Texas A&M notebook: Sumlin's practices have Ags amped up

By Brent Zwerneman

Updated 09:45 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Courtesy of the Houston Chronicle

COLLEGE STATION - The voice rose above the din of Texas A&M's football drills, in perfect pitch with Jason Aldean's "Tattoos on This Town" blaring over four massive speakers lining the Coolidge practice fields.

For good measure, the Aggies' Dustin Harris, who knew every rollicking word of the Aldean anthem, threw in a few strums of air guitar before dropping into a cornerback's stance and grooving along with the next drill.

If the country crooner Aldean wasn't to everyone's liking during practice - and he wasn't - Eminem's "Not Afraid" was up next on the playlist, one of a heavy dose of rap offerings along Wellborn Road and the railroad tracks in a locale best known musically for the patriotic strains of the Aggie Band.

"It's enjoyable," senior linebacker Jonathan Stewartsaid of listening to music - loud music - throughout every practice. "It's different, but it gets more of a vibe going during practice. And when you get tired, music is a motivation."

New coach Kevin Sumlin began blaring music last year while with the Houston Cougars.

"And we won 13 games," he said, smiling.

There's a method to the music madness, with the idea that it also creates confusion on the field and helps players learn to communicate better in what Sumlin aptly described as the unsterile environment of a football game day. One key figure adjusting to the music is defensive coordinator Mark Snyder.

"Maybe I didn't hear it because the music was playing, but you want to hear communication out there so everybody is on the same page," Snyder said following the first day of practice in regard to what his defense needed to work on early.

As for the wide-ranging selections?

"That's coach Sumlin's iPod," said offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who was with Sumlin at UH. "He does a good job with those."

'Whatever works ...'

Meanwhile, Billy Pickard, a retired facilities manager who's been around A&M football since the Bear Bryant days of the mid-1950s, said the music during practice is certainly "different." He added with a smile, "But whatever works …"

Sumlin and Kingsbury certainly vouch for its effectiveness.

"Especially during the dog days of summer, when the players hear a song and they get pumped up instead of there being quiet and a lot of panting going on," Kingsbury said.

There's been plenty of panting, too, over the first few days of practice, as the players adjust not only to the music but the up-tempo pace of the proceedings.

"It's been a shock," senior receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu said of the frenetic repetitions during a Sumlin practice. "But we've adjusted."

Pushing the plays

"The tempo is crazy compared to last year," offensive tackle Luke Joeckel said. "It feels like we're running a hundred plays a minute and trying to wear out the defense."

The good news is both sides have a wide variety of tunes helping push them along.

"The music amps everyone up," Joeckel said.

And offers a closet crooner like Harris, who hails from Livingston, the chance to revel in his country side.

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