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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1995)
T A M U i n t$ The Battalion Friday ktober 20, 1995 5 >rlte| rtratsl i. i «| wetj 3pleei| Jint! d mtil e fli a nt| disciij act® I will t;.I , ien's:| icn I in cel in rgam Unite | tofSfc supper,! is' rip!:| ink. ation i the ii| 'esentf V d in tkl f fur.:/ alker cruises into linebacker elite opmefi heirpe »non®| .nguap iropoltd ; profel its hicj story k| mernk the *1 iculty,*| fon iport t'i oflitel izethsl Walker decided on A&M jecause he knew he /ould be part of a win- ling tradition. }y Lisa Nance The Battalion When inside linebacker, Larry alker II was looking at colleges ifter his senior year at Rusk High Ichool, he wanted to go somewhere ie could win. He found that at Texas A&M. “I came to A&M because I like to r in.” Walker said, “In high school, ty high school team didn’t have nuch success until my senior year, lo when I was picking colleges, I anted something close to home ind I wanted to go to a winning irogram, and this is a winning irogram.” The 6-foot-2-inch junior joined 'The Wrecking Crew” defense in ihe 1993 as a true freshman. He r as one of only three true fresh- ian to see action for A&M that r ear. He has been contributing iver since. Defensive Coordinator and In side Linebackers Coach Phil Ben- lett said, “A&M is known as a school with fast linebackers, and re really like to have speed on our lefense. That’s how Larry came to >e as a defensive player. He’s ex tremely fast and works very hard. (tVe like to take athletic people and love them to linebacker and he’s •eally fit in well.” Walker does have the speed, dth a 4.39 second 40-yard dash he light be the fastest linebacker in :ollege football. He is the fastest linebacker that A&M has seen and |s third-fastest player on the team lehind Leeland McElroy and Dono van Greer. It is this kind of speed that makes “The Wrecking Crew” notorious. “The Wrecking Crew is known nationwide,” Walker said, “It’s the greatest feeling to go on Kyle Field or go into a competitors stadium and know that everyone is worried about The Wrecking Crew.” It’s not a wonder that opposing teams worry about “The Wrecking Crew.” This years defense has held it’s opponents to a total average of 251.4 yards, 99.2 rushing and 152.2 on passing.' Walker, who returned this sea son as the team’s top tackier, has posted 27 tackles so far this sea son. 17 of those were solo tackles. He has averaged 5.4 tackles a game. In a season, where back-to-back losses have tainted the Aggies’ record early in the season and have haunted the players, the Southern Methodist win was a much-needed booster. “Even though the SMU game was really close the win really helped the team.” Walker said, “We have such a tradition of winning and the two losses really hurt the morale of the team. Just to get back on track with the win, regardless of what the score was, was a great bounding point into the game at Baylor.” Their heightened morale might be just what the Aggies need going into tomorrows match-up with Baylor. The Bears are ready to give the Aggies’ their third upset loss of the season. Bennett says that the game will be a good match-up. “They are a team who controls the ball, they rush for about 230 yards a game, and we give up less than 100 so that’s a challenge,” Bennett said. “They pride themselves in being a smash-mouth team and we’re a smash-mouth defense. It should be a good match-up.” The Aggies’ defense has been more or less the highlight of the Aggie season. While the offense See Walker, Page 6 Stew Milne, The Battalion Texas A&M junior linebacker Larry Walker II dives after Southern Methodist University running back Andre Womack during last Sat urday's 20-1 7 Aggie win over the Mustangs. amily, tradition sold Colon :ce 5S, :s, my :y* The freshman quarterback joins his brother Chris, a junior linebacker on the A&M squad. jiBy Kristina Buffin he Battalion This year, his role is that of a student. Like many freshman quarterbacks, levin Colon, is using his first year at ^&M to learn the system and prepare to become Corey Fkillig’s successor. “He’s doing well fundamentally,” Of fensive Coordinator Steve Ensminger said. “The last couple of weeks he has Proven that he is learning the system. I’m pleased with his effort. “I test him every week, and he did out standing last week.” Colon, who is from Deer Park, chose l&M primarily because of his brother, senior linebacker Chris Colon. “I came here because of my brother ind the fact that A&M has one of the sest teams year in and year out,” Colon said. “My brother and I are able to spend lore time together, and he has shown le around and introduced me to people.” At Deer Park, Colon passed for over 1,800 yards and 37 touchdowns. In his senior year, Colon completed 93 of 172 lasses for 1,618 yards and 19 touch downs and led his team to a 10-2 record ind the second round of the Class 5A playoffs. One of the things that attracted the i&M coaching staff to Colon was his in telligent signal-calling and his ability to learn the offense. “He has a strong arm,” Ensminger said. “He doesn’t stay long in the pocket. He just needs to work on his footwork. The problem is that he does not get many reps in practice. It’s hard to get reps with the first quarterback trying to get in his reps.” Although Colon and Pullig are from the same town, Colon didn’t have a chance to meet Pullig until he became in volved in the recruiting process. “We moved to Deer Park after Corey came to A&M,” Colon said. “I talked to him, but I really didn’t know him. Dur ing recruiting last spring, we became better friends.” Pullig has become Colon’s mentor and is showing him other techniques and ad justments that Colon does not learn from the play books. “I think that (Pullig) is one of the best quarterbacks in America,” Colon said. “I ask him questions, and the reason I look up to him is because I don’t know as much of the offense as he does and I want to learn more of the offense.” Ensminger said that it is important for a young quarterback to have an older player to take them under their wing. “It’s good to have another person who can explain it differently,” Ensminger said. “Corey can explain what he saw and what he did better sometimes than I can.” This season, Colon got the opportunity to play in A&M’s game against Tulsa. Colon was 1 of 3 for 17 yards and wrapped up the 52-9 victory. “He did good and bad,” Ensminger said. “He had one bad pass and one bad read. But these types of mistakes happen because he needs reps to get used to the system.” Colon’s goal for his first year is to be able to learn the Aggie offense well enough so that in the spring he can get in as many reps as possible. “Right now, I’m trying to learn the of fense as good as I can,” Colon said. “I want it to be second nature. I want to be there in case something happens with Corey and be able to win. I want to know enough by next spring to where it is all reaction.” Next year. Colon will compete with Tennessee transfer Branndon Stewart for the starting quarterback job. “He has an excellent opportunity,” En sminger said. “If he works hard now and in the off season he will have the oppor tunity to compete for the position.” Brotherly Love Recent brother combinations on the Aggie football team. 1. Colon: Chris (1992-) LB and Kevin (1995-) QB 2. Venetoulias: Terry (1989-93) PK and Manoli (1994-) PK S.Dausin: Randy (1983-86) OL and Chris (1989-93) OL Evan Zimmerman, The Battalion Freshman quarterback Kevin Colon warms up during practice at Kyle Field. THE BATTALION’ S 1995 STAFF PICKS Celebritv Tm Makh-ups Nick Georgandis Kristina Buffin 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 Guest Picker SPONGE Commentary * 22 A&M at Baylor Baylor A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M Baylor Baylor A&M Baylor A&M A&M A&M A&M A&M: Ags take Battle of the Brazos #14 Virginia at #16 Texas Virginia Virginia Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas Virginia Texas Texas UT: Cavs can't rustle Bevos _...... Rice at #2S Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Rice Texas Tech Tech: Raiders show guns to Owls Tulane at TCU TCU TCU TCU TCU TCU TCU Tulane TCU TCU TCU TCU TCU Tulane TCU Tulane TCU TCU: Green Wave can't drown Owk SMU at Houston Houston SMU SMU SMU SMU SMU SMU SMU SMU SMU SMU SMU SMU SMU SMU Houston SMU: Who woulnd't pick’em now? ^ Kansas State at Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska Kansas State Nebraska: K.State not that good.. 9 Penn State at #1 ® Iowa Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Iowa Penn State Penn State Penn State Iowa Penn State Penn State Iowa Penn State Penn State Penn State Iowa PSU: Iowa's 5-0 vs. fluff schedule Kansas at ^ Oklahoma Oklahoma Kansas Kansas Oklahoma Kansas Kansas Kansas Oklahoma Kansas Kansas Kansas Kansas Kansas Kansas Oklahoma Oklahoma Kansas: Heck of a hoops game too Princeton at Harvard Princeton Harvard Princeton Princeton Harvard Princeton Harvard Harvard Princeton Princeton Princeton Princeton Harvard Princeton Harvard Harvard Princeton: The smart kids duke it out Oilers at Bears Oilers Bears Bears Oilers Oilers Bears Oilers Bears Bears Bears Oilers Bears Oilers Oilers Oilers Oilers Oilers: Week off makes staffers stupid 49ers at Rams Rams 49ers Rams 49ers 49ers 49ers Rams Rams 49ers 49ers 49ers 49ers 49ers 49ers 49ers 49ers 49ers: Elvis has entered the lineup Indians vs. Braves (series) Indians Indians Braves Braves Braves Indians Indians Indians Braves Indians Indians Braves Indians Indians Braves Indians Indians: Too many weapons Last Week 0-10-1 9-1-1 8-2-1 8-2-1 9-1-1 10-0-1 9-1-1 9-1-1 8-2-1 10-0-1 1 0-0-1 9-1-1 10-0-1 7-3-1 9-1-1 125-25-15 (.803) w/o Nick .860 Cumulative 40-37-3 59-18-3 57-20-3 60-17-3 58-19-3 59-18-3 54-23-3 57-20-3 53-24-3 58-19-3 59-18-3 59-18-3 55-22-3 46-31-3 53-24-3 827-328-45 (.708) M n