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Freshman Edition
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The Battalion
Section Two
U :?
College Station, Texas
Wednesday, August 5, 1970
Color ’70 Aggies slightly green
But add desire, enthusiasm
New Aggie Quarterback—Lex James, a 6-0, 182 pounder
from Houston Sam Houston, will carry a large part of the
Aggies load on the gridiron in 1970. The sophomore earned
team - He
Color the 1970 Texas Aggies
young again with a slight tint of
green, but add a dash of robust
enthusiasm and a burning desire
to succeed.
What was a sophomorish outfit
in 1969 will be a juniorish-sopho-
morish group in 1970. The No. 1
offense has eight juniors and
three sophomores and the No. 1
defense has five juniors, five
sophomores and one senior. The
lone senior is all-SWC safety
Dave Elmendorf, a two-year vet
eran who missed spring drills be
cause of his participation in base
ball.
After two outstanding recruit
ing years in the springs of 1968
and 1969, the talent appears to
be good, even if still young.
After the Maroon-White game
that closed out spring practice,
head Coach Gene Stallings said:
“I feel better about this spring
training than any we’ve had here.
But I have to be realistic about
the early schedule. I just hope
we’re healthy when we get to
the Southwest Conference play.”
The Aggies open at home
against Wichita State on Sept.
12. Then, they hit the road for
three rugged non-conference
games — against LSU in Baton
Rouge, Ohio State in Columbus
and Michigan in Ann Arbor.
“I think we have a little more
depth than we’ve had ever and if
we don’t have a lot of injuries, I
think we have a chance to have
a pretty good football team,”
Stallings said.
Texas A&M’s foes will face the
huskiest line in Stallings’ six-
year regime this autumn. The
first offensive line, excluding the
split end, will average 231
pounds. The second will be even
heavier, at 237. The defensive
front four, plus three linebackers,
will average 218 for the first unit
and 215 for the second.
That isn’t huge, by current col
legiate standards, but it is a
sharp departure from the light
horse troops that have marked
Stallings’ regime.
The Aggies lost 23 lettermen
and returned 29 from last year’s
outfit. Among those departing
were four — tailback Larry Steg-
ent, split receiver Barney Harris,
tight end Ross Brupbacher and
defensive Billy Bob Barnett —
who were drafted by the pros.
The major hurdle ahead for the
Aggies seems to loom at the all-
important quarterback slot where
there are no proven hands.
The top candidate following the
spring game was sophomore Lex
James, a 5-11, 182 pounder from
Sam Houston High in Houston.
The rest of the offensive back-
field includes Brad Dusek, at left
halfback, Marc Black at fullback
and Clifford Thomas at right
half. Dusek will be a sophomore
while Black and Thomas will be
juniors. Black is a returning
starter and Thomas is a letter-
man.
The competition was hot and
heavy, especially at left half
where lettermen Steve Burks was
in the thick of the picture and at
fullback where Doug Neill came
through with a big spring per
formance. Joe Mac King, a jun
ior letterman, finished as the No.
2 quarterback but the versatile
Dusek also could be called upon
to play there in the event any
thing happens to James.
Elmendorf will likely see some
action at right halfback during
early fall drills and another soph
omore, Robert Murskim, who was
out with a shoulder operation in
the spring, is expected to make a
strong bid in the fall.
Two solid offensive line units
emerged in the spring, meaning
the competition will be close
again in the fall drills. Sopho
more Mike Park, 216, won the
center spot in the spring while
the first team guards were Len-
ard Millsap, 220-pound junior
squadman and Leonard Forey,
230-pound junior returning start
er. The tackles were Benny De-
Witt, 237-pound junior squadman
and Andy Philley, 241-pound jun
ior returning starter. Mitch Rob
ertson, 220-pound junior squad
man, was the tight end and Joey
Herr, 181-pound junior letterman,
was the split end.
Close behind them were split
end Hugh McElroy, 170, junior
squadman; tight end Homer May,
224, sophomore; tackles Mike
Fields, 231, junior letterman and
Buster Callaway, 240, sophomore;
guards Winston Beam, 251, sen
ior letterman and Gary Martin,
234, sophomore; center Ted
Smith, 224, junior letterman.
Young, reckless hitters might
best describe the defensive front
four. The only veteran on the
first group is junior Van Odom,
233, a starter as a sophomore last
year. The other three all will be
sophomores. The two ends are
Todd Christopher, 219, and Max
Bird, 210, and the other guard is
Boice Best, 228.
The competition is close, how
ever, and the second unit is about
only a half-step behind. The ends
(See Green, page 5)
Aggie All-SWC Player—Dave Elmendorf, a 6-1, 190 pound
senior, is returning to the Aggie squad this fall as a two-
year varsity letterman. As a junior, he was All-SWC safety
and second team All-America Academic Team. He was also
twice All-SWC as baseball centerfielder.
Deal with a Winner!
Shaffer 9 s
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