The Pulse: Texas A&M Football | "The Elko Era Begins" | S11 Ep1

you got to pay the cost to be the boss every day every opportunity you get you come out here work your tail off and in the end we're going to be successful we have to be meaner tougher nastier and we got to want it more than the next guy all right the team that wants it the most will win and that's year round okay baby great job [Music] good job there we go good angle good angle it is a new season it is a new era for Texas A&M you give it all you got let's go [Music] [Applause] [Music] hey man it's another day in the office man it's a blessing just to be here hey man cuz I do this with a smile on my face man what's there to complain about I play for Texas A&M and I'm from Texas coach what is there to complain about come on here we go here we go go 55 save lives baby love you co come on got to be a Workhorse now got to be a Workhorse yes sir let's go fut which way we going get it baby come on let work come on pre-season Camp has the Aggies sound off before they can hear the 12th man in Kyle Field they have to put in the work we definitely had a I wouldn't say a slow start but we had a lot to kind of figure out at the beginning but once we got through the first week we really got rolling and now we've got that cohesiveness with o line especially and the offense as a whole we're just got getting all 11 people on the same page cuz if you only have 10 guys doing their job and that one guy doesn't the whole play doesn't work so just getting 11 guys on the same page every single day we're all about consistency I mean everybody can do something wants but to do it over and over again until we can't do it wrong I mean that was our goal and I felt like we did a pretty good job of that I got a lot closer with the guys you know cuz in Spring it's more about like you know earning a spot a little bit more and you're more individualized and the fall Camp is like building that together so you know you know I feel I got closer with the team and I feel like the defensive line we definitely got closer for me just getting back you know running around putting the pads on is always blessing for me man got some of the things that I wanted to work on got those things fixed narrowed the things down that I wanted to work on like on the defensive side of the ball we are communicating at a high level we running around playing fast flying around I love the direction our team is training again especially after fall Camp you know I feel like we ironed out a lot of details that we hadn't picked up on throughout summer and spring ball so I think Camp was pretty successful for us this team is finding its identity as each individual finds out how they fit and gets more comfortable in their own role when it was announced I was a captain I feel like I had take control of the entire team at that point of course I called the defense last year I a leader of the defense but now like I had shift my perspective to special teams and offense as well so I've been trying to be more engaged on what's going on offense and special teams and make sure everybody's approaching the game the right way I'm a hardn player I mean if I need to run it up the middle I'm going to run it up the middle I'm going to do whatever the team needs me to do I'm going to do whatever coach asked me to do and I'm going to make some plays and people are going to smile and I'm going to put some balls on the money and it's going to wow some people so I'm just ready to go out there and play this Saturday you know I'm I'm a goofy I'm I'm a goofy guy on the field like I don't try to make any moment too serious Rain r go away come another day the itsy byy spider oh yeah bro stop ping people in the eye bro you know after I make plays I like to get up and you know dance celebrate I I'm I'm a big like I love to interact with the fans like if you see me on third down I'll be hyping the crowd up and stuff like that I'm a big guy who likes to be active in the community you know and be out with fans and you know build relationships and you know and give my gloves to the little kids after the games things like that it's kind of guy I am so I've always tried to lead by example every single day so I think I already had done that but I really wanted to grow as a vocal leader cuz that's probably what wasn't one of my strong suits so I really grew my voice on the team and really was calling people out good and bad every single day to keep everyone on the same page and moving forward I'm a team player I'm I'm going make sure that all of my brothers are good all of my brothers are playing hard um I'm the type of guy that's going to always give 100% no matter what and I'm going to hit hard that's one thing about I'm going to be a hard hitter at all times just bringing back something feel like just been missing something I feel like that's what I bring that's why I was brought here um to put the Goon back in my own goons you know and it's time to show it and I just I just really want to play football what's unique about ANM compared to other schools is we get our tickets the week before the game instead of having like general admission tickets so we on Monday morning which is now 8 days away I believe we will at 8:00 a.m. we will these windows behind us will open up and we'll be able to get our tickets but in order to get the best tickets you got to be at the front of the line and in order to be at the front of the line the way it's been for from what I have heard decades is you got to camp out out the 12 man's wait for Aggie football's return is in the home stretch some take up a new temporary residence as game day approaches good pizza man you know about to give it out nice to the community good pepperoni pieces and he got cheese giving out for the people we are Good Samaritans we appreciate the people man they out here oh you're good you're good you're good they out here camping out for us we going to take care of them even not Pizza Notre Dame week got a bunch of people camping out I don't know how they do it I could never but gig them baby man it's it's insane I don't even like I've never I've never been around anything like this and it's just crazy to see the dedication and how much they have like so much love for it so that just makes me want to go and play better you know put on show make make sure this this year is entertaining not for us but for for those guys as well man and and they're special good people you know like when I came back uh they show so much love man it just I appreciate them so much whenever I was going to and from class it was raining and people were still out there with their um Brothers with their tents on other agies were helping each other out whenever it was raining they let them come in their tent even though they might have known the people so I feel like the agie network is real you know so I'm proud to be at A&M Aggie and I'm proud for them to be our fans I think the appreciation I have for the 12th man runs so deep you know being the defensive coordinator here for four years and knowing the advantage they gave us and Kyle Field and hearing them at their loudest moment moments um you know when we beat Alabama when we beat LSU those those crowds those things last in your brain forever and so um yeah I think part of me deciding to come here was the immense appreciation I had for the 12th man and the the history and tradition that surrounds this program and so uh this would be a really cool experience to witness it on the field though this be the first time I actually get on the field to be part of it and so uh looking forward to that for sure and that field will have a new look after the grounds crew turned it into their own canvas so a lot of new changes on Kyle Field this year um first and I think the center piece is going to be the new Midfield logo we've gone from the Block ATM logo at Midfield to the lone star logo um secondary to that is some Maroon fill in the end zones um and then the third major change people are going to see is we've gone we've added a six foot border to the field that's actually going to bring maroon field as well um and it's actually going to have a couple of logos and a lot of that stem from just conversations with Coach Elco um kind of his vision for the program what he wants to see what he wants to build um and so obviously at the end of our day end of the day our job is to give them the best surface and you know the look that they're going for um so we're bringing all that together and hopefully giving them what they [Music] want there's always the excitement of first game of the year leading up the buildup to it um then you add in all the new facets um and that's twofold because it's new for us and so it's a whole new routine we're trying to figure out the timing Logistics and how to do this the best way um and maximize it to where everything's perfect on Saturday um but then yeah you also get that added excitement of like okay we're we're doing new and exciting things and things that have never been seen on Kyle Field before um so there's that aspect of it it's that duality of the the challenge of the new but the excitement of it as well the season gets closer the buzz gets louder but max volume can't be achieved until final preps are made welcome to Mecca of all college football stadiums Kyle Field for those of you all who have been here before welcome home and for those of y'all who are experiencing Kyle Field for the first time at midnight welcome to the greatest college football tradition of all time the plls Texas A&M football is presented by Creston a new home Community by Johnson development the 12thman foundation proudly celebrating 75 years of funding Texas A&M Athletics and ABC Home and Commercial Services official Pest Control partner of Texas A&M Athletics game game ride from College Station [Music] Texas debut of the mik Elco AR what a morning in College Station and what a way to get things started the First full Saturday of the college football [Music] season how you going to handle this crowd I mean the noise here is really significant especially at night game day pick we got Johnny Manel in the I'm Aion the let's go I'm wi it's here it's finally game day no more talk it's time to walk the walk [Music] hows it is a new season it is a new era for Texas A&M it's The fighting Texas aies it's the Fighting Irish of one let's go it's that time there go hey lock arms lock your arms just like this a good Circle a family that praise together together God just like you said Joshua 1 19 have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous do not be afraid do not be discouraged for the Lord Our God will be with you wherever you go Lord I know you with me Lord I know you watching over this whole team and we love you we thank you for the many BL you given us spite of our sin Jesus name I pray amen bless this team watch over their families protect these young men from the dangers both seen and unseen God and we going to give your name to praise and glory to serve in your son's name we pray amen bring it in here let's go bring it in here let's go now let's go 1 2 3 Let's Go everybody to win disrespect some we're eyes up get where you same Real Simple Plan right win the turnover battle offensively protect the ball like it means everything defensively take it away like it is the game win on special teams play smart penalty-free football make the plays that make the difference on special teams win situational football offensively we convert third downs we score touchdowns in the Red Zone defensively we get off the field on third down we hold them the field goals in the red zone and when it gets to the fourth quarter you find a whole new level and you turn it up and you finish eight months we focused on the now right what do we have to do now to be successful and finally now is game day finally now is that moment you have worked 8 months getting ready for it you are ready you are prepared to the level you need to to go out there and be successful but that Focus still matters reset every play Reset every play Reset every play that Focus has to be there it can't be the environment it can't be the crowd it can't be what you want to happen you stare him right in the ey and you let him know it's me it's me and I'm coming all night and I will not stop you will not beat me I will not take no go get [Applause] it two one [Applause] two some new looks to start the new era but an old staple lights up Kyle upon the Aggie's entrance Ladi and [Music] [Applause] gentl the captains meet in the lone star logo number seven is Notre Dame number 20 is Texas A&M and the agies get it first it's the opener for 2024 will let it go Conor wigman quarterback for the agies on the first play from scrimmage wigman across the middle complete Cyrus Allen First Catch 15 yds to the 40 now in motion Thomas orbit give to Moss couple of yards to the 44 yd line third and two for the Aggies from their own 48 it's Moss right side across Midfield first down they needed two they got four five at the line of scrimmage for Notre Dame wigman in the pocket pressure from his right completes Watson to the 24 yd line an 18yd gain a first and 10 from the Notre Dame 24 wigman Looking left now across the middle and now he's going to run directing traffic out of bounds inside the 20 and nearly horse collar on the right side the snap to wigman quickly out of the back field and too far ahead for EJ Smith incomplete that was the right call oh he had a great call and if he just if this ball is a foot closer this the first down and the right footed Randy Bond trying for the first points of this game good snap and hold and Randy Bond caps the Aggie Drive 707 to play in our first Texas A&M three Notre Dame nothing as a bruising Affair continues a mistake cost the Aggies a Defender and Notre Dame is poised to score and it's for loss oh Shamar Turner cleans it up receiver screen to fison gets outside and just shy of the first down tackled by Will Lee 46 yds away Mitch cheeter kick ties this game at three after Notre Dame ties the game both teams trade punts an exchange the agies will take with the way Tyler white is debuting in maroon and white high spiral by white phas on a fair catch at the 13 yd line snap to Leonard spinning has him in the sights sidearm sling is incomplete three and out Dave and three and out wigman pump fake now runs back up the middle near the first down I think he Dives that's a head first slide for the former baseball player first down on that sweep right to left Jay Walker across the Notre Dame 45 yard line there's a handoff stutter step right up the middle Mari Daniels oh there's the there's the new Strength for a play action fake receiver screen ducking inside to about the 32 yd line three ydd shy Jay Walker and then Randy Bond comes on again in a game of field position and defensive dominance A&M goes up again with another Randy bond field goal it's 63 Aggies the Defense Forces Another Irish punt but they get an interception and get it right back they turn it into a field goal and make it at 66 all even again 53 seconds left second and 10 stepping up wigman cross the middle wigman intercepted at the 48 yd Line This is a run to the left nap with a nice block but willly the third is there that's going to do it for a first half they're going to let it go that's going to be the end of the half four field goals two a piece and after 30 minutes Texas a Notre Dame tied at six [Applause] the pulse Texas A&M football is presented by Creston a new home Community by Johnson development the 12thman foundation proudly celebrating 75 years of funding Texas A&M Athletics and ABC Home and Commercial Services official Pest Control partner of Texas A&M Athletics it has to be go to go put that in so two quarters right Every Time We Touch the field y'all should have an idea what the expectation is hey eyes on me lock in right I'm going tell you this right now lock in and focus on the details right defensively get the signals understand down and distance make sure we're communicating crack a place on the perimeter Corners tighten down right and we get them in second long we got to stop driv we got to get off the field offensively right we got to stop making self-inflicted runes right we're killing ourselves too many penalties right in critical situations but we got to win separate and get open against manto man you're right where you want to be you're at home three and a half hours that was the deal three and 1/2 hours whatever it takes right it's your time it's your time go out there and play the way you know how M Dame gets possession tied at six and off up the middle a Shamar crashes down from his right defensive end no gain third and one it's a run by love he didn't get it I don't know if he it's second effort this is going to be close no he didn't get it where they're running in it's going to be fourth down fourth and one from shy of the 34 Leonard's going to take it up the middle first down still in his feet to the 41 yd line it's pressure up diving underneath Bryce Anderson with the hits loss of one another tackle for L Leonard's going to run at the 45 two yd shy as he hit right shoulder hits Damen Sanford on the tackle it'll be a fourth and two and Notre Dame's going for it give Leonard up the middle Leonard short second effort I don't know if he made it or not it doesn't look it doesn't look like it from the Notre Dame sideline come the chains shorts 12 man told you if he made it or nots that's right [Applause] wigman pressure from his left complete breaking out of a tackle and aead to the 39 yd line Jay Walker from the shotgun threw it behind the intended target Shane Calhoun fourth down looks like the aies are going to go for it got some movement no flag Wickman right side incomplete the aies had a chance to grab momentum in the third quarter but it was just out of reach Notre Dame takes possession of the lead with the first touchdown of the game the defense keeps digging in now the offense needs to find its footing it's a hand off to the ls and with a little burst of speed and some strength a first down gain for Levon Moss pushed ahead by Demetrius Crown over for another five yds Convoy inside the 40 for a first down Smith up the middle couldn't hold inside the 10 to the seven yd line Levan Levan touchdown right up the gut y Kyle has been electric all night and the defense keeps the energy up the offense tries to mount a go-ahead drive but comes up just short on third down the Irish Arch and score A&M is almost out of luck 154 and 75 yds to go down 2013 low snap Conor sidearm sling not ready for Noah Thomas they were not on the same page fourth and two he's going to throw rifled incomplete intended for Walker clock is at 30 with 104 remaining so about 30 seconds be left 46 yd attempts for Jeter hit it ceiling this Notre Dame Victory it's 23-13 [Music] k [Music]