April 02, 2005
Senior receiver Jason Carter scored the only two touchdowns and senior Todd Pegram kicked the extra points and a field goal to complete the scoring in a two-hour full scrimmage of 91 plays Saturday at Kyle Field. This was the Aggies' 12th of 15 spring practices and second scrimmage.
Sophomore quarterback Stephen McGee hit Carter on a scoring pass from three yards out and later junior quarterback Ty Branyon pushed a shovel pass to Carter for a score from nine yards. In each case the second unit offense was operating against the second unit defense.
Pegram was true on a field goal of 30 yards. Earlier, sophomore defensive lineman Red Bryant blocked a 45-yard attempt by junior Layne Neumann.
Before the scrimmage with live kicking got underway, the Aggies went through 16 plays of situation goal line offense and defense, and the offense scored five times. On first-and-three junior running back Courtney Lewis scored on the first play.
With a third-and-goal at the two, 280-pound junior tight end Quinlin Germany lined up at fullback in a two-back set and scored. McGee then threw a short scoring pass to senior tight end Boone Stutz, and senior quarterback Reggie McNeal threw a TD pass to sophomore tight end Joey Thomas. Redshirt freshman Samson Taylor ended the goal line scoring with an option run on fourth-and-one.
McNeal led the No. 1 offense on an impressive drive on the first possession of the scrimmage, starting from the 10-yard line and stalling at the defense's 28. That's when Bryant ended the threat by blocking Neumann's field-goal attempt. McNeal hit senior receiver DeQawn Mobley for 37 yards, the longest play of the day, and McNeal finished with 8-for-12 and 97 yards. Receivers dropped two of his passes while wide open.
McGee hit 5-of-6 passing for 20 yards and he netted another 20 rushing. Branyon was 2-for-6 for 20 yards. Carter caught four passes for 27 yards, Mobley two for 45, and junior Chad Schroeder two for 17 yards.
Redshirt freshman Samson Taylor led all runners with 40 yards on seven carries. True freshman Keondra Smith, who entered school this semester, averaged 5 yards a carry for 25 yards net.
After the scrimmage head coach Dennis Franchione said, "I'm not sure how I feel about today. I'll know after I watch the video. I was worried about each side of the ball at various times, but we were definitely better than we were in last week's scrimmage."
He was pleased with the goal line work that started the day. "We were physical and played with lower pads," he said. "That's important, we need that kind of work because we operate spread out of the gun so much."
Looking back over the third week of spring practices Franchione commented, "The biggest thing is that the offensive line got better as the week went on, and that made the defensive line play better. We improved on the line of scrimmage, something we needed."
He said the team will lift weights and watch video Monday and Wednesday, practice in pads Tuesday and Thursday, and then conclude spring practice with the Maroon and White Game at Kyle Field with a 2 p.m. kickoff next Saturday, April 9. "I hope we have a huge crowd to spur our players on," Franchione said. "I know the goal is to have the largest spring football game crowd in state history, and that kind of energy would definitely transfer to the field."
NOTES:
* The players voted on the new 2005 Leadership Council and elected the following (alphabetically): S Jaxson Appel, QB Ty Branyon, DB Trey Brooks representing the 12th Man walk-ons, DT Red Bryant, OG Aldo De La Garza, OT Jami Hightower (who is idle this spring while rehabilitating a shoulder injury), DT Johnny Jolly, RB Courtney Lewis, LB Archie McDaniel, QB Reggie McNeal, WR DeQawn Mobley, and TE Boone Stutz.
* De La Garza returned to action on a limited basis after missing a few days with an ankle sprain. TB Brandon Leone sat out the scrimmage with a slightly strained hamstring, hoping to assure that he can return next week for the spring game.
* Coach Fran spoke to the Bryan/College Station Quarterback Club afterward in Hagner Auditorium at the Bright Building and he told them, "We've had a very good spring. We need our 20 or so seniors to play like seniors, and we need our redshirt freshmen and other inexperienced players to elevate their game."
* Graduated receiver Terrence Murphy mingled with his former teammates on the sideline. T-Murph is working out in Houston in preparation for the upcoming NFL draft.
* Franchione pointed out that many times when it appeared that the quarterbacks had been sacked they actually were running called QB draw plays. He was disturbed over dropped passes - "Kerry Franks dropped three, and I don't think he's dropped three all spring" - fumbles by redshirt freshman tailback Jay Lucas, and a fumbled snap by punter Richie Bean. "Otherwise, Richie hit the ball better and made some good punts."
* Defensive stats were not recorded (the defensive staff will break down the video Monday), but some highlight plays other than Bryant's blocked field goal included: sacks by Jason Jack, Bryant, and Chris Harrington; tackle for loss on Samson Taylor by safety Jordan Chambless; pass blocked by Cyril Obiozor; sacks by Johnny Jolly, Henry Smith, and Trey Brooks; and an outstanding play by walk-on linebacker Nathan Haile as he got a hand on a pitch as Franks tried a reverse, then picked up the fumble and returned it several yards to set up Carter's second TD.
* Chambless hurried off the field immediately on completion of the scrimmage to get across Wellborn Avenue to Olsen Field and in uniform for the Aggie baseball team in its series against Kansas. Chambless pitched briefly in relief Friday night.
* Keondra Smith made a long run and a long gain on a flare pass on consecutive plays near the end of the day when the threes were going against the threes.
* Layne Neumann kicked one kickoff out of the end zone. Franchione said he'd like to see that become a habit.
* Among the more than 140 coaches who participated in the annual Texas A&M Coaches Clinic over the weekend, most of whom attended the scrimmage to conclude the clinic, seven made a nine-hour driving trip from Monterrey, Mexico, where they coach a university team. --- Contributed by Mike McKenzie, CoachFran.com