12th Man Magazine

Editor
Homer Jacobs

Contributing Writers
Rusty Burson
Jim Molony

Contributing Photographers
Kevin Bartram
Glen Johnson

Inside the Aggies | Summer Camp with Fish | Dat Nguyen
Back to the Basics

By Homer Jacobs

A year ago, Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum was excited about the dawning of the Big 12 for several reasons: Namely that the Aggies’ exposure in different media markets and recruits’ homes would likely expand exponentially.

He was right on, as the Big 12 has become a marketing and recruiting godsend for his program, which no longer is shackled by the old Southwest Conference.

But the coach also was looking forward to seeing how A&M and the other teams established the pecking order of a new order, a North-South divisional makeup of teams from the Big Eight and SWC.

Obviously, a 6-6 season in 1996 left the Aggies pecked over. And based on the Big 12’s second annual Media Days in Irving in late July, the Aggies have been picked over as well.

A&M’s name was rarely mentioned with the conference elite when coaches, players and media brought up just about any topic.

Meanwhile, the Texas Longhorns basked in the afterglow of their stunning upset of Nebraska in the Big 12 title game last December. Somehow, the Horns’ five losses and meltdown in the second half against Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl wasn’t worthy of conversation. It’s amazing what Roll Left can do for a program.

And when it was A&M’s turn to grab the stage, Slocum and players Dat Nguyen and Steve McKinney spent their allotted 30 minutes explaining how the program is not as deep in the grave as some would like to believe.

At first, Slocum defended the barrage of questions diplomatically. Then, he seemed to have enough.

"I think our players — and I have to a degree — have been amused how quickly they write you off," Slocum said. "We went through the Southwest Conference for four years without losing a game, and now that accomplishment has been totally minimized that we really didn’t do that much. Some of those things do stick in your craw a little bit. I think our players and coaches are motivated to get back on track."

So 1997 brings an intriguing chance for redemption. None of the preseason polls have the Aggies ranked to begin the season, and perhaps, rightfully so. A&M lost six games last year and has question marks concerning talent gaps again this season.

However, you would think a team that has been a Top 20 fixture for seven years and a Top 10 team for three years running from 1992-94 would be given the benefit of a doubt that last year was indeed an aberration. But that wasn’t the case.

The Aggies have fallen off the map as quickly as Texas has reappeared on it. The Longhorns, inexplicably, have been ranked as high as seventh in one preseason newspaper poll. This lofty status for a team that has no secondary, no receivers and primarily two premier offensive players in Ricky Williams and James Brown?

"A lot of people are picking Texas in the top 15, and we’re not even ranked," McKinney said. "I guess because we had a bad season last year, everyone thinks we’re going to lay down and quit and keep going downhill. That’s not going to be the case. That’s why they play the games.

"From my recollection, I don’t remember Texas having too many nine or 10-win seasons (UT has had two 10-win seasons since 1983). Colorado and Nebraska, now they’re powerhouses."

At least one Texas player is feeling somewhat uneasy that there has been no mention of the Aggies among preseason hypesters. Can he see the former SWC giant awakening from its Big 12 slumber of ’96?

"We know that we dominated the state of Texas the last two years," All-America kicker Phil Dawson said. "We remember what it was like to be dominated in the state of Texas. We remember what it was like to shoot for the Aggies because they were the guys on top.

"I think they just played a bad game against us (in a 51-15 loss). They’re a good football team, and we’ll never take A&M lightly, especially with our rivalry. It’s kind of scary... they’re not getting much attention. I think everything kind of goes in cycles. But I would really be surprised if they struggled again this year. I expect them to be back and be a very good football team."

This is a strange situation for the Aggies: They have suddenly become the hunters, instead of the hunted. They carry the darts, no longer the bull’s eye.

But perhaps this program and its fans could use a little underdog mentality. Winning is no longer a birthright in this new conference, and the 12th Man will have to be called upon again.

Much like the days when A&M rose through the rankings in 1985, there is now doubt heading into every game. But the rewards have been magnified as well. Winning a conference title these days should invoke street closures at Northgate and impromptu yell practices that were commonplace in the mid-1980s.

"I think it will be an advantage that people (are overlooking A&M)," sophomore tailback Dante Hall said. "I hope they continue to do that when the season starts. But they’ll be back on the bandwagon. I sound like a broken record, but there were a lot of games we should not have lost. I just thought we were way better than our 6-6 record."

As for the program as a whole, last year’s record should be considered a blip on the screen. As Slocum says, you don’t build programs overnight, and you don’t tear them down in one season, either

"In terms of the program, I don’t think the program has taken a giant step backwards," Slocum said. "You don’t just fall off, and all of a sudden, you don’t have a program anymore. We’ll be back."

And, consequently, back in the spotlight.

Join the Foundation
Return to the Main Page

Send questions or comments about the magazine to the editor, Homer Jacobs
Return to 12th Man Magazine Page