What a 2009 football season it was for Texas A&M pass-rushing master Von Miller.
The 6-foot-3, 243-pounder led the nation in sacks with 17. He was a unanimous All-Big 12 choice. And he became the first Aggie in 10 years to earn first-team All-America honors (Sports Illustrated, Sporting News).
So why on earth is Texas A&M, which hosts Nebraska on Nov. 20, changing from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 that moves Miller, a projected second-round NFL pick last year, away from the line of scrimmage?
“I had 17 sacks last year and we only won six games,’’ he said. “To get somewhere new, you’ve got to change stuff up.’’
What new location interests the Aggies, who haven’t finished in the Top 25 in 11 years?
“Winning a Big 12 championship,’’ Miller said. “I’d die a happy man.’’
Most Big 12 followers might die of shock if Texas A&M, 10-15 in two years under Mike Sherman, even gets to the title game.
Yes, the Aggies are this year’s trendy pick to have a breakout season. But it won’t happen without radical improvement on defense.
As good as Miller was last year, the rest of the Aggie defense was not good.
That unit, to the embarrassment of those who remember A&M football for its Wrecking Crew defenses, finished 105th nationally in yards allowed. At least that was better than 114th in 2008.
Those results led to a coordinator change, with Joe Kines resigning and Tim DeRuyter arriving from Air Force.
Sherman said with the difficulty in finding quality defensive tackles, changing to a 3-4 should help A&M utilize its current players better and open recruiting doors.
“We’ve had a great history of linebacker play in the 3-4 defense in the state of Texas,’’ he said. “I felt like we could find four quality linebackers who could impact our defense.’’
Miller will be one of those, moving from rush end to outside linebacker.
“I’ll be lined up a little bit to the left and a little bit back farther,’’ he said. “I’ll be dropping into coverage more, and I won’t be rushing the quarterback as much.’’
That’s a head-scratcher of a plan for the nation’s sack leader.
“Von may very well have diminished statistics from last year, but be a more capable player,’’ Sherman said. “My whole objective with him is that he distracts an offense and causes concern for a quarterback.’’
Let’s go back to Miller. Are you more comfortable in a 3-point stance as a rush end or upright as a linebacker?
“I feel most comfortable after the ball is snapped,’’ he said, smiling. “It really doesn’t matter where I line up. I just need to know what I’m doing.’’
Hours and hours of film study help Miller get a head start on knowing what to do.
“Being 120 pounds lighter than those dudes up front, you’ve got to have some sort of plan going in,’’ he said. “I probably watch more film during the week than I practice. That contributes to my success.’’
Success has been elusive for Texas A&M since it upset Kansas State in the 1998 Big 12 championship game.
The overall winning percentage in that stretch: .529. In league play: .465, with no mark better than 5-3.
But Miller, who spurned the NFL to play his senior season, believes in the dream.
“I feel it’s a very special time in Aggieland,’’ he said. “I really feel like we’re ready to make the next step. We’ve been through two trial years, and we threw 17 freshmen into the fire last year.’’
Sherman admits that with Nebraska going to the Big Ten in a year, the Big 12 “needs A&M to step up to the plate’’ as a marquee team.
Miller says, “We’re super close.’’
But history tells us that a team that went 0-7 in televised games last season — meaning against good opponents — and allowed 36 points a game in Big 12 play needs to stop wishing and start doing.
Contact the writer:
444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com
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