By BRENT ZWERNEMAN, COLLEGE STATION BUREAU Courtesy of the Houston Chronicle
Updated 02:22 a.m., Monday, October 10, 2011
| Texas A&M's Cyrus Gray (32) breaks free for a touchdown
against Texas Tech during an NCAA college football game in Lubbock,
Texas on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011. Photo: Associated Press, Stephen Spillman / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal |
LUBBOCK - Texas A&M entered the season with what it
considered one of the nation's top one-two punches at tailback in
senior Cyrus Gray and junior Christine Michael.
That has been true to an extent, but not exactly as the Aggies envisioned. The two punches of late have come in alternating games, not alternating series. On Saturday, Gray collected a game-high 116 rushing yards and one touchdown on 21 carries in the Aggies' 45-40 win at Texas Tech.
"Things came together tonight," Gray said.
Offensive scales shift
A week earlier, things had come together for Michael, who rushed for a career-high 230 yards on 32 carries in a 42-38 loss to Arkansas. Michael's yard total tied for third most (with Curtis Dickey vs. TCU in 1978) in school history in a single game, trailing only Bob Smith (297 vs. SMU in 1950) and Darren Lewis (232 vs. Tech in 1990).
Michael earned his second consecutive start over Gray on Saturday, but after one quarter he had lost 5 yards rushing on three carries, and coach Mike Sherman turned to Gray. He responded with a huge second quarter, gaining 75 yards on 10 carries, including a highlight-reel 16-yard scoring run that featured a slew of swiveling Red Raiders helmets.
"We started to run the ball out of the two-tight-end package, and one sometimes became the fullback," Sherman said. "It was working for us, so we kind of stayed with it."
The No. 21 Aggies, who play host to No. 20 Baylor at 11 a.m. Saturday, rushed 46 times for 205 yards and threw on 26 occasions (for 188 yards). Over the last two games, A&M has 100 rushes and 61 passes. In the two prior games against Idaho and Oklahoma State, A&M had 65 rushes and 90 passes.
"It all starts with the offensive line," Gray said. "They're doing what they do best, and that's moving guys out of the way."
The running game wasn't all roses against the Red Raiders. The Aggies (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) managed 60 yards on 22 carries in the second half in holding on for the victory. Star receiver Jeff Fuller sat out most of the game with a concussion. If he's not available against the Bears, the Aggies likely will be more convinced than ever to stick with a power running game.
Bears vulnerable to run
Baylor ranks 83rd nationally against the run and 35th against the pass. The Bears, led by standout quarterback Robert Griffin III, are coming off a 49-26 victory over Iowa State in Waco. A&M's defense also will have its hands full with Baylor's running game. Terrance Ganaway rushed for 200 yards and Griffin 107 against the Cyclones.
"They're a very fast team, and there's a reason that young man (Griffin) is a Heisman Trophy front-runner," Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said. "There's a reason they're 4-1 and a Top 25 football team."
A&M, which will play in the Southeastern Conference starting next year, is playing its last scheduled game against Baylor (4-1, 1-1) - and the programs are going out with a bang. The Brazos River rivals are meeting as Top 25 foes for the first time since 1991, when A&M was ranked 19th and Baylor 16th in a 34-12 Aggies victory.
brent.zwerneman@chron.com
That has been true to an extent, but not exactly as the Aggies envisioned. The two punches of late have come in alternating games, not alternating series. On Saturday, Gray collected a game-high 116 rushing yards and one touchdown on 21 carries in the Aggies' 45-40 win at Texas Tech.
"Things came together tonight," Gray said.
Offensive scales shift
A week earlier, things had come together for Michael, who rushed for a career-high 230 yards on 32 carries in a 42-38 loss to Arkansas. Michael's yard total tied for third most (with Curtis Dickey vs. TCU in 1978) in school history in a single game, trailing only Bob Smith (297 vs. SMU in 1950) and Darren Lewis (232 vs. Tech in 1990).
Michael earned his second consecutive start over Gray on Saturday, but after one quarter he had lost 5 yards rushing on three carries, and coach Mike Sherman turned to Gray. He responded with a huge second quarter, gaining 75 yards on 10 carries, including a highlight-reel 16-yard scoring run that featured a slew of swiveling Red Raiders helmets.
"We started to run the ball out of the two-tight-end package, and one sometimes became the fullback," Sherman said. "It was working for us, so we kind of stayed with it."
The No. 21 Aggies, who play host to No. 20 Baylor at 11 a.m. Saturday, rushed 46 times for 205 yards and threw on 26 occasions (for 188 yards). Over the last two games, A&M has 100 rushes and 61 passes. In the two prior games against Idaho and Oklahoma State, A&M had 65 rushes and 90 passes.
"It all starts with the offensive line," Gray said. "They're doing what they do best, and that's moving guys out of the way."
The running game wasn't all roses against the Red Raiders. The Aggies (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) managed 60 yards on 22 carries in the second half in holding on for the victory. Star receiver Jeff Fuller sat out most of the game with a concussion. If he's not available against the Bears, the Aggies likely will be more convinced than ever to stick with a power running game.
Bears vulnerable to run
Baylor ranks 83rd nationally against the run and 35th against the pass. The Bears, led by standout quarterback Robert Griffin III, are coming off a 49-26 victory over Iowa State in Waco. A&M's defense also will have its hands full with Baylor's running game. Terrance Ganaway rushed for 200 yards and Griffin 107 against the Cyclones.
"They're a very fast team, and there's a reason that young man (Griffin) is a Heisman Trophy front-runner," Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said. "There's a reason they're 4-1 and a Top 25 football team."
A&M, which will play in the Southeastern Conference starting next year, is playing its last scheduled game against Baylor (4-1, 1-1) - and the programs are going out with a bang. The Brazos River rivals are meeting as Top 25 foes for the first time since 1991, when A&M was ranked 19th and Baylor 16th in a 34-12 Aggies victory.
brent.zwerneman@chron.com
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