Aggies' Mathews Giving Texas A&M 'Great Depth'

Aggies defensive back Jardin Gilbert was expected to play a big role in Fisher's defense, but an injury kept him out of the game against the Warhawks, leaving Mathews to fill his role. And that he did, recording four tackles while showcasing his athleticism at the same time.

"Jacoby is a big, long, athletic guy," Fisher said. "He can play second level and third level. He tackles well, covers, and is athletic. Getting him back into the mix is huge for us in what we are doing."

With Gilbert out — and potentially for an extended period of time after a social media photo saw him in a hospital bed — Mathews now has his chance to make a statement both for himself and for the Aggies' defense as a whole. 

While losing a starter to injury isn't by any means ideal, Mathews' work ethic has made the transition relatively easy for Fisher and the defense, which bodes well for Texas A&M moving forward, as Fisher described. 

“It gives us great depth," he said. "But also a great starter there who can play, run and is also a great special teams player. Jacoby has a tremendous future in the game. Just keep doing things right, playing and developing. He can be a really, really good football player.”

However long Gilbert remains out, Mathews will be in his place, though if his performance continues to trend the way it is, Mathews could stay longer than that. And as the Aggies enter their SEC schedule, they'll certainly need players to step up and perform, no matter their spot on the depth chart.

Jacoby Mathews and the Texas A&M Aggies will take the field Saturday against Auburn, looking for their first conference win of the season and second straight. 

Kickoff from Kyle Field is scheduled for 11 a.m. CST.