Tuesday, September 17, 1985AThe Battalion/Page 11
Ags must be on lookout
for SWC half-pint heroes
The game was billed as a
match-up of “possibly the two
best linebackers in the country.”
The opposing head coaches
were once iraternity brothers and
teammates on two national
championship teams.
The “Spirit of Aggieland” was
pitted against the “Legend of the
Bear,” before 74,678 onlookers in
Legion Field.
So, amidst all the hype and
hoopla of Texas A&M vs. Ala
bama, it seems only appropriate
that the game was decided by a 5-
foot-8, 163-pound bundle of
kicking energy named Van Tif
fin.
Yes, Van Tiffin — the place
kicker who missed 40 percent of
his attempts last season. The
same guy whose career-best kick
was a meas/y 4 7-yarder.
The same Van Tiffin whose
name sounds more like a mass-
transit system for Smurfs, than a
big-time college game breaker.
“I felt comfortable,” Tiffin
squeaked after the game. “Eve
rything was perfect — the snap,
the hold, the blocking — every
thing.”
Including the timing.
Tiffin was describing the re-
cord-setting 57-yarder he kicked
just before halftime to give the
Tide a 10-3 lead. But he could
have equally been talking about
the 40 and 5I-yarders he drove
through the uprights in the sec
ond half to nail shut the lid on the
je coffin.
Jefore the game, (Alabama)
Coach (Perkins) came up to me in
the locker room and said he felt a
record coming on and, sure
enough, he was right,” Tiffin
piped in.
For his “man-sized” efforts,
Tiffin was recognized as the
Chevrolet Most Valuable Player
— not bad for a guy who could fit
in the glove compartment of most
Chevys.
But, rather than belabor the
obvious “shortcomings” of A&M’s
23-10 loss, the Aggie coaches
would be wise to take a look at the
rosters of upcoming opponents
for other “tiny tots of terror” and
prepare accordingly.
BRANDON BERRY
Sports Writer
In the past three season-open
ers (coincidentally, all those of
during the Jackie Sherrill era),
trends have been set that the Ag
gies have had trouble shaking all
season long.
Consider the facts:
• In 1982, A&M lost four
starters to injuries and a 38-16
decision to Boston College and
1984 Heisman Trophy-winner
Doug Flutie.
They proceeded to lose Gary
Kubiak (broken leg), as running
back Eric Dickerson (as in NFL
All-Pro “Eric the Great”) ran wild
for 215 yards in a 47-9 loss to
SMU.
The names and scores
changed, but the 1982 A&M foot
ball losses were characterized by
two factors —injuries and Heis-
man-worthy performances.
• In ’83, the Aggies opened
with a loss to California in the
closing seconds due to defensive
lapses in the secondary (Gale Gil
bert passed for 260 yards) and
tad last-minute play-calling (Jim
mie Hawkins was tackled in the
end-zone on an ill-advised sweep
play with 10 seconds remaining
for a game-losing safety).
• A 45-13 loss to Texas, as sel
dom used back-up ’Horn quar
terback, Rick Mclvor, passed for
130 yards and 31 points in one
quarter. Add to that a a last-min
ute 10-7 defeat at the hands of
SMU, when Jimmie “deja-vu”
Hawkins was stopped on fourth-
down-and-inches and the ’83 sea
son could be easily characterized
as a year of shaky pass defense
and crucial offensive collapses.
• Last season, highly-favored
A&M sleepwalked through three
quarters against Texas-El Paso
and escaped with a 20-17 victory.
The win came only after a game-
tying UTEP field goal hit the
goalpost and landed impotently
on the Kyle Field Astroturf with
15 seconds to play.
Ensuing losses to underdogs
Texas Tech and Baylor, along
with come-from-behind wins by
SMU and Houston categorized
1984 as the year of the underdog
and come-from-behind losses.
Therefore, A&M’s loss to Ala
bama last Saturday was more
than just the first game of the ’85
season for the Aggies. It was the
stage-setter for what appears to
be the “Year of the Small Man.”
The list of candidates likely to
cause trouble this year begins in<
Lubbock with “Titanic” Tyrone
Thurman of Texas Tech, who
tips the scales and scrapes the raf
ters with his mighty 5-2, 128-
pound frame.
Thurman won last week’s
game against Tulsa with a 20-
yard TD reception from Tech
quarterback Aaron Keesee (an
other Conan look-alike at 5-11,
170) with 30 seconds remaining.
Don’t be fooled, however — their
best is being saved for Oct. 5,
when the Aggies come to town.
And how about Eric Metcalf,
that 5-9 freshman speedster at
Texas?
Aggie coaches will try to make
us believe that they’re really wor
ried about the Edwin Simmonses
and Ty Aliens, but Metcalf will
prove to be the real Thanksgiving
spine-tingler against the plump
A&M turkeys.
The precedent of “half-pint
heroes” has'already been set in
Alabama, and the Aggies would
be wise to roll with the Tide.
Rather than concentrate on
size, speed or quickness, A&M
should field a team comprised of
their best leapers. In any crucial
situation, they could simply jump
over or onto the heads of their
enemies like a housewife squash
ing cockroaches — sorry, Darrell
Royal.
Rather than sending game-
films to opponents, the Aggies
could send elevator cleats.
And rather than just accepting
the inevitable, for the first time in
four years, A&M could adjust to
trends employed by rival players
and coaches.
Because if they don’t, past ex-
g erience says the ’85 season will
e filled with record-setting kicks,
catches and laughs from under
sized feet, hands and vocal cords.
Aggie golfers only 6 shots
off lead in fall SWC tourney
LUFKIN — The Texas A&M golf
team is in second place, six strokes
behind Houston, after the first
round of the Southwest Conference
Commissioner’s Cup Golf Cham
pionships.
The SWC Commissioner’s Cup
tournament, the first outright com-
petitien between conference schools
thus far in 1985-86, began Monday
at Crown Colony Country Club in
Lufkin.
As expected, the defending cham
pion Cougars hold a slight lead after
36 holes of play.
Perhaps a little more surprising,
however, was the fact that A&M shot
a solid 344 to fall into second behind
the Cougars, who shot' a combined
338. The Aggies and Cougars were
followed by Arkansas (346), SMU
(356), Rice and TCU at 357, Texas
(364), and Baylor and Texas Tech at
367.
Baylor’s Jerry Smith and Neal
Tigers still
No. 1 team
in AP poll
SMU Arkansas remain
only Top 20 SWC reps
Associated Press
Auburn and Oklahoma remained
1-2 Monday in The Associated Press
college football poll, while USC
moved up to third place and Michi
gan ousted Notre Dame from the
Top 20.
Auburn celebrated its first week
as the No. 1 team by defeating
Southern Mississippi, 29-18, Satur
day. The Tigers received 23 of 60
first-place votes and 1,137 of a possi
ble 1,200 points from a nationwide
panel of sports writers and sports-
casters.
Oklahoma, which hasn’t played
yet, also received -23 first-place votes
out only 1,125 points. The Sooners
open Sept. 28 at Minnesota.
USC did not play over the week
end, but the Trojans moved from
fifth place to third with six first-
place votes and 1,010 points. Flor
ida, which had been third, slipped to
11th place after blowing a 28-7 lead
and settling for a 28-28 tie with
Rutgers.
Iowa opened its season by crush
ing Drake, 58-0, and jumped from
fifth to fourth with five first-place
votes and 998 points. SMU had the
week off and climbed f rom sixth to
fifth place. The Mustangs received
the remaining three first-place votes
and 913 points.
Florida State, also idle, rose from
seventh to sixth with 850 points.
Ohio State climbed from ninth to
seventh with 761 points by shading
Pitt 10-7. Oklahoma State struggled
to beat North Texas State, 10-9, but
held onto eighth place with 697
points.
LSU defeated North Carolina, 23-
13, and shot from 12th place to
ninth with 682 points, and Penn
State rounded out the Top 10, rising
from 11th to 10th with 610 points af
ter downing T emple, 27-25.
The Second 10 consisted of Flor
ida, UCLA, Brigham Young, Arkan
sas, South Carolina, Alabama,
Maryland, Nebraska, Michigan and
Illinois.
Last week, it was Penn State, LSU,
Notre Dame, Arkansas, South Caro
lina, BYU, Maryland, Nebraska, Illi
nois and Alabama.
Michigan defeated Notre Dame,
20-12, and cracked the Top 20 for
the first time since the sixth of last
season’s 16 polls.
Barfield both shot 64’s to lead the
best-ball competition during 18
holes Monday morning. After 18
holes of alternate shot competition
in the afternoon, the leaders were
A&M’s Jorge Coghlan and Roy
Mackenzie with a low of 67.
After the morning session, Hous
ton and TCU were tied at 201.
Three shots back at 204 in a tie for
third were Arkansas and A&M.
Houston has won 10 fall cham
pionships, including the past five.
AP Top 20 POLL
The Top Twenty teams in the As
sociated Press college football poll,
with first-place votes in parentheses
and season record:
1. Auburn (23) —2-0-0
2. Oklahoma (23) —0-0-0
3. USC (6)— 1-0-0
4. Iowa (5) — 1-0-0
5. SMU (3)—1-0-0
6. Florida State — 2-0-0
7. Ohio State — 1 -0-0
8. Oklahoma State — 2-0-0
9. LSU—1-0-0
10. Penn State —2-0-0
11. Florida — 1-0-1
12. UCLA — 1-0-1
13. BYU — 1-1-0
14. Arkansas— 1-0-0
15. South Carolina — 2-0-0
16. Alabama — 2-0-0
17. Maryland — 1-1-0
18. Nebraska —0-1-0
19. Michigan— 1-0-0
20. Illinois — 1-1-0
Others receiving votes: Tennessee,
West Virginia, Air Force, Virginia,
TCU, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Texas,
Clemson, Arizona, Michigan State,
Notre Dame, Rutgers, Miami (FTa.),
Army, Bowling Green, Texas Tech,
Stanford, Georgia, Pittburgh, Pur
due.
PRE LAW SOCIETY
Twin City Church of Christ
/
]\ SPEAKER FROM
U TEXAS LAW SCHOOL
GOSPEL MEETING
September 15-20
f 301 RUDDER AT 8:30
7:30 p.m.-Monday thru Friday
( TUES. SEPTEMBER 17
James W. Adams, speaker
INFO ON MOCK LSAT
Lufkin, Texas
ll
FOR MORE INFO. CALL KIM 764-7994
810 Southwest Parkway College Station
Tucson Electric Power Co.
is an investor-owned utility located in Tucson, Arizona.
Continuing growth has created many career opportunities
for graduates interested in the electric utility industry. If you
are an engineer — mechanical or electrical — we can offer
you a motivated and challenging work environment, an ex
cellent salary and a full range of company paid benefits.
We’d like to tell you more about our company. Our rep
resentative will be on campus Mon., Sept. 23. Please contact
your placement office for more details.
P.O. Box 711
Tucson, Arizona
85701
An equal opportunity employer M/F
Tucson
Electric
Power
GALLERY
1SSAN
10% Student Discount
Discount is on all parts & labor on Nissan
Products only. We will also offer 10% dis
count on labor only on all non-Nissan
products.
Student I.D. must be presented at time
workorder is written up.
We now have rental units available for service customers
1214 Tx. Ave. 775-1500
IJYTERURBA1V
Join us Tuesday nights for
MEXICAN BEER NIGHT ■
DOS EQUIS, TECATE A CORONA
Only ONE DOLLAR
from 5:00 pm until close
The INTERURBAN
505 University Dr.
"an aggie tradition"
CHRISTY’S FLOWERS
and gifts
Aggie Mums
and Flowers
0Q
Student Discount!
Now at a new location
4001 E. 29th in
Carter Creek Center
Next to Winn Dixie
Call Us
846-1715
RAMADA
DAILY LUNCH BUFFET
Bring a friend and enjoy a variety of delicious
salads, entrees, vegetables, and desserts.
Located at Texas and University Dr. across
from TAMU
Locally owned and operated
• 6000 sq. ft. Convention Center
• Small Conference Rooms
• Penthouse for Entertaining
• Campus and Airport Courtesy Van
• 16,000 sq. ft. Sun and Fun Dome
• Airport Catering Service
Rooms available for football games
409-696-4242
20C
2UC
sue
aac
2U£
UC=2
XmnTirX
lALsH
IN THE
845-2611