Texas A&M
The Battalion Sports
November 3, 1982 Page 13
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Unselfish James near end of rewarding college career
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by John Wagner
Battalion Staff
it the spring of 1979, the two
t high school running backs
the state of Texas signed na-
nal letters-of-intent with the
ne college — Southern
thodist University.
How Craig James and trie
Aerson would get along —
then the playing field and off
was a major topic of discus-
n among football enthusiasts
months.
Then the Pony Express hit
: field.
Not quite four years and
523 yards later, James and
ckerson have answered those
10 doubted them at the begin-
The Pony Express, with
mes and Dickerson alternat-
jatthe tailback position, took
f running and has not slowed
Ice. And the Mustangs, 10-1
d Southwest Conference
impious in 1981, appear to be
ising in on their second con-
cutive title.
With a record of 8-0 and a No.
ranking in the Associated
;essnational poll, SMU is reap-
the benfits of that bumper
ap of football recruits. And
lileDickerson chases the Heis-
an Trophy in this successful
nior season, James is learning
deal with the pressure of wiri
ng and of having a super-
fcessful running mate.
He is learning well.
The senior from Houston
itratford is a living, breathing
ersionof the all-American boy
ext door. Intelligent, hand-
ame, talkative, and with a sense
(humor that is rare among col-
:ge football players, James
omes across as the kind of guy
(fid want your sister to marry.
IS
Craig James says Mustangs
have shot at national title
And as the hoopla surround
ing Dickerson’s record-breaking
year grows, James evaluates his
own senior season as one of
learning and growing.
“As a football player, I’ve
rounded off my rough edges,”
Janies said Tuesday in a tele
phone interview. “My blocking,
pass catching, and running have
all improved. I’ve become a
much better football player than
I was last year.”
James rushed for 761 yards as a
freshman, 896 yards as a sopho
more and 1,147 yards as ajunior.
After eight games, his 1982 total
is 667 yards, placing him third in
the conference in rushing.
That, however, isn’t the whole
story of Craig James.
As a receiver, James has
caught three touchdown passes
this season. One of those, a 96-
yard catch against North Texas
State, is the longest in Southwest
Conference history.
Another catch, a fourth-
quarter 46-yarder against Texas,
clinched a 30-17 victory for the
Mustangs when the Longhorns
were threatening.
And most important, James is
the leading punter in the SWC
with a 45.8 yard average. Against
Texas A&M on Saturday, James
punted six times for a 48.6 yard
average.
Still, the question is inevitable.
Is James jealous of Dickerson’s
success?
He laughs the suggestion off.
After SMU defeated the Aggies
in Texas Stadium Saturday,
Jamesjokingly refered to his luck
as the “Craig James syndrome”
— he wears the defense down,
and Dickerson breaks a long run.
“Sometimes it feels like I’m so
close to breaking a big one that it
gets frustrating,” he says. But
other than that, James has no
thing but praise for his Pony Ex
press partner.
And that’s one of the reasons
the Mustangs have been so suc
cessful. They play as a team.
“It was one of our team goals
before the season to go undefe
ated,” James said. “We’ve been
lucky at times, we’ve had a lot of
breaks go our way, and we’ve
been free of injuries.
“Every team has the talent, but
it takes a lot of luck to go undefe
ated. And we know that if we let
down, we’re going to lose.”
James is no stranger to unde
feated seasons, though. During
his senior season in the fall of
1978, James’ Stratford team went
15-0 and captured the state
AAAA championship. James was
all-everything that season, in
cluding Texas High School Play
er of the Yar. It is an experience
he says was one of the most re
warding of his career.
It also helped prepare him for
the glamour and glitter of college
football. James is regarded as a
polite and interesting interview
— a reputation he thinks is im
portant. He describes talking to
the press “like a friend talking to
a friend.”
James said: “I think it’s impor
tant to communicate well with
the press. When I talk to a repor
ter, I feel relaxed and I try to
relay on to him what is in my
thoughts.
“I’m not trying to impress any
body; I’m just trying to be as sin
cere as I can.”
James may not be trying to
impress anybody off the field,
but he certainly does impress
people on the field. A good ex
ample is his kicking game.
Pressed into service when Mus
tang punter Eric Kaifes was in
jured midway through last sea
son, James punted 33 times for a
41.0 yard average. And he prom
ised himself he would do better.
“Last year, I just kicked,”
James said. “I didn’t have time to
work on it. But this year, I de
cided I was going to be the pun
ter. During the summer, I work
ed on kicking, changing my
steps, and rearranging my punt
ing style. I wanted to be more
consistent.”
James won the starting punt
ing job.
It is a skill that could go a long
way towards helping James make
it in professional football. Versa
tility can never hurt, and James is
aware of that fact.
“Playing pro ball hadn’t been a
goal of mine until recently,”
James admitted. “I hadn’t really
thought that much about it, but
See JAMES page 14
Mustang tailback Craig James (32), not
always in the spotlight like teammate
Eric Dickerson, has enjoyed a profitable
career at SMU. James, a senior, had
staff photo by David Fisher
65 rushing yards against the Aggies in
Saturday’s 47-9 Mustang victory. Here,
Texas A&M’s Paul Pender (left) and
Bobby Strogen bring James down.
CULTURAL
J.L
| ir
SUNDAY
MSC NOVEMBER-DECEMBER PROGRAMS
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
EDUCATIONAL
JJL
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10* 9
0RC — Canoe Trip
AGGIE CINEMA —and
CEPHEID VARIABLE —
“Wicker Man”
7:30, Theater
0RC —
Backpacking
14
21
AGGIE CINEMA
“Sacaucus 7”
7:30, Theater
T0WNHALL —
“Deathtrap”
8:00, Auditorium
0RC — Backpacking
Rafting Trip
28
AGGIE CINEMA —
“I Love You”
7:30, Theater
0RC — Rockclimbing
MADRIGAL
DINNERS
NOVEMBER
GREAT ISSUES -
“Stuart Taylor"
8:00, Theater
MSC COUNCIL
7:30, 216 T MSC
8
15
MSC COUNCIL
7:30, 216 T MSC
22
29
T0WNHALL —
“Annie”
8:00, Auditorium
MSC COUNCIL
7:30, 216 T MSC
CHRISTMAS PR0GRAM-
Symphonic Band
12:00, MSC Lounge
Tree Lighting
8:15, MSC Lounge
BLACK
AWARENESS -
“John Fernandez’
8:00, Theater
Silver Taps
0RC —
“99 Days
to Survival"
7:00, 501 Rudder
16
TOWNHALL —
BONFIRE!
23
30
TOWNHALL —
“Annie”
8:00, Auditorium
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
Revellers
12:00, MSC Lounge
Silver Taps
AGGIE CINEMA-
“Oliver”
7:30, Theater
COLLEGE BOWL
Competition
6:00, 206 MSC
ORC — Roll Session
6:00, Cain Hall Pool
COLLEGE BOWL —
Finals, 6:00, 206 MSC
GREAT ISSUES —
Stephen Bardwell
8:00, Forum
10
CEPHEID VARIABLE
“Allegro Non Troppo”
7:30, 9:45, Theater
TOWN HALL —
“Cheap Trick”
8:00, G. Rollie
AGGIE CINEMA— ORC — Canoe Trip
“Sharky’s Machine” — 8:00, Theater
“Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip”
Midnight, Theater
POLITICAL FORUM
“Kent Caperton”
8:00, Theater
17
24
DECEMBER
AGIE CINEMA —
“Singing in the Rain”
7:30, Theater
AGGIE CINEMA —
“Cinderella”
7:30, Theater
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM-
Women’s Chorus
12:00, MSC Lounge
TOWNHALL —
“Annie,” 8:00
HOSPITALITY —
“Children’s X-mas Party”
206 MSC
CEPHEID VARIABLE
“Fail Safe”
7:30, 9:45 801 Rudder
ARTS —
NTSU Jazz Band
8:00, Auditorium
Yell Practice
11
BASEMENT —
“Omar and the Howlers”
CEPHEID VARIABLE -
“Abdominable Mr. Phibes’
7:30, 9:45, 601 Rudder
18
HOSPITALITY -
Pageant Application
Deadline
AGGIE CINEMA
12
OPAS — Anna Russell
8:00, Auditorium
CAMERA — Fall Photo '82
MBA/LAW DAY—A&ABldg
13
MSC CULTURAL
TRIP — Dallas
ORC — Backpacking
Victor/Victoria” — 8:00, Theater
“Arthur” — Midnight, Theater
8:00 Rumours
AGGIE CINEMA
“Taps”
8:00, Auditorium
Yell Practice
19
TRAVEL — San Antonio
Trip
at ARKANSAS
AGGIE CINEMA
“Taps”
8:00, Midnight
Auditorium
TCU
20
251 26
ORC — Backpacking Rafting Trip
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS
27
at TEXAS
CEPHEID VARIABLE —
“The Birds”
7:30, 9:45, 601 Rudder
HOSPITALITY —
“Aggie Christmas Fair”
CEPHEID VARIABLE —
“Santa Claus Conquers
the Martians”
7:30, 9:45, 601 Rudder
AGGIE CINEMA —
"Rocky III” 7:30, 9:45, Theater
“Shark Treatment” Midnight, Theater
ORC — Rockclimbing
MADRIGAL DINNERS — 6:15, MSC Ballroom
10
AGGIE CINEMA
and CEPHEID VARIABLE —
“Creature from the
Black Lagoon”
8:00, Theater
11
MADRIGAL DINNERS
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