Fall camp is officially wrapping up, right? Texas A&M’s 2026 season kicks off real soon, September 5 against the Missouri State Bears, and if you want to know what kind of squad this is, you gotta listen to Defensive Coordinator Lyle Hemphill. The man just spilled the absolute truth on what it takes to not just win, but *dominate* the SEC. He’s talking about a serious three-part plan to make every opponent miserable, and frankly, it sounds like he’s got this unit dialed in for something special.
This Secondary Is Ready to Absolutely EAT
One player Hemphill can’t stop raving about is defensive back Jordan Shaw. He called Shaw “very consistent,” the “same Jordan Shaw” every single day, just always doing his job, “super consistent.” That’s the kind of bedrock consistency you build a defense around, especially in a league like the SEC where every snap is a battle. Shaw’s own words echo that swagger, saying he’s “definitely confident in this secondary,” and that they’ve “got a lot of pieces.”
And get this: Rickey Gibson III and Chance Collins? Apparently, these guys were snagging “a pick every day” in fall camp. That’s insane! Julian Humprey had a “good camp” too. Shaw straight up said “everybody in the secondary has been doing good.” That kind of daily takeaway ability? That’s how you win big games. Shaw himself focused this offseason on learning the playbook “in and out,” getting “bigger,” and being “more vocal” so he could be a leader. This unit sounds absolutely fired up and ready to prove themselves on the biggest stage, exactly what Shaw came to A&M for, feeling it was a “good fit” and that Coach Elko cared “deeper than football.”
The Three Keys to Shutting Everyone Down
Hemphill wasn’t shy about his blueprint for a successful season, laying out three critical points: “Number one, we’ve got to stop the run consistently. Number two, we’ve got to take the ball away. Number three, we’ve got to disrupt the passer.” He’s firm that they “can never let a quarterback just sit back there and feel comfortable throwing the ball.” That’s a philosophy that’ll drive offensive coordinators nuts all year.
He hammered home the core truth for any dominant defense: “Everything starts up front.” He doesn’t care what coverage you play, he says, “if you can’t rush the passer they’re going to find it.” For Hemphill, it’s all about “stopping the run, making people one-dimensional, rushing the passer.” Everything truly *starts* there. Even with losing Daymion Sanford for “a couple months,” which Hemphill called “the worst thing in the world,” it forced “other guys to step up” and “lit a fire under some of the younger guys.” He’s “very happy with the progress of the linebackers,” and the defense is “getting better” at “run fits” and their overall “execution just needs to continue to get better every day.”
This team is rolling into Mike Elko’s third season with serious momentum, fresh off an 11-0 start in 1992 and their first College Football Playoff appearance. Despite the offseason changes, the talent and experience are there to “exceed expectations” this year. When they hit the field against Missouri State on September 5, all eyes will be on how this defense executes Hemphill’s game plan. Can they prove the talk is real and shut down the run, take away the ball, and get after the passer? This season kicks off with sky-high stakes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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