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
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."
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