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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 5, 2002)
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I t is time for a change on the Texas A&M football team and it needs to flow from the top and go down. Earlier this season Texas A&M Athletic Director Wally Groff announced his resigna tion, effective Dec. 31 and R.C. Slocum may not be far behind. Slocum has one of the winningest records among active Division-1 schools with a .728 winning percentage. However, many of those victories came against inferior teams in the Southwest Conference such as TCU, SMU. Baylor. Rice and Houston. Looking at Slocum’s record between 1989 and 1995, prior to the Big 12\s formation, it is evident that the Aggies appeared to have beaten upon the weak teams of the SWC and crum bled against power houses such as Notre Dame and Florida State in bowl games. From 1989 to 1995, Slocum's regular season record was 66-1 1-2 (.857) while his bowl record was 2-4. Since the Big 12 was formed Slocum’s regu lar season record is 48-22 (.686). His winning percentage is almost 200 points lower since joining the Big 12 and his record in bowl games has declined as well. Slocum is 1-4 in bowl games since 1996, with the lone win coming against TCU in the Gallery- furniture.com bowl last year in Houston. Even though it was a bowl win for Slocum’s record, it came against TCU, which A&M con sistently beat as a member of the SWC. Bowl games aren't the only thing that is important to the Aggie faithful. If Aggies could choose one game of the season that they want to win, many of them would say, “We have to beat Tex as.” Slocum’s record against the Longhorns is 7-6 but five of those last seven have not gone the Aggies way. Five of those seven victories came against a Longhorn squad that did not get invited to a bowl game. Now that the Aggies face tough teams such as Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas State on a regular basis -the other five schools to appear in a Big 12 Championship Game - the regular season results look more like the bowl results. The Aggies are 3-9 since 1999 against these other five teams and, for Slocum, that is not a good thing. Since hiring Bob Stoops in 1999, OU has become a dominant force in the Big 12, win ning a national championship in 2000 and are ranked No. 1 by the BCS again this season. Slocum often talks about parity in college football and the fact that on any given Saturday, any team can beat any team. To an extent, this is true. When A&M beats Pittsburgh on the road and falls to Virginia Tech at home then sees Pittsburgh beat Virginia Tech at the Hokies home turf, there is an argu ment that parity has taken over college football. However, as long as Bob Stoops continues to win year in and year out at OU, the heat will still be on Slocum and every other coach in the Big 12 to produce a winning team. For more than $1 million a year Aggies should expect more from Slocum than mediocrity. One of the biggest defenses that Slocum has had in years past is his ability to field a nation ally acclaimed defense -The Wrecking Crew. This year the Wrecking Crew has been redubbed the “Wretched Crew” and “Wrecking Who” by many. For six straight quarters, the four against Nebraska and the first two against Oklahoma State on Saturday, the Aggie defense showed very little intensity, allowing opposing offenses to drive down the field at their discretion. The Wrecking Crew has always been Slocum's claim to fame and now that his defense is not performing as well as it has in the past, it leaves you to wonder, what is going wrong with the Aggies? MSC Town Hall Presents EVERCLEAR iv. TOMORROW 7:30pm at Rudder Auditorium Tickets on SALE Friday, October 18th starting at 11:00am MSC Box Office $15 Texas A&M Students w/current ID AGGIE BUCKS accepted For information call 845-1234 Please inform us of your special needs at 845-1515 .6. SLOCUM'S BOWL GAME HISTORY YEAR BOWL GAME RESDLl OPPONENT RECORD r89 HANCOCK BOWL L PITTSBURGH 8-4 90 HOLIDAY BOWL W BYU 9-3-1 91 COTTON BOWL L FLORIDA STATE 10-2 SWC- 92 COTTON BOWL L NOTRE DAME 12-1 93 COTTON BOWL L NOTRE DAME 10-2 94 L95 ALAMO BOWL W MICHIGAN 93 r98 N01 eci cPTcm 97 COTTON BOWL L UCLA 94 98 SUGAR BOWL L OHIO STATE 113 BIG 12- 99 ALAMO BOWL L PENN STATE ' 8-4 00 INDEPENDENCE BOWL L MISSISSIPPI STATE 7 S Loi GALLERY FURNITURE W TCU 8-4 3- m 11 BOWL GAMES With a new school president and a new ath letic director taking over for Wally Groff in the coming months, Slocum is arguably under more pressure this season than ever before. Many of Slocum’s strongest proponents are now among those calling for change. Slocum has three more games remaining this season. This Saturday, the No. 1 Oklahoma TRAVIS SWENSON - THE BATTALION Sooners are coming to Kyle Field. Next Saturday the Aggies will face Missouri in their final home game of the season before the Aggies head to Austin for the annual Thanksgiving showdown with the Longhorns. If the Aggies do not find a way to win at least two of those games, Slocum may want to start dusting off his resume. CONGRATULATIONS! Join the Celebration at the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center NOVEMBER 7TH RING DELIVERY Tickets distributed throughout the day, beginning at 7:15 a.m. You must have a numbered ticket to get your Ring. FEsnvmES begin at 2 rm. Ring distribution starts at 3 p.m. and ends at 6 rm. We encourage you to take the Bonfire or Replant bus routes that stop in front of the building. Texas Aggie Artist, Benjamin Knox ’90, personalizing the “Historic Aggie Ring” You must bring your pink receipt and driver’s license to pick up your Ring. If you do not have your pink receipt, please bring your student ID and driver’s license. SPONSORED BY The Association * OF FORMER students' lA/bo/tes Tlte, Aggie, /\/etjujoxk,f