March 22, 2007
The Texas A&M football team donned full pads for the first time this spring and went through a spirited two-and-a-half hour workout on Thursday at the grass practice fields.
Watching from the sideline were about 75 high school coaches who are in College Station for the Aggies?â„¢ annual coaching clinic.
?It?â„¢s never as physical as other days are, but for a first day I thought it was good,? Aggie head coach Dennis Franchione said. ?The Aggie Drill was good. In 11-on-11 we didn?â„¢t have the foolish things that you sometimes have on the first day of pads like jumping offsides. I thought it was good to get off to a good start.?
Franchione was asked which positions or which players stood out to him on Thursday.
?I think the offensive line did some good things,? Franchione said. ?Mike Goodson caught my eye. Matt Featherston. Michael Bennett. Stephen Hodge. Stephen McGee. Jerrod Johnson is taking steps every day which is good to see.?
The Aggies return four of five starters on the offensive line, and Franchione said senior-to-be Chris Yoder would have the first crack at landing the open starting job at guard.
?He deserves the first opportunity,? Franchione said. ?He was basically the co-starter last year. He played about half of every game with Grant (Dickey). He?â„¢ll have some stiff competition to keep it because the guys on that second line are competing very hard.?
The Aggies return to the practice field on Saturday at 1:30 p.m., and the practices are open to the public.