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The Battalion
Page 5 • Tuesday, November 5, 2002
Time for Slocum to step down may be near
UESDAY
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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