Year 5 with Fran: make or break at Texas A&M...

[g$$]

(Pretty good synopsis IMO by an unnamed Aggie on a forum. See what you think.)

Let's recap:

Year 1 = The worst year in modern A&M football history (the last 25 years). 77-0 to OU and numerous other blowouts. (It was Slocum's fault)

Year 2 = Open the season with a humiliation at the hands of Utah. (It was Slocum's fault). Get beat by Baylor (It was Slocum's fault). End the season with a three game losing streak and suffer the 2nd worst bowl loss in A&M history (38-7 to TENN). (It was Slocum's fault)

Year 3 = Lose yet another OOC road game, nearly get beat by Texas State, get humiliated by ISU at home, have yet another losing season with numerous blowout losses. (It was Torbush's fault or Reggie's, take your pick)

Year 4 = We feast on cupcakes OOC, we play horrible football and nearly get beat by the likes of KU and OSU, we go 1-3 at home in conference, but we do beat Texas. Then we are dealt the worst bowl loss in A&M history (45-10 to Cal). So taking away our non-conference teams that were a combined 16-32 including the ever impressive 5-6 Citadel, we were 5-4 on the year with yet another blowout loss. (It was the players' fault, we were just too darn young. And those losses were so close besides the bowl game.)

Year 5 = We will have to see, but it will be interesting what excuses the sunshine pumpers will come up with this year. There are no more of Slocum's players. Fran has had 4 full recruiting classes. We have more experience and talent than Fran has ever had here. If he fails or does simply mediocre, whose fault will it be this time?


(Should I remind you that Fran is 25-23 after 4 years, has lost to Baylor, beaten Tech once & Texas once, & never beaten OU or NEB? Also include the worst regular season loss in school history & the 2 worst bowl losses. I am not a Fran guy & this year's schedule spells doom with 5 tough road games plus the rest of the Big 12. See ya Frannie!)

[Old Tiger]

Year 1 = The worst year in modern A&M football history (the last 25 years). 77-0 to OU and numerous other blowouts. (It was Slocum's fault)

LOL @ the modern era bullcrap!

[g$$]

Originally posted by Tiger WR
LOL @ the modern era bullcrap!

Seriously, the past 25 years is often considered the modern era of college football. Not by Aggies per say, but in general by historians & broadcasters. That has nothing to do with A&M vs. Texas over that span either. We have been through that stuff before at length.

You can still disagree, but I didn't set the reference point. Personally, I would say from 1975 forward because of scholarship restrictions/limitations & many other rule changes that affected college football's landscape.

Why do you disagree, & why does it matter?

[CHS_CG]

I often wonder with him not changing anything, and knowing that what he does isn't working.. is he trying to screw A&M in the ground?? If it didnt work the first 4 years... why do people think it will work this year.. it wont!!

[Macarthur]

Originally posted by g$$
(Pretty good synopsis IMO by an unnamed Aggie on a forum. See what you think.)

Let's recap:

Year 1 = The worst year in modern A&M football history (the last 25 years). 77-0 to OU and numerous other blowouts. (It was Slocum's fault)

Year 2 = Open the season with a humiliation at the hands of Utah. (It was Slocum's fault). Get beat by Baylor (It was Slocum's fault). End the season with a three game losing streak and suffer the 2nd worst bowl loss in A&M history (38-7 to TENN). (It was Slocum's fault)

Year 3 = Lose yet another OOC road game, nearly get beat by Texas State, get humiliated by ISU at home, have yet another losing season with numerous blowout losses. (It was Torbush's fault or Reggie's, take your pick)

Year 4 = We feast on cupcakes OOC, we play horrible football and nearly get beat by the likes of KU and OSU, we go 1-3 at home in conference, but we do beat Texas. Then we are dealt the worst bowl loss in A&M history (45-10 to Cal). So taking away our non-conference teams that were a combined 16-32 including the ever impressive 5-6 Citadel, we were 5-4 on the year with yet another blowout loss. (It was the players' fault, we were just too darn young. And those losses were so close besides the bowl game.)

Year 5 = We will have to see, but it will be interesting what excuses the sunshine pumpers will come up with this year. There are no more of Slocum's players. Fran has had 4 full recruiting classes. We have more experience and talent than Fran has ever had here. If he fails or does simply mediocre, whose fault will it be this time?


(Should I remind you that Fran is 25-23 after 4 years, has lost to Baylor, beaten Tech once & Texas once, & never beaten OU or NEB? Also include the worst regular season loss in school history & the 2 worst bowl losses. I am not a Fran guy & this year's schedule spells doom with 5 tough road games plus the rest of the Big 12. See ya Frannie!)

You and I have talked about this before.

I have always liked Fran and think he deserved some slack for their early problems, but I agree this is a watershed year for him.

He has upperclassmen that are his kids, and he has upperclassmen at critical positions. While I think the secondary is still a bit underexperienced, overall I don't think the youth excuse can be used this year.

Really, excluding a few positions on defense, their starting 22 should be on par talent wise with UT & OU. In fact, I think they probably have the best collection of offensive skill players in the conference. Plus, 4 starters back on the OL.

If their defense can make what you would think is decent progress in year two of the system, they should compete for the Big 12 championship.

No excuses.

[Phil C]

They also have Steven McGee! Enough said.

[Old Tiger]

The modern era for me begins when the forward pass was first used. It revolutionized the game. :)

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by Tiger WR
The modern era for me begins when the forward pass was first used. It revolutionized the game. :)
true...true...

and who was the forward pass first attributed to in terms of winning through a passing game? LaVell Edwards...who started coaching at BYU in 1972 and started having major success in 1976.

[Old Tiger]

Actually it could go further back to Sammy Baugh

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by Tiger WR
Actually it could go further back to Sammy Baugh

There have always been teams that threw the ball...but it still wasn't a widely accepted style of football until the 1970's. When your national champions every year were winning games through wishbone and/or power running games then that is a clear sign that the passing game still hadn't been adopted.

[Phil C]

When you pass three things can happen and two of them are bad. One you can complete the pass. Two you can throw an incompletion. Three you can throw an interception.

Also the QB could get sacked while trying to pass, etc, etc. And don't forget poor Bomar when he fumbled trying to pass and a UT player ran it back for a td.

:eek:

[Phil C]

Actually most coaches say the best defense against the passer is to hurry the passer. What that means is that your defensive linemen need to be back there harazzing him and making him throw hurriedly if at all. An old man once told me that the best thing to do is get back there and rack that quarterback.

[g$$]

Originally posted by Adidas410s
true...true...

and who was the forward pass first attributed to in terms of winning through a passing game? LaVell Edwards...who started coaching at BYU in 1972 and started having major success in 1976.

Sound minds think alike. :thumbsup:

[Txbroadcaster]

Generally the "modern" era of College football begins in 1970..1969 was LAST year an All-White team won a Title.

[Phil C]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
Generally the "modern" era of College football begins in 1970..1969 was LAST year an All-White team won a Title.

I wonder who that team was Tx?

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by Phil C
I wonder who that team was Tx?

I have a feeling that TX were two of the letters in the name!!! ;)