Storylines for Texas A&M: One-two punches
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BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Texas A&M’s offense attacks teams with 6-foot, 190-pound speedster Mike Goodson and 6-foot, 275-pound Jorvorskie Lane, who’s surprisingly nimble for a man his size. A&M coach Dennis Franchione says the running backs give the Aggies “kind of a fastball-changeup type of relationship.”
Whatever the case, it’s working well, as A&M leads the Big 12 in rushing offense, averaging 212.7 yards per game. The thing is, A&M’s passing attack isn’t nearly as formidable. In fact, it was downright unimaginative in last week’s loss to Oklahoma.
Meanwhile, Nebraska in recent weeks has featured a pretty stout one-two punch of its own at running back with Brandon Jackson and Marlon Lucky. And the Huskers’ passing game is extremely imaginative. To be sure, the Huskers’ versatility on offense might be a huge factor in their favor today.
Taylor closes in
Zac Taylor, a skilled operator of Bill Callahan’s West Coast system, today could pass a couple of Husker greats in the school record books.
The 6-2, 210-pound senior is 109 yards shy of tying Nebraska’s career record of 5,035 passing yards, set by Dave Humm from 1972-74. In addition, Taylor’s next touchdown pass will mark his 21st of the season, one more than Vince Ferragamo’s season record in 1976.
Statistics aside, Taylor’s foremost attributes become especially important in a setting such as today’s at Kyle Field. In the din of one of the loudest venues in college football, Taylor’s firm control of the huddle and decision-making ability become invaluable. The Huskers may well experience moments today when it feels as if the world is crashing down around them. In such situations, Taylor doesn’t flinch. It’s hard to put a statistical value on that.
Seeking progress
Nebraska’s progress under Callahan has occurred more slowly than some Big Red fans would prefer. For instance, he’s 0-3 in road games against Big 12 South teams other than Baylor, with the three losses occurring by an average of 33 points.
Callahan is 2-6 overall vs. the South, both wins coming against traditional Big 12 doormat Baylor. In other words, it’s time for a significant victory against a prominent South Division school, and 24th-ranked Texas A&M qualifies as such.
Meanwhile, Franchione has issues of his own. Since he took over the program in 2003, the Aggies are 0-8 against Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas. This season, A&M, with a record of 8-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big 12, is bowl-bound, but the Aggies remain in need of a signature win as a clear sign of progress in Franchione’s four-year era at the tradition-rich school. Lose today, and the heat on Franchione intensifies.
Closing the deal
Piecing it all together, a Nebraska victory today arguably would fall into the “monumental” category. The most important of the Callahan era? Well, it seems like we’ve said that a lot this season.
At any rate, a win would be huge for the Huskers (7-3, 4-2 Big 12) for three critical reasons: 1. NU would clinch the Big 12 North Division title, a clear sign of progress in the Callahan era, no matter how weak the division; 2. The Huskers would become leading candidates for the Holiday Bowl and perhaps the Cotton Bowl — assuming an NU victory Nov. 24 against Colorado followed by a loss in the Big 12 title game; 3. It would be a feather in Callahan’s cap to finally defeat a South Division team other than Baylor. Doing it on the hallowed ground of Kyle Field, with so much on the line, would make the accomplishment all the more satisfying.
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