2003 TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL TEXAS TECH (3-1, 0-0 BIG 12) TEXAS A&M (2-2, 0-0 BIG 12) O-LINE POSTS 88 RED RAIDERS VS. AGGIES KNOCKDOWNS VS. PITT Led by junior center Geoff ASSOCIATED PRESS — Not ranked ASSOCIATED PRESS — Receiving Votes Hangartner’s 26 knockdown blocks, USA TODAY/ESPN — Receiving Votes USA TODAY/ESPN —Receiving Votes the Aggie offensive line had a season- high 88 knockdowns against Pittsburgh. Date Opponent Result/Time Date Opponent Result/Time <<go to page 2, column 1>> 08/30 SMU ...........................................W, 58-10 08/30 ARKANSAS STATE (PPV) ............. W, 26-11 09/06 NEW MEXICO ...........................W, 42-28 09/06 UTAH (PPV) ................................... W, 28-26 JOLLY GOOD PLAYER (ESPN2) (ESPN) A bright spot on the Aggies’ 09/20 at North Carolina St. .......... L, 49-21 09/18 at Virginia Tech ................... L, 19-35 defensive front has been the play of 09/27 at Mississippi..............................W, 49-45 09/27 PITTSBURGH (ABC) ...................... L, 26-37 first-time starter Johnny Jolly, who is 10/04 • TEXAS A&M (FSN) ........................... 9 p.m. 10/04 * at Texas Tech ................................. 9 p.m. the top tackler among the front seven and ranks No. 3 on the team in tackles 10/11 • IOWA ST ........................................ 6 p.m. 10/11 * BAYLOR ............................................ TBA with 35. 10/18 • at Oklahoma St ................................. TBA 10/18 * at Nebraska ....................................... TBA <<go to page 2, column 1>> 10/25 • at Missouri ......................................... TBA 10/25 * OKLAHOMA STATE .......................... TBA TAYLOR GRABS 11/01 • Colorado......................................... 1 p.m. 11/01 * KANSAS ............................................ TBA SCHOOL RECORD WITH 11/08 • at Baylor ......................................... 2 p.m. 11/08 * at Oklahoma ...................................... TBA FIFTH 100-YARD GAME 11/15 • at Texas ............................................. TBA 11/15 * at Missouri ......................................... TBA (ABC) With 6 catches for 110 yards against 11/22 • Oklahoma ....................................... 1 p.m. 11/28 * TEXAS ........................................................ 2:30 p.m. Pittsburgh, senior wide receiver ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE Jamaar Taylor set a school record with his fifth 100-yard receiving game of his career. He had been tied with four other players, including teammate Terrence Murphy. <<go to page 2, column 2>> 12TH MAN IS STANDING READY (2-2, 0-0 B12) (3-1, 0-0 B12) First-year Aggie head coach Dennis Texas A&M AGGIES at Texas Tech RED RAIDERS Franchione’s first Texas A&M squad is KICKOFF --- 9 p.m. (9:10 actual), Saturday, Oct. 4, 2003 receiving solid contributions from SITE (CAPACITY) --- Jones SBC Stadium, Lubbock, Texas (55,000 capacity) several members of the 12th Man RADIO INFORMATION --- The game will be broadcast by the 60-plus station Texas A&M Radio squad, which is comprised of nearly Network. For a complete list of stations, go to: AggieAthletics.com. Calling the game on the A&M 70 non-scholarship players. Radio Network are Dave South (play-by-play), Tim Cassidy (commentary) and Chris Valletta (side- <<go to page 2, column 2>> line reports). RECORD-SETTING DUO TV INFORMATION --- The game will be televised nationally by Fox Sports Net. Calling the game With a combined 171 receiving will be Bill Land (play-by-play), Gary Reasons (analysis) and Jim Knox (sideline). yards against Pittsburgh, Jamaar GAME INFORMATION --- The Aggies will be looking for their first victory in Lubbock since 1993 Taylor and Terrence Murphy became when A&M notched a 31-6 victory over the Red Raiders … Over the past 10 years, Texas Tech the most prolific wide receiver tandem holds a 6-4 advantage over the Aggies, including a 4-1 mark in Lubbock. … A&M head coach Den- in school history. nis Franchione has faced Texas Tech twice in his career (at TT 37, UNM 31 in 1994; TT 34, at UNM <<go to page 3, column 3>> 7 in 1995). AGGIES OPEN BIG 12 PLAY WITH TAYLOR GRABS SCHOOL RECORD … against the Hokies, Van Zant grabbed his first catch of 2003, made his first career start and scored the first TD of his career ROAD GAME VS. TEXAS TECH --- WITH FIFTH 100-YARD GAME --- with a game-high 7 catches for 102 yards … in one game, The Aggies open their 2003 conference With 6 catches for 110 yards against Van Zant bettered his previous career numbers of 6 for 67 schedule with a road game against Texas Pittsburgh, senior wide receiver Jamaar yards. Tech in Lubbock on Saturday, Nov. 4. Taylor set a school record with his fifth 100- Frederick Woods So-SQ Houston, Texas (Washington) The game features a 9 p.m. kickoff (9:10 yard receiving game of his career. He had Walkon linebacker sees action on kick coverage unit. actual) to accomodate a national television been tied with four other players, includ- Jacob Young Jr-SQ Fairfield, Texas (Fairfield) Walkon punter stepped in for injured All-American Cody audience on Fox Sports Net. It will be the ing teammate Terrence Murphy. Scates in Aggies’ first two games … responded with a 38.7 latest kickoff for the Aggies since 1980 Taylor, who missed the Virginia Tech average on 10 boots … averaged 59.5 per punt against Ar- when the A&M-Houston game at the As- game due to injury, leads the team in re- kansas State trodome began at 11:33 p.m. due a con- ceptions and receiving yards with 17 for * —recently awarded scholarship flict with the Houston Astros-Philadelphia 222. His 74 receiving yards per game rank Phillies playoff game. No. 11 in the Big 12 Conference. MURPHY LEADS NATION IN The Aggies are winless in their last four Taylor’s 100-Yard Receiving Games YARDS PER TOUCH --- trips to Lubbock, dating back to a 31-6 Opponent, Year Catches Yds. Wide receiver/kickoff returner Terrence drubbing of the Red Raiders in 1993. Murphy leads the nation in average gain at Colorado, 2001 9 146 Texas Tech, 2002 6 138 per touch with an impressive 24.7 per CONFERENCE OPENER OFFERS at Kansas, 2002 5 131 touch average (among the nation’s top 100 FRESH START FOR AGGIES --- Louisiana Tech, 2002 5 118 all-purpose yards producers). The start of the Big 12 Conference Pittsburgh, 2003 6 110 Murphy has 5 kickoff returns for 245 schedule offers a fresh start for the 2-2 yards, 14 catches for 204 yards and 4 car- Aggies, who have lost their last two out- 12TH MAN IS STANDING READY --- ries for 120 yards. ings. First-year Aggie head coach Dennis NCAA Yards per Touch Leaders Franchione’s first Texas A&M squad is re- Since the formation of the Big 12 Con- Rk Player, School Avg./Play ference, the Aggies are 4-3 in conference ceiving solid contributions from several members of the 12th Man squad, which is 1. Terrence Murphy, Texas A&M ............ 24.7 openers. The Aggies are 2-1 in conference 2. Johnnie Morant, Syracuse ................. 20.5 openers on the road. comprised of nearly 70 non-scholarship 3. Greg Jennings, Western Michigan .... 20.3 The Aggies are coming off back-to-back players. 4. Sammy Moore, Washington State ..... 19.9 losses to top 25-ranked teams, falling to The 12th Man tradition started in 1922 5. Ross Dickerson, Hawaii ..................... 19.6 No. 5/4 (AP/ESPN/USA Today) Virginia when a student was called out of the Tech, 35-19, in Blacksburg, and to No. 17/ stands to fortify the injury-depleted Aggie ALL-PURPOSE MURPHY --- 18 Pittsburgh, 37-26, at Kyle Field. squad in the Dixie Classic bowl game. To- Junior Terrence Murphy has emerged as day, A&M students stand throughout one of the Big 12’s top producers of all- O-LINE POSTS SEASON-HIGH games to show their readiness to enter a purpose yardage. After four games, KNOCKDOWNS VS. PITT --- game if called upon. Murphy is averaging a team-best 142.3 all- In addition, Franchione awarded schol- purpose yards per game, which ranks No. Led by junior center Geoff Hangartner’s arships to three former walkons during the 2 in the Big 12 and No. 19 nationally. 26 knockdown blocks, the Aggie offensive open week prior to the Virginia Tech con- Big 12 All-Purpose Yards Leaders line had a season-high 88 knockdowns test. Rk Player, School Gm. Yds. Avg/G against Pittsburgh. Making an Impact Senior guard John Kirk also was over 20 1. Josh Davis, Nebraska 4 693 173.3 Player Cl.-Exp Hometown (High School) 2. Terrence Murphy, Texas A&M 4 569 143.3 in knockdowns with 21 pancake blocks. Blake Kendrick Jr-2L Willis, Texas (Willis) Senior offensive tackle Alan Reuber had a Veteran special teams performer has worked his way into 3. Rashad Armstrong, Baylor 4 531 132.7 pair of “double-blocks” which are two the linebacker rotation … has contributed 9 tackles. 4. Darren Sproles, Kansas St. 5 654 130.8 5. Clark Green, Kansas 5 643 128.6 knockdown blocks on one play. *Don Muhlbach Sr-2L Lufkin, Texas (Lufkin) Veteran who is in his first season as the Aggies’ full-time JOLLY GOOD PLAYER --- deep snapper … received a scholarship prior to the Virginia MURPHY MAKING HIS MARK IN Tech contest … has handled 36 snaps without an error in 2003 RETURN GAME --- A bright spot on the Aggies’ defensive … prepared for the hurricane conditions against VT by soak- front has been the play of first-time starter ing footballs in a five-gallon bucket and then snapping. A relative newcomer to kickoff returns, Johnny Jolly, who is the top tackler among Anthony Squillante Jr-1L Southlake, Texas (Carroll) junior Terrence Murphy has started the the front seven and ranks No. 3 on the Veteran special teamer also sees action in the Aggies’ sec- 2003 on a record-setting pace.