I found this in my old email folder, I am officially old
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Maroon & White Fax/E-Mail Service
Volume 12 Fax #65, Sunday, March 25, 2007
Billy Liucci's Maroon & White Report. P.O. Box 10642, College Station, Texas 77842 Phone 979-690-7361
AGGIES WRAP UP WEEK ONE OF SPRING FOOTBALL
SPRING FOOTBALL UNDERWAY
On Saturday, Texas A&M put the wraps on a very successful first week of spring football drills. The Aggies, looking to build on last season's 9-3 regular-season finish, worked out on Tuesday and Wednesday in shorts and jerseys before donning full pads for Friday and Saturday's practices. Let's take a position-by-position look at the first week of hard-hitting action:
Quarterback: Jerrod Johnson was one of two players that I was most excited about seeing this spring. Through four practices, the 6-6, 225-pound freshman has not disappointed. Johnson has a quick release and a stronger arm than any Texas A&M quarterback in recent memory. The ball just jumps out of his hand and Jerrod is deadly accurate with all of his throws, including deep balls and even the tough-to-master 15-20-yard out routes. Though A&M defenders are not allowed to tackle the quarterback, seeing Johnson eat up chunks of yardage with his long strides reveals why so many Aggie defenders say that the redshirt freshman is so difficult to bring down.
While Johnson impresses more and more with each passing day, he also has his share of freshman mistakes and there's no question that incumbent Stephen McGee is the Ags' starting quarterback. McGee's arm looks stronger than it did last year and he's throwing the ball with more velocity and accuracy than he did at any point last season. He has also mastered A&M's option game, which is evident by the way the running lanes seem to really open up for everyone when #7 is running the show.
True freshman Ryan Tannehill, a mid-term enrollee, wears Ty Branyon's old number and the Big Spring product actually resembles last year's backup. Tannehill has a better arm than advertised and looks like it won't be long before he's a 6-4, 220-pounder who can run in the 4.6 range.
Running Back: Let's start with the best player on campus. Sophomore tailback Mike Goodson has erased any concerns over whether or not he is completely recovered from a Holiday Bowl knee sprain. The 6-0, 205-pound back looks even faster and more explosive than he did last November, frequently knifing through traffic and accelerating past would be tacklers with ease. As I've said before, Goodson should be the best tailback in the Big 12 next season and could be a Heisman candidate by season's end.
Along with Jerrod Johnson, Cornell Tarrant is another newcomer that I was particularly excited about watching. Tarrant's blend of explosive speed and power is unique, and he showcased both attributes on Saturday. During team drills, Tarrant broke loose for two long touchdown runs, one when he got the corner and raced down the right sideline, the other in which he got into the secondary and ran over two defenders en route to the end zone. If Tarrant continues to impress, he will give the A&M backfield its third lethal weapon.
Tight End: Martellus Bennett and Joey Thomas make the tight end position perhaps the strongest unit on the A&M team. The veteran tight ends have also been a focal point in the A&M passing game during the first four practices. Thus far, Bennett has caught everything thrown his way, including a couple of deep corners on days one and two and a sensational catch on Saturday. Despite being drilled by safety Jordan Pugh, Bennett reached back with his right hand and snagged a pass in the middle of the field.
Wide Receiver: Week one standouts included Earvin Taylor, Kerry Franks, and Pierre Brown. Taylor looks like an experienced fifth-year senior and appears more and more comfortable playing the inside receiver position. He and Kerry Franks have caught most everything thrown their way. Speaking of Franks, the one thing that's really stood out about the senior-to-be is the crispness with which he is running his routes. Kerry also looks as confident as I've ever seen him on the football field. Before last season, many (this corner included) expected a breakout year for Pierre Brown. It didn't happen last fall, but Brown has hit the ground running and the junior could be the player that steps up and fills the void left by departing senior Chad Schroeder. Pierre has made several nice catches this spring and looks much quicker and more elusive than he ever has, frequently leaving would-be tacklers in his wake. For what it's worth, Brown's name was the first mentioned by three veteran Aggies when asked who stood out in week one. As far as newcomers go, E.J. Shankle's speed is going to cause serious problems for Big 12 defenses this fall. Shankle had his ups and downs in week one, but no one in the A&M program has any doubts concerning Shankle's ability to be an impact player in Aggieland.
Offensive Line: As of now, the Ags' first-team unit consists of Yemi Babalola and Corey Clark at the tackles, Cody Wallace at center, and Kirk Elder and Chris Yoder at guard. Babalola looks exceptional in team and one-on-one pass rush drills and rarely (if ever) gets beat. Michael Shumard and Travis Schneider have also been impressive and will both contend for starting roles. In fact, Schneider looks like a seasoned veteran and the 6-7, 310-pounder will be hard to keep out of the starting lineup. While watching the A&M o-line practice on Saturday, a couple of things stood out. First, the Aggies will have no fewer than three All-Big 12 candidates up front next year, as Elder, Babalola, and Wallace have all-conference potential and experience. Second, Aggie veterans like Elder, Wallace, and Clark are doing an outstanding job of teaching younger linemen like Lee Grimes and newcomer Vincent Williams. Jim Bob Helduser is definitely enjoying the luxury of having what amounts to a few extra coaches on the field.
Defensive Line: With Chris Harrington and Red Bryant rehabbing injuries and participating on a limited basis, this has been a position of much interest and activity. The "ones" are currently Henry Smith and Kellen Heard at defensive tackle and Cyril Obiozor and Michael Bennett at defensive end. Aggie fans know exactly what Bennett and Obiozor bring to the table, but Bennett looks particularly impressive coming off the edge. Cody Williams and Paul Freeney have started to remind the A&M coaches why they were both coveted recruits coming out of high school. Freeney, in particular, looks like he's serious about taking advantage of the increased reps available because of Harrington's injury and Jason Jack's entry into the NFL draft. Through four practices, Freeney has been one of the most pleasant surprises on the defensive side of the ball. On the inside, it's obvious that Stan Eggen is really pushing Henry Smith and building up his confidence. Physically, the 6-3, 315-pounder is already there. Either Heard or Smith will start alongside Bryant this fall, but Chris Smith and Lucas Patterson should team with Heard/Smith to give the Ags some quality backup reps. A lack of depth has forced Smith to work inside, and his speed and quickness appears problematic on pass plays. Lucas Patterson signed with A&M as an offensive lineman and spent a redshirt season working on that side of the ball, but he's been a very pleasant surprise since making the move to defensive tackle. Patterson still has a lot to learn (obviously), but he has the kind of size, power, and motor to be a very effective interior defender. Think of Cameron Spikes had he been moved to defense early in his career (remember, the NFL's St. Louis Rams even gave Spikes a shot at d-tackle a few years into his NFL career).
Linebacker: Despite suffering what appeared to be a minor injury on Saturday, Mark Dodge has picked up right where he left off. Dodge and Misi Tupe are getting most of the first-team reps early this spring and both players look incredibly comfortable in Gary Darnell's 4-2-5 scheme. Both Anthony Lewis and Matt Featherston have hit the ground running and I could see either player pushing for a starting job in August. Now that Chris Alexander is finally getting his due, Featherston might get my vote as the most underrated player on the A&M team. No one seems to want to talk about Featherston, but he acquitted himself well in backup duty as redshirt freshman and continues to improve in the size and speed departments. The dude is easily one of the most imposing players in an A&M uniform.
Cornerback: Don't look now, but the Aggies suddenly have some options at the all-important position. Returning starter Jordan Peterson and Arkeith Brown have been particularly impressive. Peterson just does everything right, is an underrated athlete, and always seems to be around the football. Brown-one of the team's best all-around athletes-had a great first two days and has been blanketing the A&M receivers.
Peterson and Gorrer are the returning starters, but Brown and a pair of seniors are also opening eyes. Kay Carpenter has drawn praise from the guys on the other side of the ball and converted safety Jonathan Batson has already made a few nifty pass breakups at the position. Expect to see Batson quickly join Peterson as one of the Ags' two most physical cornerbacks.
Safety: There might not be a more competition-rich position on the A&M roster this spring than at the three safety spots. Devin Gregg and Japhus Brown return with starting experience, but several youngsters, newcomers, and position changes are making things very interesting in Bill Clay's meeting room.
Junior Alton Dixon has been waiting for his chance to play for what seems like an eternity, and he looks ready to make the most of his opportunity. Dixon looked like a heat-seeking missile in week one, bringing the same style of play to the strong safety position that made him the Ags' Special Teams MVP in 2006.
Jordan Pugh and Kenny Brown-two newcomers to the position-have also been impressive. Brown played wide receiver a redshirt, so he's still got plenty of learning to do before being ready to play, but he's as good-looking a safety as there is on the A&M roster and is exactly what Coach Clay is looking for at the position. Pugh is still getting acclimated to playing the last line of defense, but the sophomore has already shown that he can truly cover like a corner (where he played last season) and hit like a safety. Pugh's bit hit on the Martellus Bennett catch on Saturday drew oohs and aahs, but it was just one of several examples of Jordan's willingness to come downhill and bring the hat. While everyone has known that Jordan could be a big-time player in the A&M secondary, I'm not sure how many people realized the second-year man was such a hitter.
