Volume 6, No. 9

STAND AND WAIT Farris' composure in the pocket obvious, as junior throws for career-best 341 yards By Homer Jacobs

LARAMIE, Wyo.– Mark Farris knew the Wyoming Cowboys were going to be a pain in his side. After all, a pain in his side –specifically a bad hip pointer – was going to nag him in the cold of the high country no matter how many pain pills he could take.

So the Texas A&M junior quarterback reminded himself on a daily basis of game week that nothing was going to make the injury subside. It was time to suck it up and play.

The result was a steadfast and record-breaking performance to lead the Aggies to a 28-20 victory before 18,131 at War Memorial Stadium.

Mark Farris prepares to be hit just as he releases the ball in the win over Wyoming.

"The last game with my hip situation, I was throwing ball sidearm and off my back foot," said Farris, who threw for a career high 341 yards. "That 's really what I wanted to do (against Wyoming). It was going to hurt either way, so I said just stand in there and take it and worry about after the game. I wrote that in my notebook all week: Just stand in there.

"That's the best feeling as a quarterback to when you make a play, get knocked down and the guy is just laying there."

There's no doubt Farris was his own pain in the pocket for the Cowboys, who repeatedly harassed him, only to see the calm Farris hit receivers at the last second to move the chains. In fact, Farris completed an amazing 12 of 13 passes on third down against the fired-up Cowboys.

Those are back-breaking plays that Farris is delivering to a defense. And the presence in the pocket is quickly becoming his staple.

"He's done a great job as far as hanging in the pocket," said sure-handed receiver Greg Porter. "Even when he gets outside, he's not just throwing it away, but giving us a chance. When you do that and you have receivers making the plays, you're going to move the ball."

If Farris wasn't hanging in the pocket until the last minute, firing bullets for first downs, he was coolly sidestepping the rush to find A&M receivers breaking open after broken-down plays.

There was no better example than Farris' 38-yard touchdown pass to Dwain Goynes to put the Aggies up by eight with 7:31 remaining in the game.

Farris rolled to his right, Goynes broke off the play and the two hooked up for the key play of the game. It was a play bot h upperclassmen may not have made a year ago.

"It came at a good time, and it was a timely catch," said coach R.C. Slocum, who was clearly disappointed in his team's overall performance against the Cowboys. "And it was something good for (Goynes). He had a couple of catches tonight. He's got great speed.

"That one he had enough room to use his speed, and I thought he did a great job of getting in the end zone."

Although the Aggies sputtered with penalties (11-82), and Farris' only interception came in the end zone at the end of the first half, A&M's offense began to take the form of a diverse and unpredictable unit.

Farris threw to eight different receivers, used the shovel pass to tailback Keith Joseph in Oklahoma-like fashion and finally found the tight end in the offense. The result was 507 yards of total offense and a glimpse into an interesting future offensively for the Aggies.

No, there is not a game-breaker on offense, but Farris is getting close. And if the Aggies can get similar play out him the rest of the way, the offense isn't going to be the problem for A&M this fall.

"I don't worry about Mark mentally," Slocum added. "He's said many times that in baseball, that one day you go (4-for-4) at the plate and the next day you go 0-for-4. He's not a guy who gets rattled. He stays poised, and I like that a lot in him."

And if Farris can ever shake the hip injury –and A&M doctors say it could linger for weeks –his future is unlimited in Aggieland.

And Aggie passing records are in serious trouble.

But, of course, Farris could care less about records and numbers. He laughs at their perceived importance anytime a reporter brings them up in a post-game press conference.

Indeed, this guy is a warrior in the maroon and white... and one who is as underrated in the Big 12 as any player out there.

Sure, the Aggies must improve their consistency on both sides of the ball, and the defensive performance against the Cowboys was lackluster at best.

But A&M players, coaches and fans can rest easy on one count: Mark Farris will continue to be a pain for at least nine more opponents in 2001.

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