With Texas A&M football preparing for its season opener against Missouri State, head coach Mike Elko has his defense ready to complement his star-studded offense. Unlike the latter, the former is mostly composed of returning players, including veteran team captain Marcus Ratcliffe.
Originally a member of San Diego State, Ratcliffe became a part of Elko's inaugural season at the helm of the Aggies' program and has remained a steady presence in the secondary for his defensive-minded play caller.
But like coaches and onlookers, Ratcliffe has been able to take notice of the players around him and how they are contributing to the Aggies' preparation as they head into a critical year in the race for a national title. One of those players is cornerback Julio Humphrey , a former Georgia transfer whom Ratcliffe praised in his Missouri State Week Press Conference .
Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Starting in the Southeastern Conference is no easy task, especially transferring over from another program and having to prove oneself again, something Ratcliffe knows well. Humphrey does too, as in his starting role he has vowed to take it to the next level.
"He plays to the boundaries and I'm someone who is always communicating with him," Ratcliffe said. "Starting in January, I started to see him really put an intentional foot forward: 'This is my year, the year I achieve everything I want to achieve.' And so I'm just super proud of his growth and everything he is doing."
The Maroon and White will need to see that same level of dedication as promised by Humphrey, who is set to fill the void left behind by cornerback Will Lee III , who is set to begin his rookie campaign with the Carolina Panthers . This secondary will be composed mainly of upperclassmen, and despite Humphrey's limited time as a starter, his 32 games of experience will be paramount in keeping many of the SEC's finest receivers locked down.
Humphrey will have help on the opposite side of the field with cornerback Dezz Ricks working towards a breakout season, but after the defense as a whole only picked the ball off three times last year, perhaps it's time the Aggies can add takeaways to their arsenal as well.
The interceptions weren't always necessary a season ago, with 43 team sacks last year being good for the fourth-most in the country, but with new and old faces along the defensive backfield, maybe some ball-hawking is in order.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/tamu as Marcus Ratcliffe Has High Praise for This New Starter on Texas A&M Defense .
