By Wendell Barnhouse | Big12Sports.com Correspondent
wendell@big12sports.com
Just call him Mike The Builder.
Heading into his fourth season as Texas A&M's coach, Mike Sherman has steadily constructed a program that should be successful this season and in the future.
"Last year after the foundation was laid, we were able to really start building something," Sherman told 12th Man Magazine. "The studs, joists and rafters were put up. We could start to see what we set out to build. It was here that the expectations of winning were realized.
"This year, we have to 'raise the roof.' As I said, we will still have a lot of work to do, but after this season, my hope is that we will have begun to establish a program that is here for the long term. It will be a tremendous challenge for us, but one we are excited about."
The Aggies are ranked in the preseason top 10 for the first time since the mid 1990s. With 18 starters returning, the expectations are rising.
"The players started to believe we could compete and win once they could actually see what their team was beginning to look like," Sherman said. "Our team chemistry is at an all time high."
After a stumbling 3-3 start in 2010, the Aggies recovered to win six consecutive games that earned them a share of the Big 12 South Division title. Sherman and his players hope to maintain that winning momentum in 2011.
Senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill took over as the starter midway through last season and was a big reason for the Aggies' winning streak when they averaged 33 points per game. Tannehill win be in charge of an offense that could be the most potent in college football.
“It was on me to seize the opportunity; it was on my shoulders,” said Tannehill, who threw 13 touchdowns and six interceptions in his six starts. "Now I feel like I’ve been playing quarterback at A&M forever.”
Running backs Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael form the best one-two punch in the Big 12. Senior Jeff Fuller (72 receptions, 1,066 yards and 12 touchdowns last season) leads a wide receiver corps that is talented and deep. The offensive line - which featured two freshmen tackles getting on the job training last season - returns four starters.
The defense showed impressive improvement last season. The Aggies were 110th in total defense in 2009 but moved up to 55th last season under first year coordinator Tim DeRuyter.
The Aggies need to replace All-American linebacker/defensive end Von Miller and leading tackler Michael Hodges. However, Sherman believes that the overall talent on defense has improved plus the defensive players are more familiar with DeRuyter's system.
"I think we're going to be a better team on defense, even though we lose some significant players - tremendously significant players in our defense," Sherman said. "But I do believe that the second year in this defense we'll make the biggest jump."
Texas A&M Schedule
| Sept. 4 |
SMU |
| Sept. 17 |
Idaho |
| Sept. 24 |
Oklahoma State* |
| Oct. 1 |
Arkansas (Arlington, Texas) |
| Oct. 8 |
at Texas Tech* |
| Oct. 15 |
Baylor* |
| Oct. 22 |
at Iowa State* |
| Oct. 29 |
Missouri* |
| Nov. 5 |
at Oklahoma* |
| Nov. 12 |
at Kansas State* |
| Nov. 19 |
Kansas* |
| Nov. 24 |
Texas* |
* - Conference game.
Coach: Mike Sherman, fourth season at Texas A&M.
2010: 9-4 overall, 6-2 in Big 12 South.
Bowl: Lost to LSU 41-24 in Cotton Bowl.
Returning starters: 10 on offense, 9 on defense.
Top returnees: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, Running back Cyrus Gray, Running back Christine Michael, Wide receiver Jeff Fuller, Wide receiver Ryan Swope, Offensive tackle Luke Joeckel, Offensive tackle Jake Matthews, Defensive end/linebacker Damontre Moore, Defensive end Tony Jerod-Eddie, Corner back Coryell Judie, Safety Trent Hunter.
Skywriters Tour History
In a tradition that harkens back to a previous era in college football, sportswriters and broadcasters would gather in a central location and go on an annual conference-wide tour, traveling from campus-to-campus to cover preseason practices. The tour provided fans with unprecedented daily coverage from each school by moving the group between campuses by charter bus or air service and thus was dubbed the Skywriters Tour.