Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 24, 1993)
SPECIAL PULLOUT ■mber 24,1 agel ■i Texas A&M vs. Texas nplace in even Hearnsbergei id beer bottk aid it wasev lents were gn and the "Siej soon as the 1 ' •mance. aat's what the 1 ■ger said. “If e us with that.' eally affect on: raid, ae Rice student' ' people at Rn ion in their sta le Thresher. hi Wished alet- le actions of tki n. Trey nd much of the our schools, Jut calling an y band 'Nazis' too far." hough someac- sidered "poking ools, the action 1 s lacked class. Wednesday, November 24,1993 rstand rivalry r schools, in Ameri- band beyond 11 Trey Duhoii ■Mg rni . 4, AIM rjuM mm \p m #8 Texas A&M versus Texas Thursday, Nov. 25, 1993 Kickoff - 7:05 p.m. Television - ESPN, Cable channel 32 Grudge Match '93 Cotton Bowl up for grabs By Julie Chelkowski esher which 4 > of the Rice sit ill game, the Aggie kery," Thoms it to ridiculeth what it was: la-be-soldien The Battalion A fire hotter and more fierce than Aggie Bonfire will ex plode Thursday night when Texas A&M and the University of Texas battle for the Cotton Bowl and state bragging rights in a rivalry that has been burning for a 100 years. Although the intensity of this rivalry has endured since 1893, several other factors will add to the fight this year. The Cotton Bowl is the main thing on the line. For UT, it's an all or nothing situation. With an Aggie loss, the Longhorns would tie A&M for first place in the Southwest his letter, Qii Conference and travel to the Cotton Bowl since the Long- tudent, wrole horns have a better head-to-head record. With a loss, the Aggies would still have a chance to go to another bowl. But A&M wants only cotton. "It's Cotton Bowl or no bowl for us," A&M senior center Chris Dausin said. "That's the attitude we're taking. We don't want another bowl. We're going to the Cotton Bowl." Dausin said if the team maintains the attitude they have had throughout the season, a win on Thursday will not be a he honor of su| problem. But, he said, that does not mean they are taking archical systef the Horns lightly, i the way of pej in his colur the behalf ofl) ice. 'ony to ridie does not imi a dels have ns of jews, that the e Poland at future. We hat Texas A& 1 the swastika i f you do, plea! its of any re; tnd refrain (m rn. That won! iture indeed- ittitude is impus, and mos 1 - intierstanddt) offended, to.a lot of sta d they just don Istre said ? Rice student! cadets need I* think the cadet! riously." he did notwai* inity to thinkal ay sands of "It's going to come down to who wants it most - who's going to be meaner, tougher, nastier ... It's the biggest ri valry that ever was." — Chris Dausin, A&M senior center salute >o knows f them didi' 8 ' "Basically, weTl play smash mouth football," Dausin said. "Just go out there with a bad ass attitude and totally dominate. If we go in there with that attitude and that men tality, I guarantee weTl do great. "We're not underestimating Texas. We're going to take them for real." Texas' most effective weapons this season have included sophomore receivers Mike Adams and Lovell Pinkney in combination with the throwing power of freshman quarter back Shea Morenz. A&M senior cornerback Aaron Glenn said controlling the two will be one of the deciding factors in the game. "They have a talented crew of receivers," Glenn said. Speed kills. If you take a guy with speed plus pretty good lize, that's a perfect package. I respect (Adams) more than xvell Pinkney, but both are very talented receivers. "Texas is not afraid of anyone. They're going to go out md throw the ball like Louisville did. They're going to go out throwing the ball to both of them." Another conflict, besides the traditional rivalry, will ng World WatJplay havoc between players Thanksgiving Day. After re and the# f\&M's 34-13 victory over UT last year in Austin, some A&M players performed a victory dance on the Long- lorns' field - an act which Longhorn players and fans did lot appreciate. "I think it was pretty immature for them to do that," lexas sophomore tackle Blake Brockermeyer said. "That tfas just the way their team operates. There's nothing we ould do about it because they won the game, but I thought ^||t was pretty disrespectful." I Dausin agreed. I "It was pretty much uncalled for," he said. "It was a lad image for Texas A&M University, to stomp around >n their field." But Dausin also said he was determined to prevent the -onghorns from getting revenge on Kyle Field. "We're not going to take anything from Texas," Dausin aid. "I know they've been talking a little smack and how hey're going to dance on our field if they win this game, o them, that's going to be a dream and that's all it's going o come to because I guarantee they're not even get close to O lancing on our field." Regardless of the conditions, including the 21 points that is favored by, the A&M -UT showdown is the biggest f the season for the two teams. ,1 "We don't care what the line is," Dausin said. "This is aally license ie X as. You can throw out all the records, you can throw out ing a richpiverything that is important in relation to the Texas game, creation oftbel "It's going to come down to who wants it most - who's gold finished Song to be meaner, tougher, nastier. And I think we want movemeii'l the most. To me it's an even match up. It's the biggest ri- ithin fifteenPhy that ever was.' IRS *1 katch ee year Scik fl 00 )0 3200.00 t5.00 ING A&M head coach R.C. Slocum said the players should aside things such as rankings and the Cotton Bowl berth bd concentrate on playing for the spirit of the rivalry. "Who cares about all that stuff," he said. "(Those tings) have nothing to do with this game. Why don't we lay for snowcones? Just give all the players snowcones. ney should be motivated enough to play in front of 70,00 eople and on national television." "(That's) characteristic of rivalries like this. But both !ams are going to be trying to win, both teams have a tance to win." The Battalion Page 5 5S f li§ « ill ■ IP 1 || I iilx I <fp ilHi W 4 in the whole A&M deck stacked with three-back attack By Michael Plumer The Battalion For once, the numbers do not lie. Junior Greg Hill has 582 yards and six touchdowns. Junior Rodney Thomas has 905 yards and 13 touchdowns. For good measure, freshman Leeland McElroy has 597 yards rushing, two kickoff returns for touchdowns, seven rushing scores and four through the air. Simply breathtaking. Critics have suggested that A&M offen sive coordinator Bob Toledo has some times been guilty of having his head in the clouds when determining how to use the triumvirate. But those cynics were quiet ed two weeks ago when all three were on the field at the same time in the Aggies' 42-7 victory over Louisville. "Actually, we did not do anything dif ferent against Louisville," Toledo said. "There were some new formations, but the key is we had all three guys together. As a team, we executed so well when they were out there that it seemed like it was new." Hill said the three-back attack is the wave of the future for the Aggies. "We confuse defenses because they can not key on one back," Hill said. "It adds a little trickery to the game which can only help us. Each of us knows that when we get our chance on the field we have to make the best of it. "Another thing is we do not lose con centration, and we focus a lot harder. Playing in short spurts allows us to stay fresh, and in the fourth quarter the de fense will be tired. "But not us." Dealing with the backs can leave oppos ing defenses gasping for air. A&M senior defensive end Eric England said he is glad he is a teammate and not the opposition. "If I played on another team, and I was the defensive coordinator, I would be scared of those three," England said. "The things those guys do in practice and in games are amazing. "It makes our defense better because we get to see those guys everyday." In a situation like A&M has, there is al ways the danger of a rift developing. But all three backs said there is no danger of that occurring. "Whether it is business or football, there is going to be competition," Thomas said. "We take the stance that whatever we do benefits the team. That is the main point. "This is a team game, and we realize that." McElroy echoed Thomas' sentiments. "I am part of the team as Greg and Rodney are, and if we have problems, then it would cause everybody to have problems," McElroy said. "When Greg came back, Rodney and I expected my reps to go down, but we respected that. Everything will be fine." Hill said the special bond between the three eases any potential conflicts. "The type of friendship we have allows us to be the best," Hill said. "When you have got somebody supporting you, it gives you a sense of not being on the same level as the opponents." Another area where the group wants to pull away is in the nickname category. Thanks to ESPN, the A&M trio has been named - the Back Breakers. "I liked that name a lot," Hill said. "Opponents are going to get our best shot in a game and when they do, we are going to rip their spine out. "Once we break their spirit, it is all over." 100 Years of Maroon and Orange By Mary Kujawa The Battalion Two fledgling football teams took the field for a scrimmage game in Austin's Hyde Park in 1894. Those same two teams will take the field for the 100th time when the Aggies and Long horns meet in one of the oldest college football rivalries. At the time, the University of Texas Varsity Squad (now the Longhorns) was only in its sec ond season while the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College Farmers (now the Aggies) was in its first season. The Aggies had only played one game against Galveston Ball High School before they scrimmaged against the Longhorns. ITrie Longhorns trounced the Aggies, 38-0, at that first game which was the state's first inter collegiate football game. The Longhorns scored eight touchdowns and three conver sions. Touchdowns were valued at only four points while conversions were two points apiece. The game ended the Aggies season. They did not field a team the following year. Al though the Aggies resumed play in 1896, the Aggies and Longhorns would not meet again until 1898. In those early years of the rivalry, Texas and Angel Koti/The Battalion A&M often played each other twice in the same year and at various locations, including Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. Of the first 21 games, none were played at College Station. In 1900, A&M and Texas began playing a Thanksgiving Day game. The Longhorns continued to trounce the Ag gies until 1902 when the Aggies' luck seemed to be turning. In their first meeting that year, the Aggies and Longhorns battled to a 0-0 tie. At their second meeting, the Aggies claimed their first victory against the Longhorns with a 11-0 score. The Aggies would not beat the Longhorns again until 1909 when A&M began a three- game winning streak. With the streak in tow, the Aggies traveled to Houston in 1911 to meet the Longhorns at the city's annual Fall Carnival. Although the Aggies were favored to win, the Longhorns came up as winners by a 6-0 score. Exuberant fans spilled into the streets of Houston where it is said that student brawls occurred. The following day, the University of Texas Athletic Council decided to break off athletic relations with A&M. Several days later, the Texas Athletic Council released a statement to the press saying the break was the wisest course to pursue based on the heated state of opinion among students and alumni of both in stitutions. Although no one incident was blamed, the riots of 1908 and 1911 as well as ac cusations of dirty play were all mentioned. The Aggies and Longhorns did not play each other for three years, which allowed old wounds to heal. The formation of the South west Conference in 1914 also helped reestablish the ties between the two schools. In 1915, the Longhorns and Aggies resumed their series, and the Longhorns came to play on Kyle Field for the first time. The Aggies sent a message to Austin which said, "You won't win at College Station." Former A&M head coach Charley Moran See Rivalry/Page 7