MONDAY, DECEMBER 4 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2017 STUDENT MEDIA
Silver Taps Jacob Michael Cahoon 8/6/93 — 10/19/17
Megan Bernadette Howe 12/28/94 — 9/25/17
Amogh Shrikant Kulkarni 3/26/96 — 11/16/17
John William Holden, Jr. 10/25/87 — 11/22/17
TUESDAY NIGHT WE HONOR THE FALLEN when 10:30 p.m. Tuesday where Academic Plaza In honor of Aggies who have died, the Ross Volunteer Firing Squad will march in Academic Plaza and fire three rifle volleys of seven shots. Buglers from the Aggie Band will play a special arrangement of Taps.
SILVER TAPS ON PAGES 2, 3, &4
New head football coach Jimbo Fisher throws up a Gig’Em After arriving at Easterwood Airport on Sunday afternoon.
TOUCHDOWN IN AGGIELAND C. Morgan Engel— THE BATTALION
New Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher arrives in College Station on Sunday By Angel Franco @angelmadison_ On a cloudy Sunday in College Station, the man who will lead Texas A&M into a new chapter of Aggie football history arrived. Jimbo Fisher’s first footsteps in Texas as A&M’s new head coach included the playing of the Aggie War Hymn by the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, a group of excited A&M fans and even a maroon carpet that led from the steps of the jet to a car waiting on the runway. Fisher, accompanied by A&M Athletic Director Scott Woodward and University President Michael K. Young, stepped out of
a maroon and white Gulfstream jet owned by A&M regent Robert L. Albritton, Class of 1971. Fisher comes to Aggieland exactly one week after A&M fired Kevin Sumlin, following A&M’s 45-21 loss to LSU the night before to close out the regular season. The week leading up to Fisher’s arrival at Easterwood Airport on Sunday was filled with copious amounts of drama, speculation and excitement. As Fisher prepared for the Seminoles’ last game of the season, which was postponed due to Hurricane Irma in September, multiple reports indicated that A&M and Woodward were actively pursuing Fisher — and only Fisher. Before the Aggies could actively offer Fisher the job, the Board of Regents announced
on Monday, Nov. 27 they would hold a special meeting to discuss the legal and personnel issues of A&M’s football program, including those relating to appointment of a new head coach, according to the official agenda. However, that meeting ultimately wouldn’t take place until Thursday, Nov. 30. In Tallahassee, Fisher continued to go through his regular routine, including his weekly call-in show. During the show, a fan introduced as Mike from Tallahassee questioned Fisher’s loyalty amid several reports suggesting he was considering A&M. However, before Fisher could respond, the fan was rushed out by event security. Thursday, after nearly three hours of deliberation deep inside the Board of Regent offices within the Memorial Student Center, A&M chancellor John Sharp
gave no indication of what was discussed in the meeting. But, he did say there were a few coaches the Board had in mind. “We have candidates,” Sharp said. “It’s just not something we can talk about. It’s sensitive with the coaches and the others.” Later in the day, as the drama continued to grow, it was discovered that there was as a plane from Tallahassee scheduled to land in College Station early Friday morning, prompting the press on both sides of the saga to stake out their respective airports. In Florida, reporters were stationed outside the football offices on the FSU campus and Fisher’s house on Friday. In a dramatic turn of events, a Christmas tree was pictured sitting on the curb of the Fisher residence. This prompted many people in Tallahassee to JIMBO ON PG. 3
Belk Bowl details announced
Redshirt freshman quarterback Nick Starkel hands the ball off to sophormore running back Trayveon Williams during the game against LSU on Nov. 25.
Aggies set to face Wake Forest for the first time in program history By Alex Miller @AlexMill20
Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
Texas A&M will take on Wake Forest in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 29 at noon CT at The Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.The bowl game was announced by both the SEC and ACC Sunday afternoon. “We look forward to representing the SEC in the matchup against Wake Forest and look forward to outstanding hospitality from the Belk Bowl and Charlotte, North Carolina,” A&M Athletic Director Scott Woodward said in a statement. “We look forward to the 12th Man doing a great job of supporting our team.” This will be the Aggies first ever matchup against the Demon Deacons, and their first appearance in the Belk Bowl. The bowl bid also extends A&M’s number of consecutive bowl appearances to nine, a school-record streak beginning with the Aggie 2009 appearance in the Independence Bowl. With interim head coach Jeff Banks leading the charge, the Aggies hope to close the season on a high-note and grab
their first postseason victory since 2014. “We are honored to represent Texas A&M in the Belk Bowl,” Banks said in a statement. “Our players will be excited to get back to work and prepare to face an excellent and well-coached Wake Forest football team.” Wake Forest is 7-5 on the year and finished third in the ACC Atlantic Division behind Clemson and NC State. The Demon Deacons closed the regular season with a 31-23 loss to Duke. Wake Forest began the season 4-0 before dropping four of its next five games. On offense, the Demon Deacons are led by quarterback John Wolford, a senior with dual-threat capabilities. He averages 253.8 passing yards per game, and leads the team in rushing touchdowns with 10. His top target out wide is slot receiver Greg Dortch. The redshirt freshman is the team’s leading receiver with 722 yards on 53 receptions and nine touchdowns. Defensively, Houston native Duke Ejiofor heads the rush. As a redshirt senior defensive end he leads the team in sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (14.5). Linebacker Justin Strnad poses a dynamic threat in the secondary. The redshirt sophomore has recorded a team-high three interceptions, and has been disruptive in the backfield with 3.5 sacks and 7.0 tackles for loss.
The Battalion will be printing tomorrow Dec.5 and Monday, Dec. 11. These will be the last two editions of the semester.