August 18, 2002
Texas A&M sophomore tight end Joey Perot (pronounced PAY-roe) has decided to give up playing college football after his third shoulder injury in three years, A&M coach R.C. Slocum announced Sunday.
"Joey Perot has sustained a third shoulder injury in three years and he has decided to retire from playing football," Slocum said. "Joey has worked so hard twice before to bounce back from injuries, and to have this happen a third time breaks my heart. I have met with him and he will be placed on a medical scholarship and will remain in school to pursue his degree. He is still a part of this football team, and even though he won't be on the practice or playing field, he is still an Aggie football player."
"It is very, very hard to give up on my dream of playing college football," Perot said. "After visiting with the medical staff and my coaches, I feel it is in my best interest to stop playing football."
Perot was an All-State tight end at Petal High School in Petal, Mississippi. His freshman season (2000) he injured his shoulder in practice and required surgery and last fall he played in two games before suffering season-ending surgery on the same shoulder. Perot was limited in the spring and held out of contact until fall drills started. Last Thursday (Aug. 15), Perot's shoulder popped out of place again.
"I can't tell you enough positive things about the way my son has been treated by Coach (R.C.) Slocum, Coach (Tam) Hollingshead and all of the people at Texas A&M," Perot's mother, Kate, said. "You hear all of the time during the recruiting process how your son will be treated like their own. I am here to tell you that is exactly how Coach Slocum has handled Joey. With me several hundred miles away, Joey called to tell me his shoulder had gone out again. Immediately, the coaches talked with Joey and helped him. Coach Slocum made it a point to give Joey all of the information and alternatives, but the decision would rest with Joey. Coach Slocum is not just looking out for his program and trying to win games at the expense of any individual player, he has shown me first-hand how much he cares about his players."
Perot's father, Pete, is the offensive line coach at Louisiana Tech and played eight years in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles (1979-84) and the New Orleans Saints (1985-86). Texas A&M will play host to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Sept. 28 at Kyle Field.
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The Aggies practice for a little more than an hour in shorts and helmets Sunday at the grass practice fields.
Slocum said that offensive lineman Billy Yates' arm surgery on Saturday night went well. One the most experienced players on the line, Yates, a senior, suffered a broken left arm during the Aggies' scrimmage on Saturday night at Kyle Field. Yates is expected to miss six weeks.
"We'll take a wait and see look, but it looks like six weeks," Slocum said. "The doctors will continue to x-ray him and evaluate it to see how quickly it heals."
Moving from right tackle to Yates' left guard position is junior Andre Brooks. Meanwhile, junior Alan Reuber will take over at right tackle. Reuber started in that position during the Baylor game last season. Switching from defensive line to offensive line will be true freshman Brian Patrick from Pasadena Rayburn High School.
Slocum said running back Derek Farmer and wide receiver Bethel Johnson returned to the workouts on Sunday.
The Aggies will practice on Monday at 7:50 a.m. to 9 a.m., 10 a.m. to 11:25 a.m., and again at 5:40 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. All practices are open to the public and will be held at the grass practice facility. Fans should check for the specific practice schedule daily on AggieAthletics.com.
The No. 23-ranked Aggies kickoff the 2002 season on Saturday, August 31 against Louisiana-Lafayette at 6 p.m. at Kyle Field.