A&M Football Notebook
Courtesy of Aggiesports.com
Texs A&M running back Will Randolph has left the team and incoming freshman defensive lineman Edmond Ray failed to qualify academically, A&M head football coach Kevin Sumlin said Friday hours before the first fall practice.
Randolph gave up a year’s eligibility to play against Texas in the regular-season finale last season because Cyrus Gray missed the game after suffering a shoulder injury against Kansas. Randolph rushed for 37 yards on 10 carries against UT.
Sumlin said the sophomore’s exit was “a mutual decision.”
A&M returns senior Christine Michael and junior Ben Malena at running back. Michael has rushed for 2,374 career yards but suffered season-ending injuries in each of the last two seasons, missing a total of nine games. Malena, starting in Gray’s place, had 83 yards on 25 carries against Texas and added 87 yards on 23 carries against Northwestern in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Also challenging for carries will be true freshman Trey Williams, a Parade All-American.
A&M is hopeful to also have sophomore running back Brandon Williams, who transferred from Oklahoma after rushing for 219 yards on 46 carries last season.
Sumlin said A&M expected to hear soon from the NCAA if Williams can play immediately or will have to sit out a season.
Ray, who had initially committed to Missouri, didn’t meet academic requirements and will be going to a junior college, Sumlin said.
Freshman defensive lineman Alonzo Williams is on campus, but hasn’t been cleared by the NCAA to practice.
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Senior defensive lineman Jonathan Mathis, who played only three games last season before suffering a season-ending injury, received a medical redshirt.
Senior defensive lineman Jonathan Mathis, who played only three games last season before suffering a season-ending injury, received a medical redshirt.
The 6-foot-2, 300-pounder could give a lift to the line in the switch to a 4-3 alignment from a 3-4.
“I’m excited to see him,” Sumlin said. “We’ve got a few guys, three or four defensive backs, guys who were out in the spring that we want to see. Mathis would be in that category.”
Mathis had 41 tackles in 2010.
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Senior wide receiver Ryan Swope was the first player to speak at Friday’s news conference.
A&M senior linebacker Sean Porter had some fun with Swope, who is known for his long, blond hair.
“How do you get your hair to do that swoop thing?” Porter asked.
“It takes a lot of time. I was working on it about 30 minutes before I came up here,” Swope said.
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The incoming freshmen had to entertain the veterans Thursday night during supper with karaoke.
The incoming freshmen had to entertain the veterans Thursday night during supper with karaoke.
Junior offensive tackle Luke Joeckel said offensive lineman Kimo Tipoti was the best, belting out rhythm and blues, while offensive lineman Germain Ifedi was the worst, doing a Beyonce song with a dance.
—Robert Cessna
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