Aggieland Illustrated October 2010 Issue

REcord Breaker Jeff Fuller breaks 42-year old career touchdown record

INSIDE

OCTOBER 2010 • $3.95

Cyrus Gray Sarah Grace Dustin Harris Gnatzig Sisters Damontre Moore Johnny Manziel Mark Dennard Sean Porter And More...

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contents

OCTOBER 2010

features

16 Mama Bear

Sarah Grace’s journey to Aggieland.

by Jason McConnell ’01

18 Soccer Sisters

Amber and Lyndsey Gnatzig continue an Aggie soccer family tradition.

by Brian Davis ’01

21 Part of the Crew

Linebackers like sophomore Sean Porter are key to resurrecting the Wrecking Crew

by Brian Davis ’01

23 Aggie Football

September game reviews, October game previews and Q&A’s with Damontre Moore, Cyrus Gray and Dustin Harris.

by Jeremy Ksionda ’04 and Brian Davis ‘01

in every issue 04 Publisher’s Note 06 Snapshot 10 Maroon & White Recruiting: Johnny Rocket

by billy liucci, texags.com

14 Scoreboard: Fall Sports Update 31 Exclusively Aggieland: The Future of the Big 12 (for now)

by Jeremy Ksionda ‘04

32 The 12th Man: Fan Photos 35 The 12th Man: Sport Clubs Profile

by Brian Davis ‘01

36 Aggie Owned & Operated: Wings to Go

by Katie Mcconnell ‘09

Jason Mcconnell ‘01

38 Old Army: Glen’s Great Eight

FIND THE 01

On the Cover: Junior Jeff Fuller makes his record-breaking catch against Oklahoma State.

Photo by Jason McConnell ‘01.

publisher’snote

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September was a busy month here in Aggieland as we kicked off another exciting year of Texas A&M Athletics.

Despite a few matches that didn’t go their way, the Aggie soccer team appears to be as strong as expected and should challenge Oklahoma State for the Big 12 crown. And while some conference hardware is first on the to do list, this program has its sights set on going all the way to the Women’s College Cup. Meanwhile, the Aggie volleyball team has been the surprise of the fall thus far and if they finish strong, they could find themselves near the top of the Big 12 – quite an accomplish considering the lack of experience on the roster.

Then, there’s football. The Ags came so close to finishing the month of September with a perfect record. A last second field goal by Oklahoma State ruined that, but this team should be exciting to watch the rest of the season.

Speaking of football, there are two members of the A&M program I want to recognize for their performance so far this season. The first one made our cover this month – Jeff Fuller.

The junior wide receiver has been phenomenal so far this season, making play after play all over the field while breaking one of the oldest school records along the way. Fuller must give opposing defensive coordinators nightmares with the way he can go up and catch anything thrown his way. He regularly makes defensive backs look silly when he beats them to the ball. If I was calling plays, I’d say keep throwing it to No. 8 until the defense finds a way to stop him.

And speaking of defense, Tim Deruyter is the other member of the program who I wanted to recognize in this note. Like many Aggie fans, I had high expectations for our new defensive coordinator, but he’s already gone above and beyond what I imagined. I’m trying not to get ahead of myself because there’s a lot of football left to be played, but what he has done since arriving on campus last spring is nothing short of amazing. Coach Deruyter has a great scheme in place and is very sharp, but what impresses me the most is how quickly he got the A&M defenders to buy in and perform in his system at a high level. They look extremely comfortable with what he asks them to do and you can tell that they believe they are a great defense. Simply put, he has quickly instilled a tremendous amount of confidence in a group that has been severely lacking confidence for a long, long time.

While the defense is not elite just yet, I have faith that they can play well enough to give the Ags a chance to win every game on the schedule this year. And if they keep improving their fanatical effort that Coach Deruyter has been preaching all fall, this still could be a special year for Aggie football.

Gig’em Ags!

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Jason McConnell ‘01

Associate Editor/Photo Editor jason@aggiemag.com

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snapshot

0:00 Sophomore wide receiver Uzoma “EZ” Nwachukwu skies for the improbable 44-yard catch and touchdown on the final play of the first half against Louisiana Tech. The play started with 0:00 left on the clock because of a penalty against the Bulldog defense. Photos by Jason McConnell ‘01.

snapshot

09.11.10 Fans in the upper level of the Zone get an up-close look at the F-18 flyover. Aggieland displayed it’s core values once again on Patriot Day. Selected members of military, law enforcement, firefighters, EMS and Texas Task Force One were recognized with “First Responders Day” at Kyle Field. Photo by Jason McConnell ‘01 (Inset by Brian Davis ‘01).

Johnny

Rocket

by Billy liucci, texags.com

In late June, Kerrville Tivy

quarterback Johnny Manziel had found his fit, choosing the Oregon Ducks and Chip Kelly’s high-powered attack. Manziel’s original decision was put to the test about a month ago, however, when Texas A&M and head coach Mike Sherman officially extended an offer following Tivy’s season-opening victory.

A week later, Manziel was at Kyle Field watching the Aggies win their own season-opener. He returned with his parents for A&M’s second and third games as well. Manziel and his family wrapped up each trip with extensive Sunday conversations with Sherman at the Bright Complex. During those meetings, the quarterback, his family and the Aggie head coach formed a bond that quickly made the idea of playing big-time college football in his home state a very real possibility. In fact, Manziel knew what he was going to do before he left College Station that Sunday... and may have known the answer a week prior to that.

“I talked to Sean Porter after [the FIU] game and I already knew what my decision was going to be, I just couldn’t 10

Aggieland Illustrated

tell anyone because I had to tell Oregon first,” explained the young quarterback who is all class on and off the field.

Manziel was going to do things the right way, which meant he wanted to call Kelly and the Ducks’ staff before making things official with Sherman and the Aggies.

“I talked with the staff at Oregon and it was a rough deal,” he admitted. “They took it very tough and even after talking to them, I still don’t know if they understand why. But I understand why, my family understands why, and it is the right decision. I didn’t think distance would be that big of a deal, but it tugged at me and I had to give my family a chance to watch me play.”

Manziel continued, “It feels great to have everything over and done with. I have thought about this for a while now and, after this last game, I knew where I wanted to be.”

Ironically enough, the Ags’ surprising struggle against FIU put Texas A&M in an even more positive light as far as the dynamic signal-caller was concerned.

“On the last trip, the fan base let me

know why there is so much tradition,” he said. “Even though A&M didn’t play well, there were still 80,000 fans rooting for them when they were down 20-6.”

The Ags evaluated the 6-1, 195-pounder in the spring and saw a terrific athlete whose 4.4 speed and ability to make things happen with the ball in his hands had several schools eyeballing him as a wide receiver. At the time, the Aggies viewed Manziel as a quarterback but decided to roll the dice and wait to see how things shook out during the early portion of his senior season. Well, it took all of one game – a 400-yard, seven-touchdown effort in three quarters of action in a season-opening win over Fredericksburg – for Sherman and Aggie quarterbacks coach Tom Rossley to reach their decision: Manziel had emerged as THE quarterback they wanted to sign in the 2010 class.

Manziel’s string of amazing performances continued in wins over San Antonio powers Madison and Cibolo Steele and in a close loss to defending 4A State Champion Lake Travis. In the three contests, the dual-threat signal-caller put up absolutely ridiculous totals of 1,126 yards through the air and 481 rushing while accounting for a total of 18 touchdowns.

Take another look at those numbers for a second and then consider the fact that Manziel did it against three of the better high school football teams in Texas.

Through four games this fall, Manziel led the Antlers to a 3-1 record while accounting for nearly 90% of Tivy’s total offense. He was 107-of-164 passing (65% completion rate) for 1,399 yards and 15 TD’s. On the ground, Manziel had already amassed 612 yards and 10 TD’s on 82 carries (7.5 yards per attempt).

Last year, the blue-chip QB threw for 2,782 yards, 19 TD’s and 5 interceptions on 211-of-349 passing while running for 1,529 yards and 33 scores on 232 carries. Manziel also caught 5 passes for 152 yards and 2 scores.

The numbers show that Manziel is truly a unique and special talent, but you will appreciate his skillset as a quarterback even more when you pop in the tape. He is a magician when running the football and is a very accurate passer possessing underrated arm strength. More than anything else, Manziel is a “next level” leader and a winner. As a junior, he led the Antlers to the 4A Division II Semi-Finals and

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Because he can run and throw the ball with equal effectiveness and is such a tremendous athlete, Manziel should be an ideal fit in the Ags’ current offensive system. From an athletic standpoint, he’s actually very similar to Ryan Tannehill. Not surprisingly, Sherman and the Aggies have even talked to Manziel about the possibility of getting reps at wide receiver as a true freshman when Tannehill takes over as A&M’s starting quarterback as a senior.

Now that Manziel has made things official with the Aggies, he’s ready to focus on his senior season and just being a senior in high school and is looking forward to arriving at Texas A&M. “I love A&M,” he said. “With all of the attention on the games, the schools and my school work, it was getting tough to balance things out without making a decision. Back in the summer, I thought the entire recruiting process was over with, but now that I have committed to A&M, there are absolutely no other visits. If I could sign the letter-of-intent tomorrow, I would.”

An impact senior who has taken the Texas high school football scene by storm over the past year or so, Manziel is very wellknown in recruiting circles, particularly in the San Antonio area and with wide receivers across the state. With his decision behind him, Manziel plans to become one of the Aggies’ top recruiters.

“Aaron Green (S.A. Madison’s nationally-ranked tailback) is my boy,” he said. “I love him to death. And I think it means a lot when he tells me that A&M has moved into his top-5. I will definitely be talking to him about A&M. I think I have made a lot of friends across the state and I will definitely talk to everyone about Texas A&M and try to get some other players to come to College Station with me and the rest of our class.”

Manziel became the Ags’ 12th 2010 commitment and is the fourth A&M pledge to switch from another school. He probably won’t be the last, either, as the Ags are making up for a slow start due in large part to five coaching changes since the end of the ‘09 season.

For up to the minute Texas A&M recruiting news, sign up for Billy Liucci’s TexAgs Premium by calling (979) 690-7361 or by visiting texags.com

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(volleyball) The volleyball team started conference play with a bang, sweeping No. 8 Texas at Reed Arena. The win was the Ags’ first over the Longhorns since 2004, snapping a 12-match losing streak and earning the first half point in this year’s Lone Star Showdown. (soccer) Other than a surprise overtime loss to Colorado, the soccer program is right where they expected to be with a great shot at a Big 12 title and a group that’s poised for a run at the Women’s College Cup (track) Pat Henry’s track and field program got a rare treat in September when the Aggies were invited to a reception on the South Lawn of the White House with other NCAA Championship teams. President Obama addressed the gathering and then spent an hour greeting and visiting with the athletes. (golf) The 9th-ranked men’s golf team finished second overall with a school record performance at the 28th annual Topy Cup in Tanagura, Japan led by a school-, course- and tournament-record 63 from junior Jordan Russell.

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Aggieland Illustrated

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mama 16

Bear Aggieland Illustrated

Sarah Grace’s journey to Aggieland by jason mcconnell ‘01

jason mcconnell ‘01

Sarah Grace started playing

volleyball for the Texas Elite club team in the 7th grade. Coaches Bethany Medford and Kristin Odell lit the spark that motivated her to pursue volleyball. Moving towards high school, Coach Frankie Velez took over developing Grace into the player she is today.

“He taught me everything I know about volleyball offensively and defensively,” she admits.

At Stratford High School, Grace’s star started to shine. She was voted All-State as an outside hitter both her junior and senior years, and All-American her senior year. She led her team to three straight district championships.

When colleges started calling, she had a tough decision to make. Texas A&M was her first love.

“It may sound silly, but as a kid in high school, my dream was to be on the A&M volleyball team,” she said.

Unfortunately, A&M was recruiting her to be a defensive specialist. When Baylor offered her a position as an outside hitter, she decided that was where she wanted to go.

At Baylor, she continued to excel, being named to the 2007 Big 12 All-Freshman team and leading the Bears with 4.3 digs per set. But she was not happy. After going home for Christmas that year, she decided not to return to Waco. Grace enrolled at the University of Houston for the remainder of her freshman year.

Before her sophomore year, Grace transferred to Texas A&M. She met with the coaches when she got on campus and started the process of getting back into volleyball. However, after the paperwork was completed, she discovered that she had a problem with her shoulder. She needed surgery for a torn labrum and rotator cuff.

“I didn’t know if I was going to come back to volleyball or not,“ Grace admits.

“Surgery was not so I could play volleyball again; it was just to be healthy.”

For the next year, Grace was in rehab, working to get her shoulder healthy again. It also enabled her to be involved in activities other than sports at A&M, including joining Delta-Delta-Delta sorority.

“I was able to experience all of A&M I wanted to,” she said.

Grace finally joined the A&M team in the spring of 2010. Classified as the only

senior on the team at the start of the season, along with her experiences at Baylor, she immediately fell into a leadership role on the team.

“The girls definitely look up to me to in pressure situations for me to stay calm,” Grace said. “Some of the girls call me ‘Mama Bear.’”

For Grace, stepping onto the court for the first time as an Aggie was worth the wait.

“The first day in the uniform I was like a kid in a candy story,” she admitted. “It was just surreal. It was awesome.”

Texas A&M head coach Laurie Corbelli was also happy with Grace’s growth.

“After two years off, Sarah has reestablished her game in somewhat of a different role,” Corbelli said. “Her shoulder injury took away an excellent jump serve, but she is back doing great things on the court and definitely strengthens our defense.”

Since she left Baylor midway through her freshman year, she technically broke her National Letter of Intent agreement, causing her to have an NCAA-mandated year off. And since she transferred to a school within the same conference, she had to take an additional year off. Grace and the coaches, along with the A&M compliance office, appealed the decisions to the NCAA. While on their way to Kansas for a match on September 17, the Aggies found out the NCAA granted her an additional year of eligibility. She was immediately reclassified as a junior.

“Being a student-athlete takes a lot of work and it is a huge commitment, but she recognizes and appreciates the many rewards and doesn’t take things for granted,” Coach Corbelli said.

“It couldn’t have happened to a more deserving athlete.”

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Soccer

on me so I allow it.”

Prior to college, the girls had only played together for one season when Amber was a senior in high school and Lyndsey was a freshman. And if everything had gone according to plan, the 2009 season would have been the one and only year they played together at A&M. Entering last season, Lyndsey was a true freshman trying to make a name for herself on the talent-laden Aggie roster, while Amber was a senior captain poised for an All-Big 12 season. Seven games in, Amber suffered a knee injury that put an end to her season. Fortunately, it happened so early in the season it enabled her to redshirt.

“It was really hard being injured last year and redshirting,” Amber admits. “It was a blessing in disguise though to be able to play this fifth year. And I previously had the same injury on my other knee, so I knew how to rehab it and knew my limits.

That helped me come back quicker and stronger.

Lyndsey was excited to have another year to play with her big sister as well.

Sisters Amber and Lyndsey Gnatzig continue an Aggie soccer family tradition by Brian Davis ‘01

18

Aggieland Illustrated

The sisters have gotten much closer to each other since Lyndsey came to College Station.

“Now we live 2 streets away from each other and are always over at each other’s house,” Lyndsey said. “She always wants to come over and hang out with me.”

“She’s got that backwards,” Amber added. “But we do hang out with each other quite a bit. It’s been awesome playing together. We weren’t the closest when we were in high school, but I can say she’s definitely my best friend. Just being able to play with her and have this extra year is really neat.”

On the field, the Gnatzig sisters play different positions and bring unique skills to the team. Amber is more technical, while Lyndsey plays with more speed. Off the field, they are a lot alike. They have the same laugh and a similar personality and sense of humor. However, they have a few differences, too.

“You could say Lindsey is one of the messier girls on the team,” Amber said.

“When it comes to eating, we always laugh because she is always the one with food around her mouth. Sometimes we have to get her a bib.”

Brian Davis ‘01

Nearly every season since its

inception in 1993, the Aggie soccer program has had a unique family tradition on its roster. It began with Tania and Linda Castillejos in the mid 90s and continued with Amy and Carrie Berend, Linda and Sarah Pierson and Natalie and Cydne Currie in the 2000s. Amber and Lyndsey Gnatzig make up the latest sisters to play together on this year’s squad.

Both first generation Aggies, the Gnatzig girls began playing soccer at a very young age. Their parents were track runners, so naturally they encouraged Amber and Lyndsey to try various sports, with one exception.

“We weren’t allowed to be cheerleaders,” Amber joked. “But we tried just about every sport and soccer stuck.”

A standout at Humble High School, Amber arrived in Aggieland in 2006. She had played for Aggie assistant coach Phil Stephenson on an Olympic Development Program (ODP) team, but never really thought about playing for Texas A&M before her first recruiting trip. However, the moment she stepped on campus, Amber knew she was going to be an Aggie.

“I was blown away by the team, the atmosphere, the school – I could go on and on,” she said. “I couldn’t find any negatives across the board. I knew I was going here immediately.”

Lyndsey, also a standout soccer player in Humble, joined her sister on the team last season.

“The coaches are awesome, the girls are awesome – it’s very welcoming and homey,” Lindsey said. “And it didn’t hurt that my sister was here. That might have had a little something to do with it.”

“When Lyndsey got here, I started calling her ‘Sis’ and then so did everyone else,” Amber added. “At first, I was like, ‘hey, that’s my sister!’ But now it’s worn

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“Sometimes I’ll be eating and I’ll look up and all the girls are staring at me,” Lindsey said. “I start thinking, oh no, not again. It’s something I have to work on.

“We still love her,” Amber added.

Meanwhile, the girls give Amber a hard time for how she treats her dog. Mia is a West Highland Terrior that Amber’s boyfriend gave her two years ago.

“She’s awesome,” Amber said. “The girls make fun of me because I treat her like a person.”

Amber even threw Mia a birthday party. Some of the other girls on the team brought their dogs over.

“It might have been a little extreme, but it was fun,” she said.

“Mia sleeps in the bed with her,” Lyndsey added. “That’s her princess. If Mia’s not comfortable, she makes me leave.”

One thing is certain. The Gnatzig sisters are great representatives of the family tradition in the Aggie program. Lyndsey’s career at A&M is just taking off, while Amber’s is winding down.

“Now I’m playing every game like it’s my last,” Amber said. “I have a different perspective. I have that much more to play for.”

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part of the Crew Linebackers like Aggie sophomore Sean Porter are key to resurrecting the Wrecking Crew

by Brian Davis ‘01

Jason MCconnell ‘01

On the third play of the Aggies’ season opener,

Stephen F. Austin quarterback Jeremy Moses dropped back to pass and threw a quick slant to his right to receiver Anthony Foster. It appeared Foster would make the catch and pick up the third down conversion just across midfield. But when the ball arrived, so did outside linebacker Sean Porter. Delivering a jarring hit, Porter leveled the Lumberjack receiver, knocking the ball away and forcing an incompletion.

The hit caused an eruption in Kyle Field for a fanbase longing for the return of the Wrecking Crew. While the Crew isn’t back just yet, Porter’s big play made a great first impression for new coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s 3-4 defense.

A sophomore from Clemens HS in Schertz, TX, Porter was

one of seven true freshmen to appear in all 13 games last season, starting two of them. He steadily improved throughout the season as a key contributor on special teams and was one of the first defenders off the bench playing behind Garrick Williams.

“Coming in last summer, I think I was fourth string at outside linebacker,” Porter recalled, “but I knew I could play. I just kept working hard and listened to everything G [Garrick] had to say. He really helped me a lot and taught me the position even though I was pushing him for his starting spot.”

Porter started playing football at age seven in Pensacola, FL. His dad was in the military, which for most families means a lot of moving around. Porter was no different, having lived in Oklahoma and Louisiana in addition to Florida and Texas. He played Subscribe or renew online at aggielandillustrated.com

21

Sean porter Before the snap football at each stop along the way at positions all over the field, but in Schertz, Porter found a home at linebacker.

Because he moved around so much, Porter didn’t have a favorite school or team he pulled for growing up. He had 22

Aggieland Illustrated

seen a few A&M games on TV when Reggie McNeal was the quarterback, but that was about it as far as his connection with the Aggies.

However, when the A&M coaching staff started recruiting Porter during his

I’m looking at the receivers first off to see what their split is and to see if I know the play from how they are lined up. I look for anything that can tip me off to the play. I’m looking at the tackle to see if he’s forward or backward in his stance to determine if it’s a run or a pass Then I take a deep breath and get ready to go.

– Sean Porter

glen johnson, texas A&M athletics media relations/facing page: Jason Mcconnell ‘01

junior year, they quickly noticed his great speed and instincts at the linebacker position. They watched tape and invited him to camps to see him in person. At a university with a rich tradition of linebackers, he clearly fit the mold. When Mike Sherman called to offer him a scholarship that May, Porter didn’t waste much time before committing.

“I was sitting in my high school coach’s office when Coach Sherman called and offered me,” Porter recalled. “I called my dad and told him and he told me to call Sherman back and commit right then. I had been thinking about it a long time before then though. Coach Sherman and I had talked about all the great linebackers that have played here and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Entering spring practice this year, Porter and the rest of the Aggie defense started over with a new coordinator and a new scheme. For Porter, it also meant a new position to learn – SAM (strongside) linebacker.

“My role in the defense is to be great in coverage all the time and be a sure tackler,” he said. “I have to set the edge of the field. I have to keep everything contained and push things back to those great middle linebackers that we have.”

He didn’t waste any time asserting himself and quickly locked down the starting job during the spring. And just three games into his sophomore season, Porter has already become an integral part of the defense and appears to be a future leader on the field.

“In this 3-4 defense, when you can have guys like Sean and Von [Miller], it can really create some problems for other teams,” Coach Deruyter said. “Sean steps up his game every week. He’s a guy who can slide out and cover or we can bring him off the edge. I’ve said all along, we think he’s an excellent football player and we have very high expectations of him.”

No, the Wrecking Crew isn’t back just yet, but with linebackers like Porter on the field, it will be sooner rather than later.

Texas A&M Football [ game 1: Ags 48, SFA 7 ] Photo of the game

Sophomore cornerback Dustin Harris races for the end zone in the first half of the Aggies’ season opener against SFA. Harris turned in the play of the game with a 38-yard “pick-six” interception for a touchdown against the Lumberjacks. “We were in a Cover 2 defense on that play,” Harris said. “We are taught to disguise by showing a different coverage before we get into our actual coverage. I disguised a Cover 3 look with a bell. We are taught to funnel the number one receiver outside to get him off his vertical path and then to look inside to find number two. On that particular play, the number one receiver ran a vertical route and number two ran an out route. I funneled number one off his vertical path and sunk with him a little bit.

Then I read the quarterback and picked the ball off. I read his eyes. We are taught to read the quarterback’s eyes and his hand placement on the ball. I broke on the ball at the right time and made the play.”

Jeff Fuller stretches out for the touchdown in the second half against Louisiana Tech. The junior wide receiver was dominant against the Bulldogs, grabbing ten receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown.

Texas A&M Football [ game 2: Ags 48, Louisiana Tech 16 ] Photo of the game

Freshman Damontre Moore sacks Louisiana Tech quarterback Tarik Hakmi, forcing a fumble.

Moore had a breakout performance against the Bulldogs with seven tackles, two quarterback sacks, three forced fumbles and one recovered fumble. “We had a great week of preparation,” Moore said. “We studied a lot of film and the coaches emphasized getting turnover after turnover. We knew whoever created the most turnovers would win the game.”

Q&A with Damontre Moore

What has led to your success this season?

A willingness to learn, great coaches and great teammates. The coaches have done a great job teaching me while the older players let me know what my mistakes are so I can fix them in practice.

What is it like learning from Von Miller?

It is amazing. To have the nation’s sack leader teaching you everything he knows on and off the field is pretty special. He is a great mentor.

What other schools were you interested in and why did you choose Texas A&M? I transferred a lot in high school so I didn’t have a lot of exposure or accolades until my senior year. The only other schools I was really looking at were Nebraska and Kansas. I chose Texas A&M because it was close to home and the coaches treated me like a person and not a piece of property that they just wanted to get on the field. They welcomed me with open arms.

When did you commit to A&M? It was right before spring football of my junior year. I had just finished a practice and I called the A&M coaches. They asked me to come up for their junior day. I actually had a Nike camp combine scheduled for that weekend, but the coaches told me I would get more out of their junior day. When I came up I was running late, but they still welcomed me and seemed excited that I was here. I toured the campus and the facilities. I met with Coach Jordan and then Coach Sherman and they offered me a scholarship. It was an overwhelming experience. It was my first offer. I talked to my mom and dad and committed on the spot.

What position did you play in high school and how does the Joker position compare?

During my freshman and sophomore seasons I played middle linebacker. They moved me to defensive end in my junior year. Then we switched to a 3-4 defense and I spent time at defensive end and outside linebacker. It made the transition to the Joker position very easy because it is a lot of the same things I did in high school. I just had to learn new terminology.

24

Aggieland Illustrated

Jason MCconnell ‘01

Are you surprised with how much you’re playing this season?

A little bit. When I go back and watch film, I’m surprised with how much I’m out there. I’m happy that I’ve gotten some opportunities to contribute to my team.

Texas A&M Football [ game 3: Ags 27, FIU 20 ]

Photo of the game

Junior Cyrus Gray scores the game-winning touchdown on a 40-yard run against FIU. “Throughout the game we had been attacking them with more outside runs,” Gray said. “Later in the game we had more success running up the middle. When Christine Michael had his big run, I was sitting on the sidelines feeling very impatient. I was ready to come in and try to make a play to help us win. The play was a type of inside zone run that we use. I made a good cut off a block from Jeff Fuller and was able to score. It was probably one of the biggest runs of my A&M career because of the timing and the opportunity that it came in.”

Q&A with Cyrus Gray

How have you progressed since you got to A&M? I’ve become a better running back. Throughout high school I played quarterback and receiver,

so I never had an opportunity to just study and become a running back. Since I’ve been here, Coach Jordan has really worked with me to be a running back that can run, block and catch. I’ve gotten better at those things each year.

What is it like playing for Coach Jordan?

It’s been exciting. Very exciting. He has so much energy. Those days when you’re down, he’s always up. In high school, he tried to recruit me to Nebraska, but I wouldn’t give him a chance.

When he got the job at A&M, he said this is what I had to do to get you and now you’re mine. We have formed a great relationship and I’m sure it’s only going to get better.

How do you and Christine Michael compliment each other on the football field?

I think the biggest thing is he’s my eyes and I’m his eyes. When I see something he messes up on, I tell him when he comes back off the field

and he does the same for me. We also compliment each other with our speed and power.

I’m the type of guy that when I get out into the open field, I’m going to outrun everybody. He’s a more powerful guy, but he can also outrun people. I like to make a lot of moves and juke defenders. He does that to a certain extent, but he also likes to pound the ball.

What is your relationship like off the field?

It’s great. Off the field, we’ve never had an argument or anything close to an argument.

We’re both always trying to get better. We always have a football with us.

How often do people try to knock it out of your hands?

Always. If it’s not the coaches, it’s the trainers or our teammates. It really helps work on our instincts. And fortunately, nobody has knocked mine out yet – knock on wood.

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25

Texas A&M Football [ game 4: Oklahoma St. 38, Ags 35 ]

Sophomore wide receiver Ryan Swope leaps for the end zone during the fourth quarter of the Oklahoma State game. Trailing 35-28 with just over four minutes remaining, the Aggies needed only four plays to drive 80 yards for the gametying touchdown. Swope caught two of the four passes on the drive, including a 28-yarder for the score.

26

Aggieland Illustrated

Jason MCconnell ‘01

Photo of the game

Texas A&M Football [ october game previews ] Arkansas Razorbacks

Last Season: 8-5, 3-5 SEC

When

Missouri Tigers

Last Season: 8-5, 4-4 Big 12

When

Saturday, October 9 at 2:30 pm (ABC)

Saturday, October 16 at 11 am (FSN)

Where

Where

Series Record

Series Record

Key Question

Key Question

What to Expect

What to Expect

Arlington, TX (Cowboys Stadium) A&M 24, Arkansas 39 (3 ties)

College Station, TX (Kyle Field) A&M 7, Missouri 3

Will a more experienced Texas A&M team once again be intimidated by the bright lights of Cowboys Stadium?

If you thought last year’s Arkansas squad was good, the 2010 version will blow you away. Top to bottom, this is the most physical, experienced team on the A&M schedule. Simply put, the Ags will have to play perfectly to overcome the Hogs in Arlington.

How will the Aggies respond on their own turf after back-to-back nationally televised games?

A talented but inconsistent Missouri squad should prove to be a worthy opponent. With a renewed defense and a never say die 12th Man, the Ags should be able to pick up a crucial Big 12 win.

Player to Watch

Player to Watch

QB Ryan Mallett (JR) – One of the top quarterbacks in the nation, Mallett is currently rewriting the record books at Arkansas.

Fun Fact

QB Blaine Gabbert (JR) – For the second straight week, the Aggie defense will be asked to keep in check an imposing quarterback with a cannon for an arm. As a first year starter last season, Gabbert threw for over 3,500 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Had the Aggies bolted to the SEC this summer in the midst of all the conference realignment hoopla, there’s no telling what amount of buzz this renewed rivalry would have generated.

Fun Fact

Kansas Jayhawks

Texas Tech Red Raiders

Last Season: 5-7, 1-7 Big 12

When

Founded in 1839, the University of Missouri is the oldest school on Texas A&M’s schedule this season.

Last Season: 9-4, 5-3 Big 12

When

Saturday, October 23

Saturday, October 30

Where

Where

Series Record

Series Record

Key Question

Key Question

Lawrence, KS (Memorial Stadium) A&M 7, Kansas 2

Which Kansas team will show up? The one that took down Georgia Tech or the one that suffered a 55-7 beat down in Waco?

What to Expect

College Station, TX (Kyle Field) A&M 35, Texas Tech 32 (1 tie) What will the mood of the Red Raider faithful be by the time late October rolls around, and will they be able to put adversity behind them as they prepare to face their most hated rival?

The Jayhawks have struggled when their opponents spread the field and air it out. Considering the Ags’ ability to throw the ball and the speed among the receiving corps, KU could have a hard time slowing them down.

What to Expect

Player to Watch

Player to Watch

LB Justin Springer (SR) – After registering only 25 tackles as a junior, Springer posted 38 tackles in the first four games this year.

Fun Fact

First year head coach Turner Gill has four former A&M assistants on his staff: JB Grimes (OL), Carl Torbush (DC), Buddy Wyatt (DL) and Lee Fobbs (Director of High School Relations/Player Development).

For the first time in over a decade, the Aggie football team finally wanted a victory more than the Red Raiders last season in Lubbock. Expect the same intensity this year at Kyle Field.

LB Brian Duncan (SR) – Duncan, a fifth year senior, continually shows up atop the leader board in tackles and tackles for loss for the Red Raiders.

Fun Fact

The Aggies haven’t beaten Texas Tech in back-to-back seasons since 1993-94.

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27

dustin Harris

Nine questions for the Aggies’ sophomore cornerback

by Brian Davis ‘01

Were you surprised to be starting as a freshman last season?

Yeah, I was surprised. We were short on corners and Coach Mac told me that if I worked hard and proved to him that I was ready to play then I would start. I worked my butt off during the summer and fall camp and I ended up earning the starting job.

Is punt returner the toughest position on the field?

Probably so – it’s pretty tough. When you are back there waiting for it you have the frame of mind that you can go score a touchdown.

But first, you have to catch the ball and then you have to find the hole. You aren’t always going to be able to catch the ball cleanly and sometimes you aren’t going to be able to catch it period. You always have to be aware of your rules at that position. Sometimes you have to call for a fair catch, which nobody wants to do.

Everyone wants to return it.

How quickly do you have to make that decision?

It’s very quick. Right when the ball is kicked, you have to have it in your mind whether you’re going to need to fair catch it or not. For me, I always believe I’m going to return it unless it’s a really sky-high kick that obviously needs to be fair caught.

In the Louisiana Tech game, what was it like going from the lowest point of a fumbled punt return to the highest point of returning one for a touchdown?

It was a big difference and a sigh of relief, really.

I could feel it from the crowd and my teammates. It’s a position that you have to constantly work at to be successful. I was the punt returner last season, but hadn’t practiced much there in several months. To come in and drop the first punt showed that I hadn’t practiced much on 28

Aggieland Illustrated

it. On the return for a touchdown, before we went out on the field, I told the guys as long as they got their blocks, I was going to catch it and make something happen.

What other schools were you interested in and why did you choose Texas A&M? I considered going to Utah, Rice and Montana State, but ultimately the distance was a factor.

I wanted to stay close to my family. I wanted to be able to get down to the farm and help my dad out. It was a big deal for me – trying to figure out which school I wanted to be at for the next four to five years of my life. My high school coach mentioned A&M because he was good friends with Coach Wyatt, who coached here last year. They set me up on a three-day camp and told me if I came in and showed them what I could do, then I had a good chance of being recruited. That’s exactly what I did. I came in, worked my butt off and showed them my skills. They offered me the last day. I had already made my mind up that this is where I wanted to be. It was such a relief for my parents and for me. I knew I could finish high school and that I had a place to be right after I graduated.

What sort of things do you do on the farm?

My dad is originally from Crockett, TX, and his mom has a place there where we raise and move cows, do some fencing, bale hay – stuff like that. Most people don’t think of me as a farm boy. They think of me as a city boy, but I’m really not. I like to work outside and go deer and hog hunting. It’s a great way to get away from college, get out into the peace and quiet and spend time with my family.

What is it like playing for Coach McMillian?

It’s fun. He’s actually like my other dad. We had a few little fights last year, but this year has been a smooth ride so far. We came in as a unit, and really as a team, with a common goal that this was our year. To prove that, we had to practice harder than we have ever practiced before. We fought through it and it’s showing on the field.

What makes this defense so effective?

The play calling and the coaching. Coach Deruyter has proven to us that this defense works.

He showed us that it worked at Air Force and he’s proving that it works here as well. All you need is eleven guys on the field to believe that and good things will happen.

Jason MCconnell ‘01

What is your current role on defense?

Well, as everyone knows, I started last year at cornerback. I went through a down slump during spring practices and two-a-day camp and I lost my spot. But I keep playing because it’s not about starting. I still get to play. Coryell [Judie] is ahead of me and is playing really, really good. I can see why I lost my spot because I lost it to a good corner. My role is still the same. When I’m called upon, I go in and do what I can to help the defense.

Sophomore Dustin Harris made his big play contribution in the Louisiana Tech game with a 54yard punt return for a touchdown against the Bulldogs. It was the first punt return TD for the Aggies since Jason Webster’s 55-yarder against Oklahoma in 1998, a span of 140 games over 13 seasons.

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Aggieland Illustrated

exclusivelyaggieland

the future of

the big 12 (for now)

by Jeremy Ksionda ‘04

Summer 2010 will forever be remembered as the

summer of what could have been (well, maybe not forever, but at least until the whole conference realignment debacle decides to rear its ugly head again). For Nebraska and Colorado, big changes are on the horizon, as the Huskers and Buffaloes await their schedules against an all-new set of conference opponents.

For the remaining members of the Big 12, it’s a good thing they all decided to stick together, because they’re going to be seeing a lot more of each other on the gridiron. Gone is the old championship game format, where winners of the north and south divisions squared off against one another for rights to a BCS berth.

Under the new scheduling format, all ten teams will face each

other on a yearly basis, alternating between home and home sites, just like the current divisional format. That means nine conference games a year instead of the current eight, cutting one non-conference game off the schedule.

So what does all that mean for the Aggies? On the surface, it’s nothing more than a chance at an easier route to six wins and a bowl berth. Or on a deeper level, perhaps it’s a second chance at a conference that hasn’t been kind to the maroon and white since the early years of its inception.

Here’s a look at what’s in store for the Aggies in 2011 and beyond. Throw in the Southwest Classic against Arkansas that is expected to run through at least 2018, and you know all but two games a year on the schedule for the foreseeable future.

Texas A&M’s Future Big 12 football Schedules 2011 TBD October 8 October 15 October 22 October 29 November 5 November 12 November 19 November 26

2012 Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech Baylor @ Iowa State Missouri @ Oklahoma @ K-State Kansas Texas

2013 (also other odd years 2015-2017-2019-2021) Week #1 @ Oklahoma State Week #2 @ Texas Tech Week #3 Baylor Week #4 @ Iowa State Week #5 Missouri Week #6 @ Oklahoma Week #7 @ K-State Week #8 Kansas Week #9 Texas

Week #1 Week #2 Week #3 Week #4 Week #5 Week #6 Week #7 Week #8 Week #9

@ Oklahoma State Texas Tech @ Baylor Iowa State @ Missouri Oklahoma K-State @ Kansas @ Texas

2014 (also other even years 2016-2018-2020-2022) Week #1 Week #2 Week #3 Week #4 Week #5 Week #6 Week #7 Week #8 Week #9

Oklahoma State Texas Tech @ Baylor Iowa State @ Missouri Oklahoma K-State @ Kansas @ Texas

Subscribe or renew online at aggielandillustrated.com

31

the12thman

(left and above) First Responders and members of the military were recognized at the Louisiana Tech football game on the nine-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks. (below) The 12th Man has been out in full force this fall. (below left) Aggie softball legends Amanda Scarborough and Megan Gibson at the FIU game. Gibson replaced Scarborough as Texas A&M’s volunteer pitching coach in September. (bottom left) Aggie fans take pictures and toss footballs on Kyle Field after the season-opening win over SFA. (bottom middle) Logan Schaefer served as honorary captain on opening day at Kyle Field.

Logan, son of associate head women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer, has made an inspirational recovery since suffering major head injuries in a wakeboarding accident in July. (bottom right) Von Miller’s mom was spotted before the FIU game sporting a homemade T-shirt made from the July/August 2010 cover of Aggieland Illustrated – just about the coolest thing we’ve seen in our five years of producing AI.

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33

the12thman | sportclubsprofile

men’s soccer

by Brian Davis ‘01

When people think of soccer at Texas A&M, they

Brian Davis ‘01

typically think of the nationally ranked Aggie women’s team, and rightfully so. After all, Coach G Guerrieri has built the A&M program from scratch into one of the elite programs in the nation. But what a lot of soccer and general Aggie sports fans don’t know is that there’s another top-flight program in town – the Texas A&M men’s soccer club.

Established over 20 years ago, the men’s soccer club is a student run organization in the Department of Recreational Sports at Texas A&M University. The team competes with schools across the state in the Texas Collegiate Soccer League. The league includes some of the Aggies’ traditional opponents like Baylor, Texas Tech and the University of Texas. Club president Allen Hamilton ’13 says the Longhorns are naturally the team’s biggest rivals.

“It comes with the territory,” Hamilton says. “Texas is probably the second best team in the state – after us.”

Around 100 students attend the team’s tryouts each August for a spot on the 50-man roster. Hamilton wishes they didn’t have to cut anyone, but it isn’t financially feasible to accept more than 50. Those who make the cut are divided into an A and B team, assuring everyone an opportunity to play.

The club competes at a very high level. Many of the players passed up opportunities to play at schools with NCAA soccer programs because they wanted to come to Texas A&M for whatever reason. Hamilton falls in that category. He played for the University of Dallas his freshman year before transferring to Texas A&M. “Being an Aggie was too important for me to pass up,” he said.

Not only are the Aggies traditionally the best club team in

Texas, they consistently advance to the National IntramuralRecreational Sports Association National Championship tournament. Last year, they advanced to the Elite 8 before losing to eventual national champion Weber State. In 2003 and 2005, Texas A&M brought the national championship home to Aggieland. The tournament, held in Phoenix, AZ last year, typically makes a big dent in the club’s budget.

“We fund everything we do with annual dues,” Hamilton said.

“We appreciate any kind of financial support we can get.”

While the team is extremely impressive to watch on the field, their most significant event occurs annually on the golf course – the Danny Kenney Memorial Golf Tournament. A former player from the 1990’s, Kenney passed away at the age of 29 after losing a battle with brain cancer. In 2000, Kenney’s family and friends initiated the tournament to help support the club and provide scholarships to members.

“Danny’s family comes out every year for the tournament and it’s just a great event,” Hamilton said.

This annual fundraiser supplements the generous donations from Kenney’s friends and family and has resulted in the Daniel C. Kenney endowment for the Texas A&M men’s soccer club.

The endowment has grown to over $61,000 – the single largest endowment of all the Texas A&M sport clubs – and over $29,000 in scholarships have been distributed to members.

Naturally, the guys on the team are just as big of soccer fans as they are players. If they aren’t practicing or playing themselves, you can usually count on seeing them at the Aggie Soccer Stadium supporting Coach G’s program.

For anyone who enjoys soccer or supporting A&M sports in general, don’t miss one of the best-kept secrets in Aggieland.

Head out to the Penberthy Intramural Sports Center and support the Texas A&M men’s soccer club.

For more information on the Texas A&M men’s club soccer team, visit msoccer.tamu.edu or recsports.tamu.edu Subscribe or renew online at aggielandillustrated.com

35

aggieowned&operated

wings togo

When sinking their teeth into a wing combo, not

very many people realize they’re sampling history along with whatever variety of sauce they selected (Hawaiian Parmesan is my personal favorite). Wings ‘N More may be considered one of the most popular restaurants in the Bryan/College Station area, but it has far more to offer than just good food. For Mark Dennard ’78, the journey to the top of the local restaurant chain has been characterized by history, tradition and the Aggie Spirit.

Dennard came to Texas A&M in 1974 as a part of then-head coach Emory Bellard’s third recruiting class.

“You hear about people making good and bad decisions,” he explained. “I think signing with A&M was one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

As a freshmen he knew he may not see the field very often, but knowing he was a part of the Aggie team maintained his spirit.

“It wasn’t all about the X’s and O’s, it was about the playercoach relationship, as well as the player relationships,” he said.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have some coaches that have made a positive influence in my life.”

Midway through his sophomore season, Dennard got the chance to become better acquainted with the field. Self-described as “one of the highlights of his life,” the 1975 season 36

Aggieland Illustrated

would change the course of his future.

“Sometime during the week prior to the SMU game, our starting center got injured,” he recalled. “That night, Coach came into my room and indicated to me that I was going to be the starting center as a sophomore that next day.”

The season got better from there for Dennard as he was named team captain for the Texas game.

“A&M hadn’t beaten Texas since 1967. Being named captain for that game is something that’s really special to me to this day.

And what made it even sweeter was that we beat Texas that year, 20-10.”

In his four years at A&M, Dennard experienced playing on multiple top 20 ranked teams, earning All-Southwest Conference honors along the way. But, it was Coach Bellard that Dennard esteems as having propelled his career to the next level.

When a spot opened up in the Senior Bowl at the last minute, Coach Bellard put Dennard in it – an opportunity that gave him the rare privilege of being coached by a professional coaching staff.

“As a sophomore or junior, I hadn’t even thought about playing pro ball,” Dennard admits. “Consequently, I had a good game in the Senior Bowl.”

Rob Havens ‘88

by Katie Mcconnell ‘09

It paid off when he was selected by Miami in the 10th round of the 1978 NFL Draft.

After spending his rookie year on injured reserve, Dennard made his impact on the team during his second season, just like he had done at A&M. Nine games into the 1979 season, Jim Langer, Miami’s Hall of Fame center, badly injured his knee.

“Coach [Don] Shula entrusted me to fill that position,” he said. “My first game was on Monday Night Football against the Houston Oilers.”

Dennard went on to play seven seasons with the Dolphins and two with Philadelphia before ending his career with the Cleveland Browns. While in Miami, Dennard made a surprising discovery of what he wanted to do after football was over.

After tasting his first buffalo wings in a players parking lot with some friends, Dennard knew he had to find out more about these tasty treats. Soon he, and a couple of friends were traveling to Fort Lauderdale, FL to sample wings from a friend’s local restaurant called Wings ‘N Things.

Initially planning on becoming a loan officer once he was done playing football, Dennard quickly realized the restaurant business was for him. However, starting a new wing restaurant in an area that hardly knew what wings were would be harder for him than he realized.

“When we first opened, you could come in the restaurant, shoot off a shot gun and not hit anybody,” he said.

Through enduring the difficulties of starting his own business, Mark Dennard realized the value in the lessons he was taught through football – the hardships of two-a-days and intense coaching and demands – gave him his undeniable work ethic.

“Failure was never an option and it still isn’t,” he said.

The first restaurant, which was located in Houston, put added demands on both Dennard and his family.

“I worked 24-hours a day, 7-days a week and ended up getting an apartment there,” he said. “My family would visit me on the weekends.”

Determined to see his business through successfully, Dennard worked in every aspect of the business from management to cooking. Once practically a one-man show, Dennard is now more than glad to run the business as a family.

“My son Wes has done a wonderful job as director of operations,” the proud father said.

Now, Wings ‘N More has grown into a hearty restaurant chain with multiple locations in Houston, The Woodlands, and Bryan/ College Station. And, with the continual growth of Aggieland, Dennard is confident that his zesty wings are here to stay. In fact, he has even had requests to expand the business beyond Texas from Aggies that have moved away, and are hoping to enjoy their favorite wings again.

“We are looking to franchise in the future,” he admits. “But in the meantime, we’re just tending to business.”

Jack WinsloW

Body shop Serving AggielAnd for over 62 YeArS

~ Free eStimateS ~ ~ inSuranCe ClaimS welCome ~ ~ open 8 – 5:30, m-F ~

1845 Graham rd • ColleGe Station • 979-690-1487 www.jaCkwinSlowbodyShop.Com

“You hear about people making good and bad decisions. I think signing with A&M was one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

– Mark Dennard ‘78 Subscribe or renew online at aggielandillustrated.com

37

oldarmy

photo by Glen Johnson, Texas A&M athletics Media Relations

In each issue of Volume 5 of AI, we are excited to share eight of Glen Johnson’s most memorable moments from photographing all things Aggie. Glen has been the official photographer of Texas A&M Athletics since 1981. Special thanks to Glen for his contribution.

2. Red, White and Blue Out at Kyle Field, 2001 “Of course, everyone remembers this one, so no words are really necessary, but I’ll never forget the feeling of seeing the stadium in red, white and blue. It gave me goose bumps and made the adrenalin flow at the same time.” – Glen Johnson

Glen’s Great eight

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TIME SENSITIVE MATERIAL

RED’S RANKINGS Top

10%

in the nation in vascular surgery from the thousands of gallons of queso consumed while tailgating.

5-star rated

in coronary intervention from those heart-stopping moments like the 1998 Conference Championship game.

Top

5%

in the nation for spine and neck surgery from those years of just watching the Wrecking Crew.

To learn more about St. Joseph, go to st-joseph.org.

To find out your risk for stroke and heart attack, go to sjprevention.com.

As rated for 2009-2010 by HealthGrades, one of the nations leading independent health rating organizations.

5-star rated for joint replacement from those student years spent standing.

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