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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 9, 1996)
Pac September 1 idem raham, who fter Jones was! their secret!: i could not ket: plebes, thefrei! ompted Missi story to finalk: olice said, ision ultimatel) ''.amora andQ jra began dii it three weeks aapolis, the Ishipmen that 1 said he had cl I she told hint want to believe: discuss the ut he said the times before i him to doit Sports Page 7 Monday • September 9, 1996 ive led all othi and perpetrati t institute offen: programs ivs that the fighting back neighborhood ye gotten togei ity,” Sykes said, that in responst ides, the cottunl rated with polii agrams, and all lispanic populat: 'the ^ 315,710 in 19* Drive File Photo alvin Collins anchors talented Aggie line By Tom Day The Battalion population incre ■^} lere j s nothing glamorous about his job. Aggie football center Calvin Collins labors in ise an addition _ obscurity at the heart of the trenches around 60 end of the cent® ^ a g arnei punishing opposing defensive linemen, lileatthe same time absorbing their best hits. And what does he get for clearing a path for an gie tailback or providing pass protection for quar- Qg ;D SEP-n 7 THUR $?■ HP. 16A CHP. ;hp. 4A :hp.4 — id ?J u I 202,208,2! qq rbackBranndon Stewart? Nothing but blood, sweat d a lack of recognition. Not exactly the most rewarding way to spend a turday afternoon. But6-foot-3-inch, 298-pound Collins still finds a ayto enjoy himself on the gridiron. Ail he has to do look up into the stands and feel the roar of the iowd to get a charge. ^ f “It's real fan and exciting with the fans behind you jtf^viewers, and tjnrt type of thing really pumps up,”Collins said. If that fails, he can just hold a casual discussion CHP.fthhis opponents. "I stay loose out there,” Collins said. "Sometimes, CHPijatty on conversations with defensive linemen, pending on who they are. We’ll be out there talk saying, ‘What’s up, and what you going to do this iy?’ I think that loosens you up and eases some of tension and helps you play hard.” |So when does the free-wheeling Collins have a nee to enter the limelight, or at least get his pic- FINC 341 (e in the paper? like pulling on screens and stuff like that,” -- Jins said. “Because for that one moment, you ;ht think someone is looking at you. That one ment, someone might be paying attention to you, if you make a key block to spring the tailback, t’stheone time you may have a second of fame.” Sophomore tailback Sirr Parker is taking Collins’ ids to the bank this year. Parker said he has com- :e faith in Collins’ ability to create openings for on the front line. was joking with Calvin the other day,” Parker p. “When he pulls, I won’t have much to worry ut. I’ll just jump in his hip pocket.” ill kidding aside, Collins has all the tools neces- ) to lead the Aggie offensive line in 1996, and to NC rake in more accolades in the process. The three time All-Southwest Conference pick is expected to contend for Ail-American honors again this year. The senior earned All-American honorable men tion honors his sophomore year and was considered the top blocker on a line that allowed just nine quar terback sacks in 11 games last season. A&M Offensive Line Coach Mike Sherman said Collins has all the attributes of an All-American. “He has tremendous God-given strength, but he has also developed it here in our strength pro gram under Coach [Mike] Clark,” Sherman said. “He is extremely intelligent in the classroom and on the playing field, and that helps. He’s at a point in his life right now where he really likes to play and his enthu siasm is really appreciated.” One of Collips’ most useful traijE^is his versatility. The senior has played musical chairs on the line throughout his four years at A&M, rotating between the center and guard posi tions when necessary. Projected to play guard in 1996, Collins was asked to move back to his more natural position at center, when starter Koby Hackradt suffered a knee injury during two- a-day workouts. A&M Head Coach R.C. Slocum said the team was well prepared to handle the situation. “We had actually been working him [at center] some before Koby got injured,” Slocum said. “We moved him over and was looking at that combina tion of Semisi (Heimuli) playing guard and Calvin at center and he looks good there. He’s done it before, including some last year.” Collins has taken the move in stride. The senior opened huge holes for the Aggie tailbacks during the team’s season opener against Brigham Young University Aug. 24. The A&M offense racked up 489 total yards, including 257 on the ground. Even though Collins played center in high school and has more experience at that position than at guard, Sherman said the lineman is always willing to make a sacrifice. “It’s more of a natural position for him,” Sherman “When he pulls, I won’t have much to worry about. I’ll just jump in his hip pocket.” Sirr Parker A&M sophomore tailback said. “Hopefully, if he has the type of season that we anticipate, he’ll continue to flourish. Calvin is a very unselfish player, and I think he knows that position is best for him. But I know he’d play guard, center or tackle if he had to.” Collins’ biggest desire during the 1996 season is to assume more of a leadership role on the line. The senior said there are more ways than one to approaching his goal. “Hopefully, I’ll be viewed as a leader,” Collins said. “I want to be able to go out there and set the tone and attitude for the offense. “Sometimes you have to (be vocal), other times it’s just by going out there and playing hard. That’s the best example and best leader ship you can give.” Sherman said Collins’ leadership will help Stewart and the inexperi enced right side of the offensive line. “Our expectations of him are very high as a leader on our offense,” Sherman said. “We have a first-year ' quarterback and we have some first- year players beside him on the right side. [Calvin] is going to hopefully bring the experi ence of the left side and his own experience and tie it in to the right side.” Collins said it could be easier to anchor the line at the center position. “Everyone is relying on you to make the calls,” Collins said. “Your call dictates what calls everyone else is going to make. They’re waiting on that call, and I think that helps the leadership role.” Collins said he is only concentrating on this sea son, but Sherman said the center could make it to the NFL if he improves in one area — consistency. “In his present position, he has to have a good year,” Sherman said. “I think consistency is the num ber one thing. Calvin went out with a passion and played the game of his life against Notre Dame (in the 1994 Cotton Bowl) as a red-shirt freshman. He played against first-round draft picks and really dominated. But there are other games when he has n’t had that consistency, and that is what he needs to have to be able to make it to the next level.” Stew Milne, The Battalion Senior center Calvin Collins led the way for A&M's tailbacks in the season opener against BYU. lited State y all phasi / produ >CH RES ding card r n potenti i ding worl ng busind Swing into your job search at the Career Center. Don't Miss Out!! Register NOW! 1st Deadline for on-campus interviews is September 11 o„. c http://aggienet.tamu.edu/cctr For more information, contact the TAMU Career Center Suite 209 Koldus Building, 845-5139. u ‘96 Diamondback Outlook reg. 249.95 on Sale 189.95 817 Texas Ave. SAVE ON U-LOCKS * HELMETS* MORE College Station, Tx. 696-6551 OPEN 9 AM -7 PM M-SAT. 12-5 SUN. VISA _ ■ Computer Hardware and Services f f L— / Custom Built Systems ! / / Weekly Special 16MB SIMM, 60ns, 72pin $92 16MB EDO SIMM, 60ns, 72pin $94 2.5GB Quantum Sirocco Hard Drive $307 3.2GB Quantum Fireball Hard Drive $347 33.6bps Supra Fax/Modem w/ Voice $127 Matrox Millenium 2MB WRAM PCI $197 Matrox Millenium 4MB WRAM PCI $269 Phone: 693^4282 FAX: 696^6459 http:/Iwww2.cy'net.net/~cet