Press Conference: Coordinators Reflect on A&M’s First Six Spring Practices

Thursday marks Texas A&M’s seventh spring practice as the Maroon & White continue preparing for the 2025 season. On Wednesday, coordinators Jay Bateman and Collin Klein, along with Bryce Anderson, spoke with the media.

Below are paraphrased notes from Wednesday’s media session:

Jay Bateman

Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart are excellent players. If you look at how we utilized Cashius Howell in the bowl game, he’s a bit smaller than those two but has the ability to drop back in coverage. There’s a commitment to a more traditional EDGE player.

Everyone needed to improve, and that includes the linebackers. When we arrived, we were patching things together due to a lack of depth. Now we have more depth. Myles Davis is progressing well. There are fewer moving parts now, which will benefit us significantly.

Lyle Hemphill is another valuable voice in the room and has been extremely helpful.

I believe Dayon Hayes will play a key role in our defense. We’re thrilled with the freshmen class, especially Marco Jones, who is unique, and Noah Mikhail, who has been fantastic.

We’ve made significant schematic adjustments. I feel confident about our solution in the passing game, and Mike Elko agrees. No one was excluded from these discussions.

We’ve worked on fundamental areas, and there have been changes to our scheme. Taurean York, Daymion Sanford, and Scooby Williams understand this. Another year in the system will help them develop further.

Jones is a smart and talented player, and we believe the sky’s the limit for him.

Elko is one of the best defensive minds, and he’s been more involved. It’s not a complete overhaul, but it’s been a very positive experience, and he’s well aware of what we’re doing.

A significant portion of our missed tackles came in space, and we allowed too much room for very skilled players. I think we’ve made noticeable improvements in this area.

Chace Sims will be a standout player. DJ Sanders is extremely talented. We fought hard to recruit them. Cobey Sellers impressed us with his football IQ. Jamar Beal-Goines has been out with a shoulder injury, but Rashad Johnson’s physical ability is evident.

The older players’ ability to correct mistakes is far ahead of the younger players, and this will help bring them along. The first year is always the most challenging.

It’s Autism Awareness Day. My son has autism, and one in 37 children now has autism. The community in College Station, where he attends school, has been incredibly supportive. I’m thankful for everyone’s kindness.

Collin Klein

Every year, the quarterback position evolves and develops its own identity. We will have a better foundation this year to execute what we want to do.

Our mentality centers around continuous improvement, and I’m happy with the way our practice mentality has been. We’ve worked on various combinations, and while we have returners, developing depth and creating competition have been very positive.

Marcel Reed has made noticeable gains, particularly in his body composition. If he continues to progress, we’ll find that healthy balance.

Mario Craver’s speed has already been a noticeable difference for us. Craver and Ashton Bethel-Roman bring speed to the field, and KC Concepcion has been phenomenal. He’s making plays and is one of our top competitors. Theo Melin Öhrström and Nate Boerkircher continue to develop at tight end, while Amari Niblack has been outstanding. I’m proud of all of them.

Each year is different. Fortunately, we haven’t faced significant injuries this spring, though last fall we dealt with some challenges. The most significant improvement I’ve seen is in the overall team speed. Young players like Deondrae “Tiger” Riden and Jamarion Morrow are showing they can really move.

Our tight end group will be deeper and more established than it was last year. We’re focusing on building a strong foundation to ensure the fundamentals are solid.

The speed and timing of play directly impact the quarterback’s decision-making. We’re seeing those things come together as spring progresses.

From a messaging perspective, we need to finish plays, lock in, and focus. Every inch counts, and that starts with us as a coaching staff.

I’m very proud of our quarterback room. Jacob Zeno has a wealth of football experience and is already a great teammate. Brady Hart has impressed me; he’s handled the moment well and studied hard. Miles O’Neill has made tremendous progress since last year.

Rueben Owens is getting closer to reaching his potential. We’re seeing flashes of what he can do, and I have no doubt he’ll be a major difference-maker.

There are many more knowns now, and as a staff, we’ve made significant strides as well. Being around our players, we understand that every inch matters. It’s been an incredible journey, and we’re excited about the direction we’re heading.