COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Von Miller insists he's not a numbers guy when it comes to setting goals for a season.
Ask the Texas A&M junior how many times he expects to sack a quarterback this fall and all you'll get is a shrug.
"Hopefully I can get a few," Miller said.
The Aggies are counting on it. Manning the "jack" position as a hybrid end/linebacker in their simplified defense, Miller will be a key component in what A&M prays will be a rejuvenated defense, starting Saturday when New Mexico visits Kyle Field in the season opener.
Seeing Miller crunch quarterbacks, if not numbers, is something the Aggies believe will help revive a defense that certainly needs reviving.
In recent years, sacks have become almost extinct from the defense formerly known as The Wrecking Crew. A&M has ranked 11th in the Big 12 each of the past three seasons in sacking quarterbacks, managing just 19 in 2006, 18 in 2007 and only 16 last year.
The three-year total of 53 is three less than the school-record 56 sacks A&M recorded in 1991 alone.
Miller led A&M in sacks last year, but had only 3.5. With Miller increasing the weight on his 6-foot, 3-inch frame from 222 pounds to 235 with no loss of quickness, the Aggies expect him to create more havoc.
"I told Von he's going to get me about eight interceptions by himself," said safety Jordan Pugh. "Getting a pass rush is huge, especially for defensive backs."
One of the numerous concerns head coach Mike Sherman has about his defense, though, is finding other rushers so blockers can't totally focus on Miller. Matt Moss was a nice surprise in camp at the other end spot, while tackles Tony Jerod-Eddie, Eddie Brown and Lucas Patterson — Patterson recently returned to defensive tackle from offensive left tackle — need to apply pressure up the middle.
Moss, Jerod-Eddie, Brown and Patterson, however, accounted for a grand total of only one sack last year, courtesy of Jerod-Eddie, a 6-5, 298-pound sophomore.
"I really want Eddie Brown to be that guy up the middle," Sherman said. "We're really working hard to find out who the other guy's going to be to take the pressure off Von. If you only have one pass rusher, it's easier to negate that rusher. You really need other guys to step up."
The sack total wasn't the only distressing number posted by the defense in 2008.
Slow afoot, the Aggies allowed a Big 12-high 37.4 points per game. They also surrendered a league-worst 219.2 rushing yards per game and let opposing offenses convert on third down 55.2 percent of the time, a league high.
Oh, the 461.9 yards they permitted per game also set a school record for futility.
So second-year coordinator Joe Kines is hardly ready to dust off the Wrecking Crew monicker — that hallowed term of endearment is verboten until the Aggies start justifying its revival. But Kines is fairly optimistic as he continues to simplify schemes.
Kines started that process about midway through last season after it became clear his confused players were paralyzed by indecision.
"We're running to the ball," Kines said. "We may be wrong at times, but we're causing some good things to happen."
To safety Trent Hunter, benefits of the less-is-more philosophy are profound.
"The schemes are totally different and a lot easier now," he said. "I don't think we have anything completely the same as last season.
"Last year we ran more zone coverages — safeties rolling down here, linebackers rolling back there," Hunter added. "We had guys going a lot of different ways and it was kind of hectic. This year our concept really is pretty much like a man defense — pick a guy and stick with him. It doesn't get much easier than that."
If the secondary can cover better, Miller should have more time to chase the quarterback. A quarterback running for his life makes coverage easier for the secondary.
But Hunter said it all starts up front.
"Coach Kines says it takes a full-grown man to rush the passer," he said. "One guy can't do it alone. As long as we get a little push up front, with Von doing his thing, I think we'll be fine."
And starting Saturday, the Aggies hope to produce the numbers to prove it.
Randy Riggs writes for the Austin American-Statesman. E-mail: rriggs(at)statesman.com.