A review of the 2008 Texas A&M offensive skill positions

Nothing clears the air and gets excitement building better than game week.

It’s especially exciting at College Station since it’s the beginning of the Mike Sherman era. After some mild turmoil in the spring about new assignments, every position has been filled.

Sherman expects 18 freshmen either high school recruits or red shirt freshmen to play on his core team and special teams.

Here’s a position by position look at the 2008 Aggies impact positions:

2008 Texas A&M Quarterbacks

Stephen McGee easily beat out his closest rival sophomore Jerrod Johnson. Meanwhile Johnson and freshman-red shirt Ryan Tannehill are getting repetitions at wide receiver.

2008 Texas A&M Tailbacks

Mike Goodson, who is rated at one of the best in the country by ESPN will start. Goodson is a 6-0 210 junior. His backup will be freshman high school recruit Cyrus Gray, 5-10 188. Gray is getting a chance to show off his catch-and-run skills. No. 3 tailback is red shirt freshman Bradley Stephens, 5-10 204. Sherman complimented Stephens’ talents in his Monday game week news conference. Goodson labeled Stephens as “the shiftiest guy out there.”

2008 Texas A&M Fullbacks

Senior Jorvorskie Lane, the presumed starter, will probably miss the opener against Arkansas State. Sherman announced Monday Lane has had a concussion to go along with the stinger he suffered three weeks earlier. The beefy fullback has not been doing any conditioning work since being injured.

Lane’s backup is senior, former 12th Man walk-on Nick LaMantia, 6-2, 232. LaMantia is nursing an ankle injury, but will play in the opener. Sherman spoke favorably of sophomore Anthony Vela, 5-11 239. He will probably get some playing time, too.

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2008 Texas A&M Wide Receivers

A freshman out of high school, Jeff Fuller 6-4 209, broke into the starting rotation. He’s from McKinney and will be only one of two freshmen starters.

Fuller beat out senior three-year letterman Pierre Brown, 6-2 197, who in 2007 started 10 games and play in all 13 games. Brown has played for three years. In 2007, he caught 19 passes for 217 yards and averaged 11.42 yards a catch.

On the other side, wide receiver will be junior two-year letterman Howard Morrow 6-4 206. Morrow sat out 2007 with a broken wrist. Sherman said he was impressed with how Morrow had returned from his injury. Morrow has a career 13 pass receptions for 176 yards. Sophomore Terrance McCoy, 6-4 189, will be in the four-man rotation. McCoy has caught one career pass for 17 yards.

If this roster holds, the Aggies will “rev up” their West Coast offense with front line receivers who have only 14 career pass receptions. It’s clear why Sherman is giving his quarterbacks reps at wide receiver. It’s also brings to mind Sherman’s statement earlier in summer camp, “If you don’t catch, you won’t play.”

2008 Texas A&M Tight Ends

Junior Jamie McCoy, 6-3 224, will start. He’s the most experienced although he converted from quarterback in 2007. He played in five games, and he has no pass receptions on the record books. Harold Turnage, 6-4 246, and Frank Avery, 6-4 207, are both freshmen out of high school.

If this roster holds up, the Aggies will unveil their pass-oriented offense with three potential tight ends that have never caught a collegiate pass.

By Jay Goode
Big 12 Fans Texas A&M Correspondent

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