Ray Coney

Like there's positions where you're like, well – defensive line where's the big guy coming from right where's the playmaker coming from and you didn't know and you felt good about answer the sock on some of the things it hasn't produced in that sense marco jones supposed to take a massive leap statistically it hasn't really come outside of that pick six right and so they they really want them to come in and get some sacks more so than to pick the ball off right like beggars can't be choosers in that sense but and obviously in the linebacker room they've been one hand behind the back without damian sanford but Noah McHale has been good at times.

Ray Coney has been good at times.

Both have struggled at times as well.

So when you look at this, Jackson, as a unit, where do you kind of pin it? Again, do you talk about it schematically? Do you talk about it as an Elko thing? Is it a Lyle Hemphill thing? Where are some of these things at the defensive side of the ball that give you pause?

You really – a lot of your – Not production, but a lot of what you're doing to help your team win is not going to show up on the stat sheet because you're eating a double team.

You're just chewing up blockers in the middle and allowing the guys behind you, the linebackers like Noah McHale, Ray Coney, Damian Sanford, to actually go and make the play.

So I get the stats are not everything for a defensive tackle.

So far this year, for context, DJ Hicks, six tackles, half a sack, one tackle for loss through three games.

Yeah, I mean, I think DJ Hicks has played pretty well to start the year.

Ray Coney had a rough game.

But yeah, Texas A&M is a roster that I'm surprised at the talent level, given the way they recruit and sign people in the transfer portal.

We're just kind of expecting them to kind of backfill their roster a lot more effectively, but they seem kind of hurting for talent.

We still haven't seen Damian Sanford yet.

Ray Coney had an awesome game, in my opinion, from a linebacker standpoint.

over the weekend against Arizona State I really liked what I saw what we've seen from Noah McHale over the past two weeks and then also you see guys like Jordan Lockhart getting in there as well so I just think as a whole the defense and the depth has really shown through and you've been able to that's I mean TJ Searcy said it in his press conference I believe this week um Not being tired at all when you're going in the fourth quarter as a starter and then, hey, I'm going to be able to give it my all and, hey, I'm going to get a – not a strip sack.

I'm going to call it a strip sack and then the ball pops up and you get Marco Jones getting a touchdown and then you're just consistently getting pressure that entire second half to where you force an air and throw and Julio Humphrey is able to make a play.

has been the absolute star of that show to me.

You lose your captain, you lose the best player in that arguably on your defense, and now you're fine.

You've got a Tamari Watkins, you've got a Jordan Lockhart, you've got a Ray Coney from the portal.

You had so much talent there, whether it be homemade or transfer portal, to kind of weather that storm.

I don't think he wanted a high rate, but, uh, had some good run support reps had like the big play that, that forced the pick six, but he's, he's probably more of a day three guy, I think.

Um, Ray Coney, I was paying attention to.

I didn't think it was a terrible performance, but not really a standout game.

But I am intrigued by his tools.

off of last year's team, especially in the front seven.

And you start seeing some guys like Ray Coney making some plays.

He was in the backfield with a tackle for loss.

You mentioned Marco Jones had the sack, had the pick six, TJ Searcy.

Noah McHale played very well at linebacker.

I was super stoked to see how he played.

And then also Ray Coney, the transfer out of Tulsa that you get out of the portal who led the NCAA last year in tackles.

How is he going to look in the SEC? How's he going to do in his first game with A&M? Well, Ray Coney has a tackle for loss.

It was, but once the turnover started pouring on, then it really got to be a problem for Arizona state, right? You talking about two interceptions, two fumble recoveries for this defense, a two pick sixes, you know, Julio Humphrey with a pick six late.

I just think you look at how many guys played well for this Texas Tech defense, right? Marco Jones and Ray Coney and Dalton Brooks and Marcus Ratcliffe as always great on the back end.

It's safety Humphrey with the pick six.

They just always put in such a complete effort on defense and honestly, Other than Reed Harris, there really was nobody that was a threat to Texas A&M's defense.

Um, Anto Saka kind of flashed a few times for me, right? He's a guy who, I mean, when he identifies it and he really reads the plate quick, he's like a shot out of a cannon, right? He had some couple of tackle for losses, some plays at the line of scrimmage that was just like, wow, like this is a, this is a different type of cat.

your point about not having Damian Sanford like this is a linebacker room that isn't at full strength and they're being impressive right like to me when you look at again Ray Coney I think he was number two on the team in tackles and so you're looking at a group that is around the football and the hats to the ball they always talk about rallying and getting 11 guys to the football so for me the front seven really kind of stood out a little bit and so I just when I look at this group it kind of rolls in the vein of what Elko wants to look like Right.

Year three.

You mentioned that a little bit.

Who is your star of the game, right? If you had to sit here and put a pin, I know it's tough, right? There's a couple of guys, and maybe not everyone flashed as high as you want on an individual basis.

But when you think of this game and this week two matchup, who stood out to you?

Ultimately, I think, and this might be like an off-the-radar pick, but I think it was Ray Coney.

I mean, you talked about it a little bit, you know, he just stacked up tackles and was reading, he was reading the running lanes correctly, plays with his hair on fire.

I haven't watched him, but I know you're a big fan.

And then Ray Coney, the Tulsa to Texas A&M linebacker.

Yeah, Coney's on my priority watch list this week for Texas A&M this week in that game against Arizona State.

Priority watch list there.