Aggies could start two freshman on o-line Saturday

The Texas A&M football team is about to do something uncommon for a BCS program -- start two true freshmen on the offensive line.

Patrick Lewis played so well in a mop-up role against Arkansas that he's scheduled to make his first start at right guard in the Big 12 opener against Oklahoma State on Saturday. The 6-foot-2, 312-pound Lewis could join fellow true freshman Stephen Barrera, who has started the last two games at left tackle.

"I really felt like in this game [Lewis] really exerted some power and strength at the point of attack that was kind of special," A&M head coach Mike Sherman said. "There have been times in our blocking I've been critical of our guys that we don't displace enough. We're not knocking people backwards. We're getting to our blocks, but there's no 'umph'. Patrick has a little bit of that 'umph' factor that can move people."

Barrera (6-5, 302) might have played earlier this season, but he missed time in training camp because of a concussion. And he's also switching positions. He played defense at Clear Lake High School.

"With Barrera, I would say he's not a typical freshman," Sherman said. "He had great strength numbers in the weight room this summer. He's one of our stronger players. He's a very good athlete. What he lacks is just experience at that position. I don't think he's going to have problems out of the ordinary with physical matchups."

Barrera and the offensive line were overwhelmed at times in Saturday night's 47-19 loss to Arkansas in the Southwest Classic at Cowboys Stadium. Quarterback Jerrod Johnson was sacked twice, lost two fumbles and had 28 incompletions in the face of constant pressure.

"From a fundamentals standpoint, [Barrera] was just doing some things that put him in tough positions, which are all things we can correct," Sherman said.

If Lewis starts, he'll be the seventh change of some sort on the offensive line this season.

"It continues to be work in progress for us," Sherman said. "It was evident in the ballgame the other day that we struggled in protection. I thought our quarterback was put under duress way too many times in order for us to be successful in the game, and obviously the offensive line plays a part in that."

Lewis is from East St. John High School in LaPlace, La.

"He comes from a small little town in Louisiana, but the stage is never too big for Patrick Lewis," Sherman said. "He's very much at ease, going into the game and playing. He doesn't feel overwhelmed at all. He really performed at a high level against Arkansas."

Lewis was coached in high school by Larry Dauterive, a good friend of Sherman's.

Sherman had a keen eye for great offensive linemen in his stints as A&M's offensive line coach from 1989-93 and 1995-96 with 11 players earning first-team all-conference honors -- Keith Alex, Mike Arthur, Calvin Collins, Chris Dausin, John Ellisor, Hunter Goodwin, Tyler Harrison, Jason Mathews, Matt McCall, Richmond Webb and Dexter Wesley. A&M has had only five offensive linemen earn all-conference honors since 1996.

A&M was a much more run-oriented team back then, rushing for more yards than passing in five of Sherman's seasons as offensive line coach including a school-record 3,829 yards rushing in 1990.

The shift to spread offenses have made run blocking somewhat of a lost art.

"Most people would say pass protection is more unnatural," Sherman said. "But a lot of kids that come out of high school these days, particularly in the state of Texas, have been in passing offenses. So it's further advanced than when I was a line coach here in the late '80s and early '90s. A lot of these kids just can't run block when they come in, because they've been in two-point stances and never really have had to come off the football."

Also making it harder on young linemen are the zone blitzes that defenses are using to combat the wide-open offenses, using speed rushers such as A&M's Von Miller to get sacks or at least disrupt an offense's timing.

"At this level, when you're playing against high school All-Americans from the last ballgame through the rest of the season, I don't think week-in and week-out in high school that you face the degree of pass rush that we face here on our schedule," Sherman said.

All that makes it harder for incoming offensive linemen to be able to start.

SI.com did a preseason story on potential impact true freshmen before the season and included A&M running back Christine Michael among the 17 players. Only two offensive linemen made the list, both from UCLA -- Stan Hasiak and Xavier Su'a Filo.

Su'a Filo started at center in the season opener, the first true freshman to start a season opener on the offensive side in school history.

Wisconsin sent shockwaves through its fan base by starting true freshman Travis Frederick at center in its opener. The last time the Badgers started a true freshman on the offensive line was 1991 when Cory Raymer started the last four games, which jump-started his All-America career.

When Auburn and Georgia met in 2007, each team started three freshmen on the offensive line. Georgia started true freshmen at left tackle (Trinton Sturdivant) and right guard (Clint Boling) along with a redshirt freshman at left guard (Chris Davis). Auburn did the Bulldogs one better with former A&M defensive coordinator Tommy Tuberville starting three true freshmen -- Lee Ziemba at right tackle, Chaz Ramsey at right guard and Ryan Pugh at left tackle.

It could happen at A&M this year depending on the development of true freshman offensive tackle Rhontae Scales.

"We're really pushing the envelope on Scales," Sherman said. "I think he has a lot of talent. He's such a massive man and again falls into line with what I talked about with [Barrera and Lewis]. Physically he has the tools and the maturity. He just needs the work and the reps."

A&M started true freshman Joe Villavisencio at right guard against Iowa State last season. Other true freshmen offensive linemen to start for the Aggies were Jami Hightower in 2001 and Matt McCall in 1987.

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A&M had planned to start the season with Lucas Patterson at left tackle after he moved from defense. However, Patterson was moved back to defense, leaving sophomore Danny Baker as the left tackle along with returning starters Lee Grimes at right tackle, Kevin Matthews at center and Michael Shumard at left guard. Matt Allen, a transfer, started at right guard.

For the second game, Shumard took over for Baker at left tackle, where he played last year. Sophomore Evan Eike started at left guard, where he started every game last season.

Grimes then missed the third game with bruised ribs. Baker took his place at right tackle, and Barrera started at left tackle with Shumard moving back to left guard.

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A&M's game at Kansas State on Oct. 17 will be at 6 p.m. and be televised nationally by Fox College Sports.

A&M FOOTBALL

Who: Oklahoma State (3-1) at Texas A&M (3-1)

Time/place: 11:40 a.m., Saturday, Kyle Field

TV/Radio: FSN (Ch. 25)/WTAW (1620 A&M), Siruis Ch. 154

Tickets: $80-$85; $40 (south zone end zone)

SETTING THE FOUNDATION

Texas A&M signed 20 offensive linemen from 2004-2009, 13 of them rated in the state's Top 100 and one in the Top 10, according to Rivals.com. Texas also signed 20 during the same period, 19 in the Top 100 and five in the Top 10. Oklahoma signed 29 of which 20 where Top 100 players and nine in the Top 10. The Sooners also leaned heavily on junior college transfers, signing six. A&M signed one, while UT didn't sign any.

A&M has commitments for the 2010 class from four linemen rated in the Top 100, including a pair in the Top 10. Texas has two pledges, both Top 10 players, while OU has four commitments, all Top 100 players and one in the Top 10.

Here are the offensive linemen signed by A&M, UT and OU from 2004-09 along with known pledges for 2010 with rankings according to rivals.com:

TEXAS A&M

2010: Garrett Grambling; Luke Joeckel (No. 20); Shep Klinke (No. 74); Jake Matthews (No. 7); Cedric Ogbuehl (No. 15).

2009: Stephen Barrera (No. 70); Patrick Lewis (No. 13 in La.); Clint Naron; Rhontae Scales (No. 75).

2008: Josh Ayers; LeRoy Chavalier (No. 70); Jeffrey Hyde; Chris Lathrop (No. 65); Brian Thomas (No. 64); Joe Villavisencio.

2007: Daniel Baker (No. 95); Evan Eike (No. 76).

2006: Lucas Patterson (No. 44).

2005: Robbie Frost (No. 86); Lee Grimes (No. 43); Kellen Heard (No. 33 in 2004); Michael Shumard (No. 10).

2004: Yemi Babalola; Grant Dickey (JUCO transfer); Travis Schneider.

TEXAS

2010: Dominic Espinosa (No. 10); Trey Hopkins (No. 6).

2009: Thomas Ashcraft (No. 22); Paden Kelley (No. 50); Garrett Porter (No. 10); Mason Walters (No. 6).

2008: Mark Buchanan (No. 20); Luke Poehlmann (No. 68); David Snow (No. 25).

2007: Tray Allen (No. 3), Kyle Hix (No. 28), Michael Huey (No. 6), Aundre McGaskey (No. 15).

2006: Buck Burnette (No. 33), Steve Moore (No. 74), Roy Watts; J'Marcus Webb (No. 9).

2005: Chris Hall (No. 57), Charlie Tanner (No. 61).

2004: Cedric Dockey (No. 12); Greg Dolan (No. 27); Adam Ulatoski (No. 36).

OKLAHOMA

2010: Bronson Irwin (No. 2 in Okla.); Adam Shead (No. 43); Tyrus Thompson (No. 17); Austin Woods (No. 33).

2009: Josh Aladenoye (No. 76); Tyler Evans (No. 12 in Mo.); Tavaris Jeffries (JUCO transfer); Jeff Vinson (JUCO transfer).

2008: Stephen Good (No. 3); Ben Habern (No. 22); Britt Mitchell.

2007: Kody Cooke (No. 14 in Okla.); Jason Hannan (No. 23); Phil Loadholt (JUCO transfer); Donald Stephenson (No. 7 in Mo.); Alex Williams (No. 24 in La.).

2006: Curtis Bailey (No. 30); Chase Beeler (No. 7 in Okla.); Cory Brandon (No. 17); Sherrone Moore (JUCO transfer); Chad Roark (No. 9 in Okla.); Brandon Walker (JUCO transfer); Trent Williams (No. 63).

2005: Ben Barresi (No. 8 in Okla.); Brandon Braxton; Jon Cooper (No. 3 in Colo.); Brandon Keith (JUCO transfer); Duke Robinson (No. 14 in Ga.); Jesse White (No. 2 in Colo.).

2004: Brandon Braxton (No. 4 in Ohio); Randy McAdams; J.D. Quinn (No. 49); Cameron Schacht (No. 64).