tA
iaiyl6,20C
ars
i
— Two
e amon«
ce raided
city ordi-
s.
tato and
)kie celc-
y, posted
minutes
Saturday
Tuesday, January 16, 2001
SPORTS
THE BATTALION
Page 9
Toombs and Ferguson would
benefit from staying extra year
T \
;
he 2001
version of
the Texas
A&M football
team has already
suffered a major
dblow and it has
n't even made it
to National Sign
ing Day yet.
wn fora
ainst the
. Donato
:k played
’ win by
:k were
Tampa's
:nt ordi-
tave said
eadine to
28.
nus, is a
Raymond
the NR
»ple have
ordinance
Per 1999,
> stay sii
wyers are
mortality
iidges ha>
that the;
they so
mch Ki:
’etcrsbur:
; door an:
It was a
rief-
op 25
■ociatedP®
th first-ptas
r ough Jan.
'or a first-
a 25th-plaa
■■ IV
Two of the Aggies’ most talented
offensive players, junior fullback
Ja’Mar Toombs and junior wide re
ceiver Robert Ferguson, decided
ast week to forgo their senior sea-
ons and head for the riches of the
' ! ’]|National Football League.
Toombs lead the team in touch-
lowns this season with 14 and Fer
guson set a new single-season
ecord for receiving yards, with 885
ft only 10 games.
Toombs and Ferguson cited fi
nancial strains as the main factor in
heir decisions.
While it is hard to fault them for
toing after the money, both do car-
y question marks with them on
heir quests.
During his time at A&M,
[bdmbs gained a reputation as a
>ig-game back. His 71-yard rumble
igainst Nebraska in 1998 helped
>rovide the Aggies with a spark. In
999 against Texas, he almost sin-
le-handely willed the Aggies to
victory. This season he stepped it up
again with his performances against
Kansas State, Oklahoma and Mis
sissippi State.
His tendency of not showing up
for the other games is cause for
alarm, however. For the season,
Toombs gained only 564 yards on
152 carries — an average of only
3.7 per tote. Those are decent num
bers, but hardly the numbers of a
back ready to tear up the NFL.
Another thing going against
Toombs is history.
Three A&M running backs de
clared for the draft early in the
1990s (Robert Wilson, Greg Hill
and Leeland McElroy), and none
went on to have a distinguished
NFL career.
On the other hand, Rodney
Thomas resisted the call of the NFL
and stayed for his senior season. He
was drafted in the third round in
1995 by the then Houston Oilers.
He is still in the league and was a
member of the Tennessee Titans
team that made it to the 2000 Super
Bowl. Food for thought, Mr.
Toombs.
Ferguson is a different story.
From the first day he came to Ag-
gieland, Ferguson was the most tal
ented receiver the Aggies ever had.
He had the speed, quickness and
physical play required to compete at
the next level.
He set one A&M receiving
record and would have rewritten the
Aggie record book if he had stayed.
Talent was never an issue, but
readiness to compete against the top
NFL cornerbacks will be.
Ferguson is only one year re
moved from Tyler Junior College.
He adjusted well this year to
Division 1 competition, but the
jump from junior college to Divi
sion I competition is nothing like
the jump from Division I to the
pros.
As good as Ferguson is now, he
only would have improved his se
nior year and would have had a
good chance to solidify himself as
the top wide receiver, if not the top
player, in the 2002 draft.
ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper rat
ed Toombs as the 16th-best player
on his draft board, with Ferguson
coming in at No. 19. Most NFL
scouts see both players as second-
to fourth-round picks.
The talent is apparent in both
players and both will probably do
well in the NFL. But another year in
Aggieland would have cleared up
the questions and made the road to
stardom a bit easier.
Doug Fuentes is a senior
journalism major.
Texas a&m University Career Center
The real world is right
around the corner.
* Register with the Career Center online and attend an orientation
for on-campus interviewing to be ready for spring interviews.
* Look for our "Weekly Preview" in each Monday's Battalion to find
out about upcoming workshops, seminars and career fairs.
For more information come by 209 Koldus,
cal! 845-5139 or visit our website at
http://careercenter.tamu.edlu
Be ready for it
Oklahoma
Pts
1,749
1,675
1,601
1,507
1,485
1,359
1,266
1,196
1,159
1,157
1,096
762
711
691
681
681
634 7
519 1-
381 1 ;
319 '
315 7
297 7
273
268
263
10 St. 137
;ia Tech®
29, Coll-o'
t. 16, Soof
tsburgh ill
t. Joseph"
Baylor 4
Oregon 3,
Mississippi
;t. John's 7
Continued from Page 7
leupefs popularity by picking off the senior quarter-
ack twice during the contest and holding him to only
ne touchdown in the game.
Despite the onslaught of criticism that piles up on
ead coach R.C. Slocum and the rest of the coaching
taff, Slocum readied his troops for the biggest battle of
is 12 seasons as head coach.
He came just short of ending OU’s national champi-
nship season and possibly giving the Aggies a shot at
nother Big 12 Championship.
Slocum had Aggies on both sides of the ball ready to
go to battle on that chilly Saturday afternoon, even
though the team was devastated by injuries late in the
game.
Junior fullback Ja’Mar Toombs added several plays
to his highlight reel, including a 27-yard rumble into the
end zone that will remain in the minds of Aggie football
fans for years.
When Aggie fans look back at the 2000 season, they
should not dwell on the disheartening loss to Colorado
that ended a four-year win streak at Kyle Field or the
thumping by the Longhorns in Austin.
They should remember the Aggies’ 26-10 beating of
the No. 8 Kansas State Wildcats and the startling Okla
homa game that could have shook-up the Big 12 Con
ference and possibly the entire college football nation.
VERVIEW
Continued from Page 7
i [ack, had at least one starter miss a
1 [ame. A&M’s injury situation was so
j, ad that Slocum said it was the worst
- e had ever been through in his coach
ing career.
ubiak
nterviews
With Texans
In the new year, A&M hopes that
at least part of history repeats itself as
it moves into 2001. After all, Okla
homa’s last loss was at the 1999 In
dependence Bowl.
“It’s definitely disappointing
when you lose your final game, not
to mention your last three games, but
we’re going to learn from this and not
let it happen again,” linebacker Bri
an Gamble, who will anchor next
season’s Wrecking Crew, said.
“We’re not going to let it dishearten
us or affect our play next year. Okla
homa was in this same boat last year
at this time, and they were able to
build on it. We’re going to use it for
motivation and be ready for 2001.”
lsatVgmatVgreVmcatVdat
It’s not like
we’ll give you
the answers.
Well...yes it is.
ib ,bf
Standardized tests are predictable.
Understanding them is what Kapla'n is all about.
Classes start soon.
GRE - January 22 and 23
GMAT - February ±0
LSAT - January 17 and 20
MCAT - January 21, 23, and 27
DAT - January 27
TOEFL - January 29
Call today to enroll!
1 -800-KAP-TEST
kaptest.com
Test prep, admissions and guidance. For life.
HOUSTON (AP) — It seems
only a matter of time until Denver
Broncos offensive coordinator Gary
Kubiak lands a head coaching job in
the NFL.
The native Texan is frequently on
the candidates’ list when a job
comes open and he returned home
Monday for an interview with the
expansion Houston Texans that
could be the most attractive of all to
the former Denver and Texas A&M
juarterback.
“This is a no-brainer for me,
something I’ve really looked for the
'past two years so I’m enjoying to
day.” Kubiak said after talking with
owner Bob McNair and general
' manager Charley Casserly. “I’ve
;;ieen in contact with Mr. (Pat)
Bowlen, our owner, about what was
’ going on and whether Houston
"would get the opportunity for a
team.
if “When they did, as a football
coach and a guy coming up in this
■ business, I was very interested in
what was going on. It’s been a long
]ll Top 2'
iociated P-
with first-
irds throu?
5 points fs' :
t for a 25t r
ng:
Pts
1,025
974
953
895
843
793
788
712
657
591
586
574
472
441
419
397
369
334
286
264
235
124
122
106
48
48 - — 0 0
irn38,^.process and something I’ve really
113 ^-waited on to meet these guys and see
L George what’s going on here at home.”
, Ban st ; [ Kubiak played high school foot-
^^'iball at Houston St. Pius and then
payed quarterback at A&M. He
spent nine seasons as a backup to
■John Elway with the Broncos and
^ * mas been the team’s offensive coor-
Hinator for the past six seasons.
Kubiak interviewed with the
Cleveland Browns in 1998, and
liore recently with the New Orleans
Saints and New England Patriots,
pe also was a finalist for the Uni-
tJ * versity of Colorado job before de
ciding to stick with the Broncos.
fpIQyffl The Browns and Bills are cur-
ibntly looking for head coaches but
CRIP Kubiak said he hadn’t been contact-
dete
s froifl
by those teams.
Where it matters most.
As one of the world's leading diversified technology companies, we're breaking new ground in every
thing from defense and commercial electronics, and business aviation and special
mission aircraft. As a Raytheon employee, you'll contribute to the development of exciting,
revolutionary technology designed to make life better, easier, and safer throughout the world.
Such as our STARS air traffic control system. And our award-winning A//g/jf5/g/if rM technology.
But it all starts with you. Your creativity. Your knowledge and innovation. And enthusiasm
about the future. In return, we offer exceptional training and professional development oppor
tunities. A supportive, down-to-earth work environment. And incredible benefits including flexi
ble schedules designed to respect your quality of life.
5o you can still show off all those great qualities of yours outside of work, too.
We'll be visiting your campus soon — contact your career placement office for information on
schedules and to arrange for an interview. If you are unable to meet with us, please send your
resume to: E-mail: resume@rayjobs.com (ASCII text only; no attachments). Raytheon
Company, Attn: National Staffing Data Center, P.0. Box 660246, MS-201, Dallas, TX
75266. U.S. Citizenship may be required. We are an equal opportunity* employer.
Opportunities are available for exceptional students with the following majors:
Computer Science
Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Math
Physics
Chemical Engineering
Aeronautical Engineering
Finance/Accounting
Human Resources
• Industrial and Labor
Relations
• Marketing/Communications
• Management
Check out our Website at WWW.rayjobS.COITl/CampUS for further information including a calendar
of recruiting events. At Raytheon, we strive to'be the employer of choice for a diverse workforce by attracting, retaining, and
recognizing the most talented, resourceful and creative people.
Bringing technology to the edge
Raytheon