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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 25, 1982)
Texas A&M Battalion Sports October 25, 1982 Page 9 ggies’ balanced attack drowns Owls, 49-7 A&M defense shuts off Rice more mforraa Monday Nigl n Browne ar the MSC Quarterbacks didn’t have an easy time in the Aggies’ 49-7 victory over Rice Saturday, as Rice defensive tackle Clenzie Pierson breaks through the Aggie offensive line to hit Gary staff photo by David Fisher Kubiak after a pass during the third quarter in the photo on the left. Rice was flagged for roughing the passer on the play, giving the Aggies a first down on the Owls’ 29-yard staff photo by Octavio Garcia line. In the right photo, Aggie defenders Keith Guthrie and Ray Childress combine to bring down Rice quarterback Doug John son, who threw five interceptions on the day. Juce opens fast, tizzies out taster )St H by Frank L. Christlieb icer Sports Editor MRay Alborn found out Satur- lay that memories and gim- Kks don’t win football lames. Hn an effort to bring his team can lead to (Bk to the happier times it en- a pre-cam foyed during the 1980 season, the mouth, ilhe Rice head coach used a uni ear, oral caiict^ pipy against the Aggies, n 2/.ODD peoBntering the game winless, () deaths. |lborn resorted to a bit of su- Aa is a white perstition in an attempt to de- t may rangefftfeat Texas A&M. But he lost iv area to a anyway, as Texas A&M waged a led, harden' full-scale passing attack that util- •utid. tied quarterback Gary Kubiak as lion ota .. ., i , ■Mborn, described by many as ► bacco rests in ^ 7 ’ a 11 so can he pK » ».ie, lips, sain e, cheeks, or outh and esof > i is said absi||j iind dipping: i ic-asure fora' ! a crafty, witty strategist, had his best season with Rice in 1980, when the Owls finished 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the Southwest Conference. Rice defeated the Houston Cougars 35-7 in the final game of the season to give Alborn and the Owls a lift enter ing 1981. But here’s the key: the Owls, who for several years had been identified by number (since their jerseys bore no names), wore names on their backs for the first time ever in the victory over the Cougars. Between that game and the Owls’ 23-21 loss to Texas Tech Oct. 16, however, the Owls wore nameless jerseys. Thus emerged Alborn’s stra tagem for Saturday’s game with the Aggies. It was a cleverly con trived idea, but wearing those names didn’t do the Owls an ounce of good. “When you’re 0-6 and you’ve got kids out there busting their tails, you’ve got to try anything,” Alborn said after the Aggies pounded the Owls 49-7. “Gim micks don’t win football games, but I thought that it would give them a lift, and it did.” But the lift didn’t last long. When Rice started the game by moving the ball from its own 20-yard line to the Aggie 26, it looked as if Alborn’s manuever would work. But after Aggie free safety Domingo Bryant tip ped a Doug Johnson pass into the hands of linebacker Jeff Ful ler, the Owls’ situation began to worsen. After holding Texas A&M on third-and-18, the Owls moved the ball from their own 5-yard line to the Aggie 48, but the drive stalled. Rice linebacker Richard Gray intercepted a Kubiak pass on the Aggie 36, but three plays later, Fuller tipped another pass into the hands of cornerback Billy Brown. As a result, Rice finished the first quarter leading 6-2 in first downs and 100-52 in total offense, but was still locked in a scoreless tie with the Aggies. The Owls’ starting offensive scheme featured a few tricks and and some razzle-dazzle, includ ing a couple of halfback passes and an unbalanced line. Rice kept the Aggies off-balance for most of the first quarter, but af ter Texas A&M broke loose four minutes into the second quarter for the game’s first score, the Owls couldn’t muster the strength to catch up during the remainder of the game. “I can’t find any fault with our effort, though,” Alborn said. “We had some kids banged up and hurt, but they gave all they had and that’s all you can ask.” See MISTAKES page 10 by John P. Lopez Battalion Staff There’s just something aboui playing Rice that brings out the best in Aggie quarterback Gaiy Kubiak. Last year Kubiak chalked up a Southwest Conference record six touchdown passes and threw for 253 yards while leading Texas A&M to a 51-26 rout ol the Owls. After such a produc tive outing, one would think Kubiak’s performance this year would be rather uneventful. It wasn’t. Kubiak’s encore perform ance against the Owls brought down the house. He didn’t throw six touchdown passes — he threw five. But Kubiak log ged 306 yards through the air ways to top last year’s yardage output by 53 yards and set a per sonal best for his career as an Aggie. Kubiak said the Aggies’ con vincing 49-7 victory came at the perfect time for the offense, which has been sputtering lately. “We didn’t play real well last week against Baylor,” he said, “so we needed this win to help our confidence. I think having Johnny (Hector) and Earnest (Jackson) back, and having George (Smith) running the way he has really opened up the pas sing attack.” Texas A&M Head Coach Jackie Sherrill agreed that hav ing the offense intact vastly im proved the Aggie attack. “For the first time in awhile, we’re getting people back on offense and they’re playing together,” he said. “I think the passing and running games go hand in " ‘ a good balance between the two. “Gary’s protection was very good and I think he played ex tremely well. I thought he did an excellent job on his audibles and ‘ picking out his receivers. I think; the offensive line did an excel- - lent job.” Kubiak echoed Sherrill’s sen-- timents on the line’s perform ance. “I went to the fourth or fifth receiver at least four times,” he said. “And any time you can do that you have to credit the offen sive line. They did a great job.” Kubiak kept the Owl secon dary off balance throughout the game by targeting his passes to nine different Aggie receivers, but every time Kubiak wanted to make a big play, it seemed like Don Jones was on the end of one of the Aggie quarterback’s bombs. Jones only caught three pas ses, but all three were for touch downs. Two of his TDs came on the exact same play, Jones said. “The play was designed to send a decoy receiver to the right and one to the left and leave the middle open,” he said. “It just worked perfect both times. Kubiak was throwing great today.” On Jones’ first touchdown re ception, the play worked so well that the nearest Owl defender was 10 yards away, but Jones hobbled the pass and nearly dropped it. “I was so wide open that I scared myself,” he said. Kubiak’s other two touch down passes were to Jimmy Teal, who led the Aggie wide in hand. We’d Tike to keep See DEFENSE page 10 McDonald's DRIVE-THRU WINDOW MCDONALD’S INTRAMURAL HIGHLIGHTS At University Drive Now at Texas and S.W. Parkway prescribf r many to Kile thef You wil selection d fat free •ea, Sbise L :45 PM T Sports Club Corner |ruesday, October 26 Rodeo Club Meeting — 8 P.M. Kleburg 113 hursday, October 28 TAMU Men’s Soccer Team VS Texas Tech — 4 P.M. Drill Field Friday, October 29 Aggie Rodeo VS Former Students — 8 A.M. in Snook Arena Handball Club — Open Tournament at Woodstone Racquetball Club Halloween Racquetball Classic (open tournament) 5 P. M. on the TAMU Racquetball Courts [Saturday, October 30 TAMU Women’s Soccer Team VS Baylor — 10 A.M. Penberthy TAMU Men’s Rugby Team VS Heathens — 1 P.M. Drill Field TAMU Women’s Soccer Team VS Metropolitan State — 3 P.M. Pen berthy Intramural Complex Aggie Rodeo VS Former Students — 8 P.M. Snook Arena Halloween Racquetball Classic (open tournament) 9 A. M. on the TAMU Racquetball Courts [Sunday, October 31 Handball Club — Open Tournament at Woodstone Racquetball Club 8 A.M. Halloween Racquetball Classic — FINALS TAMU Racquetball Courts. Spook Sprint — TAMU Roadrunners and C&C Creations — 3 P.M. . '■ ■ 7- p } % - Get Your Teams Organized Today! Get a diving start into this week’s Swimming Competition. On Monday, October 25 at 7 P.M. in P.L. Downs Pool entries will be taken and preliminaries will be held for the Corps and Fish. On Tuesday, October 25 at 7 P.M. in P.L. Downs Pool, entries will be taken and preliminaries will be for both Men’s and Women’s Dorm and Independent. The preliminary swimming events will include: 200 yard freestyle and medley relays, 100 yard individual medley, 100 yard freestyle, and 50 yard backstroke, free style and butterfly. Divisionals will take place on Thursday, October 28 at 7 P.M. All Masters and CoRec events will be swum on Monday, November 1 at 7 P.M. The Masters events will include but not be limited to: 50 yard back stroke, breast stroke, free style, and butterfly. The CoRec events will include the 200 yard medley and free style and the 100 yard sweat shirt relay. Get your teams organized today! TAMU Racquetball Club Sponsors Open Tournament The TAMU Racquetball Club will be sponsoring this weekend’s Halloween Racquetball Classic. This tournament is open to all Texas A&M Students, Staff, and Faculty. The tournament begins on Friday, October 29 at 5 P.M. and continues at 9 A.M. on Saturday, October 30. The finals are slated for Sunday, October 31. Entries will be accepted through Tuesday, October 26 at 7 P.M. in the IM-REC Sports Office, 159 East Kyle. A $7.00 individual or $10.00 doubles entry fee will be collected with all entries. For further information contat Phil Mani at 693-9451. Spectators are welcome! At Manor East Mall BREAKFAST EVERY MORNING IM GAME PLAN WEIGHTLIFTING: If you like to pump iron, this contest if for you! Entries for the weightlifting contest open today, October 25, and will continue to be open through Tuesday, November 2. The contest is scheduled for Tuesday, November 9 at 5:15 P.M. The Men’s Division will be held in the weightlifting club room, 256 G. Rollie White. The Women’s Division will be held in the Adaptive P.E. Room in 149 East Kyle. RACQUETBALL DOUBLES: Remember, entries for the racquetball doubles tournament close tomorrow, October 26 at 7 P.M. Stop by the IM-REC Sports Office in 159 E. Kyle to register. Play begins Monday, November 1 in East Kyle. GOLF SINGLES TOURNAMENT: Due to rain, the Golf Singles Tournament will now be held on Sunday, October 31 at 8 .M. at the TAMU Golf Course. We will be accepting entries until Thursday, October 28 at 7 P.M. A green fee of $4.50 for faculty/staff, $3.50 for students and free to the TAMU Golf Course Members. Green fees will be collected when you come to the IM-REC Sports Office and sign up for a tee time. FUN RUN: If you enjoy a good five kilometer (3.1 mile) run, then this special event is for you! Entries for the Fun Run will be accepted until 8:30 A.M. on Saturday, November 6 at the event site. Divisions include: men and women, individuals and/or teams. The time and date of the Fun Run is 9 A.M., Saturday, November 6. For further information contact Tom Weis in the Intramural-Recreational Sports Office, 159 East Kyle, 845-7826. VOLLEYBALL: Attention spikers! Volleyball play begins tonight, Octo ber 25. Be sure to come by the IM-REC Sports Office and check your schedule- SOCCER: Play begins tonight, October 25. Don’t miss your first soccer game — be sure to check your schedule by the IM-REC Sports Office, 159 East Kvle. SPORTS CLUB ASSOCIATION: There will be a meeting tonight, October 25 at 6:30 P.M. in 162 East Kyle. Rules & Regulations Update From time to time our office must update our Intramural- Recreational Sports rules found in our handbook. When this occurs, we will try to get the work out to you by posting a notice in the IM-REC Sports Office and/or putting a story in our McDonald’s Intramural Highlight section of the Battalion. Please note the following change that will affect the Organization Eligi bility Section of the 1982 Intramural Handbook. An intramural participant must be affiliated with the organiza tion for which he is competing in the dorm division. To be affiliated with a dorm: “An off-campus freshman or first semester transfer student must be formally ‘adopted’ by a dorm as outlined in the ‘Adopt A Fish’ resolution passed by the Residence Hall Association on Septem ber 21, 1982.” The Adopt-A-Fish program was designed to involve the off- campus freshmen and first semester transfer student in campus life. It is the hope of the IM-REC Sports Office and its Advisory Committee that the aforementioned change will support the RHA’s new program. If you have any questions as to this notice of change or any other rule or regulation in the 1982 Handbook, please feel free to contact the IM-REC Sports Office at 845-7826.