Aggies Take To Field for First Fall Workout
Aug 09, 2004 | Football
August 09, 2004
The Texas A&M football team held its first fall training camp workout which lasted more than two and a half hours Monday evening at the grass practice fields adjacent to Kyle Field.
The workout symbolized the start of the second fall training for coach Dennis Franchione and his staff in Aggieland, and it marked the 40th such camp for longtime director of facilities Billy Pickard who was honored by Franchione and the team prior to the workout.
Pickard, who will be inducted into the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Honor in September, was presented a 12th Man jersey with his name on the back prior to delivering a charismatic speech to the team that brought the 105 players to their feet and yelling.
"Billy is a legend and a franchise around here," Franchione said. "Anyone that has gone through 40 years of fall practices at A&M deserves some recognition. Billy has been a very special and meaningful person to me since I've been here."
Pickard was a student athletic trainer at A&M in the 1950s under legendary coach Paul Bryant. He returned to A&M as head athletic trainer in 1965.
Franchione noted that it was a different start to the season than it was for him last season.
"It was a good first day," Franchione said. "I think a year-two first day is always better than a year-one first day. Everybody was comfortable out there. I thought it was a good carry over from last year."
It marked the first practice for returning starting quarterback Reggie McNeal (Lufkin, Texas) since missing spring training with a shoulder injury that prevented him from throwing.
"Reggie looked fine," Franchione said. "I thought he threw with more velocity than I remember. He's gotten stronger and I think he feels stronger. I don't think missing spring hurt him a bit."
The Aggies will practice once per day through Friday.
The season kicks off at Utah on Sept. 2 in a game being televised by ESPN.
