‘There is no better place to play’: Q&A with Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman

Bateman sat down with the Aggie Football social media team for a Q&A and he had a lot to say about his first few months in College Station.

Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman recently sat down with the Aggie Football social media team for a brief Q&A and he had a lot to say about his first few months in College Station.

Question: First impressions of the program?

Answer: I think the main thing is getting back to work with Mike has been great. You get back in the room with him, it’s been awesome. Feel really good about who we’ve added to the team. I feel really good about the kids that were on the team.

“I knew that, when you’re recruiting, you knew how talented they were, especially at some positions on defense. So I think to get here and get to work has been great.”

Q: What is it like to work with coach Elko?

A: I think he’s really driven, really bright. I think a lot of the things defensively people do in college football right now, Mike started. To get back with him, we have a lot of the same philosophies. We kind of grew up in this thing together and I think to get back has been awesome.”

Q: What kind of player are you looking for on defense?

A: I want guys that play with great passion and great effort. I think when you have those two things, we’re going to recruit good enough athletes here. Like when you play with passion, you play with effort, things are going to be pretty good.

“When people sit down in the stands, I want them to know that we’re going to play really, really hard for Texas A&M. We will play with great effort and play with great physicality. I think when they cut that film on Sunday to get ready for us, I want the opposing team to be a little bit nervous about coming in here.”

Q: What makes this program special?

A: “There’s very few places that you can go play in this conference and to a great degree, this is one of them. I played here two years ago and I was working at another school. We kicked off at 11 a.m. when 102,000 people sat in the stands.

“There is no better atmosphere, there is no better crowd, there is no better place to play. To do that and get a degree from a school like this is pretty unique.

“My formative years as a football player, the Wrecking Crew was the Wrecking Crew, right? I remember all of them guys. Quentin Coryatt, all of them guys. The first day you get here, you walk through the hallway and you see the statues, trophies & awards and you’re like ‘Holy moly,’ some of the best players to have ever played this game played here.

“I think as a coach you’re saying to yourself, ‘OK man, it’s my job to uphold this tradition. It’s my job to get these kids ready to play at that level of football.’ I think that’s a challenge but it’s one that you embrace if you’re a competitor.”

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