Jimcs50
11-14-2004, 09:38 AM
Nov. 14, 2004, 12:57AM
Franchione certainly has magic touch
By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
RESOURCES
CHRONICLE COVERAGE:
• National Notebook: Clarett's allegations likely have some truth to them
COLLEGE STATION — Dennis Franchione took the sweetest walk of his career Saturday afternoon. He took the kind of walk every coach dreams of taking, the kind of walk the special coaches become accustomed to taking.
He had wife Kim at his side and the roars of Kyle Field at his back. He had infinite possibilities in front of him.
This was the walk Franchione imagined taking when he came to Texas A&M two years ago. Even last season, when the losses grew embarrassing and the scores lopsided, he believed he'd eventually take the walk he took Saturday.
Maybe he never thought it would come this quickly. Maybe he thought there was too much work to do.
Maybe that's one of the few mistakes he has made at Texas A&M. Maybe he didn't think the Aggies could come so far so fast.
They defeated Texas Tech 32-25 in overtime in the kind of game that speaks volumes about where the program is headed.
Quick turnaround
As for Franchione, he celebrated by embracing one player after another, by kissing his wife, and then by taking his good sweet time making his way into the locker room.
"About a year ago, we sat in this room after the Texas game," Franchione said during the postgame news conference. He paused to collect his thoughts and to shake his head.
"To think how far this program has come and what we've been able to achieve," he said. "I don't know if as coaches and players we'll be able to fully absorb it. I think we need to catch our breath a little bit."
Those who have followed Franchione's career aren't surprised. He has rebuilt programs at warp speed at every previous stop.
He's smart, tough and innovative. He gets as much from his talent as any coach in America.
At Texas A&M, he'll get enough talent to win a national championship.
That championship won't come this season and probably won't come next season. It may never come. All Franchione's presence means is that the Aggies will be in the mix.
It means they'll recruit well and play smart and be prepared. It means Franchione is on his way to doing for A&M what Mack Brown has done for Texas.
Future looks bright
This season will end with a trip to the Cotton Bowl or Holiday Bowl for the Aggies, but that's just the warm-up act for what's ahead. They awaken this morning believing the balance of power is shifting from Austin to College Station.
At the very least, the UT-A&M rivalry is once more what it should be.
"Our program is on the rise," A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal said. "Look at the facilities. Look at how we're playing."
The Aggies won Saturday because of a brilliant defensive game plan that threw a dizzying array of looks at Tech quarterback Sonny Cumbie.
One time, they'd drop three defensive linemen into pass coverage. The next down, they'd play it straight. Cumbie never saw the same look twice.
His 294 passing yards were 111 below his average. The Red Raiders finished the first half with just one touchdown against a defensive unit ranked 99th nationally against the pass.
Offensively, the Aggies got another terrific performance from McNeal, who accounted for 309 total yards. Running back Courtney Lewis rushed for 115 yards, including an electrifying 25-yard TD dash on the first play of overtime.
By the time it ended, the air was cool and raw, and Kyle Field was swaying with joy and emotion. A&M wide receiver Jason Carter did backflips across the 50-yard line, and Franchione's grin got wider by the moment.
"We have shown everybody across the nation we can play with the best," linebacker Archie McDaniel said.
Later, Franchione came close to admitting the program had crossed some sort of threshold. Before Saturday, the Aggies had suffered two stinging defeats in a row.
Baylor had beaten them in overtime. Oklahoma had rallied from 14 points down. The Aggies were pushed by the Red Raiders again and again on Saturday, and they pushed back each time.
"Sometimes as a coach, you look back on landmark wins for yourself and your career," Franchione said. "I don't know where this fits right now, but I know it's a significant one."
He knows sportswriters will be quicker to label games like this one, to find some deeper meaning. This time that deeper meaning was easier to find.
College football is about to have its next great program.
[email protected]
Franchione certainly has magic touch
By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
RESOURCES
CHRONICLE COVERAGE:
• National Notebook: Clarett's allegations likely have some truth to them
COLLEGE STATION — Dennis Franchione took the sweetest walk of his career Saturday afternoon. He took the kind of walk every coach dreams of taking, the kind of walk the special coaches become accustomed to taking.
He had wife Kim at his side and the roars of Kyle Field at his back. He had infinite possibilities in front of him.
This was the walk Franchione imagined taking when he came to Texas A&M two years ago. Even last season, when the losses grew embarrassing and the scores lopsided, he believed he'd eventually take the walk he took Saturday.
Maybe he never thought it would come this quickly. Maybe he thought there was too much work to do.
Maybe that's one of the few mistakes he has made at Texas A&M. Maybe he didn't think the Aggies could come so far so fast.
They defeated Texas Tech 32-25 in overtime in the kind of game that speaks volumes about where the program is headed.
Quick turnaround
As for Franchione, he celebrated by embracing one player after another, by kissing his wife, and then by taking his good sweet time making his way into the locker room.
"About a year ago, we sat in this room after the Texas game," Franchione said during the postgame news conference. He paused to collect his thoughts and to shake his head.
"To think how far this program has come and what we've been able to achieve," he said. "I don't know if as coaches and players we'll be able to fully absorb it. I think we need to catch our breath a little bit."
Those who have followed Franchione's career aren't surprised. He has rebuilt programs at warp speed at every previous stop.
He's smart, tough and innovative. He gets as much from his talent as any coach in America.
At Texas A&M, he'll get enough talent to win a national championship.
That championship won't come this season and probably won't come next season. It may never come. All Franchione's presence means is that the Aggies will be in the mix.
It means they'll recruit well and play smart and be prepared. It means Franchione is on his way to doing for A&M what Mack Brown has done for Texas.
Future looks bright
This season will end with a trip to the Cotton Bowl or Holiday Bowl for the Aggies, but that's just the warm-up act for what's ahead. They awaken this morning believing the balance of power is shifting from Austin to College Station.
At the very least, the UT-A&M rivalry is once more what it should be.
"Our program is on the rise," A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal said. "Look at the facilities. Look at how we're playing."
The Aggies won Saturday because of a brilliant defensive game plan that threw a dizzying array of looks at Tech quarterback Sonny Cumbie.
One time, they'd drop three defensive linemen into pass coverage. The next down, they'd play it straight. Cumbie never saw the same look twice.
His 294 passing yards were 111 below his average. The Red Raiders finished the first half with just one touchdown against a defensive unit ranked 99th nationally against the pass.
Offensively, the Aggies got another terrific performance from McNeal, who accounted for 309 total yards. Running back Courtney Lewis rushed for 115 yards, including an electrifying 25-yard TD dash on the first play of overtime.
By the time it ended, the air was cool and raw, and Kyle Field was swaying with joy and emotion. A&M wide receiver Jason Carter did backflips across the 50-yard line, and Franchione's grin got wider by the moment.
"We have shown everybody across the nation we can play with the best," linebacker Archie McDaniel said.
Later, Franchione came close to admitting the program had crossed some sort of threshold. Before Saturday, the Aggies had suffered two stinging defeats in a row.
Baylor had beaten them in overtime. Oklahoma had rallied from 14 points down. The Aggies were pushed by the Red Raiders again and again on Saturday, and they pushed back each time.
"Sometimes as a coach, you look back on landmark wins for yourself and your career," Franchione said. "I don't know where this fits right now, but I know it's a significant one."
He knows sportswriters will be quicker to label games like this one, to find some deeper meaning. This time that deeper meaning was easier to find.
College football is about to have its next great program.
[email protected]