August 09, 2006
The Texas A&M football team drilled for two and a half hours in shorts and shells as the Aggies geared up for the Sept. 2 season-opener against the Citadel on Wednesday.
?It was our first day in shoulder pads,? Aggie head coach Dennis Franchione said. ?For a first day in pads, it was pretty good. I thought the older guys took off when they left off from spring training. The new guys ?- everybody?â„¢s got to learn to play lower. We had our one-on-one drills and we had some inside run and we had some team. It will be a good thing to teach from a little bit.?
Franchione was asked about the healthy return of senior wide receiver L?â„¢Tydrick Riley, who missed 2005 due to a knee injury suffered in fall camp. Riley, the nephew of former A&M basketball standout Claude ?Crockett Rocket? Riley, was a probable starter at wide receiver and punt returner before the injury.
?L?â„¢Tydrick Riley is a really good football player,? Franchione said. ?He?â„¢s smart, makes very few mistakes, he?â„¢s always in the right place. He might get physically beaten every now and then, but not very often. He?â„¢s a difficult guy to defend because of his size and his ability to play physical. I would rate him the best hands on the team.?
The Aggies will practice in the morning for the first time this fall camp on Thursday with a 7:30 a.m. workout.