College Confidential

Texas A&M defensive coordinator Joe Kines steps down

Texas A&M defensive coordinator Joe Kines has retired, school officials announced tonight.

Kines, who just completed his second season as the Aggies’ defensive coordinator, oversaw a unit that ranked last or next-to-last among Big 12 teams in total defense during both of his seasons at the school.
A&M, which finished 6-7 after dropping a 44-20 decision to Georgia in Monday’s Independence Bowl, allowed a league-high 431.3 yards per game during the regular season. That ranked 107th among the nation’s 120 FBS schools.

In 2008, A&M allowed 461.9 yards per game and ranked 114th in total defense _ ahead of only Kansas State (479.1 yards per game) _ among Big 12 teams.

A&M finished last among Big 12 teams in scoring defense in each of Kines’ seasons, allowing 32.7 points per game this year and 37.4 in 2008.

In a statement released by school officials, A&M coach Mike Sherman said he met Tuesday night with Kines and the two “came to an agreement that this was the appropriate time for Joe to retire. I asked him to stay on board through the transition of the new defensive coordinator and, thankfully, he agreed.”
No timetable has been established for selecting Kines’ successor.

_ Jimmy Burch

Texas A&M to meet Georgia in Independence Bowl

Texas A&M will meet Georgia in the Independece Bowl, school officials announced today. The game will be played Dec. 28 in Shreveport, La. Kickoff is 4 p.m. and the game will be televised by ESPN2.

It marks the first bowl bid for the Aggies (6-6) under second-year coach Mike Sherman. The team was 4-8 last season. Georgia (7-5) heads into the contest following a 30-24 upset of rival Georgia Tech, the ACC champion, in the Bulldogs' regular-season finale.

In a statement released by school officials, A&M athletic director Bill Byrne said: "We are excited about this opportunity ... to be matched with a storied program like the University of Georgia. I am proud of the way these Aggie players and coaches have fought throughout this season.”

The contest will mark A&M's third trip to the Independence Bowl and it first since 2000, when the Aggies dropped a 43-41 decision in overtime to Mississippi State in the "Snow Bowl," a contest played in a driving snowstorm.

In a statement, A&M coach Mike Sherman said he was "proud" of players for making it to a bowl game and praised "a very unselfish group" of seniors who emerged as team leaders on a sqaud that leaned heavily on underclassmen players. A&M played 18 true freshmen in 2009, a school record.

In a statement, A&M quarerback Jerrod Johson said he "would not consider us a young team anymore because we have been through so much."

"The guys worked extremely hard in the off-season and spring, then we had the new guys join our team and they learned quickly," Johnson said. "Now, it is up to us to focus on a good Georgia team and prepare to the best of our abilities.”

_ Jimmy Burch

Texas A&M OT Grimes may miss Baylor game with injury

Texas A&M right tackle Lee Grimes is questionable for Saturday’s game against Baylor because of a sprained knee, coach Mike Sherman said today. Grimes, injured in last week’s 65-10 loss to Oklahoma, is not expected to practice until Wednesday, at the earliest.

If Grimes cannot play, Sherman said his spot in the lineup probably will be taken by Danny Baker or Stephen Barrera. A&M (5-5, 2-4 in Big 12) can become bowl-eligible with a victory in Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. contest against Baylor (4-6, 1-5) in College Station.

_ Jimmy Burch

Aggies to honor Fort Hood soldiers

Texas A&M football players will wear helmet decals during today's game at Colorado to honor soldiers stationed at Fort Hood -- site of Thursday's shootings that killed 13 and wounded 38 others at the Army base near Killeen.

The logo contains patches that represent many of the divisions stationed at Fort Hood.

The centralized logo is that of the III Corps Command, headquartered at the base. Fort Hood is located about 94 miles northwest of College Station.

Two players on the A&M roster -- offensive tackle Michael Shumard and receiver Nick Trice -- attended Harker Heights High School, a school where much of the student body is comprised of the children of Fort Hood soliders.

_ Jimmy Burch

 

A&M's Sherman surprised by boos for Favre

Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman, former coach of the Green Bay Packers, says he was surprised by the tenacity of the boos that greeted former Packers’ quarterback Brett Favre in Sunday’s game at Lambeau Field, Favre’s first as a visiting player.

“I thought he would be applauded. And he will when all this is done,” said Sherman, who spoke with Favre, 40, after the game. “Trust me, when all … the dust settles and he does retire _ if he does, and we’re still alive _ then all will be forgotten and the prodigal son will come home.”

Sherman was Favre's coach for six seasons in Green Bay (2000-2006). Will Favre, the Green Bay quarterback for 16 seasons, be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Packer?

“Unless he plays 17 years for the Vikings,” Sherman said.

OTHER AGGIES NOTES heading into Saturday's game against Colorado ...

OU TELECAST: The team’s Nov. 14 game against Oklahoma has been selected as a Fox Sports Southwest telecast. Kickoff will be at 6 p.m. in Norman, Okla.

CAVANAUGH TO REDSHIRT: Sherman said Monday that linebacker Ricky Cavanaugh, who has played in only two games because of a sprained knee, will miss the rest of the season and use this as a redshirt year. Cavanaugh made six tackles in the Aggies’ first two games.

ROSSLEY UPDATE: A&M quarterbacks coach Tom Rossley, who has his jaw wired after undergoing oral surgery on Oct. 19, is expected to travel with the team to Saturday’s game at Colorado. Rossley, the former SMU coach, had oral surgery earlier this summer but a follow-up appointment revealed an infection in the jaw bone. He underwent a second surgical procedure on Oct. 19. Although he is unable to talk, he can communicate and attended meetings Monday.

Asked if he could communicate with Rossley in his current condition, Sherman laughed and said: “As much as I care to. If he agrees with me, I understand him pretty good. If he disagrees, then it’s, ‘Hey, Tom. I don’t know what you’re saying.’”

TOUGH PENALTY: Sherman said he appreciated the gesture but defended game officials for assessing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to Aggies’ receiver Howard Morrow, a Keller Fossil Ridge graduate, for offering a military-styled salute after scoring a touchdown Saturday against Iowa State. The contest was dubbed Military Appreciation Day by school officials, complete with half-price tickets for veterans and active enlisted personnel.

“Was that offensive? Absolutely not,” Sherman said of Morrow’s action, which violated college football’s ban on players calling attention to themselves after big plays. “But it was against the rules and the rules apply to everybody.”

NWACHUKWU TO PLAY: Sherman said receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu, who leads the team in touchdown catches (6), still had “mild effects” Sunday from a big hit he sustained against Iowa State and may be limited in workouts this week.

“I’ll probably hold him out of some contact (drills),” Sherman said. “But I don’t think I’ll hold him out of the game."

_ Jimmy Burch

Aggies cite Tech game as season-turner, tweak Leach in the process

COLLEGE STATION -- If there has been a defining moment in Texas A&M’s turnaround season, players say it occurred the Monday before the team’s 52-30 victory at Texas Tech.

That is when coach Mike Sherman presented the Aggies with carabiner clips, a talisman usually reserved for post-game victory celebrations, five days before the teams’ Oct. 24 meeting in Lubbock.

Sherman selected the carabiner, a piece of equipment used by mountain climbers, as a metaphor for the Aggies’ ongoing attempt to climb back to a championship level in the college football world. But players typically have to earn them each week with big plays or victories.

That changed after a 62-14 loss to Kansas State gave the Aggies (5-3, 2-2 in Big 12) a three-game losing streak, a skid broken by subsequent victories over Tech and Iowa State. In his first public discussion about his motivational ploy, Sherman said today that he “felt very confident” heading into the Tech game and wanted players to join him.

“We have these little carabiners we pass out when we win a game,” Sherman said. “I said, ‘I might as well give it to you now. We’re going to go play and we’re going to win this football game.’ And they did.”

Each carabiner carries the inscription “One Step at a Time in 2009.” Defensive end Von Miller said the early presentation was surprising but struck a positive chord with players, who can become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2007 if A&M wins Saturday at Colorado (2-6, 1-3).

“The meaning was, ‘Why wait until after the game?’ We had to make a decision in our minds before the game that we were going to come together,” Miller said, reflecting on a season-turning triumph that marked A&M’s first victory in Lubbock since 1993.

“It wasn’t like he was guaranteeing a victory. It showed he had faith in us,” said offensive tackle Michael Shumard, who joined his coach in taking a couple of thinly-veiled jabs at Tech coach Mike Leach during Monday’s news conference.

Leach and Sherman exchanged sharp words during the off-season when Leach suggested that, by spending a fourth-round pick on former A&M quarterback Stephen McGee in the 2009 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys showed more faith in McGee than Sherman’s staff. Hampered by injuries, McGee played sparingly for Sherman in his senior season.

Sherman squeezed in a dig at Leach during Monday’s news conference when asked about the impact of playing at altitude this week in Boulder, Colo. (elevation 5,340 feet). In response, Sherman suggested it would not be that different from playing in Lubbock (elevation 3,256 feet).

“Lubbock’s a pretty good altitude up there,” Sherman said. “There’s a lot of hot air up there, too. We had to deal with that.”

Shumard, a senior, joined the Leach-bashing chorus when asked about Sherman’s decision to take a knee _ rather than try and punch in another touchdown _ in the final minute of last week’s 35-10 victory over Iowa State.

“That shows class,” Shumard said. “I would hate to be a player for a team that would try and score with … 20 seconds left in the game. That would call time out to try and score.”

During Tech’s 2008 victory over A&M in College Station, the Red Raiders scored their final points in a 43-25 triumph on a 1-yard run by quarterback Graham Harrell with 20 seconds remaining, following a time out by Leach.

-- Jimmy Burch

Aggies' game at Colorado selected for Nov. 7 telecast

Texas A&M’s game at Colorado on Nov. 7 will be televised by Fox College Sports, network officials announced today. The contest will kick off at 12:30 p.m. in Boulder, Colo.

A&M (4-3, 1-2) has one of the nation’s most unusual records in relation to TV appearances this season. The Aggies are winless in televised games but 4-0 when there is no live telecast.
There will be no telecast of Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. game in College Station against Iowa State (5-3, 2-2). But A&M officials are selling half-price tickets for the contest. For information, visit www.aggieathletics.com or call 888-99-AGGIE.

_ Jimmy Burch

Thoughts from Saturday

A few thoughts about Saturday's games while waiting for the (drum roll please) first announcement of the BCS standings about 3:40 p.m. today on Fox.

1. Texas will probably be third in the first BCS rankings behind Florida and Alabama, especially with Virginia Tech's loss. Anything lower will be a shock. It will be interesting to see how the computers view the Longhorns. Texas proved it could win a defensive game against Oklahoma even though it registered few style points. The next two games, at Missouri and at Oklahoma State, will define the Texas regular season.

2. We don't know if we've seen Sam Bradford's last game in an Oklahoma uniform. That's his call. Hopefully, we did. He came to Oklahoma when he could have been a Top 10 (and maybe higher) NFL pick. He bounced from a serious shoulder sprain to return, showing grit. Now he's hurt again. He has nothing left to prove at OU and nothing he can prove to the NFL. Shut it down, heal, get surgery if necessary and get ready for the draft.

3. A couple of weeks ago, the pirate ship at Texas Tech looked to be taking on water. Now, the Red Raiders can make a legitimate claim, along with Oklahoma State, to being the second best team in the Big 12. (Hey, both lost to Houston). Backup QB Steven "Sticks" Sheffield was unfazed by a road start in Lincoln. And the defense - yes, the Tech defense - absolutely dominated with five sacks. Ndamukong who?

4. Speaking of a ship that may be sinking ... yeah, that's a transition to Texas A&M. At worst, I figured the Aggies could get two or three wins against the worst of the North and get to a bowl. After Saturday's 62-14 loss at Kansas State, the Aggies could be descending beyond the 2008 depths. "We got our butt kicked every which way," A&M coach Mike Sherman said. Unless Michael Bishop just gained some more eligibility, this isn't exactly a vintage Bill Snyder team. The Wildcats were coming off a 66-14 butt kicking of their own at Texas Tech.

5. SMU is 3-3 but could easily be 5-1 and a win away from bowl-eligibility. The Mustangs held second-half leads against Washington State and Navy and then lost in overtime in both games. SMU could still cobble together six victories, if it can post home wins against Rice, UTEP and Tulane. 

6. TCU has done pretty much everything it has needed to do as a potential BCS Buster. The Horned Frogs' biggest test comes Saturday at BYU, which has regrouped since that loss to Florida State. Since joining the Mountain West, TCU has split at Provo, winning 51-50 in 2005 and losing 27-22 in 2007. A win over Max Hall and Co. would be a major boost as TCU tries to climb past Boise State.

-- Chuck Carlton

A&M receiver Fuller will be out 4-6 weeks

Texas A&M receiver Jeff Fuller will be out of action four to six weeks because of a cracked right fibula sustained in Saturday’s 38-30 victory over Utah State, coach Mike Sherman said today.

Fuller, who led the team in touchdown catches last season (9), caught 10 passes for 111 yards _ both career highs _ during the Aggies’ 41-6 victory over New Mexico on Sept. 5 before cracking his fibula after making a second-quarter catch against Utah State.

Sherman said the Aggies (2-0) will turn to freshmen receivers Brandal Jackson and Kendric McNeal in Fuller’s absence, starting with Saturday’s game against UAB (6 p.m., College Station).

“It’s a lot to throw on these guys, but they’re prepared,” Sherman said. “They’ve been getting a lot of reps in practice.”

Along with fellow freshman Uzoma Nwachukwu, who had three touchdown catches against Utah State, three of A&M’s primary targets for quarterback Jerrod Johnson in Saturday’s game will be February signees who played high school football last season.

In addtion, A&M cornerback Coryell Judie, a junior college transfer, will not play this season because of a shoulder injury that will require season-ending surgery, Sherman said Monday. Sherman said Judie, who has yet to play in a game this season, will be redshirted.
 

_ Jimmy Burch

Kickoff set for A&M-Arkansas game, which will be and ESPN2 telecast

Officials have set a 6:30 p.m. kickoff for the Texas A&M-Arkansas game, Oct. 3 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. ESPN2 officials have selected the game as a national telecast. It will mark A&M’s first television appearance of the season.

_ Jimmy Burch