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Texas A&M
The Battalion Sports
September 28, 1982/Page 9
Tech kickoff moved to 2:45 p.m.
Sherrill praises team’s effort
by Frank L. Christlieb
Sports Editor
Never in his coaching career
has Jackie Sherrill been so short
on running backs.
The Aggies began the season
Sept. 4 with a solid backfield bol
stered by quarterback Gary
Kubiak, fullback Earnest Jack-
son and tailback Johnny Hector.
The two running backs com
bined for 1,614 yards during
their junior season in 1981.
In addition, Sherrill opened
the year confident that Thomas
Sanders could fill in for Jackson
or Hector if either went down
with an injury.
Four weeks later, Kubiak is
the lone survivor of that four
some as 2-1 Texas A&M pre
pares to meet 1-2 Texas Tech in
the Aggies’ Southwest Confer
ence opener Saturday.
Jackson and Hector received
injuries during the first three
weeks of the season and San
ders’ severe ankle sprain during
the first quarter of Saturday’s
victory over Louisiana Tech will
keep him out of the Texas Tech
game.
At Monday’s weekly press
conference in Cain Hall, Sherrill
said he’s never endured such a
series of injuries to key offensive
players.
“Normally, not when you had
that many to begin with,” he
said. “We started with a good
group of running backs. When
you lose three of your best play
ers, it really hurts.”
Kickoff, originally slated for 6
p.m., has been moved to 2:45
p.m. to accommodate the CBS-
TV regional telecast of the
game. CBS confirmed Monday
afternoon that Vern Lundquist
will handle the play-by-play and
Steve Davis will be the game’s
color announcer.
At the start of the season, San
ders was listed as Hector’s back
up and junior squadman Elvis
Walker was Jackson’s backup at
fullback. However, Jackson’s in
jury in the loss to Boston College
prompted Sherrill to insert
freshman George Smith as the
starting fullback against the
University of Texas-Arlington.
Hector started that game, but
sustained a separated shoulder
during the third quarter. Senior
Mike Marshall took Hector’s
place, and Sanders replaced
Smith during the course of the
Aggies’ 61-22 triumph.
Against Louisiana Tech, San
ders started at fullback and Mar
shall opened at tailback, but with
Sanders’ ankle injury, Sherrill
must now turn to a different
Defensive end Paul Pender
named player of the week
backfield combination against
Texas Tech.
And the answer? Sherrill
plans to go with Marshall at tail
back and Smith at fullback.
Although Smith has had recur
ring problems with an oft-
twisted left ankle, Sherrill saw
enough from the freshman
against the Bulldogs to start him
against the Red Raiders. But,
Sherrill said:
Tommy Robison praised for
play against Louisiana Tech
“He would be much more
productive if he were 100 per
cent.”
In the Aggies’ 38-27 victory,
Marshall led all rushers with 61
yards on 20 carries, and Smith
finished with 60 yards on seven
attempts. Smith’s total included
a 20-yard touchdown run in the
second quarter.
Sherrill said he’s concerned
about the situation at the run
ning back slots, but added that
he feels confident about Mar
shall, Smith and reserves Elvis
Walker and Jimmy Hawkins.
The Aggie coach praised Mar
shall for his effort and enthu
siasm:
“He’s a young man who’s got
an awful big heart and a lot of
ability. He’s not going to embar
rass you by not throwing a block
or by running the wrong direc
tion.
“I’m sure glad we have him at
this time.”
Sanders was injured when he
scored on a 14-yard touchdown
reception with 7:35 left in the
first quarter against the Bull
dogs. Sherrill said the game
films showed that Sanders had
his foot planted on the goalline,
but Bulldog strong safety Kevin
Corbello dove at Sanders’ feet,
causing the ankle injury.
“When you get skill people
like that, it’s kind of like a race
horse,” Sherrill said. “Their
ankles are very small and very
tender.”
Sherrill described Sanders as
“very doubtful” for Saturday’s
game. Jackson’s cast will be re
moved this weekend, Sherrill
said, and a decision on his status
will be made at that time.
See SHERRILL page 10
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photo by C. Michel Chang
Aggie safety Mark McQueen returns an interception
in Texas A&M’s 61-22 victory over UT-Arlington.
McQueen’s 15-yard return in the second quarter set
up a 31-yard field goal from David Hardy, putting
the Aggies ahead 17-6 at that point. Texas A&M will
play Texas Tech here Saturday at 2:45 in Kyle Field.
United Press International
HOUSTON — Rice Head
Coach Ray Alborn is angry at
Louisiana State Head Coach Jer
ry Stovall for “running up the
score” and at Rice quarterback
Michael Calhoun for not follow
ing coaches’ instructions.
Calhoun felt Alborn’s wrath
immediately as the coach Mon
day replaced him as the starter
against the Texas Longhorns
Saturday with junior Philip
Money. It will be the first time in
14 games that Calhoun has not
started.
But Alborn will have to wait
at least a year and possibly many
years before trying to avenge a
loss to LSU. The score of the
52-13 defeat was what particu
larly galled Alborn, and he told
Rice athletic backers:
“I’ll get even some day. I re
sented it very much. He (Stovall)
must be worried about his job. I
don’t believe in doing that to the
kids.”
Alborn said he had not
waited until he got home to
point a finger at Stovall, a third-
year LSU head coach whose re
cord in two-plus seasons is 12-
11-1.
“I told him (after the game)
that what goes around comes
around,” Alborn said. “And it
will. I’ll be in coaching long
enough to get back at him. He
engaged in running up the
score.”
Alborn pointed to LSU’s late
third-quarter fake punt as proof
that Stovall wanted a wide mar
gin of victory. The fake punt
and 29-yard run came with the
Tigers leading 31-7.
Alborn admitted he wasn’t
sure LSU’s ability.
“LSU is much better than
Tulane and, in looking at films
(of Texas), it looks like Texas is
better than LSU. But I’m not
sure. LSU could give Florida all
they can handle,” he said.
The Tigers play the highly
ranked Gators in Southeast
Conference play Saturday.
Rice plays LSU in 1983 at
Rice Stadium in a series that is
scheduled to 1991. Last season,
Rice beat LSU 17-7 for the first
time since 1966.
Alborn said the immediate
effect of the big loss on his play
ers could not be determined.
By benching Calhoun,
Alborn is making a drastic —
and some say desperate — move
to turn things around. Calhoun
is a much more talented offen
sive player than Money, but
Alborn said he wanted a quar
terback who would run the play
called and who would stand in
the passing pocket instead of
scrambling.
Calhoun, a Wichita Falls
senior, accounted for all of the
Owls’ 22 touchdowns last sea
son, but his consistent improvis
ing finally got Alborn’s goat.
“I just think he (Calhoun) has
so much natural talent and he
just calls on that talent too
often,” Alborn said. He added
he would not be reluctant to in
sert Calhoun into the Texas
game early, but he could not say
what the circumstances would
have to be.
Money is an inexperienced
junior from Edinburg. He is
known as a dropback passer who
lacks foot speed in contrast to
Calhoun.
Philip Money to be Owls’
starter at QB against Texas
GREEK KIGHT
at the
ZEPHYR CLUB
Every Tuesday
Wear Your Club Jersey
Have Happy Hour All Night Long.
504; Drafts
1°° Kami Kazis
Woodstone - Hivy. 30