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About this time a year ago, 80,000 maroon-clad Aggies left Kyle Field in a state of astonishment. The scoreboard read 18-14. The 10 Arkansas State fans that actually made the trek to College Station looked as if they had just won the lottery.
It was supposed to be a fresh start after the five-year stink bomb that was laid at the doorstep of Aggie football by coach Dennis Franchione and company. Mike Sherman was coming in with an innovative offense, an experienced quarterback and an NFL pedigree. But 60 game minutes into the era of Sherman, the Texas A&M Aggies had lost a game at Kyle Field to Arkansas State.
What followed in the next 11 games has been gnawing at every Aggie football fan throughout the last eight months. It's fairly safe to say it has been one of the longest off seasons in the history of the program. Hence why the opener against New Mexico on Saturday needs to paint a picture of improvement to the Twelfth Man sitting in Kyle Field.
The Lobos waltz in with a new regime at the helm, after the firing of Rocky Long. New Head Coach Mike Locksley, former Illinois offensive coordinator, is part of the uprising of young, confident coaches around the country. He brings with him an offense that turned Juice Williams and Rashard Mendenhall into stars for the Illini.
Quarterback Donovan Porterie returns after tearing up his knee and missing all of the 2008 season. Porterie has the type of arm that could cause problems for the young Aggie secondary. And, the Lobos boast two pro prospects on the offensive line in center Eric Cook and tackle Byron Bell who should be able to keep Porterie clean in the pocket.
On the defensive side of the ball, New Mexico has a lot of high-energy guys but a lot of mediocre talent. Linebacker Clint McPeek seems to always be around the ball. And an attacking pass rush led by defensive end Jaymar Latchison should keep things interesting in the Aggie backfield.
However, Saturday evening's stories shouldn't have anything to do with New Mexico. It should be all about Texas A&M. Heck, it needs to be all about A&M. It should be about the obvious improvements that they made in the off-season and a potential resurgence that they could be embarking upon.
Plain and simple, Saturday night, Mike Sherman and his Aggies must blow out New Mexico.
On the heels of a 4-8 disaster and with the economy in the toilet, season ticket sales are down almost 12 percent. The result should be a less full Kyle Field than most have come to expect. Being picked last in the Big 12 South doesn't exactly instill confidence in an impatient fan base.
Thus, Sherman has to show the faithful in the stands and Aggies everywhere that there is a bandwagon to hop onto. His team needs to show fans that they shouldn't expect to get blown out every time they pay good money to go see a game.
With an improved offensive line, Cyrus Gray and freshman phenom Christine Michael will be able to run all over a relatively small New Mexico front seven. Unlike last season, Jerrod Johnson should actually be able to sit back in the pocket and make more than one read. Look closely at whether or not Johnson can get on page with three freshmen receivers that will play a big role in the Aggies' success: Uzoma Nwachuku, Kenric McNeal and Ryan Swope.
Defensively, the Aggies must be prepared to stop the run. Locksley's pedigree suggests that there will be a lot of carries for both running back Tony Glynn and quarterback Donovan Porterie. It will be up to defensive tackles Tony Jerrod-Eddie and Lucas Patterson to stuff the inside and allow the linebackers to roam and make plays. Keep an eye on the newly invented "Jack" position for the Aggies. Von Miller will be lining up as both a defensive end and a linebacker. He will be key to getting pressure on the quarterback from the outside.
Ultimately, by about 10 p.m. Saturday, Kyle Field will be empty. Fans will be roaming College Station with smiles on their faces and a bit of hope etched into their minds. And the scoreboard will read Texas A&M 35 and New Mexico 17.
David Harris is a junior economics major.
