8/21 Interview with Coach Sherman
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M football team had a sluggish start outdoors to Friday's pair of workouts, but rebounded to have a strong finish inside the McFerrin Athletic Center as the team nears the end of the second week of fall camp.
Head Coach Sherman
"This morning I thought was a little sloppy," head coach Mike Sherman said. "Yesterday we let them out of the dorms and this morning they were sluggish for whatever reason. But they came back this afternoon and practiced well."
Sherman was asked how the freshman class is adjusting to the rigors of a college football fall camp.
"It's a tough adjustment," Sherman said. "They come in here not knowing what to expect. Having been a superstar in high school, they get here and the talent level is equal to what they are, where they dominated in high school. They have some mental challenges, some times when they have a bad day they start to question themselves sooner. You see the peaks and valleys in their performance because they're not used to adversity."
Among those in attendance at Friday's practice were former A&M standout and Super Bowl champion Rich Coady, former Green Bay Packer Pro Bowl center Mike Flanagan, and former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm.
The Aggies will take to Kyle Field on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. for their second scrimmage of fall camp. Following that workout A&M will be two weeks from its season opener.
"We're going to scrimmage but also we'll go through some game-time situations," Sherman said. "It'll probably be more game situations, like goal line work, red zone work, and we'll specifically get into those areas to make sure we cover them. Whatever comes up in the scrimmage we won't do separate, but if we don't get those done, in the second half we'll put them in those situations."
Fans wishing to attend practice that do not have the proper University parking permit are reminded to park in either the University Center Parking Garage across from Rudder Tower or the West Campus Parking Garage facing the press box side of Kyle Field.
Texas A&M opens the 2009 season at home against New Mexico on Sept. 5. Season tickets, discount tickets and the "Texas Three Step" tickets are still available by contacting the ticket office at 1-888-99-AGGIE (888-992-4443) or locally at 979-845-2311. For ticket information on the web, go to AggieAthletics.com and click on tickets.
UPDATED PRACTICE SCHEDULE
Saturday - 8:30 a.m., scrimmage at Kyle Field
Sunday - off
Monday - 8:25 a.m., Coolidge Practice Fields (open); 4 p.m., McFerrin Athletic Center (closed)
Tuesday - 8:25 a.m., Coolidge Practice Fields (open)