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‘We had too
many dropped
balls and too
many penal
ties, but I saw
some very
positive things
out there
tonight. / was
especially
pleased with
our defense."
- A&M head
football coach R.C.
Slocum
7 thought we
had the
turnovers out
of our system
[at halftime]...!
didn’t get it
done. I have
to roll with the
punches and
move on.”
-ULL Quarterback
Jon Van Cleave
“I’m pleased
with our per
formance —
we’re only
going to get
better
-A&M linebacker
Brian Gamble
Sports
The Battalion
Page 9A • Monday, September 2, 2002
Wrecking Crew rages through Cajuns
Defense forces 10 turnovers, saves struggling offense in 31-7 win
By Kevin Espenlaub
THE BATTALION
The Texas A&M Wrecking Crew defense
forced 10 turnovers against the University of
Louisiana-Lafayette, en route to a 31-7 victory for
the team’s season opener at Kyle Field Saturday.
The 10 turnovers set a new Big 12 conference
record for turnovers
While the defense was setting records, the
Aggie offense struggled to capitalize on the
turnovers for much of the game. Despite the
Wrecking Crew’s six turnovers in the first half, the
Aggies (1-0) entered the locker room at halftime
with only a 3-0 lead.
"The main thing in the first half was that we
were killing ourselves with penalties,” said A&M
senior starting quarterback Mark Farris. "I think in
the second half we came out and concentrated bet
ter. Nothing against Louisiana-Lafayette, but we
should have played a lot better than we did today.”
The first drive of the game resulted in a I st and
25 for the Aggies after two penalties in the first
minute of the game. The Aggies would finish with
16 penalties on the game, costing them 102 yards.
Farris, who had missed practice for much of
the past two weeks due to tendonitis in his shoul
der. started the game for the Aggies but was
benched with just under seven minutes remaining
in the first half after throwing eight consecutive
incomplete passes.
Sophomore Dustin Long, who had been taking
snaps with the first string offense in Farris'
absence from practice, took over and went 3 for 12
passing w ith two interceptions before the half.
“I had decided before the game that I wanted to
get all of the quarterbacks in the game," said A&M
head coach R.C. Slocum. "Dustin had been getting
a lot of work in practice, so I thought he would be
effective in the game today. In the second half. I
wanted to let [Farris) get back out there for the
third (quarter) and then bring in the other guys.”
On the first play of the Ragin’ Cajuns’ (0-1)
opening drive in the second half, running back
Jerome Coleman fumbled the ball on the 17 yard
line and Aggie senior linebacker Brian Gamble
recovered, leading to a two-yard touchdown run by
senior Joe Weber, giving the Aggies the 10-0 lead.
Gamble finished the game with two fumble
recoveries and an interception.
Sophomore defensive back Byron Jones fol
lowed with an interception return for a touchdown
off ULL quarterback Jon Van Cleave with 2:37 left
in the third quarter, giving the Aggies a 17-0 lead.
The Aggie defense picked off Van Cleave six
times, tying a Big 12 record for interceptions in a
game, and added four fumble recoveries to top the
previous conference record of seven total turnovers.
"Overall, the defense played well," Gamble
said. “We had them outmanned. so we should have
played well. It was a very weird game. It was very
hard to get into the flow of the game. But. any
time you can get 10 turnovers, you're doing
something right.”
Though Farris returned to the game for much
of the second half and led the Aggies to another
touchdown on a Dwain Goynes four-yard run. the
crowd erupted with 11 minutes left in the fourth
quarter when freshman quarterback Reggie
McNeal ended red-shirt speculation by guiding
the offense to a touchdown drive to stretch the
A&M lead to 31-0.
McNeal went 2-for-2 passing for 28 yards
and rushed for 12 yards in the only series he
took the snaps.
"I thought Reggie came in and showed that he
was capable of being a student of the game."
Slocum said. "We're looking at a situation a year
from now when (Farris) will be gone and one of
these guys will be the starter and one will be the
backup. We’ve got three bright, young prospects
here at quarterback and we want to try to bring
them all along and let competition take care of
what order they will play in.”
See Crew on page 10A
JOHN O. LIVAS • THE BATTALION
Senior Linebacker Brian Gamble celebrates after deflecting a pass
intended for Louisiana-Lafayette fullback Wayne Stein in the first quarter.
Reggie caps bizarre opener
JOHN C. LIVAS • THE BATTALION
Freshman Reggie McNeal rolls out of the pocket on the first play of his
college career in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game at Kyle Field.
By True Brown
THE BATTALION
The players on Kyle Field did their best impres
sion of the Twilight Zone on Saturday during the
Aggies’ 31-7 win against the University of
Louisiana-Lafayette.
Twelve total turnovers, four missed field goals
and six quarterbacks were just part of the game’s
bizarre nature.
The only constant was the Wrecking Crew’s sti
fling performance. The Aggies limited the Ragin’
Cajuns to 205 yards of offensive production,
including just I I yards rushing. The 10 turnovers
forced by A&M was a Big 12 record.
“This was about the weirdest game I’ve ever
played in,” said A&M linebacker Brian Gamble.
“We’d rotate linebackers and go out there and it
would be one play and an interception. Then we’d
come off and sit out for a couple drives and go back
out and get a fumble. It was just a really weird game.”
The big performance by A&M’s defense came
at the right time as A&M’s offense struggled most
of the night. A&M held a slim 3-0 lead at halftime
after failing to cash in on six Cajun turnovers...
“Our defense played solidly ail night, said
A&M head coach R.C. Slocum. “We pretty much
controlled their offense and that gave us some
opportunities.”
The surprises kept rolling in after halftime when
quarterback Reggie McNeal made his debut, enter
ing the game as A&M’s third quarterback. McNeal,
one of the most touted recruits in A&M history, led
the Aggies on their longest scoring drive of the
game after covering 53 yards in eight plays.
After the game, however, Slocum was quick to
say he had planned to play McNeal all along and
that starting quarterback Mark Farris still had his
job. Dustin Long and Jason Carter also saw action
as quarterback for the Aggies.
“I think (Reggie) is going to be a good quarter
back," Slocum said. "We are looking at a situation
where a year from now, Mark will be gone. One of
those young guys is going to have to be the starter.
See Bizarre on page 10A
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