No Breaks: Aggie LT Avery Gennesy enjoys facing nation's best

Of the all selections on the All-Southeastern Conference football team, it’s a safe bet none earned their place more than Texas A&M offensive tackle Avery Gennesy. Seemingly every week he faced a defensive end that is projected as a first-round draft choice.

That’s not hyperbole.

A recent ESPN mock draft list projected Alabama’s Jonathan Allen, UCLA’s Takkarist McKinley, Tennessee’s Derek Barnett and Auburn’s Carl Lawson among the top 20 selections in the 2017 NFL draft. Gennessy faced them all and fared extremely well.

In fact, he’s allowed only three sacks all season. A strong argument could be made that two really weren’t his fault. The only one that would definitely be charged against him was posted by Alabama linebacker Tim Williams – another guy on that ESPN top 20 list.

But as A&M offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said last week: “That’s life in the SEC West.”
Nobody knows that better than Gennesy.

“Each week you go against someone good,” he said. “If you take a week off, it’s not going be looking too good for you that day.”

If anybody deserves a break, it’s Gennesy. Not that he wants one.

“I don’t want a break,” Gennesy said. “I like challenges, see what my talent level is and just improve day by day and make the younger linemen better.”

Well, it’s a good thing that Gennesy isn’t looking for a break because he doesn’t figure to get one in the Texas Bowl against Kansas State. The Wildcats have accumulated 30 sacks this year.

If Gennesy does get a break, it’s that defensive end Jordan Willis, who’s posted 11.5 sacks en route to earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year recognition, lines up against the opponent’s right offensive tackle. Gennesy, of course, is the Aggies’ left tackle.

Instead, Gennesy will likely face Reggie Walker, who has 6.5 sacks. But given the choice, Gennesy would probably ask to match up with Willis.

“I go against the best defensive end in Myles Garrett (in practice),” Gennesy said. “I like the challenge week by week. I don’t run away from anybody. I just like playing against the best. That’s how I am. That’s how I’ve always been.”

Protecting the quarterback figures to be especially vital against Kansas State. The Wildcats are strong in run defense, but they’ve been quite vulnerable to the pass. Indeed, Kansas State is ranked 110th in the nation in pass defense. The Wildcats have allowed 41 passing plays that have covered 20 yards or more.

Therefore, A&M quarterback Trevor Knight and receivers Christian Kirk and Josh Reynolds can be expected to turn in several big plays. That is, if Knight is given sufficient protection. Much of the responsibility for that falls on Gennesy, who has typically gotten the job done.

One of the three sacks that “might” be charged to Gennesy was posted by South Carolina’s Darius English. He’d blocked English on that play, but Knight stepped up in the pocket and then opted to scramble. English recovered to hit Knight from behind and forced a fumble.

Another was by Barnett. But on that play, Gennesy appeared to have inside responsibility. Barnett looped around the end and beat running back Keith Ford – an obvious mismatch – to sack Knight.

Williams, who beat Gennesy with an inside move late in the third quarter, was the first of four on a jailbreak rush to reach Knight on second-and-12.

“I think he’s had a solid year,” Mazzone said of Gennesy. “He’s played against some of the best guys. The cool thing is he gets to practice against maybe the best guy in the country (Myles Garrett) every day. I’ve been happy with how Avery has played all year.

“He’s kind of one of our leaders in the front. Jim (Turner, offensive line coach) has done a great job. At times, it’s been musical chairs up there. Avery has been one of the solid parts of that offensive line on that left side.”

Will he stay there? Oftentimes defensive ends will move from one side to another in attempt to get the most advantageous matchup. Offensive linemen rarely shift unless it’s necessitated by injury.

But maybe it’s a move the Aggies should consider to get Avery on Willis, especially having had a month to prepare.

“Usually your left tackle is your left tackle because they get used to setting the left,” Mazzone said. “Everything is in mirrored opposite if they move to the other side. Because of injuries, I’ve had left guys go to right and right guys go to left. We’re very confident in the guys we’ve got over on the right side.

“Even if we were doing that, I couldn’t tell you, right?"

Wherever he lines up and whoever he faces, Gennesy is looking forward to the competition.

“For me, motivation is week by week,” Gennesy said. “It’s just to play and win the game and improve from the last game and just get better. It’s another game, another opportunity for me.”