Who needs texags???

Sorry ladies....no fun or interesting posts from my wife this weekend. (I think she is scared to blog right now because our friend Kyle said she had gone from a blog stalker to a serial blogger. She has decided to post her comments about my analysis though. Her comments are in pink).

This post is all about Texas A&M football. Please feel free to pass along to your husbands or take in the information to sound knowledgable in your next conversation about football. Jenni and I went to College Station on Saturday to watch Mike Sherman's debut as head coach at the 2008 Maroon & White game. Jenni took some great pictures, but most of them were of the Aggie Band's halftime performance, which was outstanding as usual. The game was actually pretty boring because it was not a true game format, but it allowed us to see a number of the players work with different groups. Without further ado, here is my analysis:

Coaching staff: Hard to get a real feel from the staff from one scrimmage. Joe Kines does seem to yell a lot. My dad yelled a lot as a coach, and he was pretty good, so I imagine Kines is good too. Sherman really seemed to be overseeing everything, but I was surprised that he was not calling the plays.

I don't know anything about his coaching ability, but I can tell you that he was looking pretty sloppy. He was wearing some faded, too big, untucked shirt. I mean, it is probably his first maroon shirt ever, how is it already faded?

Quarterbacks: Despite what some have reported on texags.com or aggieyell.com, I don't think this is an open job right now. McGee clearly looked to be the starter. I was really hoping to see some good things from Jerrod Johnson (mainly because he is not McGee and he is from our new home - Humble), but he just seemed a little inconsistent. Of course, some gametime experience might change everything, but I fully expect McGee to start the season. I think 80% of his passes will be completed to tight ends and running backs.

I am really hoping McGee starts. I really don't want to have to learn another player and his number. I just got this one down in the weekly player quiz on the drive to College Station every game day.

Running backs: We are loaded at running back. Mike Goodson is the best player on the team and it is not even close. If he stays healthy, he should be 1st team All Big 12. Bradley Stephens also looked very good. He does not have Goodson's speed or shake, but he sees the field well and hits the hole hard. Cornell Tarrant also looked good, but I don't think he will see the field too much. I am excited to see how Cyrus Gray looks this fall. If you are wondering how Jovorskie Lane looked at full back, we don't know. He did not play in the game, and as you can see from the picture below, he doesn't look like he has lost any weight.

I am a fan of the "J Train" just because I like doing the hand signal. It is the one play that I can see coming. 4th and goal- put in the train. Keep Mike Goodson too, I know his number (3) and I like his "Delta (game changing)" hand signal.

Offensive Line: I was surprised by the first unit. They looked decent. We started Frost, Shumard, Mathews, Grimes and Schneider. The bad news is that we have NO depth. Injuries would be a killer.

I got out of any offensive line talk at the game. I was saved by some old man on the other side of Rusty who played OL in his day and had a lot to say. This was my opportunity to take my artsy photos of the flags and the aTm logo on the field.

Tight end: Jamie McCoy looked good on pass plays, but struggled to run block. Harold Turnage and Frank Avery played some, but did not stand out. Billy Chavis was in on a few plays, but he did not have enough snaps to tell if he would be a difference maker.

Here is what I hear in the this and the next four paragraphs: "Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah..."

Wide receivers: Not much to report here. Unless Jeff Fuller turns into something great this year, we do not have much talent. Fuller should be a good one, but it might not be this year.

Defensive line: Similar to the offensive line, we are decent with the first group, but the talent drops off quick. Michael Bennett, Kellen Heard, Lucas Patterson and Cyril Obiozor all had their moments. Cody Williams looks like a monster, but probably has some work to do before he gets on the field.

Linebackers: I really could not get a feel for this group. Matt Featherson looked okay, but I am not sure if he is fast enough to be great. Garrick Williams started and he looks fast, but I really didn't see him make any plays.

Secondary: Arkeith Brown and Jordan Pugh started at corner and both looked good. It will be interesting to see if Danny Gorrer is able to earn his spot back. Jordan Peterson and Devin Gregg started at safety with Jonathon Batson filling in with some nice plays at free safety.

Miscellaneous: If you are one of Jenni's regular readers and you are still reading this post, this section might interest you. First, the team is still entering the game to the same boring drum march. I really hope we come up with a new entrance that is more exciting, but I doubt it will happen. The second half entrance is still the Rolling Stone's "Start Me Up." Second, the team is now sponsored by Adidas, not Nike. Jenni is not a fan of this because she is a loyal Nike supporter. Third, the concessions for the game were really cheap ($1 for everything). I wish they were that cheap during the season.

I happen to be a fan of the drum march. I get all emotional and pumped up. And yes, I still stand by my Nike loyalty. The worst thing about the brand switch is when Rusty tries to wear his Adidas aTm hat with his Nike aTm shirt. No brand mixing allowed in this house. $1 Diet Coke is good. $1 Kettle Corn would have been heaven.

For all of you that might be thinking what a good wife I am for spending my Saturday night at a spring scrimmage game, here is my ulterior motive:

Raising Cane's is an acceptable substitute while in Houston, but my heart will always be with Layne's.