The Battalion
• November:
Friday
Page 5
November 22, 1996
■.'sen! all ofir-;
nts can obvio.
ion than I can
senator and:
ajor, said she-
ludentsb tackle Spikes fond of blocking — and pancakes
tion is impor:
the students;
resolution iv:
At the end of the line
By Colby Gaines
The Battalion
se the MSC,
ung.
tor
se is necet
intinue u
she said.
sking the Texas A&M Foot
ball Team’s sophomore right
tackle Cameron Spikes to
resollltiOf ieSi:iibe b * s f avor i te block is like
jng a spectator to describe what
referendlihev see when a steamroller crush-
a Hirprtir 8 a cat — a pancaking. At 6-foot
1 ^ tu -inches and 305 pounds, Spikes,
tion we’rfhe Aggies’ starting right tackle,
ovi s to flatten defensive lineman,
■ l love to run block,” Spikes
-aid. "When the ball is hiked, I
ike to come off (the line) and see
vh.it I can do with somebody. I
B to bust them in the mouth
H put them on the ground.”
Bhrangely enough, Spikes
starred as a defensive tackle at
Ban High School, earning first-
ream Class 5A all-state honors as
1 ' i senior. There, Spikes compiled
ajor, said! 5t|ii a r numbers, including 90
the referen.r ac ki es (43 for losses), 20 sacks
ictr opinio Jm 3^ quarterback pressures,
ig students^®[) eS pj te being recruited by
nave been 3 tl e r schools as a defensive
lineman, Spikes said he chose
Texas A&M because he liked the
d in then tradition of a good of-
fensive line and because “A&M
s (0 m i: “ as one t “ e best offensive
^■e coaches in the country.”
picallydon'iB^ 1 ^ 6 Spikes is quick to give
( S as a fiel, credit to A&M Offensive Line
ogy and t Coach Mike Sherman, Sherman
ped/’he- sa r b be bas b ‘8 b expecta-
the genet; ti on s for Spikes,
realizethdIB He has the perfect body
are being f or an offensive lineman,
ime andari a bd at (his height), he’s ex-
y into the tremely strong,” Sherman said.
iBut right now, he gets by on
physical strength and athletic
ability. (The coaches) know if
he keeps working on the techni-
cal skills, he’ll be an outstand-
*ing player.”
, it Last season, Spikes played in
every game despite backing up
this Weekend
in Sports
Friday
Lady Aggie Basketball vs.
Southwest Texas, G. Rollie
White, 7 p.m.
Hunter Goodwin, who now plays
for the Minnesota Vikings. During
the offseason, Spikes finished first
overall among offensive lineman
in the conditioning program
while setting a new school squat
record of 600 pounds.
Spikes said he was surprised to
finish so well considering the ath
letic talent on the team. But he
said he continues to challenge
himself every day.
“When I watch a film or a foot
ball game, I’m always watching the
tackle to see how good he is,” Spikes
said. “I think, ‘How do I compare to
that guy?’ I think comparing myself
to other good tackles is what makes
me strive to be great.”
Teammate and starting left
tackle Chris Ruhman said Spikes
is already playing at another level.
See Spikes, Page 6
Dave House, The Battalion
Sophomore offensive tackle Cameron Spikes takes a breather
during the Oklahoma game at Kyle Field.
Left tackle Ruhman takes a walk on the blind side
By Ross Hecox
The Battalion
P laying left offensive tackle for
the Texas A&M Football Team
has a greater influence on the
game than one might think.
The job does not simply re
quire run and pass blocking on
the outer limits of the line. Since
junior quarterback Branndon
Stewart is right-handed and has
his back turned to the left when
passing, the left tackle must keep
pass rushers from a clean shot at
the quarterback’s blind side.
Junior left tackle Chris Ruhman,
who plays at the highly accountable
position, said the defenders he usu
ally Has to block — defensive ends
or outside linebackers skilled at
sacking quarterbacks — raise the
level of difficulty with their quick
ness and have no mercy if he makes
a mistake.
“They’re running a 4.5 (40-
yard dash), so you gotta do 4.4
backwards,” Ruhman said. “You
use your technique and hope to
overcome him. You’re kind of out
there by yourself.”
Offensive Line Coach Mike Sher
man said a tackle must depend on
his body mass to keep pass rushers
from reaching the quarterback.
“There’s a tremendous speed
difference, and that worries all of
fensive line coaches,” Sherman
said. “So what you lack in speed
you have to make up in size.”
Ruhman definitely fills the bill
when it comes to size. His 6-foot
6-inch frame carries 295 pounds
of offensive lineman, and he totes
strength to match.
The three-year starter posted a
lift of 500 pounds in the squat,
and is one of the strongest play
ers on the team.
In addition to possessing physi
cal power, Sherman said Ruhman is
a skilled player who understands
Stew Milne, The Battalion
Junior left tackle Chris Ruhman holds his ground against an Okla
homa defensive lineman at Kyle Field.
the mechanics of his position and
continues to improve.
“He’s gotten better through the
course of the season,” Sherman
said. “He is very much a techni
cian and very seldom makes
mental mistakes.”
Ruhman relies on his technique
to put a solid hit on the defender,
but from there his size and strength
allow him to finish the block.
“I think about what [the defend
er] is going to do and what steps I’m
going to take, and the rest comes
natural,” Ruhman said. “Coach
Sherman really teaches us tech
nique. If you know what to do it lets
you play with more tenacity.”
Ruhman said he enjoys run
blocking more this season. Lucky
for him. With four 500-yard plus
rushers in the backfield, he can
count on having to make at least
as many holes as pockets.
Ruhman said despite the four
backs’ different running styles,
the blocking is all the same.
“A lot of times we don’t even
know who’s back there,” Ruh
man said. “We just take care of
our job and let the [tailbacks]
take care of the rest.”
When the quarterback does
drop back to pass, Ruhman
changes from attacking the de
fender to falling back for pass
protection. And Stewart is count
ing on him to watch his back.
Does that add any pressure?
“Yeah, there is a little bit of
pressure,” Ruhman said.
The Battalion’s 1996 Staff Picks
Avenue Soul! j
tig Center
The Match-Ups
#23 W. Virginia at #17 V. Tech
#21 Michigan at #2 Ohio State
Iowa State at #14 Kansas State
Tom
Day
Virginia Tech
Ohio State
Kristina Jamie Sara Jeremy Colby Ross
Baffin Burch Duesing Furtick Gaines
ViginiaTech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech
Ohio State Ohio State Ohio State Ohio State Ohio State
Kansas State Kansas State Kansas State Kansas State Kansas State Kansas State
Consensus
Matt Dennis Nicki
Hecox Mitchell Ramirez Smith
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech: Hokies go mountain climbing
Ohio State Ohio State Ohio State Ohio State Ohio State: Buckeyes come up with roses
Kansas State Kansas State Kansas State Kansas State Kansas St.: 'Cats go storm-chasin'
A&M Volleyball at Kansas,
Auburn at #15 Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama: Tigers drown in Crimson Tide
Lawrence, Kan., 7:30 p.m.
#4 Arizona State at Arizona
Arizona
Arizona State
Arizona State
Arizona State
Arizona State
Arizona State
Arizona State
Arizona State
Arizona State
Arizona State
Arizona St.: Devils apply heat
Saturday
Texas Tech at Oklahoma
Texas Tech
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
Texas Tech
Texas Tech
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
Texas Tech
Texas Tech
Texas Tech
Tech: Aggies kiss title hopes good-bye
A&M Basketball vs. North
Kansas at Missouri
Missouri
Kansas
Missouri
Kansas
Missouri
Kansas
Kansas
Kansas
Kansas
Kansas
Kansas: Tigers have a 1 -game winning streak
(Carolina A&T, G. Rollie
Baylor at Oklahoma State
Oklahoma St.
Oklahoma St.
Oklahoma St.
Baylor
Baylor
Oklahoma St.
Oklahoma St.
Baylor
Baylor
Baylor
Baylor: Happy trails to you
White, 7 p.m.
A&M Volleyball at Kansas
State, Manhattan, Kan.,
USC at UCLA
USC
USC
UCLA
USC
USC
USC
USC
USC
USC
USC
USC: Southern Ca. sun burns Bruins
Carolina at Oilers
Oilers
Carolina
Oilers
Oilers
Oilers
Oilers
Oilers
Oilers
Oilers
Oilers
Oilers: Panthers shot back to expansion status
Cowboys at NY Giants
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys: New York not so giant
7 p.m.
A&M Swimming and Diving
Pittsburgh at Miami
t
Pittsburgh
Miami
Miami
Miami
Miami
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Miami
Pittsburgh: Steelers not on vacation
at LSU, Baton Rouge, La.,
Last Week
6-6
9-3
8-4
7-5
9-3
8-4
9-3
8-4
7-5
6-6
77-43: It just wasn't Tom's Day
all day.
Cumulative
91-41 ,
83-49
79-53
90-42
87-45
88-44
86-46
85-47
86-46
86-46
861-459: Burch gunning for 80 wins
AGGIE RING ORDERS
THE ASSOCIATION OF FORMER STUDENTS
CLAYTON W. WILLIAMS, JR. ALUMNI CENTER
DEADLINE: December 6, 1996
Undergraduate Student Requirements:
You must be a degree seeking student and have a total of 95 credit hours reflected on the
Texas A&M University Student Information Management System. (A passed course, which is
repeated and passed, cannot count as additional credit hours.)
30 credit hours must have been completed in residence at Texas A&M University, providing
that prior to January 1, 1994, you were registered at Texas A&M University and successfully
completed a fall/spring semester or summer term (I and II or 10 weeks) as a full-time student
in good standing (as defined in the University catalog).
60 credit hours must have been completed in residence at Texas A&M University if your first se
mester at Texas A&M University was January 1994 or thereafter, or if you do not qualify under
the successful semester requirement. Should your degree be conferred with less than 60
resident credits, this requirement will be waived after your degree is posted on the Student In
formation Management System.
!■ You must have a 2^0 cumulative GPR at Texas A&M University.
i- You must be in good standing with the University, including no registration or transcript blocks
for past due fees, loans, parking tickets, returned checks, etc.
Graduate Student Requirements
f you are a December 1996 degree candidate and you do not have an Aggie ring from a pri
or degree, you may place an order after you meet the following requirements:
Your degree is conferred and posted on the Texas A&M University Student Information
Management System; and
You are in good standing with the University, including no registration or transcript blocks for
past due fees, loans, parking tickets, returned checks, etc.
I you have completed ail of your degree requirements and can obtain a “Letter of Completion”
| Rom the Office of Graduate Studies, the original letter of completion, with the seal, may be
presented to the Ring Office in lieu of your degree being posted.
Procedure To Order A Ring:
If you meet all of the above requirements, you must visit the Ring Office no later than
Friday, December 24,1996, to complete the application for eligibility verification.
If your application is approved and you wish to receive your ring on February 19, 1997,
you must return and pay in full by cash, check, money order, or your personal Visa or
Mastercard (with your name imprinted) no later than December 11,1996.
^ Tuna Chrift
^cets, free dW
orally.
Men’s 10K-$309.00
s 10K-$174.00
14K-$421.00
14K-$201.00
Add $8.00 for Class of ‘95 or before.
The ring delivery date is February 19, 1997.