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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 1995)
The Battalion nor people day for d there or deal of panit. adults" i Siegler, with the; rded at people / damaj :s. Ortiz st each jei c studec; studec: of peopi panic cii has ere, esp- liose etc )d to cell re-’ the Soc ngineen ics havt ng A&l! il world,' more di' aelped il ation,” for tlie the film on HiS' seo Tor s A&M ,e '95, a mui, i on tie ‘Troup’ Jasper leads battle in the trenches □ The junior noseguard is beginning his second sea son as a starter for the "Wrecking Crew." By Tom Day The Battalion C ollege athletics — namely football — are really starting to tick me off. Just this week, Ne braska’s star running back and Heisman Trophy can didate Lawrence Phillips got kicked off the second- ranked team in the nation for assaulting his ex-girl friend. Riley Washington, also from Nebraska, is pending trial for attempted murder. It seems that every day, there is some new-fangled fieldhouse scandal popping up on ESPN’s Sportscen- ter. Why can’t these superb athletes, blessed with duch extraordinary talent, get it through their thick-skulled heads that they are not only representing their university, but also you and I. I mean, this is Ameri can college football, proba bly the most energetic sport in the world. Here we have a few imbecilic apples ruining the whole sport. Why can’t it be like the “old days”? I would love a return to a time when players of any sport played the game be cause they loved it. But now, professional athletes strike because they aren’t making enough money (Neon Deion, the baseball man), or they switch from team to team depending on who will pay them the most money (Neon Deion, the football man). College sports were once a refuge from all of this — a place to go when you wanted to watch raw tal ent that was unmotivated by multi-million dollar con tracts and endorsements. But now, even college athletic programs are not free of corruption. Many college programs have been under investigation. A&M experienced this firsthand when it was dis covered that alumnus War ren Gilbert was paying players for work not done. This year, the big boys came down on Alabama. Yeah, the Crimson Tide will be in low tide, and they’ll be denied a bowl ride. But on a more serious note, with all this miscon duct by athletes and mis appropriation of funds, em phasis is being taken away from the game itself. In stead of tuning in to watch a game, viewers find that they are constantly being bombarded with scan dalous stories about some running back who can’t keep his hands to himself See Nance, Page 8 Fans know the A&M football team’s starting noseguard as Ed die Jasper. Since taking over a starting role last season, Jasper has quickly made a name for him self by clogging up the middle of A&M’s “Wrecking Crew” defense. But to his teammates, Jasper is simply known as “Troup.” The ju nior defensive lineman out of Troup High School said he re ceived the nickname when he first arrived at A&M and nobody could remember his name. “When I first got here, nobody had ever heard of me or my home town, so they just started calling me ‘Troup,’” Jasper said. “It’s fun ny when a lot of the freshman come in and hear the older guys calling me “Troup,” and they as sume it’s my name.” As opposing team’s offensive lineman have come to learn, the “Troup” hurts. Jasper collected 31 tackles and three quarterback sacks as a starter last season. “He has great natural instincts and a good feel for the game,” A&M Defensive Line Coach Bill Johnson said. “He’s aware of everything that is going on around him, so it’s hard for teams to trick him with blocking schemes.” Recruited out of high school as a linebacker, Jasper’s place in the Aggies’ defense was a question. With so much talent already es tablished at the linebacker posi tion, Johnson eagerly took in Jasper on the defensive line. “We didn’t know if he’d get a chance to play,” Johnson said. “When he got an opportunity on the defensive line, he took great advantage of it and has developed into a dominating player. “The road he took coming here has been a little bit different, but it’s been good and productive.” A leader by example, Jasper plays for the love of the game. “He’s a leader among his peers, and I think he fulfills that role on our team and in our group as a de fensive line.” Johnson said. “I put high standards on myself to work hard and play physical,” Jasper said. “I love the contact, and that’s probably why I’m a noseguard.” When he takes the field, Jasper is all business. But off the grid iron, the junior lineman is the life of the crowd. “I try to stay close and be friends with everybody,” Jasper said. “I like to keep things loose.” “He’s always in a group talking loud and joking around,” Johnson said. “He’s a fun guy with a great personality, and the players just love being around him.” Johnson believes Jasper has the chance to continue playing football beyond the collegiate level. “Last year was a start for him as a player, and he has the chance to come back for the next two years to be productive and get noticed,” Johnson said. “I think he has a chance to be an NFL player. He’s 300 pounds and has great quickness, and there aren’t too many of those players walking around. “I think he has a bright future in this game.” Stew Milne, The Battalion Texas A&M noseguard Eddie jasper (#95) and linebacker Trent Driver (#28) bring down Louisiana State University freshman running back Kevin Faulk during the Aggies’ Sept. 2 game at Kyle Field. Sherman marches back to College Station . □ After a one-year stint at UCLA, the offensive line coach has returned to Texas A&M. By Philip Leone The Battalion Interviewing Texas A&M offensive line coach Mike Sherman is not a long process. He is courteous and articulate, but also direct and to the point. Being the foreman of one of the vital components of the Ag gie football machine, one gets the sense that Sherman is concerned with more pressing matters. With 17 total years of coaching experi ence, Sherman is more than aware that successful offensive execution depends primarily upon consistent blocking from the offensive line. Quarterback Corey Ftallig will not have time to spot his receivers, and tailback Leeland McElroy will not be able to work his magic if the offensive line cannot con trol the line of scrimmage. Fortunately for Ftillig, McElroy and the rest of the Aggie offense, this season’s offensive line is a solid group of players who cut their teeth together in last season’s 10-0-1 campaign. In this year’s season opener against Louisiana State University, the offensive line played well together. They opened holes all afternoon to help provide the Ag gie offense with 406 total yards and McEl roy with 229 yards on the ground. With this steady performance under their belts, Sherman believes his linemen have the potential to develop into a dominant force. “I think at some point during the course of the year, we’ll put on the film and say, ‘We’re a pretty damn good offen sive line’,” said Sherman. “We’re just not there yet. The process for an offensive line to develop into a cohesive unit takes Tyson fight to : ■ be on Fox □ It will be his second bout since his release from prison. Tim Moog, The Battalion Texas A&M Offensive Line Coach Mike Sherman directs players at a recent A&M practice. Sher man has returned to A&M after coaching the Aggie offensive line from 1987 to 1993. time - just game after game of constant repetition.” The Aggie line definitely has the size to physically manipulate their opponents. The average weight of the starting offen sive line from tackle to tackle is 282 pounds; however, Sherman firmly be lieves that size is not necessarily every thing. “Besides the physical attributes, we take a hard look at a player’s high school transcripts when we go out recruiting,” said Sherman. “We want all our linemen to be intelligent because in order to run the type of offense we want to run, they have to be smart enough to make all kinds of reads and adjustments before the ball is snapped.” See Sherman, Page 8 NEW YORK (AP) — Eight months after his re lease from jail, boxing fans will see Mike Tyson free. Tyson’s Nov. 4 fight with Buster Mathis Jr. will air on the Fox network — one fight too late for folks who paid $49.95 for the 89-sec ond Peter McNeeley fiasco, but perfectly timed to de plete the pay-per-view au dience for the Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield fight that same night. It will be the first major heavyweight fight on free TV since Muhammad Ali- Leon Spinks in 1978, The announcement Thursday means the fight card for Nov. 4 now in cludes three bouts vs. Mathis on Fox, Bowe vs. Holyfield on cable, and the night’s real grudge match — Showtime vs. Time Warner Sports. Time Warner is the Bo we-Holyfield match at $39.95. jc ISSBliini- in*i3l iltM“ ‘Hg ,111 ■ M|| Wi# I : : : |l f'IP T P: ,S : sr THE BATTALION’S 1995 STAFF PICKS Celebritv i- ft st Guest Picker is Tm Match-ups Nick Georgandis Kristina Bufiin David Winder Tom Day Lisa Nance Philip Leone Robin Greathouse Rob Clark Sterling Hayman Stew Milne Kyle Littlefield Michael Landauer Gretchen Perrenot Stacy Stanton Jody Holley Robert Earl Keen Commentary of to Tulsa at #3 Texas A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M: Colorado, here we come of Pittsburgh at Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas UT: 'sips continue killer schedule n- SMU at #15 Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma OU: Sooners trample Ponies.. of iS. » a Missouri at Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Tech: Future Big 12 foe learns lesson Tulane at Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Rice Tulane Rice: Keen defies consensus pick an Houston at #6 DSC use use use use use use use use use use use use use use use use USO Uh, Coogs? Whatta ya thinking! ey s a MSU at Baylor Baylor Baylor Baylor Baylor Baylor Baylor Baylor Baylor Baylor Baylor Baylor MSU Baylor MSU Baylor Baylor Baylor. Can lackie castrate a grizzly! ►V.* is #5 Auburn at LSD Auburn Auburn LSU LSU Auburn Auburn LSU Auburn Auburn Auburn LSU Auburn Auburn Auburn Auburn Auburn Place your $$$ on the Tigers. .on It #8 Tennessee at #4 Florida Tennessee Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida UF: Swamp claims latest victim the Browns at Oilers Oilers Browns Browns Oilers Oilers Browns Oilers Browns Browns Browns Oilers Browns Browns Browns Oilers Browns Browns: Yawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn ria Cowboys at Vikings Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys Vikings Cowboys Cowboys Cowboys: Moon gets beat up Raiders at Chiefs Raiders Raiders Raiders Chiefs Chiefs Raiders Raiders Chiefs Raiders Raiders Chiefs Chiefs Raiders Chiefs Chiefs Raiders Raiders: Bono no Joe Last Week 8-4 10-2 8-4 9-3 9-3 8-4 8-4 8-4 8-4 8-4 9-3 9-3 6-6 6-6 9-3 N/A 123-45 (.732) Slipped a little Cumulative 17-7 20-4 18-6 18-6 19-5 17-7 18-6 16-8 19-5 20-4 19-5 20-4 17-7 15-9 19-5 N/A 252-P4 (.750) Still rock-solid