our Mission 12 program, which is our player development program, to help continue to grow and educate these young people in what is a changing time. Financial literacy, understanding NIL agents, what all that is about, reading contracts, understanding this new evolution of third-party NIL, a program that will provide for our student-athletes all of the resources they need to go out and be successful.

We talk a lot as coaches about how hard it is for us to navigate this landscape. It's also can be challenging for our 19-year-olds to navigate this landscape. We want to make sure that they're provided with all of the resources they need to be successful.

On the field, we're really excited to get into year two. I don't think you can quantify how challenging year one truly is. When you have to go into a place and build everything, build culture, a program, build scheme, build practice habits, build practice tempo, design, everything. There's so much that's on the table in year one.

I think both I and our staff are really excited about the growth that will happen between year one and year two in our program.

 

[Mark Wheeler]

On offense we return seven starters. I think that is a big cry for excitement. I think we bring back our top seven offensive linemen. We bring back all of our ball carriers. That's a really strong starting point.

But I think what I'm most excited about is the fact we have quarterback Marcel Reed taking a huge jump for us this year. He's had a phenomenal off-season. I think he's put on some necessary strength and mass to kind of hold to the rigors of SEC football.

I think he understands now what it takes to be an SEC quarterback week in and week out. Really excited for him to go out and become the difference maker that we know he's capable of being this year.

We added and developed some weapons at the wide receiver and tight end position to help him. I think we're primed to develop on what was a really strong offensive year for us last year. In SEC play we led the SEC in points per game. As we move into year two of Collin Klein's system, that will take a bigger jump.

Defensively we include eight starters, our entire back seven. The value of that is hard to put into words. Those kids last year were put into a really challenging situation, having to bring in so many new starters from so many different programs who had never really played together, never had played in our system.

I think at times we got it right, at times we didn't. But those kids coming back I think have a chip on their shoulder to bring Texas A&M defense back to where it belongs.

We've got a very proud tradition of Texas A&M going all the way back to The Wrecking Crew of what defense should look like. We look forward to seeing that manifest itself this year on the field in Kyle Field.

We also brought back all four of our specialists. I think that's unique. Both our kicker, punters, long snapper and kickoff specialist all return. So we feel as though we've got a very veteran group with a lot of experience primed to go out this year and finish what we started last year.

I want to close by saying this. Texas A&M is an amazing place. I'm blessed and honored to be the head football coach at Texas A&M. The support we have for our program at times is overwhelming. Last year we averaged just under 103,000 people at our home games. That's 101% attendance in Kyle Field for an average. Our average home attendance was larger than any stadium capacity in the SEC.

The support we get from our university is second to none. Our university continues to grow. We have clearly established ourselves as one of the premier state universities in the country through the leadership of President Mark Welsh. Our program continues to grow in every aspect of its academic excellence. Our alumni network continues to pour in and show that Aggies will always take care of Aggies.

It's an exciting time to be the leader of this program. It's an exciting time to be at this university. I think all arrows are trending in a very positive direction for where this program is headed.

So we look forward to this year. We look forward to this season. Thank you for all you do covering SEC football and Texas A&M.

THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions.

 

[Mark Wheeler]

Q. What lessons did your team learn last season being so closest to the SEC Championship game?

MIKE ELKO: I think you have to go through some of that sometimes. As painful as it is, as it was for us and our fans and everyone involved, we had never been in that position before. We had never been the hunted team. We had never been in November competing for an opportunity to get into Atlanta with our destiny in our own hands.

I think you learn how you have to elevate your game in those matchups when you become that team. Going on the road in back-to-back weeks, we didn't play the football that we needed to play to finish it. It's been our mantra the entire off-season. Mantras don't turn into wins. But I do believe our kids have a really strong chip on their shoulders to change that story and finish this thing the right way.

Q. You brought up Marcel Reed in your opening statement. The players talked about his leadership development. From a player standpoint that's one thing, but as a coach, what have you seen from him that has given you encouragement?

MIKE ELKO: I think Marcel is in a unique spot, right? He went through it last year as a first-time starter. He didn't go into the year as a starter. That makes it challenging to step into the huddle as a leader.

I think this year he goes into the often season clearly established as our starting quarterback. I think that allows him to really impact the team with his personality. He's an energetic personality. He's a guy that people want to play for and want to play with.

We had some success recruiting wide receivers in the transfer portal in large part because we encouraged them to come out to bowl practice and watch Marcel. They would come out and watch him, be like, I want to play with that guy.

I think he's a leader in his own way as he now steps into being the face of our program and the quarterback of our program.

Q. You talk about the continuity and retention, not just with the players but the coaching staff. How does that compare throughout your coaching career? What benefit does that have for the team?

MIKE ELKO: I think it's got a tremendous benefit. I think when you can keep familiarity within your program in the coaching world terminology, the way people coach, drill work, all of that I think helps. I think we were able to do that last year. That was really strong for us. We were able to add some staff in the off-season, which I think really has helped enhance what we're doing in our program, as well.

Obviously in order to become the program you want to become, we talked a lot about this, we had to stabilize it. We were able to put our entire roster together by the end of January last year. I think that's something that speaks volumes where our program is from a culture standpoint, how much belief and confidence I think people have where Texas A&M football is going.

Q. You mentioned the experience of the team. Does it feel like an experienced team? What does that experience look like on the field?

MIKE ELKO: Yeah, I think it happens in two different ways. I think it feels like an experienced group in that they go about their business, they know what the expectations are, they know what it takes to go out and be successful. So the work this off-season I think has been at a really high level because of that.

There's still another step, though. We have to take that experience and turn it into being really good football players, being technically sound, being fundamentally sound, going out and playing the game at the level that we can.

I think experience creates knowledge, but we've got to use that knowledge through the rest of the summer, through fall camp, then really every week in the season to go out and put the football product together that it needs.

Experience is a really good starting point, but if you don't utilize it the right way, it can be wasted.

Q. Mario Craver, wide receiver that spent a year at Mississippi State, what did you see to add him to the roster? Also former Alabama tight end Amari Niblack?

MIKE ELKO: I think with Mario, it was a kid who had exceptional speed. I think we saw that firsthand when we played them. You could feel his speed on the field. That was something that we really desperately wanted to go out and add.

I think he's done a really good job of going from a young, athletic freshman to maybe a more developed SEC receiver heading into year two. Excited for him.

Then Amari Niblack was an interesting one because he spent time with Coach Holmon Wiggins at Alabama. When he decided to enter the portal, there was some familiarity more so what he had done when he was at Alabama.

We feel like he's a hybrid kid that adds an awful lot of value in what he can do in the receiving game. He was a great addition for our program.

Q. When you first took the job at Texas A&M, you referred to your program as the flagship program in the state of Texas. A lot of Texas fans took that as a slight. Were you considering the University of Texas when it comes to that title?

MIKE ELKO: I don't think I was considering anything else. I wasn't comparing anything else. I was making a statement in regards to our role in impacting high school coaches in our state.

I think, like a lot of things, that maybe got misinterpreted.

Q. Conference-wide question. SEC won 14 of 17 national titles for a stretch, built the brand into what it is. Two years in a row the Big Ten has won. How important is it to get that trophy back in the conference?

MIKE ELKO: Yeah, I think it's really important. I think we pride ourselves on being the premier league in college football. In order to do that, you have to be the last team standing at the end.

It's a gauntlet going into the SEC season. It's a gauntlet now getting through an expanded Playoff. I think our coaches now have a real good feel for what that is and what that takes.

I think that's something we have to really be focused on moving forward.

Q. We talk about player growth from year one to year two. As you enter your second season, what are some areas that you're looking to refine yourself?

MIKE ELKO: I think when you go into year two, you have such a better feel for the personalities of the team, how the team reacts to certain things. There's a lot of guesswork that goes into year one. You've never really been through it with those guys.

You may think they're responding a certain way, but you don't really know. You may be thinking this is the right way to message things, but you don't really know.

When you go into year two, you have such a better feel for the personalities of everybody in your building, coaches, players, everybody. I think there's a much better comfort from me in terms of how to lead not only the team but the program heading into year two.

Q. Your opinion on the running back room. You have four guys all returning. Can you talk about the volume but also experience that they have and how each one provides a different element.

MIKE ELKO: Yeah, I think there's a lot of quality in that group. I think it starts with Le'Veon Moss, who is on his way to being the leading rusher in this conference, leading rushers in the nation last year. Big, powerful runner who probably has more track speed given the size and the way he runs the football.

Rueben Owens, unfortunately we didn't have at all last year. He's a dynamic player, good at the backfield catching the football. A lot of home run potential. I think he's really excited to be able to get out there at 100% and show the college world what he's capable of.

Amari Daniels has been a talented back for us, our leading rusher at times. Two years ago he was our leading rusher. Certainly a kid that is capable of being a number one back in a lot of systems. We got to find ways to utilize him.

EJ Smith is going to have a huge year for us. He was a kid who was really beat up at times last year in the off-season and never really got the training and the preparation that he needed. He's been really healthy this off-season. I think that's going to kind of allow him to take his game to the next level.

We're talented with four backs. You need 'em because in this conference they go fast.

Q. Jacoby Mathews is back in the SEC Now with Auburn. What do you remember about him and what do you see in him as a player?

MIKE ELKO: Know Jacoby more from recruiting. Was there as the defensive coordinator when we recruited him. Didn't have much interaction when I came back as head coach and was at Duke the years he was at Texas A&M.

Good kid, good family. Certainly wish him nothing but the best at Auburn.

 

[Mark Wheeler]

Q. The Lone Star Showdown, this game is a long ways away. Now you have to go down to Austin to face the Longhorns. You how are you going to prepare for that Longhorn fandom?

MIKE ELKO: I think there's a lot between now and then. I'll just say what I've said about that game. I think it's great that that game's back. I think with the way those two programs are operating and executing right now, that game's going to mean something at the end of the year. I think that's awesome for college football. I think it's awesome for the state of Texas. I think it's awesome for those two universities.

It's a great game, a great rivalry. We certainly look forward to the challenge.

Q. Noah Thomas was your leading receiver last year. He moved to Athens. What is Kirby Smart getting in Noah?

MIKE ELKO: Noah is a great kid. Nothing but respect for him. He's a play-maker. Has the ability to win contested catches. Great work ethic.

Happy for Noah that he's found a place that he's comfortable. Certainly hope he has a great year this year.

Q. You said in March that your young play-maker Terry Bussey is going to focus on being a wideout only. What kind of jump can we expect from him?

MIKE ELKO: I think Terry is primed to have a really breakout year. I think we didn't get him midyear last year, so he didn't show up until around Memorial Day. He was injured a little bit when he got there. We had to get him healthy.

He then started on defense. We switched him to offense midway through camp. That's not really the recipe to become the best wide receiver you're capable of becoming.

Being a wide receiver this year, start to finish in the off-season, I think some refinement in his route running, the ability to truly understand what he can do and how to get him the football. I think you're going to see him take a really, really big jump this year.

Q. I wanted to ask if you could share if there was a moment this off-season where you saw Marcel take ownership of being the starting quarterback?

MIKE ELKO: Yeah, probably started right when we got back for the spring semester. I think his wanting and desire to, one, get the receivers together to start working on the timing in the passing game, then his ability to want to get in with our offensive staff and kind of start going back through the playbook, back through the details of what we're doing schematically, starting to really lock in on the finer points of the scheme.

I think from the second he got back from his winter break, I think he stepped into the building as the guy who's going to be the starting quarterback.

Again, I think you're going to see a massive jump from him.

Q. Texas was added to the SEC. Did that alter the way A&M recruits? You seem to be doing well in Georgia. Is that a by-product of your two years as head coach of Duke?

MIKE ELKO: Yeah, I think it's a little bit unique. I think a couple of ties in the area maybe from when I was at Duke.

I don't know that the first part of your question that that impacts anything. I said this last year. Texas A&M and Texas have been recruiting against each other for years, regardless of conference. I don't know that conference affiliation will ever impact that.

Obviously we take a lot of pride in our ability to go out and recruit the best players we can to Texas A&M. That's something you honestly have to do in order to be successful.

Q. What did you learn about yourself as a head coach after that tremendous start, 7-1 last season, then the struggles after that?

MIKE ELKO: Yeah, I think you're always learning and growing and reflecting. Again, I just think it comes back to understanding what it is to be in that situation. I think you have to understand how to elevate your game at the right moment and the right time.

I think going on the road back to back after that LSU win, we just didn't elevate the right way. So I think how you prepare, how you prepare the team, the things that you do to get them ready to maybe get off to a faster star in those types of moments, those types of games, I think it all matters.

I think anytime you experience that, and unfortunately sometimes even more so when you experience failure, if you do it the right way, you learn and you grow and you come back a better coach and a better team, more ready to handle those types of situations in the future.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you for your time.

MIKE ELKO: Awesome. Thank you guys.

 

[Mark Wheeler]

Q. When you matched up against Auburn, talk about the match-up with Cam Coleman?

WILL LEE III: It was a great match-up. He's a great receiver. He was young. I think he was freshman, but we treated him like he's been there all four years.

Like, he's a great receiver. He has great talent and he's got great guys around him.

Just being in that game, knowing what we've got to deal with and knowing what comes with it was a big stepping stone for us, but we were ready for it.

Q. You go up against Ar'maj in practice all the time. What does he bring to the O line? And then what kind of leader is he and presence does he have in your locker room?

WILL LEE III: He brings confidence to the O line. He makes sure all those guys are just one moving train. Nobody's falling off. Nobody's just leaning no different direction. But he makes sure everybody's intact and moving as one sound team.

In the locker room, Ar'maj, he's always a guy that you're going to hear in the locker room. He's always picking guys up, joking around, letting guys know things.

He's a great guy to have on the team. I'm glad he's on our team. He makes sure that everybody's doing good for everybody and stuff like that.

Q. We talked in there and you said the goals is an SEC Championship, national championship. What do you feel is the biggest step that needs to be taken this offseason for you guys to realize those goals?

WILL LEE III: Honestly, just living where our feet are at right now. Work on finishing, four quarters of football, that's the biggest thing we need to focus on.

Last year, our season was in our hands to go to the SEC Championship, in our hands to go to the playoffs. We just couldn't finish. The main goal right now is to finish and play four quarters worth of football.

Q. With (indiscernible), the Auburn game, four overtimes, one of the crazy games of the college season, after seeing them storm the field, how excited are you to get another shot at them this season?

WILL LEE III: I'm excited seeing how it ended me not being able to finish the game because of an injury was real tough. Watching my teammates go out there and battle for me and battle for our team to try to pull it through and it fell short was real tough to see.

I'm waiting for that game and I'm real excited.

Q. Where have you seen growth and development in Marcel over the last year or so?

WILL LEE III: Really just this winter and spring, Marcel knows what he needs to do to carry this team and take us where we need to be. And him putting that weight on his shoulders and carrying it positively is amazing to see.

You're seeing him grow up in the locker room every day. He's getting bigger, he's getting stronger. And he's really just taking care of his teammates and making sure everybody understands what we want to do and we're going there.

Q. Last year Coach Elko talked about being able to build a championship mindset. How do you feel like the team has been able to adapt that mentality throughout the offseason?

WILL LEE III: Like I said before, the biggest thing here is us finishing. That's the main thing we need to do. We had everything we needed in our hands right in front of us and all we had to do was finish.

Really just starting off where we left off and then just keep moving everything forward and taking it one day at a time. I feel like we're going to be in good hands.

Q. Do you have a favorite match-up or receiver that in the SEC that when you see that you're up against them that you like that challenge?

WILL LEE III: I wouldn't say I have a favorite match-up. Just anybody that we play on Saturday, I'm ready to go against. They're going to get my best and they're going to get my all. I don't got no favorite match-up. Everybody can get it any day, anytime.

Q. You have as good a home-field advantage as anybody in football. Is there an opposing road site you like to play at?

WILL LEE III: I can't wait to play at Texas. Me being at K-State, losing there in overtime and just getting back there and just beating them at their home was going to be the best thing to me. That's real exciting for me.

Q. This year the Southwest Classic will go back to a home-and-home with Arkansas. How do you feel about traveling up at Fayetteville and that game no longer being at AT&T?

WILL LEE III: It's a regular game to me. We'll show up at their place, do what we need to do get the job done.

I'm excited there just to see a different field, seeing a different atmosphere. But it's all the same. We've got to get the job done at the end of the day.

Q. What have you done during the offseason that has prepared you for this upcoming season?

WILL LEE III: Me personally, just really stepping up my leadership role in the locker room and on the field. I want to be that guy in the back end, in the secondary, that my teammates can lean on and trust on.

I'm doing as much as -- a little more studying, a little more lifting weights, everything I can do to help my team out. I want to be that guy they can lean on and know that I'm going to get the job done when we need it.

Q. You talked about being excited to go play at Texas this year. Just what did playing in the renewal of the Lone Star Showdown to you last year?

WILL LEE III: Me being from St. Louis, like a lot of people would say, oh, this rivalry doesn't have nothing to do with him really. But like it has a lot to do with my teammates. And I care about my teammates, so it's a big thing for me.

Like, just playing them, I feel like I'm from Texas and that rivalry is as big as any other rivalry for me. I was taking it with a grain of salt, taking it one day at a time to prepare for it. And then when it came I was ready to play.

Q. You'll be going closer to home when you guys go to Missouri. How much are you looking forward to that match-up, and do you think Drinkwitz is going to have a blanket for you this time?

WILL LEE III: I'm excited for that match-up. When I was back at K-State, we played Missouri. We lost to the SEC field goal, the 62-yarder, so I'm 0-1 there. Us going there to play there, I'm real excited. I need one there. I need it bad, so I'm real excited to play there.

Q. How would you describe your team's culture this season, and how do you think that could be one of the keys to success in a very competitive conference?

WILL LEE III: Our culture is really four quarters. Like I've been saying all day, we're really built around finishing this year. We've got everything laid out in front of us of what we need to do. Elko made it real clear on what he wants us to do and wants to take us.

We've just got to trust in his plan and just do the best we can do and then get there. Like, it's going to be bumps in the road. It's always going to be like that. But we just have to lock in to little key details and do what we need to do and we'll be okay.

Q. What is a message or piece of advice that a former coach or teammate has given you that sticks with you?

WILL LEE III: Honestly, I would say just take one day at a time. Live where your feet's at. This thing comes fast.

I remember when I was in junior college, I remember when I was just graduating to go to college. Now I'm on my last year. Just really live where your feet's at and take it with a grain of salt.

You've got to enjoy the moments. You've got to enjoy the goods and the bads, just do everything right.

Q. Talk about stepping up your leadership, there's leadership by example and leadership by words. Which way is best for you?

WILL LEE III: I feel like I'm more of a leadership-by-example guy. I'm not that type of guy that's going to be in the locker room and talk your ear off before the game. I want you to be comfortable and be in your own mind and get ready your own way.

When I'm out there, you're going to see 100 percent from me every time. Honestly just me giving my best works out there on the field, and just you seeing that should make you want to give your best work, knowing I'm willing to put my body on the line for the team and for everybody. I feel like leading by example is my best way of leading.

 

[Mark Wheeler]

THE MODERATOR: We're here with Ar'maj. He wants to say a couple of words.

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Howdy. It's a pleasure to be here. Nice to meet all of you. Thanks for having me.

THE MODERATOR: Have you seen teammates come to this before and wondering what it was like?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Definitely. I was very envious. I always wanted to come to one of these. I'm just glad to be here.

THE MODERATOR: We aren't overworking you here, are we?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Not at all. It's a pleasure. I'm having fun.

THE MODERATOR: Open it up for questions.

Q. Where have you seen growth and development in Marcel over the last few months?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Every way possible. Marcel always approached the game as a starter, as a pro. So just him growing. He was young and not as much experience, but the way he came in and helped us out, like it's something great to build off of.

Q. What was it about the values that your coaches expressed to you when you were getting recruited by Texas A&M that made you want to choose that college?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: It was clear cut and easy. And having a head coach like Elko is fun. He's clear. He tell you what he really thinks. And he don't lie to us. He says all the time, Have I lied to you yet? We all say, No. He's like, Just believe me, then.

And then just how family oriented the coaches is and everybody around the building, you can tell they've been together for a minute and really value each other.

Just hearing Coach Troop and all those other coaches, all their characters come out, and invite my family in, it was special.

Q. How excited are you to get another shot at Auburn after having to see them storm the field last season?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Yeah, it's definitely personal. Like, it's coming. That's all I've got to say.

Q. What are some goals that you have for your team this season, and what role do you think you're going to play in accomplishing them?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Dominate in every way possible. Not make these games close. Some of those games that we won and lost last year shouldn't have even been close. So we're trying to make a statement, for real.

And the part I bring is being the alpha that everybody want to come out. When you have a guy like me in your program, I make people want to be alphas. So I try to bring the best out of everybody.

Q. I know you're going to say it's personal, but having grown up in Texas, how much does it mean to you that you get to play in the Lone Star Showdown in the second year after having it be brought back?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: It's very special, especially my parents wanted to come to Texas A&M. I'm living a family dream. Winning that game, I call myself the Texas star. So it's personal, like you said.

Q. You guys have talked about the lofty goals you have, wanting to get to the championship game since it was in your sights last year and in your control. What do you feel like the biggest steps you have taken this year are to get to that?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: First, realizing that the goals we have ain't lofty. They're right here in our control. Like you said, we was one play away from being in the SEC championship. I had faith all the way until it was six zeroes, four zeroes on the clock versus Texas.

I'm sorry, I forgot what the question is, but it's like we're coming. We're coming. For sure.

Q. What areas of your game do you think you have improved this offseason that will contribute to the success of Texas A&M?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: The growth of my mental IQ, being able to communicate better and have my eyes up and see things more and learn more football, just trying to spread that knowledge throughout everybody.

Q. A lot has been made of the home field advantage at Kyle Field. What it's like playing in front of those fans?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: It's exciting, breathtaking. The energy in that place can shake and move stuff. It feels like the stadium is shaking. It gets so loud sometimes that I can't hear myself breathe or think. So it's hard to play, definitely.

Q. How do you feel about the Southwest Classic moving back to a home and home? You go to Fayetteville this year instead of it being at AT&T.

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: I'm just glad I got to be in this last one at AT&T. It will be fun carrying the trophy off the field.

Q. What is the kind of legacy that you'd like to leave behind at Texas A&M, and how do you want your fellow teammates to know that you have impacted them?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Like I said, when I first committed here, signed to come play, I'm trying to put the goon back in Maroon Goon and make it a staple again, make every offensive lineman in the country want to come play at Texas A&M.

Q. We talked about it earlier, but how do you feel like you continue to grow as a leader on this team?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Just fully trusting myself and building relationships with my teammates. I feel like that's the biggest thing for a leader, is have a personal relationship with a bunch of different people.

And then also having them respect you, not just off the field, but on the field as well, respect your game and think highly of you.

Q. What's the toughest defensive line you've had to go against?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Toughest defensive line? I don't want to give nobody that credit. I'll tell you after the season.

Q. Can a team have success if the offensive line isn't producing and gelling?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Not at all. We seen it last year with the Eagles winning the Super Bowl. It started with the offensive line. I feel like we've got the same capability here at Texas A&M.

Q. Why are offensive linemen always the most interesting guys to talk to on a team?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Because you don't know us at all. We only talked about when we do something bad. So we try not to be talked about at all.

Q. You mentioned Coach Troop. Just your relationship with him and how he's impacted you?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: He's a great guy. He impacted me mentally, physically, and spiritually. The way he pushes me on the field to give more and do more for the people around me, the way he encourages me and gives me a boost of energy with his words, and then always reaching out and trying to help. And definitely helping us connect with God.

Q. You've tried to build personal relationships, not just with the O-line, but everyone on the team. Talk about the relationships you have with that running back room.

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Those guys, they hilarious. They're all characters. And our meeting rooms are next to each other for this exact reason, because we've got to be one of the closest groups. We stop by, peek our head in in a Coach Troop meeting, and they definitely do the same, just, "Hey," and all kinds of stuff.

And they like being around us. They like messing with us, push and chase, just going back and forth, me and EJ having a conversation and talking to freshmen. We have very close group.

Q. You talked about the Eagles' offensive line. Is there one of them that you look up to or someone that you'd like to play with alongside of in the future?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Play next to Lane Johnson would be special. Mekhi Becton, the way he changed his career last year and really showed up for the Eagles, big ticket for sure.

Q. I'm sure there are former Aggies that hang around the program. Any that you've met who have made an impact on you?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Erik McCoy, he's been a huge impact. Just learning his mental way he attacked the game and his process and how his senior year went for him.

Q. Are there any teammates that you notice that fly under the radar but are a huge contribution to the team and maybe have a chance this season to take a big leap?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: I feel like Cashius Howell is that player for us. If he got more snaps, he probably would have led the country in sacks. That guy can do things I haven't seen. He's very special. That says a lot about the two guys that was in front of him last year at the defensive end.

Also Dalton Brooks, he's probably one of the hardest-hitting football players I've ever been around. I've seen running backs run full speed at him, and his feet settle, and they go backwards.

So those two players right there.

Q. In your brotherhood of the football team, what have they added value to you?

AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS: Making this thing enjoyable. Making it fun. Making it an actual brotherhood. A lot of people in a lot of places preach that and say that, but here it's actually true. We talk about everything. We have a bunch of group chats, everything, just making it fun.

 

[Mark Wheeler]

Q. Do players, teammates notice who gets picked for these things?

TAUREAN YORK: For sure, 100 percent.

Q. Can you talk about the impact that Ar'maj has not only in the locker room but you go up against him in practice every day as well?

TAUREAN YORK: As far as the locker room goes, as soon as he got on campus he told me he always wanted to be an Aggie. That's something that stuck with me. He plays like he acts. He does the exact same thing.

On the field, he's a head buster. He's always going to try to get the best of you. When he gets the best of you he'll let you know about it. He's a tremendous force to be reckoned with, and I'm glad he's on my team.

Q. Where have you seen growth and development in Marcel this offseason as he becomes more of a leader for this team?

TAUREAN YORK: I mean, taking command of the offense for sure, being knowledgeable of the entire playbook. And the relationship he has with the receivers is what stands out to me.

Q. Have you been able to go in and see the College Football Hall of Fame yet?

TAUREAN YORK: I went to go check it. It's awesome.

Q. Did you see the A&M display?

TAUREAN YORK: The Von Miller Butkus Award-winner jersey? Checked it out.

Q. Want your thoughts on that. Is Von Miller one of those guys, being a linebacker, that's kind of maybe a motivation to you as an Aggie?

TAUREAN YORK: For sure. I walk by Von Miller's Butkus Award every day as I'm walking to and from the workouts and facility. Glad he went to A&M, and glad he also got signed by the Commanders recently.

Q. That Auburn game last year was a crazy one, four overtimes. How much extra motivation do you get entering the rematch this year knowing they stormed the field last year at Jordan-Hare?

TAUREAN YORK: I definitely understand the significance of that game. When they stormed the field, it was crazy. They stormed the field on us in South Carolina.

I'm glad Auburn will be coming back to Texas A&M and Kyle Field. I know Coach Durkin will be amped up and ready to go and coming back to his old stomping grounds. So that game has a lot of significance to it.

Q. Texas A&M is known for their strong rituals. Do any or your teammates have any strong rituals for pregame or superstitions that you guys abide by?

TAUREAN YORK: I just like Ar'maj slam the chair pregame. When we come out of the tunnel, we say the little chant. It gets the guys fired up. Whenever we say the chant I know everybody's on the same page and we're ready to go to war.

Q. Is there a particular opponent that means more to you or rivalry that you like to engage in?

TAUREAN YORK: Of course we have a lot of rivals, but as far as game week goes, our opponents are faceless. It's always more about what we do how and we execute as opposed to what the opposing team is doing.

Q. How would you describe Marcel Reed as a teammate? What have been some of your favorite moments with him so far?

TAUREAN YORK: My favorite moment with Marcel is celebrating after LSU, just knowing that his story and where he came from and what he had to do to put in the work to be the starting quarterback at A&M, he's one of my best friends on the team. I'm glad he's leading the charge for us.

Q. Coach Elko earlier was talking about Coach Taylor and just what he brings. I know it's the other side of the ball. But that seems to be somebody who has made a big impact on the program.

TAUREAN YORK: 100 percent, he made a big impact on me when he was recruiting me to Duke in high school. I'm happy everything came full circle, that he and Coach Elko came to Texas A&M.

How Coach Troop has the running backs in line and how he has command of the team, I'm happy. I'm blessed that God brought us back together.

Q. What is your biggest motivation that drives your competitiveness?

TAUREAN YORK: My biggest motivation would probably just be trying to prove to myself that all the work I put in is validated. A lot of man-hours each and every week into my craft and it's not something I take lightly.

The game of football has changed my life for the better and changed my family life as well. It's given us experiences like this and opportunities to travel the country. I love the game of football, and I'm blessed to be playing it.

Q. Shemar Stewart, you played along side him last season. What have you been able to learn from him taking into this season?

TAUREAN YORK: Shemar Stewart got drafted by the Bengals, and I'm seeing reports that he's coming back to play for us, which is crazy but I just let the media do their thing.

Shemar Stewart is a great friend of mine. Shemar was always very open to me. He always (indiscernible) as a person. Not a lot of people knew who I was. That's something that always stuck with me because he was always so nice and kind. He was open to building relationships with me.

Shemar was the No. 2 player in his class. And, me, I was, like, 978th. So for Shemar to talk to me before I played a snap at A&M, that's something that stood out to me.

Q. Who is someone on the defense this year maybe that could take people by surprise, maybe not on a lot of people's radar but you've noticed has really taken a step up?

TAUREAN YORK: Dayon Hayes for sure. We got him from Colorado. He's a tremendous football player, loves the game, plays with that type of passion. I'd probably say Dayon for sure.

Q. Other side of the ball offensively, especially the running back room, seems like at full health they can be really deep. What have you seen from them during practice?

TAUREAN YORK: In practice they give us headaches, just how they line up, what type of plays they run with all types of running backs. The entire stable, they can go at any moment, and that's all the way from walk-ons and Le'Veon Moss. It's a tribute to Coach Troop as well.

Q. I was wondering, A&M filmed the SEC Netflix special. How was that for you?

TAUREAN YORK: It was a tremendous experience for sure. Dave Targan and his crew, they did it the right way. They mic'ed us up for practice. They went with me and my family for Thanksgiving before the Texas game. We had a lot of interactions.

I'm looking forward to watch it. I hate it's coming out during fall camp, but I'll get around to watch it sometime soon.

 

[Mark Wheeler]

Q. A&M starts the season with five-of-six home games, including three straight SEC home games to open their SEC schedule. What type of statement do you guys want to make to the league and college football as a whole?

TAUREAN YORK: Rule number one, you've got to protect Kyle Field. Gotta protect Kyle Field, especially playing three SEC games, you know, that has implications on playoff matters as well.

You have to take care of Kyle Field. That's the homeland. Kyle Field is not something that we take for granted. The power of 12th man is real. We'll be ready to play with them for sure.

Q. Along those lines, just the boost that Kyle Field can provide, especially for a defense.

TAUREAN YORK: Kyle Field, for defense? It really helps the offense out. It hurts the opposing offense as well.

I saw for the first time we played Alabama my freshman year, that was back when Coach Saban was coaching as well so you know they'll be extremely disciplined. They had like six or seven false starts versus us. I think at one point it was like third and 28. I'm like, how is it all possible? It's all through the 12th man.

Q. Yesterday I asked DJ Lagway about coming to play at Kyle Field. He actually mentioned you all have played against each other in high school. He said you got the better of him, but he's excited to come back and play at Kyle Field. What have you seen from him last year getting to play him at the Swamp? And obviously you all came away with a pretty big win there?

TAUREAN YORK: DJ has no fear. That's something I knew when we played him when I was Temple versus Willis back in my senior year in 2022, to see DJ on the field last year was cool. This year, I know he'll be fired up as well. Willis isn't too far from Texas A&M. I know he will have a lot of family there. So will I. Looking forward to facing him to him. He's one of those quarterbacks that you always look forward to facing because you kind of have a relationship. You know his family and what he stands for. I'm ready for it.

Q. If you have the opportunity, which NFL player, former or active, would you like to pick their brain on your position?

TAUREAN YORK: From my position, Ray Lewis, for sure. And Luke Kuechly as well. I liked how Luke studied the game. He was (indiscernible) release at No. 1 or No. 2 as well.

When you talk that much in detail with some guys who really love football, we'd probably be in that room all day.

Q. As a fellow Aggie, I know you're probably about to receive your Aggie ring. How excited are you for that?

TAUREAN YORK: That's a big-time accomplishment, for sure.

I have some family who graduated from A&M, they're ready for me to get my ring. As far as the ring (indiscernible) goes, I never even drank a beer in my life. I'm not 21 yet. I don't know how I'm going to do it or if I'm going to do it because that ain't me at all.

Q. Do it under a minute?

TAUREAN YORK: Under a minute? No, ma'am. I'm not going to be able to do that. I'm just being honest with you. I've never even had a beer before. So to think that you have to drink an entire, what is it, like a gallon? A pitcher, to get your ring, I'm going to have to have help from my family. Seriously, though.

Q. What does it mean to be representing your program at SEC Media Days?

TAUREAN YORK: It's a big-time honor. It really is. Just knowing my story, knowing the work I had to put in to get to this spot, even just to get on the team, in general, in 2023. It was a lot of stuff had to go in place and a lot of factors that went into that.

But as far as just being up here on the stage, it's a big-time blessing, it really is. Knowing that my teammates truly respect me for who I am and what I stand for. They just know I love the game of football and I love my teammates as well.

We have little celebrations. We talk. I always make sure I tell them I appreciate them because I really do, because they changed my life and they allowed me to lead them without any resentment or any backlash from it.

If I lead them, I'm going to lead them tough. I'm going to tell them you can do better, you can bring the best out of you. That's what I'll continue to do for them.

I'm excited. These guys are very receptive to my leadership, and I'm thankful for that.