(8-17-07)

Aggies look to build on solid '06, but tough schedule awaits

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - As the final seconds ticked away
last November, the Texas A&M Aggies swarmed their embattled coach
and raced to the corner of Texas' Memorial Stadium.
There, ecstatic fans saluted the Aggies with "Horns Down" hand
signals.
A season of wild road victories and bitter home defeats had
culminated in a gritty 12-7 win over Texas for A&M's first win in
Austin in a dozen years.
Quarterback Stephen McGee's game-winning, 8-yard scramble
against the Longhorns was the lasting image from A&M's 2006 season.
It capped a 16-play drive that lasted almost nine minutes. A&M won
several games by simply keeping the ball away from the opposing
offense and ended up leading the nation in average time of
possession with 33 minutes, 35 seconds per game.
The winning drive also symbolized the chemistry and closeness of
the team that's been absent since the "Wrecking Crew" days.
Now, it's time to prove that the win over their biggest rival
wasn't a fluke for the Aggies, but a declaration that it's a Big 12
power again. And with McGee, the entire line and nearly every skill
player back on offense, the Aggies may be ready to expand the
playbook and take a few more shots down the field.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)