By ROBERT CESSNA
Last year, linebackers Von Miller and Garrick Williams fell out of a canoe and into a pond at the home of Texas A&M head football coach Mike Sherman on the eve of opening fall camp. A year later, Miller smiled when asked if he would be canoeing to kick off his senior season.
"I'm going to try and stay away from it this year," Miller said on Sunday night. "I'm going to stay away from the water."
Miller's experience and judgment are reflective of the 2010 Texas A&M squad, which returns 19 starters. Miller, who started only four games as a sophomore, made a bigger splash on the field last season. He led the nation with 17 sacks and became an All-American.
"I think we're a lot more confident," Miller said. "The overall sense of confidence with the team is just improving."
Junior quarterback Ryan Tannehill said the team is closer than ever.
"You can feel the chemistry is building in our team," said Tannehill, who led the team with 46 catches for 609 yards a year ago. "This is my fourth year here. The first couple of years, we weren't too close. We thought we were, but nothing like it is now. We're like a bunch of brothers now."
Except for the incoming freshmen, the veterans know what to expect. They are eager to start, but they know what's ahead. Tannehill said he's more nervous about a bio chemistry final he has on Tuesday than Monday night's opening practice.
Junior safety Trent Hunter, a defensive leader along with Miller, said the team's growth has been impressive.
"We've always had young teams since we've been here, guys who really didn't buy into what the coaches are trying to instill in this program," Hunter said. "I think maturity is the biggest thing we've improved on in the last year."
Senior quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who was voted the Big 12's preseason offensive player of the year, said the improved talent level is obvious when you look around, which is what he was talking about with quarterbacks coach Tom Rossley.
"It's just exciting to know you have a lot of talent around you," Johnson said.
This is the most experienced team in Sherman's three years, but he has five new assistants and Monday's workout will be the first with all of the freshmen, who as a group were ranked 17th in the country by Rivals.com. Quarterback Matt Joeckel, offensive tackle Luke Joeckel, defensive back Clay Honeycutt and quarterback Jamiell Showers took part in spring drills.
"I'm anxious to get started just to see where we're at," Sherman said. "And I think the guys are, too. They've really worked hard. I'm really proud of them."
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NOTES -- Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Rhontae Scales will audition at nose tackle in A&M's 3-4 alignment. "He really had a good summer and slimmed down," Sherman said. ... Sherman said some players will work at two positions in the first week to see where they fit in best. Freshman Malcome Kennedy from Cayuga, who was recruited as a wide receiver, also will see action at safety. ... A&M is waiting on defensive lineman Jonathan Mathis, a junior college transfer from Blinn College who has completed all his requirements to be certified. Sherman expects Mathis to join the program Monday or Tuesday. ... Junior Ben Bass, who played in 10 games in 2008 at tight end and in the defensive line, has returned to the program after going to Blinn last year to regain his academic eligibility. "He's grown up a little bit, he's more mature," Sherman said of Bass, who did not play football at Blinn. "I look at him as being an athletic defensive end in our system." Sherman said Bass had to get "great grades," not just good grades, to return. ... Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Clint Naron (multiple injuries, including a shoulder), junior wide receiver Nick Trice (knee) and sophomore wide receiver Roger Holland (concussions) will take medical redshirts. Trice played in 12 games last season, mostly on special teams. Holland has been injured the last two seasons. ... Defensive back Colton Valencia and defensive tackle Rod Davis, a pair of sophomores, are no longer with the team. Valencia played in all 13 games last year, mostly on special teams. He had three tackles. Davis played in one game. ... Sophomore linebacker Kyle Mangan (shoulder surgery) has been cleared to practice, Sherman said. He expects no players to be severely limited, which wasn't the case last year when fall camp opened with many players still recovering from offseason surgeries. ... Sophomore defensive back Stephen Campbell tweaked his ankle in the offseason and could be limited for Monday's practice. "It will be exciting to see him at full speed, but it might not be until Wednesday," Sherman said.
NOTES -- Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Rhontae Scales will audition at nose tackle in A&M's 3-4 alignment. "He really had a good summer and slimmed down," Sherman said. ... Sherman said some players will work at two positions in the first week to see where they fit in best. Freshman Malcome Kennedy from Cayuga, who was recruited as a wide receiver, also will see action at safety. ... A&M is waiting on defensive lineman Jonathan Mathis, a junior college transfer from Blinn College who has completed all his requirements to be certified. Sherman expects Mathis to join the program Monday or Tuesday. ... Junior Ben Bass, who played in 10 games in 2008 at tight end and in the defensive line, has returned to the program after going to Blinn last year to regain his academic eligibility. "He's grown up a little bit, he's more mature," Sherman said of Bass, who did not play football at Blinn. "I look at him as being an athletic defensive end in our system." Sherman said Bass had to get "great grades," not just good grades, to return. ... Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Clint Naron (multiple injuries, including a shoulder), junior wide receiver Nick Trice (knee) and sophomore wide receiver Roger Holland (concussions) will take medical redshirts. Trice played in 12 games last season, mostly on special teams. Holland has been injured the last two seasons. ... Defensive back Colton Valencia and defensive tackle Rod Davis, a pair of sophomores, are no longer with the team. Valencia played in all 13 games last year, mostly on special teams. He had three tackles. Davis played in one game. ... Sophomore linebacker Kyle Mangan (shoulder surgery) has been cleared to practice, Sherman said. He expects no players to be severely limited, which wasn't the case last year when fall camp opened with many players still recovering from offseason surgeries. ... Sophomore defensive back Stephen Campbell tweaked his ankle in the offseason and could be limited for Monday's practice. "It will be exciting to see him at full speed, but it might not be until Wednesday," Sherman said.
TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL
This week's fall drills: 6:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; 8:25 a.m. Thursday and Friday; 8:25 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday; 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
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