olddawggreen
11-23-2006, 02:30 PM
A&M quarterback bonds with teammates, UT foes
By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee went where any kid from the state's rolling Hill Country would go to find the perfect metaphor for team bonding: the hardware store.
Before this season, the sophomore bought 140 feet of thick chain in 12-link segments and gave one to every A&M player and coach. The 12 links symbolize the 11 players on the field, plus the Aggies' 12th Man tradition.
"I told the guys that if we're going to do this thing, we've got to do this together," McGee said. "There's obviously no individual link that stands out any more than the other. They all have a role and they're all important."
The chains reinforced what McGee first proved to his teammates in last year's finale against Texas — that he was ready to lead them.
"He will do anything for this team, loves this team," leading receiver Chad Schroeder said. "He's one of the strongest Aggies in that locker room."
A&M (8-3, 4-3 Big 12) finishes the regular season Friday against the No. 11 Longhorns (9-2, 6-1) in Austin.
The Aggies lost last year's meeting 40-29, but McGee felt like he won over the A&M faithful and his teammates with a gutsy, inspiring performance. He ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start, surprising Texas with efficient command of the option offense.
"It was huge for me, getting those snaps and that confidence," McGee said. "The most important thing, the thing I value the most, is getting in the huddle and having those guys around me believing in me."
This season, McGee has tried to extract a lesson from every start, good and bad.
He threw interceptions and completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes in losses to Texas Tech and Oklahoma. He also went 19-for-23 with a touchdown in A&M's 25-19 win over Missouri, and had two TD passes in wins at Oklahoma State and Baylor.
"I've learned a lot and I've grown a lot," he said. "It seems like every week, I'm learning so much more, whether that's about a character trait, an internal thing, or whether that's something about my game. It seems like I'm learning so much."
McGee ranks seventh in the Big 12 in pass efficiency and eighth in passing yardage. He shrugs off his numbers, though, saying he's most proud of how the Aggies have come together this season.
"I know when I get in that huddle, that I'm getting in the huddle with guys that are going to lay their bodies on the line for the guys next to them. That's pretty awesome," McGee said. "I don't think there are very many teams that can honestly say they don't have any individuals in their huddle. I feel like we can say that."
Before he came to A&M, McGee starred at Burnet High School, leading his school to two straight Class 3A state championship games. He threw for 8,256 career yards and 101 touchdowns, a 3A state record.
He'll reunite in Austin this week with high school teammate and close friend Jordan Shipley, a Texas receiver whose father coached the duo in Burnet.
The memories from their high school days range to the "crazy" side, according to Shipley.
After games on Friday nights, the two would go hunting on Saturday mornings, looking for deer or "anything that pretty much walks or runs, that's not human," McGee said.
"At night, we like to go spotlightling for raccoons and rabbits and stuff like that," he said. "We're pretty country. I mean, I'm from Burnet."
Shipley remembers the two undertaking the questionable practice of pickup parasailing.
"We used to have a truck, and we would pull this parasail behind it," Shipley recalls. "One of my friends, who is actually one of his roommates now, was getting stuff ready, but he wasn't hooked up all the way.
"When Stephen asked us if we were ready, we yelled, 'No!' but he thought we said, 'Go!'" Shipley said. "So he took off and dragged the guy about 50 yards through a wood pile and stuff."
Over the summer, Shipley set up an unlikely fishing trip with McGee and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy at Lake LBJ. Shipley and McCoy have been friends since childhood, and McCoy's father was the best man at Shipley's father's wedding.
McGee said he and McCoy bonded, an admission that would make die-hard fans of both schools cringe.
"We got along fine," McGee said. "We laid the football and the Aggie-Longhorn stuff aside."
But even if the friendship blossoms, McGee will forever put his A&M teammates first.
"I'm not going to remember how many passes I threw or how many runs I had or how many wins or losses we had, 30 years from now," McGee said. "I'm going to remember these guys I got in the huddle with and the memories I've had."
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November 22, 2006 - 12:46 p.m. CST
By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee went where any kid from the state's rolling Hill Country would go to find the perfect metaphor for team bonding: the hardware store.
Before this season, the sophomore bought 140 feet of thick chain in 12-link segments and gave one to every A&M player and coach. The 12 links symbolize the 11 players on the field, plus the Aggies' 12th Man tradition.
"I told the guys that if we're going to do this thing, we've got to do this together," McGee said. "There's obviously no individual link that stands out any more than the other. They all have a role and they're all important."
The chains reinforced what McGee first proved to his teammates in last year's finale against Texas — that he was ready to lead them.
"He will do anything for this team, loves this team," leading receiver Chad Schroeder said. "He's one of the strongest Aggies in that locker room."
A&M (8-3, 4-3 Big 12) finishes the regular season Friday against the No. 11 Longhorns (9-2, 6-1) in Austin.
The Aggies lost last year's meeting 40-29, but McGee felt like he won over the A&M faithful and his teammates with a gutsy, inspiring performance. He ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start, surprising Texas with efficient command of the option offense.
"It was huge for me, getting those snaps and that confidence," McGee said. "The most important thing, the thing I value the most, is getting in the huddle and having those guys around me believing in me."
This season, McGee has tried to extract a lesson from every start, good and bad.
He threw interceptions and completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes in losses to Texas Tech and Oklahoma. He also went 19-for-23 with a touchdown in A&M's 25-19 win over Missouri, and had two TD passes in wins at Oklahoma State and Baylor.
"I've learned a lot and I've grown a lot," he said. "It seems like every week, I'm learning so much more, whether that's about a character trait, an internal thing, or whether that's something about my game. It seems like I'm learning so much."
McGee ranks seventh in the Big 12 in pass efficiency and eighth in passing yardage. He shrugs off his numbers, though, saying he's most proud of how the Aggies have come together this season.
"I know when I get in that huddle, that I'm getting in the huddle with guys that are going to lay their bodies on the line for the guys next to them. That's pretty awesome," McGee said. "I don't think there are very many teams that can honestly say they don't have any individuals in their huddle. I feel like we can say that."
Before he came to A&M, McGee starred at Burnet High School, leading his school to two straight Class 3A state championship games. He threw for 8,256 career yards and 101 touchdowns, a 3A state record.
He'll reunite in Austin this week with high school teammate and close friend Jordan Shipley, a Texas receiver whose father coached the duo in Burnet.
The memories from their high school days range to the "crazy" side, according to Shipley.
After games on Friday nights, the two would go hunting on Saturday mornings, looking for deer or "anything that pretty much walks or runs, that's not human," McGee said.
"At night, we like to go spotlightling for raccoons and rabbits and stuff like that," he said. "We're pretty country. I mean, I'm from Burnet."
Shipley remembers the two undertaking the questionable practice of pickup parasailing.
"We used to have a truck, and we would pull this parasail behind it," Shipley recalls. "One of my friends, who is actually one of his roommates now, was getting stuff ready, but he wasn't hooked up all the way.
"When Stephen asked us if we were ready, we yelled, 'No!' but he thought we said, 'Go!'" Shipley said. "So he took off and dragged the guy about 50 yards through a wood pile and stuff."
Over the summer, Shipley set up an unlikely fishing trip with McGee and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy at Lake LBJ. Shipley and McCoy have been friends since childhood, and McCoy's father was the best man at Shipley's father's wedding.
McGee said he and McCoy bonded, an admission that would make die-hard fans of both schools cringe.
"We got along fine," McGee said. "We laid the football and the Aggie-Longhorn stuff aside."
But even if the friendship blossoms, McGee will forever put his A&M teammates first.
"I'm not going to remember how many passes I threw or how many runs I had or how many wins or losses we had, 30 years from now," McGee said. "I'm going to remember these guys I got in the huddle with and the memories I've had."
___
November 22, 2006 - 12:46 p.m. CST