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HE BATTALION
4 FOOTBALL PREVIEW
7B
Monday, August 30, 2004
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UTAH
WYOMING
CLEMSON
KANSAS
STATE
IOWA
STATE
OKLAHOMA
STATE
COLORADO
BAYLOR
OKLAHOMA
TEXAS
TECH
TEXAS
REG. SEASON
RECORD
BIG 12 SOUTH
FINISH
COMMENTS
2004 SEASON PREDICTIONS
IORDAN MESEROLE JON GILBERT RYAN IRBY KYLE DAVOUST SHAWN MILLENDER JONATHAN WALL ANDREW BURLESON
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After a tough loss
against Utah, the
offense gets its act
together and leads
the Aggies to a
decent season.
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The Independence
Bowl never felt so
sweet.
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The class of 2005
sees Its first victory
over the Red
Raiders on Maroon
Out.
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6-5
3rd
Dramatic improve
ment this year still
can’t overcome a
horrible schedule,
but the ground
work is laid for a
breakout In 2005.
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11-0
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EA Sport s'games
are so real I can
confidently predict
the outcome of
every game based
on how I perform
on the Varsity' level.
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3rd
The first four games
of this season will
make or break this
squad. It’ll take one
more season for the
Wrecking Crew to
return.
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7-4
3rd
Tough games
against Utah and
Clemson strengthen
the team and the
Aggies take it to the
wire in every game
this season.
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ontinued from page 6B
vIcdJ stron £ ant ^ f ree sa f e ty positions are at
' I premium and look to be two-deep going
into the season.
® | The free safety position will be covered by
I ppel, redshirt freshman Japhus Brown and
Senior Kevin Mangum. Appel is the definite
j after, but look for Brown to have a solid
:ar at the free safety position. Brown had
ai extremely solid spring that earned him a
| )ot in the two-deep rotation, and he should
pip push Appel all season long. Mangum is
Lming off two injury-plagued seasons and
apes to add some depth and leadership to
j le position as well.
Just like the free safety, the Aggies go into
e season with three capable players man-
ng the two-deep position of strong safety,
ook for junior Ronald “Ray Ray” Jones to
the starter this fall. Jones was third on
le team in tackles last season with 91 and
as extremely reliable to the Aggies as the
03 starter. Junior Bryant Singleton and
Lphomore Brandon Leone will look to push
)nes for playing time. Both players shared
I me last year; Singleton was used mainly in
lickel and dime situations, while Leone was
<Bsed in spot situations.
The comerback position is going to be in
good hands this year. The secondary returns
all of its starters from last season except four-
year starter Sean Weston, who graduated and
is now currently with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Comerbacks coach Chris Thurmond has a
tall task ahead of him with some of the best
aerial attacks in the nation coming to Kyle
Field this season. However, Thurmond said,
his comers are up to the task.
Thurmond can rely on two veteran corners
and a handful of underclassmen to shut down
any team. Senior Byron Jones will be called
upon to cover most team’s top receiver. A
starter for all 36 A&M home games, Jones
possesses the skills and speed to be a true
shutdown comer.
“I think Byron’s been a good player for a
long time,” Thurmond said. “If you watch the
tape, he played well against (Larry) Fitzger
ald, (Rashuan)Woods and Roy Williams.”
The rest of the comerbacks look just as
promising as Jones. Senior Jonte' Buhl, and
a trio of redshirt freshmen, Broderick New
ton, Stephen Hodge and Erik Mayes all look
to share playing time at the right and left cor
ner positions.
The one corner next to Jones who seems
to stand out the most is sophomore Melvin
Bullitt. A highly reemited high school player,
Bullitt was thrown to the wolves last season in
the sixth game and asked to fill in at the cor
ner position. Needless to say, Bullitt exceeded
everyone’s expectations and looks to build on
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Jones
DEFENSIVE BACKS
RETURNING
Jaxson Appel (J R)
Byron Jones (SR)
Ronald Jones (J R)
Bryant Singleton ( JR)
Brandon Leone (SO)
Melvin Bullitt (SO)
Kevin Mangum (SR)
LOST
Sean Weston
NEWCOMERS
Japhus Brown
Stephen Hodge
Erik Mayes
Broderick Newton
DJ Davis
Danny Gorrer
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his freshman campaign.
“Melvin is a competitor, had a good
chance to play as a freshman last year,”
Thurmond said. “He had a good spring and
fall camp. He is real competitive and has im
proved his technique. We’re looking for him
to do some good things.”
The Aggie defense is moving in the right
direction, and this group of guys seems
poised for a breakout season.
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ipecial
continued from page 6B
tranything anymore. I just think
bout wanting to perform and
elp out my team.”
I Even with this experience, Pe-
ram does not seem to have sole
ossession of the kicking duties,
his is because the coaches are
itrigued with the leg strength
(f sophomore Layne Neumann,
14) connected on a 56-yard field
goal in the Maroon and White
;ame last spring and a 53-yard-
r in a fall scrimmage game. It
ooks as if Neumann will handle
|ome of the longer kicks.
I As punter, senior Jacob Young
pill enter the season knowing he
has the job. Last year he expect
ed to see little action playing be
hind Cody Scates, a pre-season
All American. Early injuries to
Scates, however, threw Young
into game action unexpectedly.
“Having a year under my
belt and the real game expe
rience, I guess I have more
confidence going into it this
year as opposed to last year,”
Young said. “I think I’ll be able
to keep a cooler head and just
go out there and play the game
that I know I can play.”
All in all, the special teams
must be an improved unit from
last year, and the Aggies know
that. Without improvement from
this unit, it will be hard for the Ag
gies to move forward as a team.
\ OLine
51
12
Continued from page 4B
opener against the University of Utah on Sept. 2.
To come away from Salt Lake City with a win, the offensive line
must provide junior quarterback Reggie McNeal with the protec
tion necessary to complete a pass or hand the ball off. Franchione
said the attitudes of these men will inspire success.
“The guys have a good attitude, and they know they have to
keep working to get better,” he said.
2004 Football Preview Edition
Sports Editor: Jordan Meserole
Page Designers: Lauren Rouse, Elizabeth Webb, Jordan Meserole
Graphics Designers: Andrew Burleson, Grade Arenas
Special Thanks: John C. Livas, Joshua Hobson, Alan Cannon
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