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The Battalion
Friday
ktober 20, 1995
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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