Next Man Mentality for Devin Morris

COLLEGE STATION - Injuries will always be a part of football. But for some players, a loss of a teammate could transition into playing time for themselves. 

That's how Devin Morris chooses to look at the situation unfolding in College Station. Texas A&M's secondary has seen a plethora of players miss time, meaning it's next man up mentality. 

Since the loss of Roney Elam in Week two, multiple players have found time as the slot defender. The past two weeks, Morris has been the guy. On Saturday against Mississippi State, the junior defensive back forced an interception, leading to a touchdown for the Aggies offense. 

"Morris made a heck of a big pick and a big turnover for us that got us going," A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said.

Morris finished with two total tackles, one sack and a pass deflection during the team's 49-30 victory. Against Ole Miss, he collected three tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage. 

The Aggies secondary continues to catch the injury bug as both Elijah Blades and Demani Richardson would leave Saturday's outing. The youth movement has been in effect for quite some time, but now comes the "next man up" action. 

Before this weekend, Morris split time at both safety and cornerback. A versatile player, the Cladwell product could become a focal point of the defense for the remainder of the season. With a bye week coming up, players will be able to rest and rebuild. 

For now, Morris should expect to see extended time on the field. He's earned the reps. 

"We have to be resilient and try to be the team that we want to be," safety Keldrick Carper said. "It's a collective effort. It's excepted."

The Aggies will take on UTSA at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 2 at Kyle Field. The game will be nationally televised on SEC Network.