SEC Media Days: Kevin Sumlin audio and full transcript

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COLUMBIA, SC – AUGUST 28: Head coach Kevin Sumlin of the Texas A&M Aggies watches his team play against the South Carolina Gamecocks during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on August 28, 2014 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Brent Zwerneman, Houston Chronicle– “Kevin, huge shoes to fill with Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall exiting to the NFL. Now that you’ve been able to size up Michael Clemons, what do you see from him and also the guys that will be trying to fill those shoes?”

"Sumlin – “Well you’ve got a number of guys. You know Quaylen Cunningham has played a lot for us, Jared Johnson, which comes as a shock to those of you who don’t know he’s number 40. He’s not as big as Daeshon Hall but believe it or not last year, he had the same sack total, same amount of production as Daeshon Hall did and played half the time so he’s played a lot of football for us. He understands it’s his time. He’s been playing behind those guys for years. He’s been interchangeable, playing both sides. Michael Clemons, as you said, is a guy that came to our place really to replace one of these two ends. He’s probably the number 1 or 2 pass rusher in the country out of junior college. 6’5, 6’6, mabye 260, something like that. We gotta get him in shape, but everything he’s done in workouts and with our strength coaches and our players has been phenomenal. Just in case you guys don’t know, his nickname is Cyclops. So, I’m into recruiting anybody who’s 6’6 and a nickname of Cyclops, I don’t care if he’s got one eye or not. If he can rush the passer, he’s good with me. Michael has come in, done a great job, Tyree Johnson, we’re going to have some depth. You don’t ever replace a player, like the next guy is Myles Garrett. But I think by committee, and by who we are, and with Michael maybe being the type of talent that he is, he can generate some things early, and give us that pass rush, or the guys who are there behind Michael Clemons while he continues to develop."

Coach Sumlin realizes, like most of the rest of us, that Myles Garrett was a once in a generation player. We’re not going to replace him with the next man up and see no dropoff. But, bringing in different guys and honing the scheme to each person and their talent is what these coaches are paid to do. Hopefully, Clemons can be schemed for, and be deadly.