March 01, 1999
The Texas A&M football team, defending champions of the Big 12 Conference, will begin spring workouts on Tuesday, Mar. 2.
Head Coach R.C. Slocum, the winningest coach in Texas A&M football history, will have to replace three starters on both sides of the football. On the offensive side, the leftside of the offensive line (tackle Rex Tucker and guard Cameron Spikes) is gone as well as the starting tight end (Dan Campbell).
On defense, the Aggies have to find a replacement for Dat Nguyen, the school's all-time leading tackler. Along with Nguyen, strong safety Rich Coady and outside linebacker Warrick Holdman have graduated.
A question mark on the special teams is finding a replacement for departed senior Kyle Lednicky, a deep snapper who did not have a bad snap in his four-year career.
A total of 44 lettermen return with 17 on offense and 25 on defense as well as both the All-America punter Shane Lechler, and placekicker Russell Bynum.
The Aggies finished the 1998 season with an 11-3 record and a 7-1 mark in Big 12 play. A&M defeated top-ranked Kansas State in the Big 12 title game in St. Louis and advanced to the Bowl Championship Series to face Ohio State in the Nokia Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 1.
Texas A&M will open the season on Sept. 4 against Louisiana Tech at the Independence Bowl Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana.