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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 2004)
4B Monday, August 30, 2004 2004 FOOTBALL 1 MFO< THE BATTAI.Bg g Murphy leads squad of talented receivers By Jon Gilbert THE BATTALION Texas A&M senior wide re ceiver Terrence Murphy started his A&M football career with four catches and one touchdown in the Aggies’ 38-24 win over McNeese State on Sept. 1, 2001. Now, he wants to end his college career on a positive note as the Aggies seek to rebound from a disappointing 4-8 season. If Murphy, the Aggie’s re cord holder for most receiving yards with 1,879 yards, makes two catches against the Uni versity of Utah on Sept. 2, he will add another school record to his collection. “It feels great to be at the top of the list with all those great receivers,” Murphy said. “For me to have another year to add to the record is going to be fun. I wish I could get it on the first two plays so everyone will stop talking about it.” Murphy is in a league of his own. Not only is he arguably the best wide receiver in school history, but he is also the team leader. He spent off-season training urging his teammates into a “one-heart” mode. At the Night of Champions, the team’s annual spring weight-lifting exhibition, Murphy recorded a school record vertical jump of 41.5 inches. “It felt great to jump 41 (inch es). But, right before two-a-days started I broke 42, almost got Defensive line ready show improvement Intinu fcoth q age of By Shawn Millender THE BATTALION the s] :11ms to The < playi JOHN C. LIVAS • THE BATTALION Aggie receiver Terrence Murphy catches a pass with Kansas cornerback Donnie Amadi on his heels. 43,” Murphy said. “Everyone went crazy. My goal was to beat my record, and I did it. Hopeful ly I’ll jump about 44 one day.” Murphy said he is satisfied with what he achieved in the off season and that he finally under stands the position. He was a quarterback in high school and has only played at the wide re ceiver position for three years. “I think he is better than last year,” said head coach Dennis Franchione, “He is playing with more confidence. He un derstands the game even bet ter. Last year I would call his hands a little inconsistent, but he’s been far more consistent in spring and fall practices this.year.” The Aggies, unlike some years in the past, have a deep crop of receivers that Franchione will use in his various schemes. Seniors Jason Carter and Ter rence Thomas, juniors DeQawn Mobley and L’Tydrick Riley and sophomore Earvin Taylor each has elevated his game and will see significant time on the field this season. Sophomore Chad Schroeder is in the mix and boasts exceptional speed in the open field. “Basically, I’d like to be able say all of them are going to have good years,” said wide receivers coach Kenith Pope. “You just have to wait and see how things turn out. We hope to spread the ball around to all of those guys. We want to put the ball in the best hands, and if those guys can make the plays, then we’re a much im proved team.” Pope said true freshmen Pierre Brown and Kerry Franks have been impressive and have stood out these first few practices. In the modem era of Aggie football, the strength of the generally dependent on the strength of its defense. In turn,IP aiu fense can only be as strong as the defensive line. I 3 0 To describe Aggie lines of yore, analysts used words liketF 50 nant,” “stingy” and “immovable” to describe former players A ai Sam Adams, Ray Childress, Jacob Green and Ty Warren. £ et l0S( After last year’s switch to a four-man front, though, writersfP ot:s '* , ' < :- out new adjectives; “razor-thin,” “undersized,” “porous”atkiM'ty *° scathingly, “ineffective,” were used to pigeonhole this group ad/antag This season, a much-maligned but revitalized Aggiedefe|P ran y( line seeks to return to true Wrecking Crew form. Withanii4 tu 'ty an new talent combined with reinforcement from the ranksofaty’i^ an ' pressive redshirt freshman class, the line appears poisedtOnti at | ast y c its stake as one of the best in the Big 12. sc< One of the most telling statistics last year was junior strouplpichdov ty Jaxson Appel leading the team in tackles. Besides the the clock meaning Appel is a sure tackier, it also points to far too maddehision i ners making it past the front seven defenders. Nc 2 du “Someone’s got to make the tackles,” Appel said. “Peopklto the firs smarter than me have said that the best pass defense isagooi rush. Those guys really took offense to what people said about last year. They're determined not to let people talk likethatii them again.” Defensive line coach Stan Eggen took his share of the heat last year’s dismal performance and said the defense needsto improvements to be effective this year. U1C1 “We need to be a much better defensive front againstfterM n | 0I Eggen said. “It seems like we were usually behind thechains-B^ need to get teams into second and third and long. AndwefcB ons | be able to get a four-man rush and be violent and get afterffeL we do these things, we’ll have a chance.” 'm In addition to new talent, the line returns two proven sit" in junior defensive tackle Johnny Jolly and senior del end Mike Montgomery. Eggen said another year in defensive coordinator Carl Toi lurj bntinu he t ther See Murphy on page 5B See DLine oni athleti n’t wa Stbtz an G pm any tight Ich an Stronger and faster offensive linemen prepared to protect Aggie offense By Ryan Irby THE BATTALION They may not share the spotlight with playmak ing positions like wide receiver and running back, but the offensive line is an integral part to any suc cessful football team. A quarterback must have ample time to orchestrate the play from the pocket, and that’s where the offensive line comes in. Aggie fans certainly remember plays collaps ing early at the offensive line in 2003. A&M of fensive line coach Jim Bob Helduser said times have changed. “We are already better than we were in 2003,” Helduser said. “I believe we’ll improve through the season as the younger guys mature.” This year’s offensive line features one senior in center Geoff Hangartner, three juniors in tack le Jami Hightower, guard Dominique Steamer, guard Aldo de la Garza and redshirt freshman Cody Wallace, who is currently being contested for the final tackle position by sophomore Alex Kotzur. The 6-foot 4-inch, 355-pound Hightower missed the entire 2003 season with a staph infec tion and injury, but is back and larger than life. De la Garza, who owns the A&M bench press record at 490 pounds, returns as a force to be reckoned with at the strong guard position. According to A&M head coach Dennis Fran- chione’s system, linemen are not cemented in one certain position. Instead, coaches lect the five best linemen and placet! cording to their talents and strengths. Ifcj leaves coaches with different options inl choices for starters. “Our depth will give us flexibility in positioiij Helduser said. The true test of these men will come in Is a pre [them ; See OLineoni [cause viur offe I V kro oqe Welcome Back! The Collegiate Readership Program COUPON t r FREE 24 Count In Store Baked Large Deli Cookies Coupon Expires 9/25/04 3403 COUPON FREE Kroger 24 oz. 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Pick up your copy of: yUSA TODAY y Houston Chronicle y Dallas Morning News y The Battalion y New York Times Newspapers will be available at the following locations: ♦ Memorial Student Center ♦ Commons (Lobby) ♦ Evans Library ♦ Blocker ♦ Bio/Bio Building (By Ag Cafe) ♦ Bush School (41st Club) ♦ Wehner-Mays Business ♦ Sibisa Dining Hall (outside) * School ♦ Zachry For more information, contact your Student Governnien! Association Representative at (979) 845-3051, slop by SGA 127 Koldus or visit sga.tamu.edu. Specials effective thru Saturday, September 25, 2004 at 3535 Longmire Dr., C.S. & 2412 Texas Ave., C.S. & 2014 Texas Ave., Bryan (unless otherwise indicated). xjoeisnr HIRNIMBMfX /VSSOOI A.TTOW os uisjtvKRsrrv Please recycle Edu<