I've been watching various quarters from A&M's games last season on AUA, and over and over again it's #16 making the big play on defense. I had no idea last year what an impact player he was, he was talented as hell. I hated losing that guy when I thought he was just an up and coming player, but looking back on those highlights he was the biggest playmaker out of all the db's last year.

He had the swagger, the speed, and the natural ability to be one of the best in the conference next year. I sure hope one of the incoming freshmen at db can provide as big of a jolt to that group as Mayes did last year...

Relax...

Newton also had some pretty good highlights last year, even if not as many as Mayes. I think Mayes got a lot more playing time, but Newton had his moments too. And hopefully Gorrer will prove to be the best of them all.

There's a lot of if's, but the secondary may not be as bleak as it seems.

He had great potential as a punt returner.

It may not be, and God knows I am hoping. I guess after watching all of those clips it just shocked me how every time it seemed the db's stepped up on a big play you would see #16 making the tackle or at least adding onto it. There was one play against t.u. in the first half when VY broke it loose on the outside, and had nothing but open field in front of him except for Mayes. He had already juked out two of A&M's players, but despite his best effort Mayes closed in, squared up and took him down hard. VY got up pointing at him knodding his head, and then went over and started patting him on the helmet congratulating him on the nice play.

On another note I noticed how freakishly awesome VY can run also, sheesh that kid is a beast. I think there is little doubt that he has the most ability running of any of the QB's in the nation. However I also noticed time and again during the game that his field vision and accuracy is second rate. But man can radio run...

While I certainly don't question Fran's decision to boot him, I have always wondered about how easily some rationalized that it wasn't that big a loss because he was going to get beat out by somebody else and and be relegated to backup status. I thought he was a darn good player, and a dang good punt returner.

Sorry, Eric, but you blew it, man!

Cypress ag, i agree man. I already went through this the week it happend. Everytime i think about that situation the more pi$$ed off i get. And mpaul is 100% correct. I dont think people realize how important this kid was to the sucucess of our team. He was hands down the best corner we had last year. He was physical, he was a good size and he was quick as hell. Some just shrugged it off like it was no biggy which was perplexing to me as well.

Other than mcneal, and maybe somebody on one of the lines, he was probably the most important player to this team next year. Which is why it stings even more that something as stupid as drugs will not only hurt erik personally, but ultimately the "team" and Texas A&M football.

[This message has been edited by bullard21k (edited 7/15/2005 1:16a).]

Nobody was going to beat him out... period! That kid was arguably the best db we had out there last year, definitely had the most natural ability. The choice to boot him was a no brainer I guess, he broke the law and got arrested. Does weed even get you in trouble in Austin though? Oh well...

Bullard.. couldn't agree more after watching so much film. I honustly shrugged it off at first because I didn't realize how much of an impact he was making personally. I racked it up to "lots of players on defense." But the film says that it was more Mayes than anything else. Maybe one of the incoming Freshmen can duplicate, if not we are going to get punched in the mouth quite a bit on the long ball.

[This message has been edited by Cypress Ag (edited 7/15/2005 1:22a).]

I just hope Gorrer can step up and fill the hole. Given what I heard about him during the spring, I have faith that we may not miss Mayes as much as we're afraid we will.

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"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

--Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg, November 19, 1863


"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

--Edmund Burke

"It's a Gig 'Em World"

--Gremon Coffman, Duncanville, February 2, 2005

It was a long, hard fight to keep them in school as long as they did...

They were "dealing", not just using...Football schollies do not pay for everything some young men crave...

I was sad to see him have to leave - but he made the choice by his actions... hopefully it will open his eyes that there's more to the world than just football.

Rules are rules - whether you're a walk-on or Reggie, it doesn't matter in my book. Continual violation of team rules means you're removed from team.

no doubt Mayes was set to have a big career at A&M. He seemed to have that knack that all good db's have for making the big play.

His talent on the field will surely be missed.

But life must go on. There will be someone to take his place.

Watch the Tennessee game.

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Watch the Tennessee game.

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I just watched it last night. No question the two position groups that got dominated the most were Offensive Line and Defensive Back. UT pushed our O-Line around something fierce, but their wide-outs owned our dbs.

Was surprised to see that our D-Line played pretty well in the first half.

Mayes is definitely a big loss (esp. true Big12 experience), but Gorrer did beat him out in the Spring (and Gorrer did look better in a cases). That's not to say that Mayes could have won the starting position back in August.

He was good player for us and a good CB, but he was not our best cover guy last year and he would not have been this year...But definitely a guy who could make plays on defense...Wish he would have kept his head on straight.

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he was not our best cover guy last year

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Who was if Mayes was not the best cover corner? Byron Jones? I have not seen Gorrer, but Mayes was by far the best cover corner on the team and CDF knew it. Newton is solid, but he is not Mayes. So Mayes must have really been screwin up to be kicked off the team; the situation was probably 10X worse than what was in the public domain.

Mayes was among my favorite players last year for his aggressiveness and confident swagger. That said, we need to get over it. He's drifted off, off into bizarroland along with Tate Pittman and Eric Winston........

I was very sad to see Mayes leave A&M because I knew him and coached him when he was a 7th grader in Humble...he was just a smaller version then of what he is now....talking trash, making tackles, running past people and very exciting to watch.

I thought his future as an Aggie was going to be a great opportunity for him.....can't explain it.

I disagree with Fran's decision to kick Mayes off the team (and I'm a huge Fran supporter). Jorrie deserved to be, but I'm not sure that Mayes did. If we kicked off every player on the A&M team that smoked pot, we wouldn't even be able to compete with Baylor.

He was posted 2nd team after spring ball. As the year went along I thought Newton was becoming our best cover cb just needed more consistancy.

Pot wasn't his only problem and he deserved to be booted.

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but Gorrer did beat him out in the Spring

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I hope this is true and the Mayes move to 2nd string wasn't just because Fran knew he was having off the field trouble. I've heard Gorrer is legit. Another guy we seem to forget about, probably because he didn't practice in the Spring is the JUCO xfer Carpenter. By all accounts he is a good CB as well.

That said, losing Mayes hurt, not only because of his playmaking ability but also for depth purposes against teams like Tech where we have to play more than 2 CBs.

jmtamu,
do you know the whole story?

I thought Mayes was a real bright spot among our DBs, and I also remember the nice stop on VY during the tu game. Even VY was impressed. But, the man was rolling the dice off the field, and really gave Fran no choice about what to do. It won't be the first or last time something promising and good was squandered for the love of weed.

Highway 6 runs both ways...

as I said on another thread, there is no doubting this kids talent and potential. But with the problems he was having, even if he had been kept on the team, he still wouldn't have seen much PT. It's a shame that he's gone and it only adds to the attrition that you guys have had (Thompson leaving was also big in my opinion as he would have been a stud for you guys at LB). But that kind of stuff happens. Texas could have really used Robert Timmons last year. They could have really used Mike Williams. E-Mac would be the starting corner this year opposite Griffin and Texas' secondary would have been amazing this year. Ifs and or buts. Regardless, these kids learn the hard way that playing college football at a major university is not a right, it's a privilege.

Let's try again...

The coaches worked overtime to keep these guys on the team. They were both tremendous talents.

They weren't just "smoking" pot.

They weren't made "examples"...it was something done to benefit the team and program, regardless of how hard it was to do. A lot of resources was spent on these young men to help them contribute to the program and in life. They decided to go a route different than the direction the resources preferred.

If you are a Fran supporter, then you have to trust his judgement. I think he knows how much this hurts the team more than you or I...

Damn, Damn, Damn

You also seem to forget all the times he got burned deep, or couldnt make a tackle because he was too small. He wasnt just a nonstop playmaker....I will miss his presence on the field though.

quote:

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Watch the Tennessee game.

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And you immediately get a response from someone who was like, "Yeah, I just watched it last night."

Seriously, kids, when you are rewatching the Tennessee game, that's when you know it is time to get a life.

CypressAg, I with ya on all accounts. I watched the t.u. game recently and some video from Aggies9496 and it seems like Mayes was everywhere. Looked up some stats and he only had 1 int and that one nice punt return against Clemson. Would have loved to see his progression this year but I guess he crossed a line.
That makes it even more exciting to know he lost his starting spot in the spring however.

In addition to the problems Mayes got into out in town, he was also trash talking the coaches, from what I understand. You can't maintain discipline if one guy thinks he can run his mouth at the coaches. They got real tired of that number, also, so it wasn't just the arrest.

In any case, we will have several corners this year that are better than Mayes. My vivid memory is of him getting beat for the long td by Utah on, what, the second play of the game?

Gig'em<BR>Outrigger<BR>

Mayes is a huge loss no matter how much you guys make light of it. I am convinced of that. He was a very good player with excellent potential.

Mayes was a very good player and made a lot of great plays last year, but if you look at a lot of those highlights from last years games, Newton is in there making some good plays too. I think Newton will suprise everyone this year the way Mayes did last year, if not even more. Don't worry Ags, I don't think the secondary is as weak as everyone is making it out to be. I honestly think the wrecking crew will be real close to being at full speed. If its not this year, then for sure next year.

[This message has been edited by Dawg-97 (edited 7/15/2005 1:07p).]

I think that Mayes is a great third cornerback. He made a bunch of plays last year, and that is great, but he frequently overplayed receivers to get burned deep or miss a key tackle. I would perfer someone at CB that is more steady. I'll give up the playmaking for a good, lock down corner. If you never hear the CB's name in the game, I consider that a great game by a corner.

Mayes made some nice plays, but he got beat often... see Tenn, Baylor, Utah and OU for examples.

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Try and make something idiot proof, and all they do is make a better idiot.

[This message has been edited by stick95 (edited 7/15/2005 1:27p).]

He made his choice - see ya!