Texas A&M Football Notebook

By DAVID HARRIS
david.harris@theeagle.com
 
The Texas A&M football team practiced for more than two hours Tuesday afternoon on the Coolidge Practice Fields. The team wore full pads for the first time.
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Quarterbacks moving along: In the limited time available to the media, A&M ran six live snaps. Johnny Manziel took three snaps with the first team. On his first pass, he completed a long pass to wide receiver Mike Evans. Freshman Matt Davis took three snaps with the second team. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said it's too early to tell anything, though he's impressed with how all four guys -- Manziel, Davis, Matt Joeckel and Jameill Showers -- are improving and settling in.
"We're feeling everybody out right now," Kingsbury said. "I think the system they had in before had some similar concepts, so it's been a smooth transition thus far. They're all competing hard and all have bought in."
Offensive tackle Luke Joeckel said he's been impressed with the maturation of the four young bucks.
"Watching them on film, they've been moving along very well," he said. "They're way ahead what any of us thought they would be."
Kingsbury went on to talk about the importance of the quarterback in his offensive system, saying the QB often decides at the line if it will be a run or pass play. That takes a smart player, and he gave Mike Sherman credit for increasing the players' knowledge of the position.
"With young quarterbacks, it will be a transition period," Kingsbury said. "But Sherman did a great job developing quarterbacks and they're a smart group."
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Offensive tempo will be fast: Luke Joeckel was still huffing and puffing after he came off the practice field. He said it's something he has to get used to on the offensive side of the ball because Kingsbury's system is relentless.
"The tempo is just crazy," Joeckel said. "We run 100 plays every minute. We're trying to tire out the defense. It helps the tackles a lot because toward the end of the game, the pass rush will be a lot slower."
Kingsbury expects mistakes in the first few practices, but he's happy with the players' attitude regarding his system.
"It's a process. It's not going to hit right on," he said. "They're buying in and doing what we ask and that's all you can ask as a coach."
Joeckel's just as excited about confusing opposing defenses come Aug. 30.
"We're going to be so fast, they won't be able to get any rotation going."
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Junior running back Christine Michael wore a black jersey, along with the quarterbacks. He participated in drills but didn't take any hits as he's recovering from a knee injury that ended his season in 2011. Junior defensive back Dustin Harris wasn't in pads but did participate in some individual drills with the cornerbacks.
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The starting secondary at the beginning of Tuesday's practice included sophomores DeShazor Everett, Floyd Raven, and Howard Matthews, and senior Steven Terrell. That will likely change as both Harris and Senior Steven Campbell are out of action with injuries.