Aggies’ wounds run deeper than pride

By John Hillman  |   Thursday, September 25, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Texas A&M Aggies
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The Spirit of Aggieland dampened last Saturday with Texas A&M's 41-23 loss to Miami. With their 1-2 record, the Aggies face serious regrouping and must achieve it with a roster of wounded warriors.

Commentary: Quarterback Stephen McGee, who started the team's season-opening loss to Arkansas State, went down with a shoulder sprain the next week against New Mexico. McGee’s injury forced backup Jerrod Johnson into the lineup, breaking the senior’s streak of 29 consecutive starts.

After the game, head coach Mike Sherman revealed Johnson also sustained a shoulder injury during the second quarter of the Miami matchup. The sophomore separated the same shoulder last season against Nebraska. Johnson finished his first start, completing 19-of-32 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns.

In last Sunday’s workout, neither McGee nor Johnson took any snaps. Third-string quarterback Ryan Tannehill ran the offense in their absence.

Sherman will evaluate both quarterbacks in practice this week before making the decision on a starter in a must-win game against Army.

“I think both quarterbacks, Stephen and Jerrod, will be fine by the end of the week,” he said. “The decision will be made during the course of the week, on how they’re functioning and how things are going and their health status.”

The Aggie defense and special teams give Sherman almost as much concern as his quarterbacks. Among the 119 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, the Aggies rank 105th in rushing defense and 111th in kickoff returns.

Fan Pulse: Aggies fans are already comparing 2008 to the final years of the Gene Stallings era in the early '70s. Here’s a link to their thoughts: http://www.texags.com/main/forum.reply.asp?topic_id=1250117&forum_id=5

Injury Report: In addition to Johnson, offensive tackle Travis Schneider and offensive guard Lee Grimes went down against the Hurricanes. Although both are hurting, a thin offensive line forces both of them into Saturday’s lineup against the Black Knights of the Hudson.



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About John Hillman

John Hillman graduated from Baylor University in 1974 with a BBA in accounting and earned an MBA from Baylor in 1987. He worked for accounting firms until 1982 when he became the chief financial officer for an independent insurance claims adjusting service, a position he still holds today. ...
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