Texas A&M Aggies Defensive Coordinator Shares Biggest Concern

The Texas A&M Aggies have recruited outstandingly over the last several years, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Largely for that reason, the roster that Mike Elko is inheriting as the new head coach is certainly not one that lacks in talent and even enters the category of elite at some positions. On-paper talent was never the issue under Jimbo Fisher , it was getting the most out of that talent that eluded Elko's predecessor.

Under a new regime, Elko and his staff are now tasked with getting the most out what's in the room. Nobody knows this better than new defensive coordinator Jay Bateman , who Elko hired from Florida . Bateman was asked during his Tuesday fall camp media availability this week what his biggest area of concern with the unit is right now, and his answer displayed the fact that he knows the Aggies have the talent.

"I think that my area of concern with the defense is the things we control, like how hard we play, how physical we play, our communication, our preparation. Those are my concerns. I think we have good enough players to be successful," Bateman said . "I think it's establishing a standard of what preparation looks like, of what effort looks like, of what physicality looks like. I think we've got some leaders on this football team that know what it looks. I think Shemar Stewart , I think Taurean York , I think Will Lee , I think all those guys know what those things are. It's establishing that standard and meeting that standard. I think that's what drives me right now."

Bateman will have to hope that the standard can be established quick with the opener against Notre Dame sitting just a few weeks away.