Tag: Wil Lee III

‘I think it will be a real strength’ Texas A&M’s cornerback room is taking shape

Texas A&M’s cornerback room is loaded, led by former Alabama CB Dezz Ricks who has looked the part during fall camp

As Texas A&M’s fall practice period enters its final stages before the Aggies prepare for the 2024 season opener vs. Notre Dame, head coach Mike Elko, alongside offensive coordinator Collin Klein and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, spoke to the local media after the program’s 14th fall practice on Saturday.

Ahead of the team’s final fall scrimmage on Sunday, Bateman, who has received praise for his coaching tactics from multiple players, discussed the immense progress made by A&M’s cornerback room, which features five new veterans from the transfer portal, including former Alabama CB Dezz Ricks.

Ricks, a 5-star prospect out of the prestigious IMG Academy in the 2023 recruiting class, left Tuscaloosa after one season, knowing that joining two of the best defensive minds in Collge Station was the right move for his playing career. According to Bateman, Ricks has consistently stood out this month, as his elite traits have shown up throughout the fall period.

“Dezz (Ricks), we have been really impressed with… Every practice he continued to impress, and he is really talented.”

“That corner room is really competitive, and I think it will be a real strength.”

Reading the term “strength” being associated with Texas A&M’s cornerback rotation is certainly a positive change of pace compared to last season’s ugly results. Senior corner Tyreek Chappell also noted that with the added depth, speed, and length at the outside corner and nickel, this unit has plenty of juice to be formidable and match up against any offense.

“A shutdown, lockdown secondary… I believe we can be the best defense in the league this year.”

No. 20-ranked Texas A&M will host No. 7-ranked Notre Dame on Saturday, August 31 at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ABC.

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Texas A&M CB Wil Lee III explains what makes Mike Elko a difference maker

Texas A&M’s secondary has a chance to steadily improve under Milke Elko’s structured game plan

Last week, amid Texas A&M’s seventh fall practice, Wil Lee III, a former Kansas State CB and one of the program’s newest cornerback additions from the transfer portal, took the podium to speak to the local media. Lee is primed to make an impact ahead of his first season in Aggieland.

The conclusion of Jimbo Fisher’s final season with the program was culminated by a secondary that lacked size, speed, and depth, ultimately resulting in nearly every one of A&M’s six losses on the year, as Fisher’s inability to acquire reliable veterans from the portal likely contributed to firing.

New head coach Mike Elko addressed the issue almost immediately after taking over last November, landing five cornerbacks, including Lee. Three corners from the Fisher era have also returned to the roster. While discussing the CB room’s development this offseason, Lee attributed Elko’s head coaching acumen to setting the secondary up for consistent success.

“He cares about the little things. You don’t see coaches teaching two-minute just play drives and stuff like that throughout practice and he tells us like, play at one speed, like we’ll change up practice days, we’ll have less yards than others, and we just play at one speed every day, and that’s fast.”

Speed has been lacking in the Aggie secondary for quite some time, but after recording 42 tackles, six pass deflections, and two interceptions during his final season with the Wildcats, Lee, along with every other future cornerback contributor, will help usher in the new era of Texas A&M football under Elko’s guidance.

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