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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2002)
Sports The Battalion Page 5 * Wednesday, November 13, 2002 McNeal will start Saturday against Missouri By Jeff Allen THE BATTALION On the heels of arguably the biggest win in years for the Aggies, A&M head football coach R.C. Slocum named freshman quarter back Reggie McNeal the starter for this weekend’s contest against the University of Missouri at Kyle Field. The school’s first victory over a top ranked team stands as the possi ble beginning to a new era in Aggie football and the fulfillment of McNeal’s statement during the sum merproclaiming that he was ready to start as a freshman. Before taking the field this year, McNeal predicted that he would ascend the ranks of A&M quarter backs and be leading the team by mid-season. McNeal eventually pulled back a bit on his prediction, as he stood third in line for the job, but that was before he took the reins of the unranked Aggies and led them to victory over the best team in the nation. “1 think based on his performance Saturday he deserves the chance to start,” Slocum said, “I thought he played with a lot of poise, he made some great decisions on the field, he played with a lot of enthusiasm and with some toughness ... it was a great performance. When you look at that in light of being a true fresh man it’s even more spectacular.” McNeal earned the starting job with a performance that is unfamiliar historically to most Aggie fans. Against Oklahoma, he completed eight of 13 passes for 191 yards, and amassed 86 net yards rushing. McNeal completed four touch down passes against an Oklahoma defense that had allowed only three the entire season before Saturday. McNeal replaced the previous starter, sophomore Dustin Long, after four offensive series. Long had completed just three of nine passes for 28 yards and an interception at the time. Long, who is also in his first sea son as a starter, has already collected more than 2000 yards passing and set a Big 12 record for touchdown pass es in a game with seven earlier this season against Texas Tech. Long also threw nearly 400 yards in a start against Kansas earlier in the season, and has come within two touchdown passes of the A&M single season record of 19 by Gary Kubiak in 1982. “Dustin is a young guy with a bright future and if you are going to be a championship team you’ve got to have a backup plan with your quarterback out there,” said Slocum. McNeal faces another tough test this weekend against Missouri. He will be competing head to head with another young quarterback, fresh man Brad Smith of Missouri. Srhith has thrown for more than 2000 yards and 13 touchdowns already this sea son. He has also run for more than 900 yards with six touchdowns. McNeal will also be dealing with newfound national fame after defeat ing the previously undefeated Sooners. “Now I know I have a lot more to work towards,” said McNeal. “Knowing I can have my name like that all over the nation, that’s just gonna make me go out and work harder.” JOHN C. LIVAS • THE BATTALION Freshman quarterback Reggie McNeal hands off to senior running back Joe Weber against Oklahoma on Saturday. McNeal set a new freshman record with four touchdown passes. Volleyball team travels to Kansas looking for fifth straight win By True Brown THE BATTALION Four straight wins have put the Texas A&M vol leyball team in a good position. With two matches at home remaining against teams tied with or ahead of the Aggies in the Big 12 race, A&M has a shot at climbing as high as third before the season is over. First however, the Aggies (17-7, 9-6 Big 12) have to travel to Lawrence, Kan., to face a team in a sim ilar position. The Kansas Jayhawks (17-6, 8-6 Big 12) are just one-half of a game behind A&M and a win would leapfrog the Jayhawks past the Aggies. A Kansas win would set a new school record for conference wins and would mark the first victory over A&M in school history. But the Aggies are on a surge. A&M knocked off a ranked opponent for the first time last Friday, upending No. 20 Missouri at G. Rollie White Coliseum. A&M head coach Laurie Corbelli said she thought some of the team’s recent success was because the team goals are becoming clearer now that the end of the season is approaching. “Volleyball is so black and white,” Corbelli said. “It’s so subjective. When you can say ‘this is what this team is doing, and this is what we’re doing,’ it’s a lot easier for them to understand. Now that we’re near the end, they can see what we will get if we win, and that is easier for this group.” The Aggies’ youth took a toll early in the season, particularly in road games. A&M struggled to find a rhythym during the first half of conference play and was never able to string together consecutive wins until early this month. “I really believe (struggling early in the Big 12 race) was something that was not completely out of character for a young group,” Corbelli said. “When you’re in a long, long race for a conference title, it’s hard to see what each match really means. Getting in the Big 12 early with a young group, it’s really an eye-opener.” Now, the youth is starting to blossom. Freshman Laura Jones has become a force on A&M’s left side, leading the team with 3.68 kills per game. Her .282 hitting percentage is tops among Aggies with more than 470 attempts. Sophomore setter Lexy Beers, who stepped in this season to replace All-American Jenna Moscovic, broke the 1,000 assist mark for the season against Baylor last Wednesday. Beers is averaging 12.59 assists per game, good enough for third in the league. “She is a third of the team just touching the ball ” Corbelli said. “She has so much of the decision making responsibilities — where the ball goes, how fast it gets there, who it goes to. The thing that’s always struck me about Lexy is how smart she plays and what a great leader she is.” r €^£4, fa* '1^ Lots O Laughs * i In the basement MSC Film Society's Aggie Cinema Presents: ATT NKjHT T01SCj Austin Powers in GOLDMEMBER Free Bowling in the theater at S:30pin Only $1 with ID Free Milliards Free Dance Dance Revolution Free Popcorn &Soda Arts & Crafts ||j -••iTvsi ARE YOU FUNNY? Come prove it!! Make us laugh <& win $250 in our open mic comedy contest in the flagroom FREE FOOD aj,l night long! Lsm Music in The Zone Plaza featuring Two Spy & MSC Town Hall’s For more information contact 845-1515 Friday, November 15 8pm - Midnight Yei.g In the MSC D1¥CUM HI mm sum m 'fW* si Mm kHlilln Ml mm lIMi*!" JHIliMI IBM llWfll "MIBiltsiaNSlISimiltu SS IMflll IMS tllilffi ‘"Mill! “■TIMME™ SH IMI “MMl. R ...«m.r?»gT.s.° ms.. (7 *sqiss«s JWSSMPwnwe PJISIX! Oft ftftllll iUMSUftft ! usaiiiGE. som caniBR m asBemt Ml!' NMw IMISl "fit HI UTIlfB BBS*? “"SBillllllPil “KE1 “ftl NOVEMBER 22 US |j|jj|! P§ N K w 1.1 N E <; IN E M A jflfr www.fridayafternext.com Special Advance Screening! Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2002 Time: 8:00p.m. Location: Rudder Theatre Students may pick up complimentary £jj|^ passes at the MSC Box Office. / Please arrive early! Seating is limited and on a first come, first serve basis.
