Like it is

Addition of Chavis lifts Aggies, stirs Tigers

Former LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis reacts before an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, September 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Jonathan Bachman)

Texas A&M kicked off the 2014 college football season on a hot Thursday night in Columbia, S.C., by kicking South Carolina 52-28.

A&M's performance on national television impressed the voters, and the Aggies and Gamecocks traded places in the polls that following Monday, with A&M jumping from No. 21 to No. 9, and USC falling from No. 9 to No. 21.

The attention on the Aggies was more widespread than voters in polls, and when the Aggies outscored their next three opponents 169-19 (Lamar, 73-3; Rice, 38-10 and SMU 58-6) no one was talking about Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, who had left early for the NFL draft.

Kenny Hill was the quarterbacking thrill.

Even when Texas A&M escaped with a 35-28 overtime victory over Arkansas, a game in which the Razorbacks clearly had the opportunities to win, most thought it was a momentary letdown.

It was more than that. The car was falling apart.

The Aggies lost three consecutive before beating Louisiana-Monroe and Auburn, then lost to Missouri and LSU at Kyle Field. The 5-0 start turned into a 2-5 finish, although the Aggies did get a victory over West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl.

So one might have thought the opening statement by Coach Kevin Sumlin during SEC football media days earlier this month would have included a small slice of humble pie.

Not exactly.

"I made a promise to my wife that I will not be combative today," Sumlin said.

And he wasn't trying to be humorous. If he was, he needs a lot more practice.

The Aggies have 12 starters back, six on each side of the ball, and one of them is not Hill, who transferred to TCU after last season.

Which brings up the point that Texas A&M has been making a lot of noise about having replaced Texas as the No. 1 team in the Lone Star State.

Truth is, the Aggies may have moved in front of the Longhorns but are solidly behind TCU and Baylor.

Texas A&M is alive for five: It goes for its fifth consecutive bowl game and fifth consecutive bowl victory, so there is a reason for the Aggies to be feeling good about themselves as the Longhorns are coming off a manhandling by the Razorbacks in the Texas Bowl last December.

Sumlin did have a heck of a recruiting year since last season, and it had nothing to do with players.

He stole John Chavis away from LSU. Chavis, fed up with Les Miles' version of offense, is considered one of the nation's best defensive coordinators, and Chavis doesn't have to do much to improve the Aggies, who were ranked 102nd in total defense last season out of 125 teams.

Texas A&M might have been the nation's most balanced football team in a bad way. The offense averaged 455 yards per game while the defense gave up 451 yards.

Chavis, who won the 2011 Broyles Award as the nation's outstanding assistant, has coached 19 players who ended up the NFL, so LSU was not happy about him leaving and a fight broke out between the Tigers, Aggies and Chavis about a $400,000 buyout.

Needless to say the season-ending game between LSU and A&M has ascended into a real rivalry.

Sumlin was asked if beating LSU was "kind of" one of the reasons he hired Chavis and he said: "I didn't kind of. That exactly what I did."

The Aggies' first six games are in Texas, including opening with Arizona State in Houston and playing the Hogs in Arlington. They leave their home state to play at Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and LSU.

When TV folks got the SEC to switch LSU's final regular-season game from Arkansas to A&M they were hoping for a rivalry. They got much more than they bargained for.

Sports on 07/29/2015