Volume 6, No. 7

First of a Cowboy Stampede As Aggies eye Wyoming and OSU, they must ease past McNeese in opener By Homer Jacobs

On Sept. 29, R.C. Slocum will be facing his old friend and colleague, Bob Davie, when Notre Dame comes to town for the much-anticipated battle with the Aggies from Kyle Field.

But first, the Aggie head coach will face his old school, as McNeese State comes to College Station for Texas A&M’s season opener on Sept. 1.

Slocum was a standout wide receiver/tight end for the Cowboys from 1964-67, owning five school receiving records upon graduation.

However, Slocum’s coaching career has been heavy on the defensive side of the ball, and his 2001 Aggies will need to use some solid defense to slow down McNeese State quarterback Slade Nagle.

Christian Rodriguez will get his chance to shine in the season opener.

Nagle was the Southland Football League’s top percentage passer a year ago as a junior, having completed 56.8 percent of his passes for 2,222 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Nagle is a major reason why McNeese State went 8-4 last fall and why the Cowboys are ranked ninth in this year’s USA Today Division I-AA coaches preseason poll.

Nagle’s favorite target is diminutive receiver Jermaine Martin, who hauled in 45 receptions last fall as a junior. Martin stands just 5-6, while flanker Britt Brodhead is just 5-9.

Add in 5-9 tailback Jessie Burton, and the Cowboys will feature one of the shortest offensive units the Aggies will face all season long. Burton is coming off knee surgery after injuring the joint in the eighth game of the 2000 season, but he still rushed for 745 yards in seven games.

Three of McNeese State’s offensive linemen measure no taller than 6-1, but both right guard Zac Quinlan and right tackle Jason Davis weigh over 300 pounds.

In contrast, starting center Chuck Gordon weighs just 238 pounds and will have to line up against the mammoth Ty Warren, A&M’s All-America candidate at nose guard.

The McNeese offense may be smallish, but it held its own against Division I foe Miami in last season’s opener. The Cowboys rolled up 409 yards of total offense and were tied 7-7 with the Canes in the first half, before UM romped to a 61-14 victory.

A&M coach R.C. Slocum will face his alma mater when McNeese State rolls into town Sept. 1.

Indeed, it’s defensively where the Cowboys likely will have problems holding down the Aggies. Even the recent transfer of linebacker LeBrandon Shepard from A&M to McNeese State shouldn’t be enough to keep the A&M offense off the field much.

The Cowboys return six defensive starters, with strong safety Hadley Prince leading the team in tackles with 106 in 2000. And with free safety Arthur Goodly finishing second in tackles with 87, McNeese will look for more help from its front seven in 2001.

With a new coaching staff in place for the Aggies, no one is really sure what to expect from the Aggie offense in the opener. But that’s a good thing, says A&M quarterback Mark Farris.

"I think that’s a good way to explain it – not knowing what to expect," Farris said. "That’s what we’re trying to do. I’ve talked to (offensive coordinator Dino Babers) about this, and I think he feels the same way. I think the biggest thing we’re going to do is be hard to prepare for, and that’s what football is all about. I think we’re going to be able to do a lot of different things, which will make it pretty neat."

And while the Aggies likely will jump out to a lead on the Cowboys in the first half, Farris said the team has emphasized building a more aggressive approach when opponents are teetering on the field.

Last year, the Aggies lost four games in which they were tied or led at halftime.

"Once we get ahead of people, we’ve got to have the killer instinct," Farris added. "You only get 11 or 12 chances, so it’s not very much at all. It’s crazy not to take advantage of all the opportunities you get. Hopefully, we’ll be able to do that."

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