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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 4, 1977)
I nt DAI I ALIUIN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1977 Mike ska finally The story of Russell Mikeska’s career at Texas A&M is a lot like the youngest brother in the family wait ing to get in the bathroom—he just has to wait his turn. After three years of waiting, the 6-3, 220-pound tight end from Temple is finally getting his chance. As a freshman, Mikeska played be hind Richard Osborne, David Greeno and Gary Haack. After a red-shirt year in 1975, he moved “up” to second string behind Haack last year. Haack made All-SWC and Mikeska logged very little playing time, but did win his first varsity let ter. Now, as a junior, he earned the starting role that at one time seemed so distant. “I was recruited by four other SWC schools and all of them wanted to make me a tight end,” recalls Mikeska who was a fullback at Tem ple. “I had caught only one pass throughout high school, but the SWC coaches figures Td put on about 20 or 30 pounds and still have the speed and quickness to play tight end.” Adjusting to the new position wasn’t too difficult according to Mikeska, but breaking into a playing role was. “The year I was red-shirted was pretty rough. All I could do was watch the games from the stands. It was really an empty feeling to see the guys I’d worked out with all week out there sweating while all I did was watch.” Eventually, however, his turn came and he was ready for the chal lenge. “I watched how Gary Haack and the others played tight end and learned a lot from them. Gary still comes out to practice sometimes and helps me out in my blocking technique.” Although he’s just been a starter for four games now, Mikeska ber lieves the bout with Texas Teach a couple of weeks ago is the hardest game he’d ever been in. He scored his first collegiate touchdown as an Aggie early in the opening period on an 11-yard pass from David Walker. The Aggies went on to win that con test 33-17. “It was very physical, to say the least. I got a forearm in the face everytime I came off the line and had two guys all over me on the touchdown pass.” But getting hit doesn’t bother Mikeska, even though a tight end is often the target of a direct blow now and then, especially on pass pat terns that send him into the middle of the defensive secondary. “I never have to worry about hav ing to reach for a pass and possibly take a bad lick. David Walker is al most always on the money with his passes and even though they sting sometimes, at least I know the ball will be there.” Offensive line coach Bob Stanley rates Mikeska’s progress over the past three years as solid and steady. “Russell just gets better and bet ter with each game. He’s an excel lent athlete, has great hands, good speed and is very intelligent. He has waited for his turn to play and now is cashing in on it.” As far as personal goals are con cerned, Mikeska takes a simple ap proach. “I just want to be the best blocker I can be. That’s my primary respon sibility and that is what I’ve got to be good at in order to be a good tight end. I don’t think about catch ing passes because our offense is still pretty conservative. It’s usually a good sign when I get the oppoortun- ity to catch the ball because that means we have control of the game and can afford to open up our attack a little.” ol. 71 ^ 6 Pages After three years of waiting, Rus sell Mikeska is getting a chance to show his stuff—and he feels he’s got some time to make up for. DON’T EVER FORGET IT! SONY WON’T LET YOU. ident Jarvi istering Te> look out opposing ler spoke at Tuesday n Ives of the iller and : H. Well Miller this actio ler received the coli dged ‘ dilij omised SONY M-101C MICRO CASSETTE RECORDER Johnnie Donahue (No. 73) puts pressure on quarterback Rick Leach. Leach was not sacked the entire afternoon, as Michigan defeated the Micro cassette full function recorder. Records up to 60 minutes. Completely ''pocketable”. Distortion free recording even while unit is in motion. One hand, one button operation. Sin gle control switch for playback, stop and re wind, Continuous tape speed stability. Excep tional sound pickup with electret condenser microphone. Sonymatic system automatically BON V dASSKTTE CORDER TC-150 Servo controlled motor, tape counter (3-digit), built-in electric condenser microphone, supplies with AC adaptor, rechargeable battery pack optiom al, record level/battery switch, much more. Nation ally Advertised Value 190.00 maintains consistent recording levels. Fast forward, plus review function for editing and changes. 3-way power supply. Wide frequen cy response. LED record levelbattery light. Inputs for standard mini microphone and ear phone jacks. Nationally Advertised V alue . S200 SALE $18495 SONY TC-56 CASSETTE-CORDER Music-speech selector, built-in electric condenser, record level/battery meter, servo controlled motor, pause control, 3 digit counter, Nationally Advertised Value SI60. SALE $ 169 9 5 SALE $13995 PEACE CORPS * VISTA -ler directei Aggies 41-3. Texas A&M has an open datetli Texas a&N weekend, before playing Baylor in Waco. Diversity’s Battalion photo by Pat O’Mil this sense term well-b Texas operates 3£e different attad “ r t reassessm [." He said ON CAMPUS OCT. 4-5 INFORMATION BOOTH — STUDENT CENTER l nitcd Press I nteniatiuna! ■ . . rr| NORMAN. Okla. - Bi f! un , lcate .t" Switzer said Monday devotee ()klahoma-Texas football have seen a Longhorn offense of the l| bis old Arkansas teammate, Frtij Akers, will field against the Sol Saturday. AUDIO 707 Texas Ave., College Station, Texas 77840 (713) 846-5719 INTRAMURAL VOLLEYBALL ENTRIES CLOSE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11 5:00 P.M., DEWARE FIELDHOUSE Corps, Fish, Men’s and Wom en’s Dorms and Independent, and Co-Rec. Round Robin league play in classes AB, BC and Jungle, with teams qualifying for single elimination playoffs in classes A, B, C and Jungle. SPORT OTHER ENTRIES DUE ENTRIES CLOSE Swimming Tuesday, October 11 5:00 p.m. Soccer Tuesday, October 18 5:00 p.m. Racquetball Doubles Tuesday, October 25 5:00 p.m. Archery Tuesday, October 25 5:00 p.m. Table Tennis Doubles Tuesday, November 1 5:00 p.m. Cross Country Tuesday, November 1 5:00 p.m. $ MSC CAMERA COMMITTEE FALL PHOTO CONTEST • ANY SIZE PHOTO ON AN 11 x 14 MAT • ENTRIES OPEN SEPT. 29, 1977 AND CLOSE OCT. 6, 1977 AT 5 P.M. IN THE M.S.C. LOBBY. COST IST^ 50c PER PRINT “They have certainly a d look than the mental image had of Texas in the past, the Si coach said. “They re a team that’s wide open, with a big philosophy. He said the Longhorns useal_ offense to establish consistj “hut at the same time they many formations, do so many with their talent that they can the big play anytime. yi'j “Without a doubt they have] greatest speed at the skill post of any Texas team-we ve seen. Switzer, a teammate ol As three years at Arkansas, was ® he ever thought they would be ing up teams against each other “Freddie and 1 didn't knowd, we were going hack then. VV| lucky to get to class, let alone anything for the future, Sf said. “He got around a little lx than I did, though. He had n vette and 1 was still hitchhiking ively with Jller said acc facing th< |was given al support ith the pn govern me HANOI! EAST 3 THEATRE • PRINTS WILL BE JUDGED SAT., OCT. 8, 1977 • FOR MORE INFO. CALL: 5-5866 or 5-5357 • CATEGORIES: SPORTS NATURE STILL LIFE PICTORIAL HUMAN INTEREST CANDID PORTRAITURE FORMAL PORTRAITURE ARCHITECTURE EXPERIMENTAL DOLBY 4-CHANNEL STEREO STAR WARS 7:30-9:55 RICHARD PRYOR IN GREASED LIGHTNING 7:40-9:40 ONE ON ONE THE STORY OF A WINNER 7:20-9:30 SKYWAY TWIN. WEST TOM-BOY BUDDIES PLUS SUNDANCE AND THE Kl EAST OUTLAW JOSEY PLUS HARD TIMES WALES thous s, 15 g 1 gallons of ;e d with 2 l Ue lunch* °f Texas at Tuesda Aggies an risti to E m Gov. ] T Queer i e tent c tent wa AikM Roger Corman presents IHevel Promised y&uARfiSt B A New World Picture 7:35 DAILY man Januar ^ Unr Truest 1 ective ft *5? mai r ^, tol, e wa tettive, :e a st a L’lemai