By ROBERT CESSNAApproximately 50 retired high school and college assistants are guests of first-year A&M head coach Mike Sherman this weekend.
"Us coaches and the players -- as I told them -- owe a great debt of gratitude to the high school coaches in the state of Texas for what they've done," Sherman said. "Even though these coaches are retired, they've impacted many, many colleges in this state and out of state and many, many men."
Gov. Rick Perry swapped stories with the group along with former A&M head coach R.C. Slocum and A&M's 1957 Heisman Trophy winner, John David Crow.
Slocum and Crow shared a few stories with former Dallas Roosevelt coach Robert Thomas, who groomed several players for distinguished college and pro careers. Aggie greats Aaron Wallace, Richmond Webb and Jeff Fuller Sr. played for Thomas, who also coached All-Americans John Jefferson (Arizona State) and Kevin Williams (Miami).
Coaches watching A&M practice Friday included:
• former A&M Consolidated head coach Roy Kokemoor, who also played and coached at Brenham and was an assistant at A&M under Jackie Sherrill.
• former Bryan High head coach Marty Criswell and assistant athletic director Rick Page along with former A&M player Jim Kazmierski, who was an assistant at Consol and Bryan.
• former Consol head coach Ross Rogers, who coached current A&M junior offensive lineman Michael Shumard while at Harker Heights.
• former A&M assistants Dan LaGrasta, Alan Weddell, John Pearce and Melvin Robertson.
• former coaches Lynn Etheredge (Tomball), Eddie Joseph (Wharton, former Texas High School Coaches Association executive director), Weldon Willig (The Woodlands), Wayne Hooks (Cypress Falls) and Joe Washington (Port Arthur Lincoln).
• local rancher Charles Brown of the Lazy B-5 Ranch, who was inducted into the Prairie View Hall of Fame.
"It's important to recognize them," Sherman said. "And this weekend is about them."
Sherman was a high school coach for three years before becoming a part-time coach at the University of Pittsburgh in 1981.
Bryan Viking gets time with first unit: Former Bryan High standout Evan Eike worked out at left guard with the first-team offense Friday. The 6-foot-4, 303-pounder missed time early in the week with an ankle injury, and he attended his grandfather's funeral.
"He's getting to the point where he understands things a lot better than he did," Sherman said. "Now it's just a matter of working with his fundamentals and getting his hands and his feet right simultaneously. One time his hands will be right and his feet won't be right. Next time, his feet are right and his hands aren't right. We're working through that.
"He's a tough kid. He gives a good effort. We just need to keep pushing the envelope with him, and hopefully, he can really help us."
Roll the tape: The coaches review tape of good and bad plays from each practice with the players daily. Sherman said Friday night's review will have more good than bad thanks to a stellar day by the receivers.
"I was very encouraged by them today," Sherman said. "Guys were catching the ball who hadn't been before. Guys were making some spectacular plays. We probably made more today than we have all camp, and that's encouraging."
Sherman also said he liked Friday's tempo after a disappointing Thursday.
"I am really excited about today," Sherman said. "I thought we had some really crisp [drills] and got a lot done. The guys stepped up and made more plays. We practiced a lot of situations today, so we accomplished a good bit more than I thought we were going to. The kids responded real well, and I'm excited about that."
Injury update: Junior offensive lineman Vincent Williams, senior fullback Jorvorskie Lane, senior defensive end Michael Bennett, senior cornerback Danny Gorrer, senior fullback Nick LaMantia, junior running back Keondra Smith and senior safety Johnathan Batson didn't participate in morning contract drills, but Bennett and Gorrer took part in all afternoon drills.
Scrimmage Saturday: The second scrimmage of the fall will be at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at Kyle Field and is open to current A&M students, former students (wearing an Aggie ring) and A&M faculty or staff with a current ID.
There were two practices Friday. The 2 1/2-hour morning session in full pad was on the grass fields. The afternoon practice -- the 16th workout of fall camp -- was inside, which worked out well because of the rain that blew into the Bryan-College Station area.
Shouldering the load: The players took off their shoulder pads in the afternoon session after a couple team drills and individual drills. Earlier this week, they took off the shoulder pads halfway through a workout.
"I want us to learn how to practice without pads on," Sherman said. "In the NFL, you do that a lot, just so you don't beat each other up. [But] in order to practice without pads, you have to be good with your hands. You have to be able to press off of people."
Sherman said players are forced to use their hands without pads while cutting down on the shoulder- and head-banging contact.
Earlier this week, Sherman said the Aggies didn't practice without pads as well as he would've liked.
"They didn't quite understand," Sherman said. "It's a faster tempo."
He said the Aggies picked up the pace without pads Friday.
Big change for QB: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill continues to make plays at wide receiver.
The 6-foot-4, 204-pound redshirt freshman caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Stephen McGee during 7-on-7 drills. Tannehill deftly used a bump from redshirt freshman defensive back Justin McQueen to create separation and made a diving grab. Tannehill also made another diving catch a few plays later.
"He has some quickness and size," Sherman said. "We got to find a spot somewhere for him to be able to use his skills. We need playmakers, and he stepped up today."
Sherman said Tannehill's work at receiver this week might have helped elevate the performance of the other receivers Friday.
Senior Drew Williamson had several good catches in both practices. He made a sliding catch that earned congratulations from McGee and senior wide receiver Howard Morrow.
Hall of Fame autograph: Former Pittsburgh Steeler "Mean" Joe Greene watched Friday morning's practice. A smiling Greene shook the hand of Eric Eike, father of offensive lineman Evan Eike, and signed an autograph for Laurie Shumard, mother of offensive lineman Michael Shumard. Laurie Shumard said she doesn't ask for autographs, and Mike would kill her if he knew, but Laurie Shumard, who grew up in Ohio and played volleyball at Ohio State, was a big Steelers' fan. Greene was more than happy to oblige.
Game-like conditions: A&M's first-team offense argued a couple of calls that went against it in an 8-minute drill to end the morning session. Wide receiver Jeremy Brown caught a pass ruled just short of a first down by one of the team's support personnel, which drew a squawk from McGee as the clock continued to run. A few plays later, senior wide receiver Pierre Brown made a juggling catch, which was ruled out-of-bounds, much to the chagrin of the offense.
"I hope you got that 401K working," Sherman told the guy who made the call.
Despite those calls, McGee led the first-team offense to 11 points in two possessions to erase a 10-point deficit in the game-like scrimmage. Richie Bean kicked a 37-yard field goal, and Morrow capped a 75-yard drive with a 21-yard touchdown catch on third-and-10 with just a few seconds left. Tight end Jamie McCoy added the two-point conversion.
"It was a nice sequence," Sherman said. "I love that part of practice."
• Robert Cessna's e-mail address is robert.cessna@theeagle.com.
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Posted by: Sooner in Aggieland On: 8/18/2008
Comment Title: Run the BIG 12?
I believe and hope the Ags will do well this year but- Hold on Miller58. I think you ought to break into the top 25 first!
Posted by: Coach Bible On: 8/17/2008
Comment Title: miller58
no doubt a national championship caliber team
Posted by: Aggie11 On: 8/16/2008
Comment Title: RE
Miller is an idiot your stichk is old dude.
Posted by: Bulldog73 On: 8/16/2008
Comment Title: miller58 is a troll
If this is THE miller58, he just wants to create unreasonable expectations just to gut the coach when they are not met. Ignore him.
Posted by: Redleg 26 On: 8/16/2008
Comment Title: Slow down
Miller58... SLOW down! We are going to be better than expected, but crushing the rest of the Big XII is a stretch. Give Sherm a few years before you buy the champagne.
Posted by: miller58 On: 8/16/2008
Comment Title: Texas A&M Talent Loaded!
A&M has more talent and experience at each and every position on offense, defense and special teams than at any time in the past decade and a half! It will only be a surprise if A&M does not win the Big 12 going away.