Dat Nguyen 2.0
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Watching A&M's D shut down Auburn to one FG (The offense gave up an interception runback of 72 yards to the A&M 2 yd line) and only 2 yards in the 2nd half, it was no surprise that Taurean York, Mike LB, was reading plays and shooting gaps at the snap and many times before the snap. He was living in the backfield like no LB A&M has had since Dat Nguyen and is smart like Dat having been voted team defensive Capt both Soph and Jr years after making 1st Team Freshman AA has first year. Like Dat he spends extensive time in the film room studying upcoming opponents plays and like Dat, he is undersized at 5'10" 227. And guess who spends a lot of time with him in that same film room. Yep, the ILB coach for A&M is none other than Dat Nguyen. And like Dat he is seeing the plays before they are run and signaling his players into proper positions. A lot of fun to watch yesterday in the 16-10 win when the O was just a bit off. He's the best I've seen at A&M since Dat played. Has that same RB speed to get where he needs to be anywhere on the field.
EDIT 10/14/25: I was wrong about Dat now being the LB coach. He spends a ton of time with the current defensive coordinator who already has a packet for him to look at as soon as the prior game is over. Helps him move on from any win (or loss) and focus on next team up from Hour 1. But Dat does communicate with and support what he's doing. There was a play against Ms. St. where they had them 3rd and long and he says his thought process went 1. Down and distance often means screen. 2. Motion across his field of vision the opposite way usually means look for the screen going behind it the other way and 3. Key the RB leaning and/or an OL stepping that same screen way. He saw all that and the RB lean and he was off before the snap of the ball making a picture perfect tackle for loss before the screeners could lay a hand on him. Smart like a fox he has RB speed from his HS two way playing to get there just as fast as they do.
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