OSU coach's criticism fails to rile Aggies' Sherman

A&M boss: Team's conditioning was not the problem.

By Brent Zwerneman
bzwerneman@express-news.net

Updated 01:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Mike Sherman says the Aggies’ number of snaps on defense hurt.
Photo: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images / 2009 Getty Images

COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman said he only takes criticisms personally if they're about his family, so he vowed a peer's parting shot after a hotly-contested game on Saturday “doesn't bother me.”
“He's entitled to his opinions,” Sherman said Monday of Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy. “I know what type of shape my team is in.”
Gundy's OSU squad had just defeated A&M 30-29 at Kyle Field when Gundy offered, “I thought our team was in better physical condition. By a longshot.”
On Monday, Sherman countered that unique conditions existed in the third quarter that caused his defenders to cramp time and again — and essentially fail to keep up with the Cowboys' high-octane offense.
“The way we practice — we're in shape, I promise you,” said Sherman, 0-4 against Gundy. “We didn't stress their defense the way they stressed our defense. It had nothing to do with being in shape or out of shape. Some of the most conditioned athletes still cramp.
“I can't say we hydrated properly in hindsight, but we didn't anticipate 37 snaps (on defense) in the third quarter. You're going to cramp on a 95-degree day when you play that much.”
OSU overcame a 20-3 halftime deficit with three third-quarter touchdowns, aided by A&M's inability to hold on to the ball offensively (two interceptions and a fumble in that span). The Cowboys led 24-20 after three quarters in consistently relying on screen passes against a lagging, often-gasping A&M defense.
“Clearly we should have been more prepared,” said defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter, later adding, “the biggest issue we had was not being physical at the point of attack.”
Sherman and DeRuyter said it wasn't just the quick tosses in the flats that were giving the defense fits — it was where OSU quarterback Brandon Weeden was firing passes that consistently caught the Aggies off guard.
“Our guys were looking to the sideline and then trying to get lined up, and OSU was already throwing the screen to the other side of the field,” Sherman said. “You can't run those kinds of screens in the NFL because the receivers will just get blown up. But (OSU) did a good job. They nickel-and-dimed us with that and changed the tempo.”
On Monday night, A&M held a celebration to announce the Aggies' entrance into the Southeastern Conference in 2012. Future SEC foe Arkansas is their next opponent in the third installment of the Southwest Classic, which begins at 11 a.m. Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
DeRuyter said the Aggies have made adjustments in the days since the OSU game to get calls in quicker to the defense — lest the Razorbacks employ the same quick-play scheme so effective for OSU.
“We now have a better and simpler system for communicating to the players,” DeRuyter said. “It's difficult to defend when players are looking for a call, and a pass is to the other side.”
The Aggies will face the Razorbacks in a climate-controlled setting on Saturday, then follow with a night game at Texas Tech on Oct. 8, so any temperature-related problems likely are behind them.
But senior safety Trent Hunter said the heat wasn't as big a factor for the Aggies as their failure to adjust quickly enough to OSU's up-tempo offense.
“We practice (outside) during two-a-days, so the heat wasn't anything new,” Hunter said. “Their tempo got to us more than the weather.”

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/college_sports/big_12/article/Sherman-not-bent-out-of-shape-over-Gundy-s-2190239.php#ixzz1ZHasiD3i

Bleeding maroon:Senior wide receiver Jeff Fuller has another big season with the Aggies in sight

By Jared Baxter

The Battalion

Published: Friday, September 23, 2011

Updated: Friday, September 23, 2011 11:09

 

Jay Kapadia — THE BATTALION

“He’s an all-around receiver who can really do anything you ask him to.” - Senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill

It's the season opener against Southern Methodist University for A&M football and senior wide receiver Jeff Fuller - all 6 foot 4 inches and 220 pounds of him - takes a seat on an exercise bike behind the players' bench shortly after kickoff.
He starts to pedal, loosening a nagging left hamstring injury from fall camp. A&M's record opening-day crowd of more than 86,000 fans are packed in, and for the hundreds sitting close to the 50-yard line, Fuller might as well be a giant on a child's big-wheel tricycle.
"He's like the Russian from Rocky IV," one fan screams.
Fuller grabs six catches for 52 yards in a 46-14 victory. He's four catches away from breaking the school record of 172 set by former A&M receiver Terrence Muprhy, or "T-Murph" as Fuller calls his good friend.
Two weeks later against Idaho — in front of another sell-out crowd — Fuller snags his fourth catch of the night and goes about his business as though it were any other play. It's not until the Twelfth Man TV informs the crowd of his record-breaking achievement that he's aware of what just happened.
With a gig ‘em raised high in the air, Fuller takes his receiver's stance on the line of scrimmage, ready to go for catch No. 174.
"It's probably one of my most memorable moments on Kyle," Fuller said. "I didn't realize I broke the record. I completely forgot before the game."
The journey to all of those catches started in December 2007 when Fuller, a University of Oklahoma commit at the time, made a visit with his parents to College Station. The visit came shortly after Mike Sherman accepted the head coaching position.
With some convincing from former A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson, Fuller returned home later that day to McKinney, Texas, knowing that he wanted to follow in his father's Aggie footsteps.
Fuller's father, also named Jeff, played linebacker and safety for A&M in the early 1980s, and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1984 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. The elder Fuller played alongside future hall of famers Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Ronnie Lott, and won two Super Bowl titles in his five-year career.
Bloodlines weren't the only factor, though, in Fuller's commitment switch.
Sherman's pro-style offense, which differs from former head coach Dennis Franchione's option running attack, is what Fuller said ultimately made him decide on A&M — no matter how many national championships it looked like OU might win.
"I think his willingness to continue to work on his craft and try to be best he can be is the single most impressive thing that I've noticed with him," Sherman said.
Last season could have been the end of Fuller's career at A&M after he became the school's first-ever 1,000-yard receiver. The NFL came calling, but Fuller said he had more work to do in maroon.
Fuller won't put an exact number on his projected round. But he did say the success of his teammate — No. 2 NFL draft pick Von Miller — who also passed up pro football for his senior season gives Fuller reason to believe he made the right decision.
"I had a great example in Von," Fuller said before the draft. "He decided to come back and he really helped our team improve, and I believe he improved his position in the upcoming draft. And he's only a few hours short of his degree."
Fuller spent the off-season working out with Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
"I learned tons of things," Fuller said. "He's extremely competitive, tries to beat me into the ground running and conditions wise. A great role model, great person. One of the things he said is ‘there is no substitute for work,' which I think is incredibly true."
The NFL hype has several college football analysts comparing Fuller to Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon, last year's Biletnikoff award winner for best receiver in the nation.
Fuller said he would get in touch with Blackmon after the season is finished, but for now, it's all about breaking A&M's losing streak against OSU.
"I haven't had the opportunity to beat them yet, and I'm looking forward to having them at home and coming out with a victory," Fuller said.
Junior receiver Ryan Swope is on pace to break several of Fuller's career marks — not that Fuller seems to mind.
"I hope Swope gets the record," Fuller said. "I'm going to do my best to make it hard as possible for him. I hope it's one of those things that everybody just keeps on beating year after year."

Justice: A&M has team guy in Tannehill

By RICHARD JUSTICE, HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Updated 09:07 p.m., Thursday, September 22, 2011

NICK de la TORRE: CHRONICLE TRANSFORMATION: At this time last season, Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill was on the receiving instead of the throwing end of passes.
Photo: Nick De La Torre / © 2011 Houston Chronicle

There were times Ryan Tannehill wondered if it would work out this way. He'll admit that much now.
"There's a split second that comes into your mind where you think, 'Am I ever going to get to play here?' " he said.
The thing Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman remembers from those days was how Tannehill never stopped believing in himself.
"The one thing Ryan brings to the table - always has - is confidence," Sherman said. "Even when he was our third quarterback, he never wavered in his ability to do the job."
Tannehill's belief in himself is not the most impressive part of this story. What's really different about him is how he channeled his frustration. He never spoke out. He never undermined anyone. All he asked was that coaches allow him to play some wide receiver so he could get on the field and feel like part of the team.
That experiment turned out like pretty much everything else Tannehill has attempted in his young life. While awaiting his chance to play quarterback, he played 30 games at receiver and caught 112 balls and scored 10 touchdowns. (He's the only player in NCAA FBS history with a 400-yard passing game and a 200-yard receiving game.)
"He never lost sight of his goal of becoming the starting quarterback at Texas A&M," Sherman said, "but his approach with me has always been whatever is in the best interest of our team and will help our team succeed."
If you're wondering what Tannehill's relationship with starting quarterback Jerrod Johnson was like during that time, this is all you need to know: They were so close that Sherman once cautioned Johnson against forcing throws to his buddy.
Big-time turnaround
Then six games into last season, with the Aggies 3-3 and Johnson struggling, Sherman gave Tannehill his chance.
(In a related part of the story, Johnson handled the demotion beautifully. Instead of dividing a locker room, he became Tannehill's biggest fan.)
Tannehill led the Aggies on a five-game winning streak that included an unprecedented sweep of Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska in a 19-day stretch. When he was done, the Aggies were his team, and he began this final season by leading a series of grueling summer drills to build both conditioning and camaraderie.
This is a special time to be the quarterback at Texas A&M. The Aggies are ranked eighth in the Associated Press poll as they prepare for Saturday's home game against seventh-ranked Oklahoma State.
The Aggies have a dazzling array of offensive weapons, beginning with running back Cyrus Gray, wide receiver Jeff Fuller and a huge, talented offensive line. But the key to everything is Tannehill. He's smart, tough and amazingly accurate. He's also such a perfectionist that Sherman sometimes frets about how to critique him.
"He's always had a competitive edge to him," Sherman said, "and always had high expectations of everything he's ever done and of those around him."
When Tannehill was asked to evaluate his season so far, almost the first thing out of his mouth was the one interception he'd thrown. Never mind that he completed 72.3 percent of his throws with four touchdown passes and zero sacks in victories over SMU and Idaho.
"Ryan is incredibly accurate," Fuller said. "He was a receiver himself. He ran quite a few routes and knows where you would want the ball in certain situations, and he can definitely get it there."
There was that one interception.
"It was kind of a fluke thing, but any time you turn it over, you don't want to do that," Tannehill said. "I threw a few more incompletions than I'd like to. There are always things you can get more consistent on - footwork, getting the ball out on time. There are constantly things you can improve on in this game, and I just try to do that each week."
NFL likely beckons
NFL talent evaluators project him as a second-round pick next spring, so even though he has a biology degree (3.60 GPA) and plans to attend medical school, Tannehill appears to have many years of football in front of him.
For now, though, game weeks like this one are what he had in mind when he left Big Spring High School with dreams of playing quarterback at Texas A&M.
"To me, the biggest difference now is I think he's enjoying himself more," Sherman said. "He's enjoying being the quarterback - the field general - and the responsibilities that go with that. You only get to do this at this age, on this field, one time in your life, and he's enjoying it."

richard.justice@chron.com twitter.com/richardjustice

Texas AD says continuing series with Texas A&M is 'problematic'

By Erick Smith, USA TODAY

Updated 17m ago

Texas and Texas A&M have played in football every season since 1915. It sounds like this year's game in College Station will be the last between the schools.

CAPTION

By Brendan Maloney, US Presswire

With the Aggies poised to leave next year for the SEC, the series would have to be a non-conference game, which is something the Longhorns don't seem interested in.Speaking to reporters about the future of the Big 12, Texas men's athletic director DeLoss Dodds said continuing the game traditionally played during the Thanksgiving holiday was unlikely.
"I think that's problematic because we're scheduled out," Dodds said. "Our nonconference schedule right now is three games, and one of those games is (part of a) home-and-home (series). Those are scheduled out with Notre Dame, Ole Miss ... USC. The other two games, we play at home – what we call 'buy games.' So I think it would be hard to schedule that game somewhere. I'm not saying it won't be scheduled. I'm just saying it's going to be difficult."
Finding a way to play a non-league game that late in the season isn't unprecedented. Florida-Florida State also meet on Thanksgiving weekend. However, it could be that Texas wants no part of A&M because of the decision to leave the Big 12 and go on their own.
The end of the series would be a loss for both schools. Texas A&M traditionally lit a bonfire on campus prior to the game to symbolize the school's burning desire to beat Texas. It stopped in 1999 when 12 people died after a collapse during the bonfire's contruction. The student do construct a smaller-scale bonfire off campus.
In the what appears to be their last trip to Austin for the forseeable future, the Aggies beat the Longhorns last season and knocked Texas out of a bowl game.
Dodds had an opportunity Wednesday to responded to criticism that Texas is making decisions that only benefit the school, including a non-negotiable stance on sharing revenue from its Longhorn Network with other Big 12 schools.
"We are who we are," Dodds said. "People say what they say. We're proud of ourselves."
Contributing: Steve Wieberg

Yahoo Sports: Q-and-A: Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman

TOM DIENHART

Courtesy of Yahoo.com

Mike Sherman slowly is rebuilding Texas A&M 's program, and Saturday night at Kyle Field, Oklahoma State will be visiting in one of the school's biggest games in recent history.

It's a long way from where Sherman and the Aggies were at this time last season.

Sherman, 56, entered 2010 with a sense of urgency. His first two years produced a 4-8 mark in 2008 and a 6-7 record in 2009. Doubt continued last season with a 3-3 start. That's when Sherman made the bold move to bench senior quarterback Jerrod Johnson and insert junior Ryan Tannehill , who was playing wide receiver at the time. Sherman also started to rely heavily on Cyrus Gray in relief of an injured Christine Michael at tailback.

Both moves proved to be genius, as the Aggies rode Tannehill and Gray to six consecutive wins before A&M concluded the season with a loss to LSU in the Cotton Bowl.

Another big key to 2010's success was Sherman's hiring of Tim DeRuyter from Air Force to coordinate the defense. In 2009, A&M allowed at least 30 points in nine games and ranked 105th in the nation in scoring defense (33.5 points per game). Last season, DeRuyter upgraded what had been a woeful secondary and tightened the run defense. The result: The Aggies allowed an average of 21.9 points and ranked 34th in scoring defense.

Now, with a roster fortified with the return of eight starters on both sides of the ball, hopes are high in College Station.

Sherman, A&M's offensive line coach from 1995-96, has the Aggies off to a 3-0 start and ranked in the top 10. Saturday's visit from Oklahoma State will go a long way toward determining if the Aggies have what it takes to battle No. 1 Oklahoma for the Big 12 championship.

The schedule helps, as A&M has Baylor , Missouri and Texas at Kyle Field. The season could come down to a Nov. 5 trip to Oklahoma, and the Aggies never have beaten a Bob Stoops -coached team in Norman.

Sherman, who went 57-39 as coach of the Green Bay Packers from 2000-05 and guided the Packers to four playoff appearances, spoke to Rivals.com about a variety of subjects.

What do you like about your team early in the season?

"We have a good work ethic. I always tell the team that you have to have some 'x factor' that separates you from everyone else. We play a lot of teams with great athletes and coaches and everyone is working hard to win games, so you have to have something that separates us. I hope it's our work ethic. These kids, we work the dog out of them and they keep going. I am pleased with their work ethic and how they go about their business. They come to practice ready to practice."

Why did the offense jell after Ryan Tannehill took over last year?

"I think Ryan is a special player. We gave up a bunch of sacks early last season. We had some young players on that offensive line who were just getting their feet wet. Our run game wasn't working, our pass game wasn't working, we couldn't protect. God bless Jerrod Johnson. He kind of took a licking. Ryan coming off the bench vs. Kansas and doing what he did, and having a career day against Texas Tech , certainly helped us. Along the same lines, I think we started to mature as an offense and our defense started to get better as well. We got better collectively as a team, and Ryan was a part of that."

[ More on Texas A&M: Go to AggieYell.com for complete coverage of the Aggies ]

Are you and your team able to stay focused amid all the talk about Texas A&M apparently moving to the SEC?

"It absolutely, positively is not even part of our conversation in the locker room or on the practice field. I asked some of the players, and they said they aren't even thinking about it. They have so much on their plates with academics, football, playing the season. All the stuff these kids have to focus on, that's the farthest thing from their mind. We have a bunch of seniors on this team who will never play in the SEC. They have absolutely no concern about it. It's something that's talked about in the media, and our fans may be distracted by it. But no one in the program is distracted by it. We have a challenge ahead of us this year. We have a lot of respect for our Big 12 opponents, a lot of respect for the coaches, the teams in the Big 12, so we want to give our best each game and focus on this season."

Can A&M fans be happy if they don't play Texas every year?

"It's such a great game in the past for us, no question about it. Phenomenal history, tremendous rivalry. It'll be unique not to play that game and it'll be something people wish we could have played at one time. But when these decisions are made, there is a strong possibility it doesn't happen."

Is the program where you thought it would be at this point in your tenure?

"We still have a lot of work to do. I take it a day at a time. I'm never quite satisfied and don't think I ever will be. I think we have a lot of work to do and a lot of football to play before we ever can say we are where we should be. We are where we are right now. We just want to continue to get better every day."

Are more NFL strategies being used in college?

"I think there are college strategies used in the NFL. I saw the Bengals score on a hurry-up, tempo play recently for a touchdown. There are college elements when you talk about the 'Wildcat,' some of the spread concepts you see in the NFL. A lot of college teams up-tempo plays and I see a lot of NFL teams doing the same.

"So, I think it goes the other way. Certainly there are some concepts that come down. But when you look at tape, there are 32 NFL teams and there are over 100 college teams. And you have all those coaches thinking and being creative. You have a lot of creativity in college football. You watch one offense and another offense, what they are doing. ... What college coaches and high school coaches are teaching, it's amazing how they get all that stuff taught. They get a lot more reps with these kids in high school in a shorter period of time. In the NFL, you don't get quite as many reps as you do in college. I think a lot of the college ideas filter up into the NFL ranks."

Do you think spread offenses are dying?

"I don't think so. I think they are alive and well. It has more elements even maybe than the run-and-shoot. It's a byproduct of the run-and-shoot. But people in the spread are more committed to running the football. That's why I don't think it will die out. I think the run game in the spread offense is a big component of it. As long as that continues, the spread will stay."

Do you think there will be a time when the 3-4 defensive scheme is the one that is the most-used set in college?

"I think sometimes it's a conference thing based on the type of offenses you play against. In our conference, there are a lot of spread offenses, people throwing the football, and I think your matchups are better with a 3-4. I still think you can match up with the run-dictate defenses, like the SEC, but you have to change some things about your concepts and some of your personnel may have to change. I do think it's something you are going to see more teams running. When you think about it, both Super Bowl teams last year, the Steelers and Packers, both ran a 3-4. Right here in Texas, you have the Texans and Cowboys running 3-4s. I think it's something you'll see more of as we continue on and success is dictated by those defenses."

What's the toughest position to recruit?

"I think you can go to any program in the country and find good skill players. You can find skill kids all across the country. But it's hard to find those linemen on both sides of the ball. And in order to be really good, I think you have to be good in the middle up front on both sides of the ball. When you find a great offensive or defensive lineman, it certainly makes a difference for your program. And if you have a good nucleus up front, I think you can find the skill guys to surround them with.

"I don't care how good you are in skill. If you can't protect, you can't throw. If you can't run block, you can't run. I don't care how good the backs are. On the other side of the ball, if you can't rush the quarterback, it doesn't matter if you have a great corner because he can't cover forever. If you can't protect the linebackers, they can't run and make tackles. You have to have good people up front to make this thing work."

[ College Football Pick'em: Sign up and play today ]

How poor were the lines when you got to Texas A&M in 2008?

"I love those kids and I don't want to get into all of that. We have moved on and we are pleased with the guys we have. The guys who were here when we got here gave everything they had. But I think we have made some progress in those positions."

Do you think you'll end your career at A&M?

"I'm not getting any younger. My wife reminds me of that. I have a daughter who will be 12 soon, so I'm not that old. I'm where I want to be, no question about that. A&M stands for all the things I believe in. I love the kids we are able to recruit here and we get real close to them. It's a neat environment for us. So, yes, I see myself, God willing, still here with a lot of wins."

Tom Dienhart is a national senior writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at dienhart@yahoo-inc.com , and you can click here to follow him on Twitter .

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Texas A&M football notes

Courtesy of The Austin American Statesman

By Suzanne Halliburton AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Updated: 8:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, 2011
Published: 8:14 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, 2011

A rare top-10 matchup at Kyle Field
It's difficult to believe, but Saturday's matchup between Oklahoma State and Texas A&M will be only the third game between two top-10 teams ever played at Kyle Field.
The Aggies are ranked eighth; the Cowboys are seventh.
The only other times top-10 teams faced each other in College Station were in 1975 and 1941. Both games were against Texas. The Aggies won in 1975, Longhorns in 1941.
"Really? I was not aware of that," Aggies coach Mike Sherman said. "That's news to me. That seems like it's a little long of a wait, obviously."
This will be the 14th time A&M and its opponent has been ranked in the top 10; the last time was in 1999. A&M has won five of the 13.
OSU coach on leave after wife's death
Oklahoma State co-defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer could miss the game against A&M because of the death of his wife Saturday.
Cowboys Coach Mike Gundy has granted Spencer a leave of absence. Spencer rushed home from Tulsa to Stillwater as Oklahoma State dealt with a weather delay for that game.
Although Tim DeRuyter doesn't really know Spencer — they share a mutual friend — the news shook up the Aggies defensive coordinator.
DeRuyter's voice cracked and he had to pause to collect himself when asked about Spencer on Monday afternoon. DeRuyter said it brought back memories of when his older brother, John, died unexpectedly on Halloween 2005.
"Our thoughts and prayers absolutely go out to coach Spencer and his family," DeRuyter said. "It's tough. Real tough. You get in the games and the games are fun to compete, but you realize it's not the most important thing in times like that.
"Life goes on, you get in the vacuum and you think all that matters is football and games, but it's tough. We'll battle our hearts out on Saturday, but we absolutely wish the best for him and his family. He's got two high-school age sons and I can't imagine ... it was a gut shot (when he heard the news). We just wish the very best for him and his family."
Spencer's 46-year-old wife had a heart transplant in January 2010.
"I told (Spencer) he could come back whenever he wanted," Gundy said. "He could come back in three days, five days or two weeks. What he's going to have to go through with the next week or so with his family and his boys ... he needs to be with them and he's free to stay and do whatever he wants to do."
No kickoff time yet 
for A&M-Arkansas
Fans will have to wait until early next week to learn the kickoff time for A&M's Oct. 1 game with Arkansas at Cowboys Stadium. Because the Razorbacks are listed as the home team, the game falls under the Southeastern Conference TV contract. Hmm, a taste of things to come for A&M, perhaps?
But the time slots are similar to the Big 12's. It will either be 11 a.m. on ESPN, 2:30 p.m. on CBS or 7 p.m. on either ESPN or CBS.

KBTX Texas A&M Football Postgame Notes vs Idaho

Texas A&M Football
No. 9/9 Texas A&M 37, Idaho 7
Saturday, September 17, 2011 • Kyle Field, College Station, Texas
Postgame Notes

FULLER’S RECORD-SETTING LEGACY – With five catches for 79 yards against Idaho, senior Jeff Fuller broke Terrence Murphy’s career school record of 172 receptions set from 2001-04. Fuller’s new record stands at 174. Fuller already holds school records career receiving touchdowns (28) and consecutive games with at least one catch (35). Fuller is still chasing Murphy’s career record of 2,600 receiving yards (needs 205 yards).
300-YARD PASSING GAME FOR TANNEHILL – Senior Ryan Tannehill posted the second 300-yard passing game of his career with 337 yards and two touchdowns on 26-of-39 passing. Tannehill’s other 300-yard game was actually a 400-yard game when he set the school record with 449 yards in his QB starting debut against Texas Tech in 2010.
THREE TD-DAY FOR GRAY – Senior running back Cyrus Gray had another productive night with three touchdowns – two via the rush and one via the air. He finished with 101 rushing yards on 29 carries and 58 receiving yards on five catches … it marked his ninth-straight 100-yard rushing game. He is now just one shy of Darren Lewis’ school record of 10 100-yard rushing games that was set in 1988 … Gray moved into 10th place all-time on the school’s career rushing yardage list (2,486), passing Aggie legends Bob Smith, Leeland McElroy and Roger Vick.
DOMINATING D – Idaho finished the game with 187 yards of offense on 58 plays, an average of 3.2 per play … the Aggie defense held its opponent to under 200 yards of offense for the first time since the 2004 season (181 vs Wyoming) … 73 of the Vandals’ yards came on their final drive of the night.
MORE FISH HIT THE FIELD – Five more members of the 2011 signing class saw action against Idaho: linebackers Donnie Baggs and Brandon Alexander, punter Drew Kaser, defensive back Floyd Raven and noseguard Ben Compton. The pair joins group of four freshmen that burned their redshirts against SMU: DB Deshazor Everett, OLBs Shaun Ward and Tyrell Taylor and DB Howard Matthews.
SWOPE HITS 100 – Junior Ryan Swope became the 10th Aggie to hit the 100-catch, 1,000-yard plateau for his career. He joins teammates Jeff Fuller and Ryan Tannehill in the exclusive group.
ANOTHER BIG CROWD – Kyle Field posted its third straight above-capacity crowd by drawing 86,623 fans for the Idaho game. It was the seventh-largest in school history, and the third-largest for an non-conference opponent. In the last three home games, Kyle Field has posted sellouts of 90,079 vs. Nebraska (2010), 86,951 vs. SMU and 86,623 vs. Idaho.
BULLET POINTS –
· WR Nate Askew made his first career catch with a 23-yarder in the fourth quarter.
· Redshirt freshman QB Jamiell Showers saw his first action as an Aggie, completing 4-of-4 passes for 40 yards on the last three drives of the game. It was his first live action since his junior season because he missed his senior season with an injury.
· Tonight’s offensive output of 517 marked the 13th time in 28 games that A&M has gained 500 or more yards since changing to a quick-paced no-huddle offense prior to the 2009 season.
12TH MAN / CAPTAINS – The 12th Man was C.J. Jones, a junior defensive back from Klein High School in Houston. It was Jones’ first-ever 12th Man start … Game captains were the permanent teams captains Ryan Tannehill and Trent Hunter, along with Jones (special teams).

No. 9 Aggies beat Idaho despite mistakes

by Tully Corcoran Cortesy of Fox Sports Houston
September 17, 2011


COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- You wouldn't call it beautiful or glorious or even memorable. Ninth-ranked Texas A&M (2-0) did punk the Vandals of Idaho (1-2) 37-7 on a damp, gray evening in College Station, where it had rained for the first time in ages, a downpour that served only to knock some of the heat vapor out of the air. 


The stands were still full, the press box still swayed and Texas A&M slowly, steadily and inevitably flattened Idaho, and that was all fine and comfortable. Things are as we think they are. It was a feet-on-the-ottoman kind of day. 

The Aggies' march was best observed by watching Texas A&M's offensive line. Down, set, hut. Something they couldn't see would be happening behind them, then suddenly in front of them. Then ball would be downed, and the five of them would run half-speed in unison to wherever they put the ball. Repeat. Five, seven, 12 yards at a time. They looked like a mail truck on a long country road, stopping at every box, making little deliveries.

This was how the Aggies beat Idaho. It wasn't dazzling, but it was overwhelming. It was the whole boring process of it. It probably wasn't beautiful, but if it was, it was beautiful in the way an assembly line is beautiful.

Which isn't to say the Aggies didn't drop some rivets. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw an interception to a defensive lineman, the Aggies' receivers dropped some passes that would have gone for big gains. A&M lost a fumble. It was the kind of performance that might not have beaten a good team. But the Aggies were not playing a good team, and they knew it.

"We're a long ways from where we want to be," coach Mike Sherman said.

"I wasn't happy with my performance tonight," quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "I didn't feel like I played to my top level tonight."

Texas A&M outgained Idaho 350-63 in the first half and built a 27-0 lead. Most of that happened in the second quarter. In the first, it seemed like a game to anybody who was either (a) not paying particularly close attention or (b) actually playing in the game.

It was still 7-0 when the Vandals stuffed an Aggie run for a loss and Vandals linebacker Homer Mauga stomped in celebration in the Aggies backfield the way defensive players sometimes do. He punched the air and looked into the crowd. He was a senior, playing in front of 80,000 on Kyle Field. A moment of glory in a football life.

That was pretty much the only one Saturday night. Idaho quarterback Brian Reader saw a fair portion of the game from his back. The Aggies hit him and hit him and hit him, whether he had the ball or not. The crowd and the speed were too much. He had already thrown a dirt ball to an open receiver when Idaho had its first and last real chance to tie the game. A receiver broke open on the seam with nobody back there. The coverage was busted. Reader overthrew him. Idaho punted.

What did it mean? Well, that's quite the question. Texas A&M's defense looked fast, but there is a strong possibility that was because Idaho's offense was (alarmingly) slow. The Aggies' offense performed as if it was either distracted or disinterested. Drops and turnovers are easily forgotten in blowouts. So it all meant Texas A&M is good enough it doesn't have to worry about teams like Idaho.

Unless you're Mike Sherman.

"The last two ballgames, they scare the heck out of you, because they're very dangerous ballgames," Sherman said. "If you turn the ball over two times like we did, you have a chance of losing that game. Those games really scare me."

His team didn't look scared. So good for A&M. Having beaten SMU and Idaho, the potential for humiliating losses in 2011 is severely depleted. But we don't know the Aggies yet. We don't know whether this defense is for real, we don't know exactly what to make of the offense and we still don't know much about how this group of Aggies will handle being a preseason top 10 team that doesn't get to play the underdog this year.

We're about to find out. A&M plays Oklahoma State and Arkansas the next two weeks. The Aggies will be favored in both games, but they won't be comfortable.

"Our players aren't going to be listening to anybody saying there's a point differential," Sherman said.

Gray, Tannehill power No. 9 Texas A&M past Idaho

CBSSports.com wire reports
Sep. 17, 2011COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Cyrus Gray had three touchdowns and 101 yards rushing, Ryan Tannehill threw for 337 yards and two scores in less than three quarters and No. 9 Texas A&Mshook off a sloppy start for a 37-7 win over Idaho on Saturday night.
The Aggies had two turnovers in the first quarter, but Idaho didn't take advantage. Texas A&M had tacked on 27 points before halftime thanks to two touchdowns by Gray to take a comfortable lead and go on to the win.
Gray finished with 101 yards rushing for his ninth straight 100-yard game dating to last season. He had a 17-yard touchdown run and a 3-yard reception for a score in the second quarter. His 1-yard run midway through the third quarter pushed the lead to 37-0.

Idaho couldn't do anything offensively for most of the game and had to punt 10 times, converted two of 14 third downs and had nine penalties for 66 yards. The Vandals' only touchdown came on a 1-yard run on fourth down by Troy Vital on a drive against Texas A&M's second string defense late in the fourth quarter.

With about three minutes left in the third, Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman replaced Tannehill with freshman Jameill Showers.
Idaho quarterback Brian Reader was 17 of 29 for 131 yards, and Mike Scott had eight receptions for 97 yards.
Ryan Swope had 74 yards receiving and a touchdown, Uzoma Nwachukwu added 80 yards and Jeff Fuller had 79. Fuller had five receptions to give him the A&M record for career receptions with 174.
Randy Bullock made field goals of 25, 42 and 46 yards, but his attempt from 44 yards in the fourth quarter was wide left.
Gray got A&M's offense going after a slow and sloppy start when he ran 17 yards for a touchdown that made it 17-0 in the second quarter. Bullock's 42-yard field goal later in the second quarter stretched the lead to 20-0.
A&M got the ball back after Reader threw three straight incompletions on Idaho's next drive, and Gray made it 27-0 when he scored on a 3-yard pass from Tannehill just before halftime.
The Aggies were on the Idaho 20 on their first drive when Tannehill's pass was tipped and intercepted by Andre Ferguson. The Vandals couldn't convert and had to punt it away.
Idaho's Tre'Shawn Robinson forced a fumble by Christine Michael late in the first quarter which was recovered by the Vandals. But Idaho couldn't take advantage of this miscue either and had to punt again.
Texas A&M's sloppy offensive play carried over into the second quarter when a 44-yard reception by Fuller was negated by an offensive pass interference call. The Aggies were able to keep the drive going after the penalty, but eventually settled for a 25-yard field goal after consecutive incomplete passes to make it 10-0.

Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

 

Gray's 3 TDs leads No. 9 A&M over Idaho

Courtesy of the Houston Chronicle

KRISTIE RIEKEN, AP Sports Writer

Updated 09:44 p.m., Saturday, September 17, 2011

Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) throws a pass as Idaho linebacker Tre'Shawn Robinson (51) defends during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011, in College Station, Texas. Photo: David J. Phillip / AP

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Cyrus Gray had three touchdowns and 101 yards rushing, Ryan Tannehill threw for 337 yards and two scores in less than three quarters and No. 9 Texas A&M shook off a sloppy start for a 37-7 win over Idaho on Saturday night.

The Aggies had two turnovers in the first quarter, but Idaho didn't take advantage. Texas A&M had tacked on 27 points before halftime thanks to two touchdowns by Gray to take a comfortable lead and go on to the win.

Gray finished with 101 yards rushing for his ninth straight 100-yard game dating to last season. He had a 17-yard touchdown run and a 3-yard reception for a score in the second quarter. His 1-yard run midway through the third quarter pushed the lead to 37-0.

With about three minutes left in the third, Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman replaced Tannehill with freshman Jameill Showers.

Idaho couldn't do anything offensively for most of the game and had to punt 10 times, converted two of 14 third downs and had nine penalties for 66 yards. The Vandals' only touchdown came on a 1-yard run on fourth down by Troy Vital on a drive against Texas A&M's second string defense late in the fourth quarter.

Idaho quarterback Brian Reader was 17 of 29 for 131 yards, and Mike Scott had eight receptions for 97 yards.

Ryan Swope had 74 yards receiving and a touchdown, Uzoma Nwachukwu added 80 yards andJeff Fuller had 79. Fuller had five receptions to give him the A&M record for career receptions with 174.

Randy Bullock made field goals of 25, 42 and 46 yards, but his attempt from 44 yards in the fourth quarter was wide left.

Gray got A&M's offense going after a slow and sloppy start when he ran 17 yards for a touchdown that made it 17-0 in the second quarter. Bullock's 42-yard field goal later in the second quarter stretched the lead to 20-0.

A&M got the ball back after Reader threw three straight incompletions on Idaho's next drive, and Gray made it 27-0 when he scored on a 3-yard pass from Tannehill just before halftime.

The Aggies were on the Idaho 20 on their first drive when Tannehill's pass was tipped and intercepted by Andre Ferguson. The Vandals couldn't convert and had to punt it away.

Idaho's Tre'Shawn Robinson forced a fumble by Christine Michael late in the first quarter which was recovered by the Vandals. But Idaho couldn't take advantage of this miscue either and had to punt again.

Texas A&M's sloppy offensive play carried over into the second quarter when a 44-yard reception by Fuller was negated by an offensive pass interference call. The Aggies were able to keep the drive going after the penalty, but eventually settled for a 25-yard field goal after consecutive incomplete passes to make it 10-0
.

A&M's depth helps Sherman keep freshmen off field

A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill, left, said despite being five-touchdown favorites today, the Aggies aren't looking past Idaho toward Oklahoma State next week.

Photo: Nick De La Torre / © 2011 Houston Chronicle

By BRENT ZWERNEMAN, COLLEGE STATION BUREAU

Updated 11:13 p.m., Friday, September 16, 2011

More Information

Idaho at Texas A&M
When/where: 6 p.m.; Kyle Field, College Station.
TV/radio: PPV; 740 AM.
Records: Idaho 1-1, Texas A&M 1-0.
Line: Texas A&M by 35 1/2.
Last meeting: Never played.

Story line: The Aggies vow they are not overlooking the Vandals in advance of next week's showdown with No. 8 Oklahoma State. OLB Damontre Moore returns to the lineup for A&M after his suspension in the opening game following an offseason arrest on charges of marijuana possession. The defense needs him after struggling against the run in the first half against SMU.
By the numbers: A&M RB Cyrus Gray enters tonight's game as the school's new all-time leader in all-purpose yards (5,159). Darren Lewis (1987-90) held the previous record with 5,138. ... A&M DE Tony Jerod-Eddie leads the nation in sacks with three — in only one game.

COLLEGE STATION - Coach Mike Sherman has few regrets along a four-year path in building a top-10 program at Texas A&M, but there's at least one thing nagging him from last season. A redshirt, apparently, is a terrible thing to waste.
"I look at Shep Klinke last year," Sherman said of the 6-7 offensive lineman. "I feel terrible. I thought he was going to play a lot more than he did. (Receiver) Nate Askew - I thought he was going to play a lot more than he did.
"They didn't play a whole lot, and they lost that year of eligibility."
That in mind, Sherman said he's being extra careful this season with the youngsters he trots onto the field - with the idea of perhaps having them around for five years instead of four. It helps, too, that Sherman has more quality depth at almost every position than what he inherited prior to the 2008 season and over his first three years on the job. Two years ago, for instance, Sherman played 18 true freshmen en route to the Aggies' 6-7 finish.
Minimal kid's play
That number likely will drop considerably this year, considering he turned to only four - cornerback Deshazor Everett, safety Howard Matthews and linebackers Tyrell Taylor and Shaun Ward - in a 46-14 season-opening victory over SMU. He might add a couple to the mix tonight, when the ninth-ranked Aggies (1-0) host Idaho (1-1).
"I had a list of the four guys who played last week, and I have a 'B' list of guys who might play (tonight)," Sherman said.
The B list includes defensive tackle Ben Compton, converted from the offensive line, and punter Drew Kaser.
"Compton was third-team center for us," Sherman said. "To make a trade like that with the defense, (the coaches) have to assure me he will be somewhere in the mix. He's a 310-pound kid, he can run and he's athletic.
"He doesn't know the position yet, but the (off) week was a great time for us to develop him."
Compton will fight for playing time with veteran defensive tackles Eddie Brown and Kirby Ennis.
"He's explosive," defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter said of Compton. "He's raw, but you can see that he's strong."
Meanwhile, Sherman recruited Kaser to immediately take over one of the team's biggest weaknesses. The Aggies netted just 34 yards per punt last season, ranking 99th nationally. But Kaser was limited in camp with a tweaked hamstring and only of late has provided the incumbents with competition. Junior Ryan Epperson averaged 40 yards on two punts in swirling winds against SMU.
"There were plans against SMU to get both Epperson and Kaser in, but Epperson did well and that ended up not happening," Sherman said. "We also didn't punt much."
Dodging a trap
Sherman said he'll determine the starting punter on a weekly basis. Following tonight's game against the Vandals, the Aggies welcome No. 8 Oklahoma State next week to open Big 12 play.
"We're not overlooking Idaho one bit," said quarterback Ryan Tannehill, whose team is a five-touchdown favorite tonight. "Heading into conference play, you want to be running at a high level, and our goal is to win the Big 12."

brent.zwerneman@chron.com

Preview: Idaho at Texas A&M

Updated: 9/14/2011 - 11:38 AM ET. Courtesy of USA Today

  Vs.   at Kyle Field

Vandals-Aggies Preview
GAME NOTES: The Idaho Vandals try to follow up an impressive win over a member of the Football Championship Subdivision last week with a trip to College Station this weekend where they will clash with ninth-ranked Texas A&M in the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.
After opening the 2011 campaign with a disappointing 32-15 loss against Bowling Green in Moscow, the Vandals turned around and dismantled North Dakota last Saturday in a 44-14 final, evening their season record at 1-1 despite being held scoreless in the first quarter and having just three points late in the first half.
"I'm glad to have a finish like we expected to have," Idaho head coach Robb Akey said after the game. "We came out and performed better in the second half - more like we expected to; more like our players expected to."
As for the Aggies, they've been waiting to get back onto the field since Sunday, September 4 when they crushed SMU in their one and only game thus far, a 46-14 romp at home. Texas A&M, a program that appears destined to join the SEC in the near future, gets to play its first three games of the season at home, with Big 12 Conference foe Oklahoma State slated to arrive on September 24. The Aggies don't play their first road date of the campaign until they clash with Arkansas on October 1.
The Vandals started out slow against North Dakota last weekend, a 50-yard field goal by Trey Farquhar accounting for their only points through almost 29 minutes of action, but then the offense came alive and beat up the visitors rather easily. Quarterback Brian Reader threw for a career-best four touchdowns, converting 27-of-39 passes for 299 yards in the process.
Idaho receivers Mike Scott and Armauni Johnson both had eight catches and a score for the hosts, while Ryan Bass posted a game-high 57 yards and a TD on 11 carries for the offense.
From a defensive standpoint, the Vandals clamped down on the North Dakota running game, permitting a mere 29 yards on 20 attempts, the pass defense giving up 168 yards and a score while registering one sack and a couple of interceptions. One of those picks came near the end of the meeting as Bradley Njoku returned it 37 yards for a touchdown to cap the 30-point victory.
While it is still early, the road only gets harder for the Vandals from here on out and already they've demonstrated an inability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage, averaging a mere three tackles for loss through two games. At the end of the 2010 campaign, Idaho was one of the best in the business in that department with close to seven TFLs per outing, ranking second in the Western Athletic Conference and 19th in the nation, clearly something coach Akey needs to address.
Reader is off to a fast start now that he owns the starting job, already having tossed six TDs and just a single interception on 82 attempts. Now what the Vandals need to concern themselves with is getting the rushing attack into gear since it is averaging a mere 84.5 ypg. Then again, the group floundered in 2010 as well when it ranked 118th in the country with just 88.2 ypg on the ground.
Certainly, one game does not a season make, yet the Aggies had to be pleased with the manner in which they kicked off this new campaign, rattling SMU in a 32-point triumph in the first of seven home games. Texas A&M started out strong with 20 points in the first quarter and then gradually tapered off once it became obvious that they were heading for the lopsided victory against their in-state rival.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill ran a tight ship as he missed on just five of his 26 pass attempts, leading to 246 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Swope stepped up his game as well with eight catches for 109 yards and a score. On the ground the squad leaned heavily on Cyrus Gray (132 yards, two TDs) and Christine Michael (85 yards, two TDs) as the team averaged close to five and a half yards per carry.
From a defensive standpoint, Tony Jerod-Eddie was the star of the show as he recorded three sacks on his way to being named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week. As a whole, the Aggies registered eight sacks and that left the Mustangs with just 79 net rushing yards in the meeting.
"We had a great scheme against (SMU's) pass protection," said Jerod-Eddie of his unit's performance. "Coach (Tim) DeRuyter dialed up the plays, the outside linebackers did a great job threatening and I came free and made the tackles I had to make. I just try to take it one play at a time and do the best I can on that play."
Last season, the Aggies were fifth in the conference and tied for 40th in the nation with just 2.23 sacks per game, posting four such tackles a couple of times but never higher than that so it appears the squad is off on the right foot in that respect.
Tannehill, who took over midway through the 2010 campaign and finished with 13 TDs and more than 1,600 yards passing, will be leaning heavily on his running backs moving forward, especially after they showed how well they can carry the load on the opener.
Reader will need protection up front in order to slow down the A&M defenders and while the Aggies might not pile up as many sacks this weekend, you can still count on the team having a huge presence in the Idaho backfield.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Texas A&M 41, Idaho 13

Texas A&M notebook: Defense demonstrates 'fanatical effort'

 By BRENT ZWERNEMAN, COLLEGE STATION BUREAU Courtesy of the Houston Chronicle

Updated 11:53 p.m., Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Texas A&M defensive back Steven Campbell (2) tries to return an interception for a touch dow in the first quarter of a NCAA football game against Southern Methodist, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011, in Kyle Field in College Station.
Photo: Houston Chronicle, Nick De La Torre / © 2011 Houston Chronicle

COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M strong safety Steven Campbell, the counsel of position coach Chuck McMillian echoing in his ears, broke hard on a pass near the sideline during the Aggies' first series of the season.
"I was in the middle of the field and just reading the quarterback's eyes," Campbell said of the moment that jump-started the Aggies' 46-14 whipping of SMU on Sept. 4. "Coach Mac always says if you break on the ball, good things will happen. That was a prime example. If I hadn't have broken on that ball, it would have been just another play."
Campbell's hustle was only a part of what amounted to a perfect defensive play for A&M - the type of collaborative effort the ninth-ranked Aggies, who play host to Idaho on Saturday night, will need to make their dream of a Big 12 title perhaps become reality.
"That was a great example of fanatical effort, not just by Campbell but by our team," said coach Mike Sherman, reiterating a term coordinator Tim DeRuyter consistently preaches. "The rush, the blocks after the interception - that was just a prime example."
The third-and-7 play started with a solid four-man rush, prompting SMU quarterback Kyle Padron to hurry a throw intended for Darius Johnson. That's when A&M cornerback Terrence Frederick of Katy entered the picture.
"One of T-Fred's strengths is man coverage, although we don't typically play a ton of it," DeRuyter said.
Frederick looked like a maroon blanket on Johnson - minus contact - and at the last second turned and deflected the pass.
"I should have caught it," Frederick said, smiling. "But I've had trouble with my hands the past two years."
Offense benefits
A hustling Campbell, however, had positioned himself perfectly for the deflection. The Jersey Village product gathered in the interception and returned it 51 yards to the SMU 6-yard line, setting up A&M's first touchdown of the season.
"I was trying to score," Campbell said, shaking his head. "I was disappointed that I didn't."
Added defensive end Tony Jerod-Eddie, whose sack on the play before had set up SMU's pass on third-and-long: "We would have liked T-Fred to have caught the ball. But it was a great job by Steven to break on the pass and then become a playmaker when he got it in his hands."
In another example of DeRuyter's goal of fanatical effort, Frederick recovered from his disappointment to hustle down the field and position himself for a final block, had Campbell gone right instead of left in a last shot at the end zone.
"I had it," Frederick said, still smiling, "but Steven decided to do his own thing."
Some flaws revealed
A&M's first two possessions against SMU resulted in interceptions - the second by free safety Trent Hunter of Katy - but as the Aggies showed for much of the rest of the first half, they still have plenty of work to do defensively if they want to win their first league title since 1998.
Especially at inside linebacker, the team's biggest question springing into its second game, and with No. 8 Oklahoma State looming the following weekend.
"It's a position in flux right now," DeRuyter said of the Aggies' inability to stop the run early against SMU. "Garrick Williams is a returning starter and we expect him to play better than he did. But he'll start (against Idaho), and at the other position we've got an open competition. We'll probably play four linebackers at those positions, and see where we are."
DeRuyter was pleased, however, with his defensive backs, and especially the hustle of Campbell, a swift junior who fought a nagging foot injury as an underclassman - and served as the catalyst of A&M's perfect defensive play.
"He's a guy who can do those kinds of things for us," DeRuyter said. "When he plays with confidence, he can really do some special things."
Basketball
Coach Billy Kennedy's first Texas A&M recruiting class has a strong hometown feel - and that should please Aggies everywhere. A&M Consolidated's Alex Caruso, one of the state's top-rated guards, on Wednesday verbally committed to play for A&M. He joins Bryan's J-Mychal Reese, another top-rated guard, as part of Kennedy's 2012 class. Caruso is the son of Mike Caruso, a one-time Creighton standout and longtime associate athletic director for game operations at A&M. Reese is 63rd on Rivals.com's national top 150 list, while Caruso checks in at 67th.
Football
Freshman backup RB Mister Jones of Littleton, Colo., is no longer on the team, coach Mike Sherman said Wednesday.
"(He) came to me and expressed a desire to withdraw from school due to personal reasons," Sherman said.
Meanwhile senior running back Cyrus Gray enters Saturday night's game vs. Idaho as A&M's new career all-purpose yards leader. Gray has 5,159 all-purpose yards, with his 136 total yards against SMU pushing him ahead of Darren Lewis 5,138 yards from 1987-90. Gray has eight consecutive 100-yard rushing games, two shy of the school-record 10 straight by Lewis in 1988.
brent.zwerneman@chron.com