New leader of Aggie Defense
By Cody Lillich | MAROON WEEKLY
A new face will be leading the Aggie football team’s defense in the 2010 season. Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Tim DeRuyter, former defensive coordinator for the Air Force Academy, as the person to lead the Aggie D.
DeRuyter comes to Texas A&M, after three years at the Air Force Academy. He also served previously as defense and secondary coach at Nevada, Ohio and Navy.
He led an Air Force defense that was attacking at all times, which is a good fit for what the Aggie D is trying to get back to.
“I like his aggressive, attacking style of defense,” Sherman said. “He has a great history of success and has shown great ability to teach and to lead young men.”
Sherman said his defensive coordinator search focused on coordinators with experience facing Big 12-type offenses.
DeRuyter’s squad at the Air Force Academy was ranked as 11th in the nation and had one of the best pass defenses in the nation. They say one person can’t change a program but with a new fresh face, DeRuyter might be the Aggie’s answer to some defensive troubles.
The new defensive coordinator is coming into a program that was ranked 105th overall, averaging 426 yards allowed per game and allowing 33.5 points per game.
DeRuyter will spend the next week or two recruiting and then start building his defense. When he was considering the job, DeRuyter said he was glad to hear one of the leaders on defense was returning to Aggieland.
“I was very happy [a few weeks ago], when I heard Von Miller was coming back,” DeRuyter said. “I think he can be an integral part of what we like to do in our package.”
Despite the challenge of defending Big 12 offenses, DeRuyter seems to live and breathe 3-4 defensive football in every sense, and is aware of its history in Aggieland.
“I really believe it’s the most flexible, adaptable defense,” DeRuyter said. “The fact that A&M has the history of it, I think it’d be a natural fit for me to be enticed to come here. I think in today’s day of college football with teams spreading the field, it gives you a chance to be in multiple looks and confuse and pressure the quarterback. ”
DeRuyter’s Air Force defense shut down the Houston Cougars’ top-ranked passing offense to win the Armed Forces Bowl, 47-20. His defense held Houston to its poorest passing performance of the year allowing only 222 yards and grabbing six interceptions.
It will be interesting to see how DeRuyter can mold the Aggie defense into his own. Another thing to look out for will be to see how a DeRuyter defense passes the Big 12 test. His ‘biggest opponent’ at the AFA last year was TCU, who beat the Air Force 20-17. Matches early in the season will be a good test for the defense to adjust to a new style, but the real test for DeRuyter and the Aggie Defense will come in October when Big 12 play opens.
“It’s a tremendous challenge,” DeRuyter said. “And maybe being an [Air Force] Academy grad, I thrive on challenges. You see what the offenses do in this league and just the depth of the conference, and competition in here – if you’re going to hone your skills and test your skills against the best, this is the conference to do it in. I’m looking forward to that challenge.”
The future looks bright for the Aggie Defense, since throughout his coaching career, DeRuyter has improved his defensive squads. At Ohio (’02-’04), the defense was 99th before DeRuyter, and in his last season there the team rose to 22nd. In Nevada (’05-’06) he started with the 79th ranked defense and left it ranked 48th. And at the Air Force Academy (’06-’09), he entered the team with the 78th ranked defense and boosted the Falcons to an impressive 11th ranked defense in just three years.
So again, Aggie fans need to sit back, wait for the changes to set in with this defense and if history tells us anything, our defense is likely to take an upward swing in rankings.
DeRUYTER COACHING TIMELINE
TIM DeRUYTER
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR/ASST. HEAD COACH
TEXAS A&M
College: Air Force Academy ‘85
2008-09 Air Force Academy (Assoc. Coach/Def. Coor./Safeties)
2007 Air Force Academy (Def. Coor./Safeties)
2005-06 Nevada (Co-Def. Coor./Safeties & Pass Defense)
2002-04 Ohio (Def. Coor./Secondary)
1999-2001 Navy (Secondary)
1995-98 Ohio (Def. Coord./Secondary)
BOWL GAMES AS COACH:
2009 Armed Forces Bowl
2008 Armed Forces Bowl
2007 Armed Forces Bowl
2006 MPC Computers Bowl
2005 Hawaii Bowl
LAST SEASON AT AIR FORCE:
CATEGORY – (nationwide rank)
Rush Defense – 134 yards allowed per game (47th)
Pass Defense – 154.31 yards allowed per game (5th)
Total Defense – 288.31 yards allowed per game (11th)
15.69 points allowed per game (10th)
20 Interceptions (7th)
15 Fumble recoveries (15th)
34 Turnovers gained (5th)
14.62 First Downs allowed per game (4th)