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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 5, 1980)
•• Page 14 THE BATTALION FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1980 Freshman: Get involved in Student Government! Become a Freshman Aide! For more information come by the Student Government booth at the MSC Open House to be held on Saturday, Sep tember 6th, at 6:30 p.m., 2nd floor MSC. Ag football changes span the years By MIKE BURRICHTER Battalion Staff Back in the fall of 1977, Texas A&M football fans shifted their attention from the almighty defense of years past to the potentially explo sive offensive backfxeld. Defensive coordinator Melvin Robertson’s band of marauders had all faded away; many, such as Pat Thomas, Tim Gray, Lester Hayes, Edgar Fields, Brad Dusek and Robert Jackson, are currently play ing in the National Football League. Dave Elmendorf, John McCrumbly, Tank Marshall, Ed Simonini and Garth Ten Napel all played in the pros. The Aggies of’77 were depend ing on a young defense. Any hopes of winning the South west Conference were dependent on the performance of a young, inex perienced defense and a potentially volatile offense. When I first got to A&M, I was a naive 17-year-old kid from out of state who knew nothing about the state of Texas, much less Texas A&M traditions or football. While the tra ditions still baffle me, I’ve since Analysis come to take a keen interest in the football program here. I noticed immediately that all Tex ans, especially Aggies, took their football seriously. I remember an adviser saying, “I can’t wait for the season to start, you’ve simply got to see George Woodard play football. ” That year Emory Bellard’s wish bone backfield consisted of senior quarterback David Walker, junior fullback Woodard, sophomore tail- FORMAL WEAR STUDENT DISCOUNT: Receive $ 3.00 Off Any Tuxedo with a Student I.D. SALES-RENTALS LOCATED IN CULPEPPER PLAZA HWY. 6 at DOMINIK 693-0947 . COME GROW WITH US ALDERSGATE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH “The Church With A Heart-Warming Touch" TEMPORARILY MEETING AT A&M CONSOLIDATED MIDDLE SCHOOL AUDITORIUM JERSEY ST. AT HOLIK ST„ COLLEGE STATION SUNDAY SERVICES: SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:45 A.M. MORNING WORSHIP 11:00 A.M. EVENING WORSHIP 6:30 P.M. CHURCH OFFICE 2114 SOUTHWOOD 696-1376 PASTOR: TERRY TEYKL Sirloin Strip • Filet • Rib Eye • Shrimp Scampi • Prime Rib • Broiled Lobster • Stuffed Flounder RESTAURANT HOURS Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-lO p.m. Saturday 6-11 p.m. Closed on Sundays TWO Vi PRICE HAPPY HOURS Monday-Friday 4-6:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday 10 p.m.-Midnight 815 Harvey Rd. (Highway 30) College Station, Texas 77840 693-1991 Yes! We do take reservations! ‘PRESENTS: st GENERAL cJVIEETING GUEST SPEAKER: PLACE: cMojor Qeneral 'Lawrie 601 'Rudder time 7*30 J?M. September 8^* all visitors welcome VATE: * refreshments provided. backs David Brothers and Curtis Dickey and junior tailback Adger Armstrong. Armstrong and Brothers alternated. Walker was coming to the end of an impressive career. Many feel his talents were wasted with Bellard’s wishbone. Walkerwas a classic drop- back passer in high school, and though he ran the bone effectively, he always looked uncomfortable with it. Had he gone to another school, he may have at least been drafted by the pros. Behind Walker, there were a cou ple of freshmen named Beal and Mosley. Bellard was never quite clear on who was the actual second- teamer, saying they were both cap able of doing the job. The Aggies averaged nearly 30 points-per-game that season, but gave up 25.5 per outing, and towards the end of the season, when Bellard knew his team had no chance to go to Dallas, he began using younger play ers. Mike Mosley saw quite a bit of action, leading the team to an im pressive victory over Houston, after he was inserted in place of a dejected David Walker. Mosley looked equal ly great in a losing cause against USC in the Bluebonnet Bowl. David Beal saw little action, but Mike Mosley was clearly Bellard’s quarterback of the future. Bellard had to look forward to the next season. He’d finally landed him self a legitimate wishbone quarter back. For years, the Aggie quarter back had been a converted high school passer, such as Walker. Mos ley ran the bone at Humble High School, where he was all-America. At 6-2, 177, Mosley had the speed to run the offense Bellard invented. He could run the 100-yard dash in a little under ten seconds. The wish bone is an offense analagous to a juggernaut; it is a ball control of fense that is most effectively run by a mobile quarterback, a sturdy full back, at least one fleet halfback and a big offensive line. Bellard had all of this, and looked towards the 1978 season with high hopes of ending up in the Cotton Bowl. Woodard sat out the season with a broken leg, and he never regained his old form. David Beal served as Mosley’s back up. Beal had been more of a passer at Russelville High School than Mosley. Roughly the same weight, two inches shorter and a couple of steps slower in the 100, Beal was a more than adequate reserve. Over the next two seasons, Mosley was the man at quarterback. He en ters this season as the best quarter back in the conference, though a re- turned-to-form Mike Ford could wrest that title from him. David Beal enters the season as the league’s best reserve quarterback. There is no Mike Mosley question in my mind that he’d be a starter on at least four other confer ence teams — even Arkansas. Dur ing the past two seasons, he’s made the most of his brief appearances at the offensive helm. There’d been talk of red-shirting him. There’d been reports he’d leave if that happened. He wanted to play baseball hut newly-crowned head coach Tom Wilson said no dice. Beal really has never openly complained, but I know he must wonder what would have happened had he gone elsewhere, or just entered the scene a little earlier or later. If all goes according to plan, Mike Mosley will graduate from college ball with first team conference laurels on his record. He may even have a chance to play in the pros. And, barring an injury to Mosley, one of the conference’s better quar terbacks, David Beal, will graduate in relative obscurity. The start oi last season was similar to the start of the 1977 season; but the position in question shifted to tailback, where Curtis Dickey was being mentioned in the same breath as Billy Sims and Charles White. However, the world class sprinter was plagued with little injuries that kept him away from a serious chance at winning a Heismann trophy. Many Aggie football die-hards, in cluding this writer, muttered rueful ly to themselves that the big Bryan runner was a malingerer, an under achiever. And when it became appa rent early on that the Ags were going nowhere last season, the attention focused on Curtis’ replacement. Who could replace a Texas A&M legend? Johnny Hector was most people’s answer. The New Iberia, La. native had been getting headlines six months before he even got to Texas A&M. He was the guy we snatched away from LSU. In the summer of ’79, The mere thought of Hector going somewhere besides LSU en raged some cajuns. A Baton Rouge dentist even Dr. Jill Hobbs announces the opening of PARK CENTRAL ANIMAL CLINIC for the practice of small animal medicine and surgery. 4405A S. Texas Ave. (Just South of Luby’s) 846-8716 Business Hours: Mon., lues., Fri. 7:30-12:30, 2:00-6:00 Wed. & Sat. 7:30-12:30 Th. 7:30-12:30, 2:00-8:00 Emergency Phone 696-0443 threatened to keep Hett!| in prison if he didn't Bayou Bengals. Bulat nute, Hector signedwitln At the time, Heetorwaso savior. The Aggies had the bitter loss of EricDidj best high school back in pulled a Hector and SMU after saying he'di Aggies. Hell, if we could: best running backinlai we got Louisiana’s best The heir to the thrss flashes of brilliance last« not as big or as fast as B certainly had more raov« up 378 yards on 99 cants yard per carry average break for the big yardager hut couldn’t run up the well as Dickey, whom track meets looking mon than the shotputters +0] Another freshman ta be he turned kicks. EarnestJa little Needville, came camp last year to do battle tor for the reserve tailbad tor won. Jackson saw end of the season, and be with 140 yards on 29 m naybe b lived or nd had ard to ci Jackson didn’t have tk but he sure had the tales This spring, Wilson starting tailback a toss-ii; -fed poi the two. Hector was both udif he wa juries during the springi'er ainly w Jackson played su] an United 1 FRA IN than sj life, a pi love— ist a ho n morn got up e Crooke ied flie Id pooh iof Nels are listed at being tbeaingston, \ ■K X- -k Texas A&M Interfraternity Council ^ •k Sunday, Sept. 7 if at the Alamo @7:00 IFC RUSH BEGINS ^ All are welcome! ^ T* Come meet the Fraternities 7^ FREE BEER FREE ADMISSION ^ ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ 11, 190, but Jackson is ie bigger and stronger. Hti ter. Their running styles rent: Hector is a si lar to Joe Washingtoi Payton or Tony Dorsett' a son is more of slashing lar to Lawrence McCi Lydell Mitchell. For a while during when a succession with injuries, Wilson ei with a split backfield oil cess. Earlier this week, asked who would st against Mississippi. He alternate the two, dicate who’d start. He's)! he’d start off with the ! which means David Hill ing up directly behind M hind Hill is your guess,! that it’ll be Hector. I like the split backfiel: inexperienced line the l! (one senior starter, fourii sophomore), runners ability to choose their a With Mosley, Hector an!' the backfield, the scoring threat every timel the ball. I just hope Earnest| doesn’t end up beingtb Beal. nverse ver cai standii 4k and I sa insect bile he of time it drifi Is went •ut he farted my, th :t of ir lilii HEAR YE HEAR YE The k MSC Box Office presents... Extended Hours for Our Customers Students • Staff • Faculty • Community NOW OPEN 9 am to 6 pm Monday thru Friday MSC Box Office Rudder Tower Lobby 845-2916, 845-1234