Vol. 2 No. 4, May 1997

You can point to a talent pool that had lost its ability to make waves. You can bring up the effects of probation, an inexperienced quarterback and a turnover bug that developed into a season-long virus.

All of the above are legitimate reasons as to why Texas A&M won just six football games last fall.

And all of those problems could arise again in 1997. No one knows if they will, and the Aggies surely are hoping they won't.

However, what seems to be a given this spring is that the Aggies are one big, happy family again. Intangibles that were missing a year ago — like chemistry, being in synch, and this year's new R.C. Slocum term, "synergy" — are the catch phrases for next season.

The Wrecking Crew has adopted a new motto as well, promising to "Regain the Rage" in '97.

Obviously, something was lost last year or it wouldn't need to be regained. A&M secondary coach Larry Slade said he's not sure what the something was, especially on defense, only that it has been found this spring.

"There were times last year where we played well, but we didn't have IT," Slade said. "You didn't see the same zip or reckless abandon. You might have had good stats, but there was something that was not exactly right.

"But IT is back, as far as attitude, the chemistry, flying to the ball. If the spring is any indication, our guys really enjoyed being at practice and looked forward to it. So we're excited about it."

Slocum saw the IT sail out of his shell-shocked club as soon the goal posts came down amid the sea of red at Cajun Field after the 29-22 loss to Southwestern Louisiana.

"From that point on, we were just out of synch as a team," Slocum said. "And we never got back in it. We were playing just a little bit on our pride and what ability we had.

"No doubt, in looking back, there were times as coaches — and I take responsibility — when we could have coached better. We got caught with some lack of experience, and then we probably added to it by not coaching as well at times as we needed to."

And recognizing the fact that his coaching staff needed to be retooled, Slocum moved quickly after the season and released three assistant coaches — Steve Ensminger, Phil Bennett and Les Koenning Jr. — the Monday after the loss to Texas.

After Mike Sherman, who had been promoted to offensive coordinator, left for the Green Bay Packers, Slocum would add four new assistant coaches — offensive coordinator and line coach Steve Marshall, defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz, quarterbacks coach Ray Dorr and receivers coach Steve Kragthorpe.

And as much as they came to Aggieland from winning programs or with a wealth of experience, the new coaches have made their mark early on this program for simple reasons: They all get along with the other coaches; they all believe in the same principles; and they all hit the practice field with no pre-conceived notions about inconsistent receivers or mistake-prone defensive backs.

Spring was, indeed, a fresh start for Slocum's staff and his players.

"I told my wife that I don't know if I've ever been in an interview where I felt that comfortable with the guys in the room," said Kragthorpe, whose engaging personality no doubt was one reason Slocum hired the 31-year-old away from Boston College. "There's just a feeling about this place. It's a special place."

Kragthorpe admitted that the new coaches felt some natural trepidation when Sherman left for Green Bay. Here they were, trying to fit into a new coaching staff, and already turnover was hitting the offensive side of the meeting room.

"When Sherm left, we were all worried about who R.C. was going to bring in," Kragthorpe added. "Then Steve (Marshall) comes in, and we couldn't have hand-picked a better guy. We couldn't have had him in here for a month with a trial and error period and have it any better. It's really worked out well.

"Offensively, we have five excellent football coaches who all have a tremendous amount of knowledge and who don't have tremendous egos. Coach Slocum used this term 'synergy' a lot with our players this spring. I think we've got synergy in this (meeting) room. The whole is greater than the parts. When you've got five guys who work together as well as we do, I think we've got a chance to be pretty effective."

The bonding among the coaches has not gone unnoticed by the A&M players. To a man, they talked this spring of the better rapport with their position coaches, not to mention of better relationships with their teammates. Practices no longer seemed like acts of drudgery.

Junior cornerback Shun Horn said he definitely has seen signs that the rage has returned to the Wrecking Crew.

"I think (the defense) will be more aggressive just because the fact our chemistry as a team is so much better," Horn said. "We're more together now. It's about us as a team, and we're not looking for individualism or going to the next level. They're really focused on what's going on right now. I think that's a big step in our team becoming a better defense."

Of course, on a Saturday in the fall when a Colorado receiver is running free in the secondary, thoughts of team chemistry are distant. Synergy turns to suffering.

But during the offseason when the foundation of the team is built, the intangibles that these Aggies are finding can act as cement. Should any swaying in the A&M program occur next fall, don't expect the whole thing to topple over.

Rather expect IT to return. And the rage — and wins — to be regained.

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