Everything Texas A&M coordinators said in Tuesday's media availability

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Kickoff against Missouri State on Saturday, Sept. 5, is inching closer, marking the debut of Texas A&M's new offensive and defensive coordinators.

After spending the last two seasons in Bryan-College Station as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, Holmon Wiggins is preparing for his first campaign as the primary play-caller, entering his 23rd year coaching football. The Los Angeles, California, native was named the replacement for Colin Klein, who accepted the head coaching opening at his alma mater, Kansas State.

The return of quarterback Marcel Reed and a slew of playmakers like Mario Craver, Terry Bussey, Ashton Bethel-Roman and Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton provides Wiggins with one of the most talented groups in the Southeastern Conference.

On the other side of the ball, Lyle Hemphill is set for his first year as defensive coordinator, after being in the same role at James Madison in 2024. Last season, he served as the associate head coach for the defense, but was promoted after Jay Bateman left to be Kentucky's defensive coordinator.

While Mike Elko is the primary defensive mastermind of the Aggies, Hemphill has been coaching for 24 years and has spent eight total seasons as the primary defensive coordinator with the Dukes, Wake Forest and Stony Brook.

Both new Aggie coordinators will have their work cut out for them against a nine-game conference schedule, but their experience and mindset, combined with the talent on both units, could help lead the program back to the College Football Playoff in 2026.

Here is everything Wiggins and Hemphill said, as Texas A&M prepares for the upcoming season:

Wiggins on how his offense is progressing early in fall camp

"Pretty much, any good coach is going to try to tailor what they do to the personnel and the players that they have," Wiggins said. "We have some really good pieces. I'm excited about them. We're five days into camp, and we're starting to figure some things out."

Wiggins discusses wide receiver Terry Bussey's progression

"Terry Bussey came in with a lot of praise… The biggest handcuff for him was injuries," Wiggins said. "Now, he's getting a chance to stay healthy. Smart player. Tough player. … We're excited about Bussey and where he's at because he's picking up exactly what we're trying to do."

Wiggins on running back Rueben Owens' development

"Rueben (Owens) cares. He has an idea of what he sees himself to be, and he didn't play to that standard. This spring, this summer and in fall camp, he has put himself in a good spot," Wiggins said.

Wiggins on the competition among Texas A&M's offense, especially in the trenches

"There's competition all over the place. The biggest thing for us is making sure we run the ball consistently," Wiggins said. "The offensive line has done a great job of taking on that stress, coming out and making sure they move the line of scrimmage."

Wiggins talks about the importance of moving the pocket

"A lot of defenses have seen how athletic the quarterback is, and for us, that gives us the ability to put him on the perimeter," Wiggins said. "We play some animals in this league, and if you're playing off one spot, that gives those guys the advantage."

Wiggins' thoughts on this year's running back group

"You talk about the 'stable' as a collective. That's a tremendous group," Wiggins said.

Wiggins talks about quarterback Marcel Reed and his progression as a signal-caller this offseason

"For him, he stayed steady. The biggest thing for us was making consistent improvements and daily deposits," Wiggins said. "We're trying to tailor everything to his skill set, and now, you see him doing some stuff and taking more command of the offense… He's continuing to build confidence through our practices."

Wiggins is carrying over wisdom from one of the greatest college football head coaches of all time

"Coach Saban used to say it's hard to be a good coach if you don't have good players," Wiggins said. "The biggest thing is putting our best 11 out there. … We're going to find ways to get playmakers on the field."

Wiggins on Reed improving ball security

"That's a huge emphasis on what we're trying to do. Turnovers played a huge part, as well as penalties and not running the ball consistently. That starts with the quarterback," Wiggins said.

Wiggins feels good about the nucleus of the Texas A&M offense

"I want to make sure that I'm present… Me being around shows those guys that there's some importance there," Wiggins said. "We feel like we've got really good clay as far as the nucleus of guys that we have."

Wiggins on quarterbacks coach Joey Lynch and how his coaching has helped Reed continue to develop at a high rate

"It has been great. Coach (Joey) Lynch has been a coordinator in this league," Wiggins said. "You can see Marcel and his growth as far as understanding of what we're doing… We're asking more of the quarterback, and he's doing a great job of that and making sure he's ready for that."

Wiggins on Reed's influence

"This offense is going to go as he goes," Wiggins said.

Hemphill on the linebacking corps

"The one thing that I thought everyone was missing, they improved," Hemphill said. "Everybody in that group has made some good strides."

Hemphill discusses linebacker Ray Coney's development

"He's everything I thought he'd be. He's 6-1, 240-plus. He's loose and athletic. He's a thumper. You can see why he had the tackles he had," Hemphill said. "Now that he's been here for a minute, he's starting to figure it out. He's going to be a hell of a player."

Hemphill on the status of the defensive line

"You're trying to adapt to who you are as a football team. I think we have havoc-makers in the front four," Hemphill said. "Take stuff off their plate, and let them go create havoc."

Hemphill's thoughts on Northwestern transfer Anto Saka

"He's a physical kid. He can run fast. He uses his hands. He's violent," Hemphill said. "The system he played in at Northwestern and the one we're playing here is different for him. … He can do it all. He's a really smart kid. Really pleased with his progress."

Hemphill on the competition at nickel

"We've got three to four guys competing right now," Hemphill said. "(Jordan Shaw) has had a good camp. Bravion (Rogers) and Bryce Anderson are both playing there right now and doing a nice job so far."

Hemphill discusses development in Texas A&M's secondary

"Julio (Humphrey) has elevated his game. He has gotten more confident. … Dezz (Ricks) is Dezz," Hemphill said. "Throw (Rickey Gibson) and some young guys in the mix that are doing well right now, and we've got a good problem at corner."

Hemphill gives a status update on linebacker Daymion Sanford

"He's getting really close to 100 percent… I'm really impressed with how he has handled this thing," Hemphill said.

Hemphill on forcing more turnovers

"That's something we've worked on all season. I can't even imagine how many more balls we've caught this weekend than last year. … We've worked tirelessly at trying to get better at that. We've worked on ball disruption," Hemphill said. "We are seeing results of our hard work."

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Everything Texas A&M coordinators said in Tuesday's media availability

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