Texas A&M recruiting poster.

Texas A&M

The Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice believes that Mike Sherman is still the right coach for A&M, despite the 4-7 record.

I'm not saying he's perfect. He may need to tweak his coaching staff, but that staff isn't why the Aggies are 4-7. The Aggies are 4-7 because Dennis Franchione left Mike Sherman a bad team.

Some Aggie players of note: Stephen McGee, Quarterback; Ryan Tannehill, Receiver; Javorski Lane, Fullback; Michael Bennett, Defensive End; Kellen Heard, Defensive Tackle. Aggies especially love Stephen McGee. McGee has led A&M to victory in two of the last three games with UT. This is his last year playing the Horns.

Fittingly, McGee will wear the A&M uniform for the last time at the site of his defining highlight. Two years ago, A&M trailed 7-6 in the fourth quarter and McGee led the Aggies on a grinding, 16-play drive, finishing it with an 8-yard TD run.

"Guys were throwing up, exhausted and laying it on the line for each other," said McGee. "That's something that's going to stick with me forever, the way we played together, the way we fought and stuck together through everything. Those are my buddies that I'll have for life."

The Longhorns should give McGee something to remember on Thursday.

A&M's punter, Justin Brantly, is A&M’s top NFL prospect and possibly their first All-American since 1999.

"He punts the heck out of the football," first-year A&M coach Mike Sherman said of Brantly, who excelled at Sealy High after moving from East Bernard as a youngster. "Sometimes he’s out-punting us, and we can only get down there so fast to cover the distance."

All the mascots are buried by the stadium. They even have their own scoreboard so that they can keep up with the game.

One of the stalwarts of college journalism, The Battalion, A&M's student newspaper, had the Top Ten Reasons to attend a game back in October. Most still seem relevant, just change the won-loss record and you are set.

Need a game preview? Head on over to Barking Carnival.

The Aggie Report has just what A&M fans might need late Thursday night.

The Longhorns

Mack Brown knows the right order of things: Win first, then worry about the BCS.

"The only input we can have in the BCS is playing well Thursday night," he said. "We have a live audience from every voter in the country out on the field. So it's kind of a playoff.

"People will be watching Colt [McCoy] for the Heisman, and people will be watching our team to see how good we are."

He also has a message for fans.

 

Mack Brown says he isn't worried that his team — or its fans — will take Texas A&M too lightly, despite the Aggies' struggles this year.

"If you can't get excited at home before nearly 100,000 people when there are Big 12 championship and national championship implications on the line against your rival, then you ought to quit and do something else," the UT coach said. "I'm excited. I can't wait."

He added, "I want our fans to be like they were for Missouri. I think it's very, very important for this game that they do the same thing.

Colt McCoy has dedicated this season to his late cousin, Marine Sgt. Grant Hinds.

Shortly before Texas plays rival Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night, Colt McCoy will reach into his locker for a silver crucifix on a chain and put it around his neck.

He'll pause to look at a photograph of a Marine in dress uniform, and remind himself of who and what he is playing for this season.

McCoy is playing for that Marine - his late cousin, Sgt. Grant Hinds. They spent several summers in West Texas together when they were kids, hunting, fishing and romping around years before Hinds learned how to drive a tank and fight in a war.

Hinds wore the crucifix during three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan before he died in April when injuries from a car accident cut short the life of a young man desperately trying to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder, nightmares and depression. He was 25.

ESPN's Tim Griffin picks his Offensive and Defensive MVPs so far this season. Colt McCoy and Brian Orakpo come out the winners.

Dr. Saturday has a Texas-OU mailbag.

Orangebloods are going all out to remind the BCS that we beat OU on a neutral field. This Facebook page is one that UT may actually appreciate. 45-35 is another web site to plug UT over OU in the BCS standings.

Have a great Thanksgiving. BDR will be spending the Holiday with all the Aggie relatives and will be back on Monday.

Go Horns!