Photo: Andre Thornton
GREENSBORO - Andre Thornton became the first freshman to lead the Aggies in tackles when he recorded 64 last season. But this season he will have to fight for playing time with the talent added this season. Thornton’s talent helped him produce last season. But defensive coordinator and linebacker coach Demetrius Adams said the linebacker has room to grow.
“He has no clue how much learning the game and being knowledgeable about every situation is going to make him a terrific linebacker,’’ said Adams. “If he wants it, he has the potential to be very, very good.”
Thornton will share the middle linebacker duties with Ole Miss transfer Robert Russell. Russell started games as a freshman with the Rebels and looks to make an impact by using his experience as a Division I player to help mentor the younger Aggie linebackers. Once he works himself into game shape, the Aggies are expecting him to be a big part of the Aggies ‘D’.
“I’m expecting big things from Robert,’’ said Adams. “People have told us what kind of player he has been in the past, but this is a what have you done for me lately sport. I don’t need to be told anything else; I need him to show me.”
Jamison Hedgepeth led the Aggies in tackles per game last season as a redshirt freshman. He also used his athletic ability to be a factor last season, but Adams said he must get stronger and bigger to become better.
He thinks the stronger Hedgepeth becomes, the more he’ll become confident. Brandon Long has put on the weight needed at the linebacker position. He moved from safety to linebacker last season, so he was undersized. However, a rigorous off-season workout has changed that. He missed some time last season with an injury, but his work in the off-season should help him avoid injury this season.
The other outside linebacker spot will be held down by Tim Shropshire. The hunger is there for the Fayetteville native, but Adams wants to make sure he is not so eager to get on the field that he injures himself early. He practiced only six times during the spring because of a concussion. His gameday conditioning is not a concern because of his off-season workouts.
“I’m expecting us to make a lot of things happen this fall. I want us to be the quarterbacks on defense. We need to know what everyone is doing around us. If we know what the defensive line is doing, if we know what the defensive backs are doing, we can be a very good group. We have the ability to run from sideline to sideline to make plays. I’ve told the guys, we’ve got to run like gazelles to the football.”
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