Texas A&M Football: 5 Most memorable moments of 2017
4. Derrick Tucker‘s coming out party against Ole Miss
What started as a shootout turned into a defensive struggle when the Aggies eeked out a victory over the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford. The teams combined for 45 first half points and just 10 points with one touchdown in the second half, which turned out to be the deciding score. That touchdown, a 19-yard pick six returned by freshman defensive back Derrick Tucker, was the cherry on top of one of the best defensive performances in the SEC all season.
Tucker earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the game in which he tallied 14 tackles, a forced fumble, two pass breakups an interception and the touchdown. Tucker was the fourth Aggie defender to earn the award.
Injuries and a lack of depth saw Texas A&M play more freshman this season than any of Kevin Sumlin‘s prior years. Tucker along with Myles Jones, Debione Renfro, Keldrick Carper and others all receiving meaningful snaps in 2017. While that made for plenty of growing pains, it sets the Aggies up well for the future.
Tucker, with the departure of Armani Watts and possibly Donovan Wilson, should slide in as the Aggies’ starting safety next fall. He made a tremendous impression in 2017.