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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1971)
Stallings pleased with team progress THE BATTALION Wednesday, September 1, 1971 College Station, Texas Page 7 By JOHN CURYLO Battalion Sports Editor "Texas A&M has an exception al student body. There aren’t many places where a 2-9 team ould get the kind of ovation we ;ot at All-University Night. I appreciated it for the players, bnd I know that they have a great deal of respect for the stu dents here.” II *•" uildin? i ware- ) other farming,' mery » him. it ing ttai is refe ,s no catch«! ■ at If there an In this way, Aggie Coach Gene Stallings praised the A&M school spirit. Speaking at his weekly press conference Tuesday in the Lettermen’s Lounge, he also ex pressed good thoughts about the community’s support of the team, specifically the programs wel coming the team back to school and the project to fill Kyle Field for the Wichita State game. "All the publicity by the radio, television stations, and businesses around town really made a dif ference in the attitude of the players,” Stallings said. “It makes them want to do better when everyone is behind them like that.” He also talked about the Open House at Kyle Field Sunday night, saying that the turnout was pleasing. The coach added that he appreciated the praise he received on his players’ polite ness with the youngsters. On the subject of fall drills, Stallings commented that he felt the team had progressed with each practice. “Usually, when I look at scrim mage films, I find some phase of the game that I’m not pleased with,” he said, “but in looking at the films from Saturday night, I like everything I saw.” Stallings singled out tailback Cliff Thomas, guard Leonard Forey, and fullback Doug Neill as grading high in the last scrim mage. Injuries, which ruined the Ag gies last year, were discussed only briefly, but Stallings point ed out that aggravating injuries, such as sprains and soreness, were hurting his plans for an other scrimmage. “This is the time of year I love,” he said, “but I’m frustrat ed because we need a little more contact work, but I’m reluctant to have a full-scale scrimmage, for fear of getting someone hurt.” He mentioned that if the Wich ita game had been yesterday, Mark Green could not have played, due to a sprained foot, and that Lex James might have been able to play, but that he had a badly sprained left thumb. At the present time, Tim Trim- mier and Joe Mac King are work ing behind James and Green at the quaterback slot. Stallings pointed out that Rob ert Murski, who is now playing split end after being a corner- back last year, has done an “ex cellent job” thus far. “Robert catches the ball well,” he said, “but he doesn’t run his routes perfectly. Of course, that’s much better than having somebody who runs good routes and drops the ball.” He also said that Hugh McEl- roy would return punts this year, and that he would run back kick offs, with John Gardner and Ricky Spencer probably deep on kickoffs too. With 23 seniors on the squad, Stallings was asked about lead ership, both on and off the field. “You need two types of lead ership on a football team,” he ex plained, “the rallying kind and the silent kind. I’m proud to say that we have both types on this year’s squad.” Aggie sports information director to air first in series of television broadcasts Spec Gammon, in his ninth year as sports information direc tor at Texas A&M, will host the “Spec Gammon Show,” premier ing this coming Monday, Septem ber 6, at 7:30 p.m., on Midwest Video-BCS-TV, Channel 9. The format for the new series will be films highlighting Aggie games, keeping Aggie fans up to date on happenings behind the scenes. He also will give scout ing reports on the Southwest Conference teams and Aggie op ponents. Interesting guests also will be interviewed. Gammon, though a Texan for many years, received his school ing in Oklahoma and acquired his Bachelors at the University of Oklahoma. He was a quarterback in his school days, and also cap tained the basketball team. After serving in the Army for three IM SWC Press Tour Talented junior thrives on contact here for session If opponents want to find a tough lineman on the Aggie team, they’ll have a number to choose from. But, which ever one they pick, none will be tougher than Boice Best. At 6-1 and 230, the junior from Houston Smiley has a rough year of college football behind him, but he seems to thrive on the idea of another season. “We’ve had a lot of spirit and enthusiasm so far,” he said, “and we’re all very much looking for ward to this year. We sure do want to win.” On a team with few great sophomores, Boice said that Trammell, 6-1 and 255, is quite capable of doing the job well. “Bud reminds me of Van Odom when he was a sophomore, and that’s a tough football player,” he explained. On a very experienced team with 23 seniors, it seems odd that a junior would be a leader, but the experience and quality he has from last year put him in the “veteran” category. “It’s so much different as a junior,” Best explained. “Last year, when things got tough dur ing practice, I’d sort of ‘belly ache,’ but now, I wouldn’t think of letting anybody know I’m tired, because I’m expected to show a good example and be a leader. It’s been good for me, too.” In discussing the overall de fense, Boice said that he expects them to provide a lot of thrills this fall. “We’ll be in there all the way,” he promised. “We’ve got a lot of experience and a number of guys who could break into the lineup. All these guys will play a lot, even if they don’t start. I’m look ing forward to a good year, since all of the players who were in jured last year are ready to go. It hurt us last year to have so many people miss games, prac tices, and even some parts of the season with injuries.” Southwest Conference Press Day arrives at College Station tonight with a barbeque at Ar nold’s beginning at 7 p.m. which will kick off the annual extrava- years during World War II, he began his career in the sports departments of several small town newspapers. Shortly there after, he became sports editor of the “Odessa American” for 13 years. He joined the athletic de partment at Texas A&M in July of 1963 in his present capacity as sports publicist. He was married to the former Aria Rutenbeck of Greeley, Colo rado in 1954. They reside in Col lege Station, and have two chil dren; a daughter, Marla, 15, and a son, Greg, 12. If everybody is well, then the Aggies could live up to their de sire to have a winning season. In any case, fans can look to Boice Best to provide the excite ment and determination that makes football what it is. ganza. The group is made up of all sports writers and sports report ers throughout the state whose newspaper, magazine, radio or television station covers a South west Conference team. Press Day here will consist of an interview with Coach Gene Stallings at 8 a.m. Thursday in the Letterman’s Lounge, a free lance interview session with the players and a group interview with selected players. Spec Gammon STEREO CITY Original Artists, Original Releases. $^99 8 Track Next to the Campus Theater A first teamer at this point, Best refuses to be overconfident about starting throughout the r . m it alls “I can’t afford to relax during practice,” he explained. “I have to work like I’m getting beaten out, because Bud Trammell could very well replace me or James Dubcak (the other starting tackle).” ivation I laid, “M couliM in we * of woil 'lects li as will ches on j s circle rorksliof ,uth Dee •ometl® c libraii reach restrii 9:15 3 A KT I ,0' 0’ « \NEL@/HE TO GiNKPUS your nutshell advertisers BRITT’S DEPT STORE BRYAN BUILDING & LOAN ASSN. BURGER KING CALDWELL JEWELERS COUNTRY SQUIRE COURTS’ SADDLERY FIRST NATIONAL BANK HOLIDAY HEALTH SPA THE PUB RALPH’S PIZZA RAYWELL LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANERS STUDENT SENATE SUZY’S TIP TOP RECORDS & TAPES UNIVERSITY STUDIO VICK’S DRUG MART