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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 1996)
Page 7 Monday • September 2, 1 996 essed how he’s quietly gone about his business, gaining respect from the )n to (i) the starting quarterback.” — R.C. Slocum, A&M Head Coach Iranndon Stew om Stephen^ ssee campus v ne series a game and that was two years ago. lere’s a young guy who really hasn't played much football so he’s not going to out there and look like some polished veteran guy. He’s going to make the mistakes other young quarterbacks make.” swart succeeds Pullig, who was A&M’s winningest quarterback. Stewart said not try to fill Pullig’s shoes but create his own. m not really trying to live up to that,” Stewart said. "He has big shoes to fill anning got the use he did a good job, but I’m not trying to do better than him. I just want to weigh his optic |ames." irt said. “AtTera phomore running back Sirr Parker said he has confidence that Stewart will ; my stay.” side the pressure of living up to Pullig along with the pressure to live up to his is senior year|reputation. ter, when hew r rules and thi ffense and prep team, worked; Stewart said.1 d. "Hopefully he Iranndon has a lot of pressure on him seeing that he is filling the shoes of the ingest quarterback in A&M history,” Parker said. “I think he’ll put aside the iddle of a schoe ureand the dreams of others and perform the best that he can.” Dcum said Stewart and Pullig are two completely different players in terms of talents and to compare them would be unfair. 'hysically, he’s got more mobility than Corey did and throws quicker and has ably got a stronger arm,” Slocum said. "But it still remains to be seen whether in be successful on the field.” t just need the; ewart got the chance to show the country his skills and ability against BYU in elt.” igskin Classic. He put up impressive first outing numbers, completing 20-of- is done well,bi issesfor232 yards and two touchdown passes with no interceptions, despite 's 41-37 defeat. thought Branndon did a good job for his first college start and his first game s a better undeiliy for A&M,” Slocum said. ith Stewart running the offense, Ensminger said A&M will have more of an least three ye! rtunity to diversify the attack. i lost yearofelij he completes the passes, I’ll give it to him,” Ensminger said. “I feel better n I football, tour receivers, (running) backs and hope to diversify the offense more.” the media have swart said he will be given the opportunity to use his most lethal weapon — lanted Stewati ; fm. he offense will be more balanced and I will have the opportunity to throw lot supposed til'” he said. “We have some really good running backs and we will design plays i winning prop ft our strengths.” lie,” Slocum s ' j far, Slocum has been impressed with Stewart’s efforts in practice. ;e, he had onl Iranndon's been a solid player since he’s been here,” Slocum said. “It is just a maturity that comes from playing as much football as he has. He’s a strong player and playing as much football as he’s played, he’ll be one of the premier players playing inside or outside.” Last season, three freshman running backs had to wait in line behind All- American Leeland McElroy, but Stewart said he is glad that players such as Parker and D’Andre Hardeman got a chance to play last year and gain experience. "Being here last spring helped,” Stewart said. “A chemistry has developed between all of us and has carried over to two-a-days. They depend on me and believe I can get the job done.” Stewart said that although he is confident he will hold the starting position, the three freshman quarterbacks waiting in the wings have been giving him a run for his money. “I don’t have any trouble staying focused,” Stewart said. “We have three freshman quarter backs who are good competition. It is | nice to have that competition because | it keeps you honest.” Because Stewart has not had a large amount of game experience, Slocum said it is hard to say how Stewart will do in the future, but said he is impressed with what he has seen so far. “You have to wait and see as a coach because here is a guy who has only started one college game, so I don’t want to write the checks, I want to see him do it on the field then I’ll brag on him when he does it,” Slocum said. “I’ve been pleased with him and he has come in and done everything you’ve expected him to do. “He came in and I was really impressed about how he’s quietly gone about his business, gaining respect from the players. I think he’s now in position to (remain) the start ing quarterback.” UP CLOSE Name: Branndon Stewart Year: Junior Position: Quarterback Height: 6’ 3” Weight: 214 Bom: Sept. 23, 1975 Major: Marketing Hometown: Stephenville Honors: Named preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, rated nation’s ninth-best signal caller Jer le Pack d cock)! Mitchell is taking his possifck record in stride mmates weren’t going to let that go unnoticed.” shell’s stellar junior campaign did not go unnoticed by the al media either. He is a preseason All-American candidate, us Award candidate and The Sporting News has him rated country’s second best outside linebacker behind Nebraska’s Farley. in the spotliglittfvdoes Mitchell feel about receiving second-billing to Farley? nice to get the recognition, but I know what I can do and his season? Wlnfident that the positioning will be reversed at the end of idard-bearer fo ison,” he said. “I’ll just leave it at that.” 'ense — the gi 1 ! on the hard-1'1 a cer U. Last year tonio Armstrong us Buckley, O'* .rterback-terroi n the country — and he’s well justified in his thinking. ition? as his way, he'' lebacker in ’96. t guy,” Mitchell d in Mitchell Wallace & Co.? similar to those . Slocum said. “I ast season, bui this season i LakeviewCen' 1 13 quarterback Brady Smith’s registered 55 red the defensi' 1 a Michigan’s ba f last season,’’ l'® g up to my pot® l>ht: 6 3 m, said that is developed bette' :ed him to do, after the quad 1 fortunately, the wspaper near e headline,” l'* it of the locke' 1 Mitchell will not exactly have to be a one-man band. Top to , Mitchell believes he’s a part of one of the best linebacker Nguyen, the Aggie’s leading tackier last season, and Larry with his 4.39-second 40-yard dash time, will take care of busi- r the inside for the Aggies. Warrick Holdman, who saw action ir as a freshman before being slowed by an ankle injuiy, will fill A&M. That’s wh Brown’s old spot opposite Mitchell on the outside. ’ve dreamed my Irby, who Mitchell says “could start for almost any team was k lation,” will serve as Mitchell’s backup and get playing time Aaron Wallace J sing downs. t’s got a motor that just won’t stop — he’s crazy,” Mitchell any Walker has to be the fastest linebacker in the country, Wrick is going to be one of the best before he leaves here, lot hurting at linebacker.” he only senior in the bunch, Mitchell will be counted on to ;ed and the qu' ( e leadership. No problem. fve got to lead by example, that’s the best way to take care of ” Mitchell said. “I try to be laid back, and I just want this team i some fun. Last season I think we got tight because of the 'e. That won’t happen to us this year.” of being the# if will Mitchell take care of the problem? A little vocal lead- irprise to ma". when the time is right. years in Aggiela' ; e to talk a lot,” Mitchell said. “We’ve got some great leaders on UP CLOSE me: Keith Mitchell r: Senior ition: Outside linebacker ight: 235 n: July 24, 1974 or: Agribusiness netown: Garland t of opposing dj e unofficial nw lors: Defensive MVP in 1995 mo Bowl, 1995 First-team All- 1995 All-American & d kus Award candidate this defense like Brandon (Mitchell) and Eddie Jasper, but I hear from the media that those guys are kinda shy. Somebody’s gotta do the talking.” The only thing in question with Mitchell is the A&M career quar terback sack record. As it stands, Mitchell has 19.5 sacks. His idol, Aaron Wallace, is num ber one on the list with 42 career sacks. Mitchell isn’t worried. “It’s within reach.” Does he know that he’ll have to collect 22.5 sacks just to tie Wallace? “Hey, I just said it was within reach.” Quarterbacks beware. Tim Moog, The Battalion Senior outside linebacker Keith Mitchell puts pressure on LSU senior quarterback Jamie Howard last September at Kyle Field. Stew Milne, The Battalion Senior wide receiver Albert Connell returns to anchors the Aggie receiving corps. Inexperienced secondary is the lone question mark in ’96 Wrecking Crew By Tom Day The Battalion (i T A T e are thoroughly embarrassed \/\/ right now.” V V There was no other way A&M Defensive Coordinator Phil Bennett could describe the recent mood surrounding the Aggie defense. The numbers don’t lie: 575 total yards allowed, six touchdowns, 41 points — one game. Although the shellacking the Wrecking Crew suf fered at the hands of Brigham Young University Aug. 24 has dampened the team’s spirits, optimism is still high that the defensive unit will bounce back. “We are a good defense and we’ll prove it,” Bennett said. “We played poorly and made mistakes that basically kept ourselves from getting a win. “But, we’ve had some really good workouts (since then) and I know we’re going to get back to the point where we want to be.” Although some people might question the logic behind scheduling the pass-oriented BYU Cougars so early in the season against an inexpe rienced A&M secondary, Bennett said there are no excuses for the team’s poor showing. “Going in and playing BYU with an established quarterback in the opening game of the year at Provo was not your ideal breaking ground for a young sec ondary,” he said. “But anything we say other than that would be excuses, and I’m not into excuses.” Senior cornerback Donovan Greer blamed A&M’s breakdowns in coverage more on inexpe rience and nerves rather than on a lack of talent. “Our talent level is there and no one should question that,” Greer said. “I think some of the guys we’re nervous and just had some wrong reactions. “We’ve got to go back to the beginning and go over our fundamentals and technique. We’re young and it’s a learning process. Now the young guys have a big game under their belt.” Greer returns in 1996 to anchor the youthful Aggie secondary. With the summer release of former starting safety Typail McMullen for violating team rules, Greer has been thrust into the spotlight. Hobbled last season with an ailing knee he later had surgery on, Greer still managed to post 36 tackles while breaking up eight passes. Replacing McMullen at strong safety is former walk-on Rich Coady. The sophomore provided one of the few bright spots for A&M against BYU with his third quarter interception and 56-yard return. A&M track standout Toya Jones returns to fill out the starting free safety position while senor Andre Williams and sophomore Shun Horn will split time at the other cornerback slot. “Rich Coady is a smart guy and I think he can be another Dennis Allen, being at the right place at the right time,” Greer said. “Toya Jones is fast, ath letic and a hard hitter and I think he can pick up where Typail McMullen left off. Andre and Shun Horn are great players and they’ll be just fine.” Senior outside linebacker Keith Mitchell said neither he, nor the rest of the team has lost faith in the secondary despite its poor showing against BYU. He also said the secondary wasn’t entirely at fault in Provo. “(The front seven) didn’t put enough pressure on them,” Mitchell said. “It was a mixture of that and a little bit of other things.” Mitchell returns as the featured player on an A&M linebacker corps that once again ranks as one of the nation’s best. Last season, Mitchell made 55 tackles, 11 quarterback pressures and ranked second in the nation with 13 sacks. Senior Larry Walker II (57 tackles in 1995), and sophomores Dat Nguyen (94 tackles) and Warrick Holdman (44 tackles) round out the unit. “We have a bunch of good athletes and each one has a definite role that he plays that we just build on top of each other,” Mitchell said. “Larry Walker is a fast guy who covers ground really well. Dat is a sideline to sideline player and a hard hitter. “Warrick is a good athlete who can also run well and I’m more of a pass-rush type of player. We’ve got a little bit of everything and we really work well together.” The Aggie front line has also gained national attention. All-American defensive end Brandon Mitchell returns for his senior year to lead the rush alongside seniors Eddie Jasper and Pat Williams. The trio combined for 143 tackles and 11 sacks in 1995. In wake of the worst defensive performance in A&M history, Keith Mitchell said the team must give its younger players a crash course in Wrecking Crew ethics. “We’ve got new guys and we’re going to have to let them know what it’s all about to play on the Wrecking Crew,” he said. “It is about pride and maybe those guys haven’t learned yet. “It’s not something you can coach. It’s an atti tude — a mentality and maybe some of our guys have to get that.” Defensive Roster LE Brandon Mitchell, Sr. OLB Keith Mitchell, Sr. NG Edward Jasper, Sr. CB Andre Williams, Sr. RE Pat Williams, Sr. FS Toya Jones, So. OLB Warrick Holdman, So. SS Rich Coady, So. ILB Larry Walker II, Sr. CB Donovan Greer, Sr. ILB Dat Nguyen, So. P Boldface — Returning Starter Shane Lechler, Fr.