Dezz Ricks confirms what Texas A&M fans have been hoping for about their defense

If you asked any Texas A&M fan about a defender that needed to take a step forward from last year to this year, the name Dezz Ricks would be a common answer. Though the uber-athletic former five star played well in the beginning of the year, he had some trouble down the stretch, something that was especially visible in the collapse against Southern Cal.

However, the Aggies are counting on his growth for this upcoming year, as he is likely slated to start opposite Will Lee. There's a lot of reason to think he will grow, of course, as he was one of the youngest players on the team last year, and his athletic gifts shined often, if inconsistently, during 2024.

Ricks met with the media today and spoke a bit about his growth from last year into this year, but it was a tidbit he dropped regarding the Aggies' head coach that had fans most excited.

Dezz Ricks confirms what Aggie fans have been waiting to hear: This is Mike Elko's defense in 2025

It's been, at the very least, heavily implied that Mike Elko will have more of a hand in this year's defense compared to 2024. However, with skepticism still abounding among the chiefs of pessimism in the Aggie fanbase, this confirmation from Dezz Ricks is what Aggie fans needed to hear:

According to Ricks, Elko has been "a lot more" involved this year, responding "definitely" when asked whether the head coach was taking an increased role in the A&M defensive coaching. This is a relief for A&M fans to hear, of course, as Elko's coaching on that side of the ball was what made them so excited when he was hired in the first place.

I think, with this reality now confirmed, we should definitely see a uptick in defensive play going into next season, especially in the back seven. The A&M defense looked night and day from 2017 to 2018, when Elko first arrived, and his increased involvement, along with the hire of a guy like Lyle Hemphill, will be huge for this unit in 2025.