AUSTIN -- It's appropriate that the Texas-Texas A&M game was moved to Thanksgiving for the first time in 15 years.
The Aggies can now give thanks the season is over.
It's been a drawn-out, rigorous three months. I can only imagine how the players feel having to deal with winning only four games, which is tied for the fewest since a 3-8 season under Emory Ballard in 1972.
It's got to be discouraging when the worst loss of the season is not a 49-9 drubbing to your arch-rival.
For all intent and purpose, the end of the season came nearly two weeks ago in Waco.
Evidence of that came in the pregame press conference, when nearly as much of the talk was about looking forward to spring camp as it was facing intrastate-rival Texas on a national stage in the next week.
"I definitely feel like [we have] a lot of little kinks to work out but we have a whole offseason," said freshman wide receiver Jeff Fuller, one of the few bright spots this season. "We prepare for eight months and play for three or four, and I feel like offseason will be rough and a grind but I definitely feel like we are going to turn the corner."
When they turn the corner they'd better make sure to look out for that truck heading straight at them, because it's going to take more than a few practices for the Aggies to put their first last-place finish in the Big 12 South behind them.
Having said that, 10 penalties Thursday -- including one for too many men on the field and several false starts -- in the 12th game speaks volumes.
Ironically, two seniors touched on the most pressing problem in that same press conference, which is bringing athletes to College Station and getting them in the correct positions.
"Obviously we've got some huge strides to take to be able to compete at the level kids come to A&M to play at," senior quarterback Stephen McGee said. "[Coach Mike Sherman] is going to have to recruit. You've got to have players, I don't care how good a coach you are you have to have good players."
Tackle Travis Schneider, who didn't dress for his final game at A&M, pointed out that the staff has got to get their "kids in here, [something they've] started this season," and "put the right athletes in the right spots."
Its obvious there will have to be as much work done between now and the beginning of spring camp as there will be the next time the coaches can get hands-on with the players. And it's not just the players who can benefit from that work.
The first season of Sherman's transition from the NFL to the college game wasn't very successful on the field, and that showed up in the second quarter Thursday.
Trailing 14-0 and facing a fourth-and-1 at the Texas 20, Sherman elected to go for a field goal rather than attempt to keep the drive alive and cut the score in half.
In the NFL, you don't take points off the board. In the Big 12, with the high-powered offenses that move the ball up and down the field, you can't throw away an opportunity to score as many points as possible.
Field goals don't win Big 12 games anymore.
The Aggies had two first downs to that point, so it was obvious opportunities to put points on the board were not going to come often. If the score was tied, or even a little bit closer, the field goal may have been the way to go. But it's not like the Aggies were going to hold Texas the remainder of the game and win 17-14.
Sherman said after the game that if he had more confidence in the offense he may have gone for it.
That's the reason he should have gone for it. If you don't have confidence in the offense, how do expect it to be in that position enough times to win? When teams are scoring in the 30s and 40s, trying to catch up in multiples of 3 is not a good formula.
Sherman chose a similar route against Texas Tech, and the end result was the Aggies chasing the high-powered Red Raider offense in the second half.
Looking at the rushing stats on Thursday -- A&M tailbacks had 24 yards on 12 carries -- Sherman's logic is understandable. But kicking with a yard to go to get within 11 against a team that scores 43 points a game is not.
Richard Croome's e-mail address is richard.croome@theeagle.com.
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Posted by: Pablo On: 12/4/2008
Comment Title: Sherman will be good for A&M
I wasn't sold on him early, but the more I get to know about what he is building the better I feel. The hardest part is the waiting.
Posted by: On: 11/29/2008
Comment Title: MCAGGIE
We hired a race car driver to get our not so competitive car around the track in a somewhat competitive fashion. This guy can't seem to make a lap because he keeps running into the wall. Progress sir, progress. Don't need to win but do need to complete the race. BTW, you set kickoff return records because you get more chances to return kickoffs. A little research will tell us why we get more chances. like the other team scores on most of their possessions.
Posted by: On: 11/29/2008
Comment Title:
what makes you think someone in the nfl would listen to sherman. coming out of school I think I would want to be associated with a real good college coach instead of a past nfl guy. by the way, is that a promotion squence-----college coach, nfl coach, nfl head coach, nfl coordinator, college head coach ?
Posted by: McAggie On: 11/28/2008
Comment Title: you had to see this coming
Francione was frustrating because he wouldn't throw the ball until his last game against tu. I was torn - Francione was not getting the job done (constantly finishing 3rd & 4th is not good) but everyone knows almost all first & second seasons are horrible.... Now that we're here, why be so down on Sherman after one year? How do the complainers know a guy who coached in the NFL for 6 or so years is "the worst hire in college history"? Winning, good facilities, and good recruiters will get good talent to come. Our facilities have been upgraded recently - how could a guy that can tell a kid what it takes to make it in the NFL not be a good recruiter? We're going to have to start winning with what we can get here, then the rest will get easier. It will take a few years every time you change coaches - you can't use Nick Saban as the model - how often does that happen? You had to see this coming...
Posted by: You Don't Want to KNow On: 11/28/2008
Comment Title: FIRE KINES !
FIRE KINES ! FIRE KINES ! FIRE KINES ! FIRE KINES ! FIRE KINES ! FIRE KINES ! FIRE KINES ! FIRE KINES ! FIRE KINES ! FIRE kINES ! FIRE KINES ! FIRE KINES ! FIRE KINES !
Posted by: On: 11/28/2008
Comment Title: Worst Hire In College Football
Sherman has to be the worst hire in College Football. He was hired because of the Good Ol Boy network and Byrne's lack of a real National search. Now we are stuck for 6 more years - thanks Bill.
Posted by: miller58 On: 11/28/2008
Comment Title: The Politico's/Administration got the Good 'ol Boy Improvement They Wanted, A Sherman, and A&M is Even Worse Next Year!
My personal opinions: A&M beat tu and had 7 win and a 9 win regular seasons the last two years, but we had a coach then: A&M committed 14 four and five star difference makers last year. With this coach additionally in the final cut on a five star CB, a Five star WR, and a whole handfull of four star difference makers, even slow playing a few in reserve, this coach was bringing up to "20" difference makers with him this season. A difference maker at every offensive, defensive and special teams position pus depth in reserve; a breakthrough in mac's and stoops recruiting strangle hold on Big 12 recruiting; a squad at the same level as 'bama this year, and a proven head coach who beat Saban 31-0 at lsu the last time they met! Finally A&M would have a team with the talent and head coach to compeat for the Big 12 and the mnc! Screw that, the Politico's/Administration got the good'ol boy they wanted, a Sherman, not proven as a college head coach/recruiter, and with even no search; and 86,000 kyle Field aggies got the shaft for the next seven years! Using as an excuse a vip news letter reportedly exactly like a half dozen other Division1 schools were doing; so now A&M pays a good coach over $5000 a day not to compeat for the Big 12 and mnc; and a sherman $5000 a day to not compeat for the Big 12 and an mnc? Just make that 85,999! miller58
Posted by: On: 11/28/2008
Comment Title: Aggie Basketball
Now we can focus on the sport that is really important - baseketball!!!!!!!!!! Whoop. Go Aggies!
