(10-25-07)

AP-TX--Texas A&M-Notebook,0528

Quarterback takes another pounding in win over Nebraska

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - Texas A&M quarterback Stephen
McGee treated his battered body with ice packs for two days after
last weekend's 36-14 win over Nebraska.
McGee rushed 35 times for 167 yards.
But McGee thinks every bruise was worth it -- because of how
helpless the Cornhuskers defense appeared.
McGee is the team's leading rusher, with 120 carries for 711
yards.
Jorvorskie Lane has 575 yards rushing on 117 carries, but he had
only 15 carries in Lincoln on Saturday -- relegated mostly to
blocking for McGee.
Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione has been repeatedly asked
about the physical pounding McGee seems to be taking in the
run-heavy option scheme.
Franchione said his offensive strategy changes game-to-game.
Since Nebraska couldn't slow down McGee, he said, why call anything
else?
The Aggies (6-2, 3-1 Big 12) play Number 12 Kansas (7-0, 3-0) at
Kyle Field on Saturday.
---
GOING FOR 2: -- Franchione defended his decision to go for a
2-point conversion with 4:32 left in Saturday's victory over
Nebraska.
The Aggies led 36-14 and fans in Lincoln booed when A&M tried to
tack on two more points with the outcome seemingly decided.
The conversion failed.
Franchione carries a card during games that tells him when he
should go for two points and when he shouldn't.
The card says to go for two when his team is leading by 22, even
if it's late in the game.
---
RESURGENT BRYANT: -- The recovery was slow and steady, and now
senior defensive tackle Red Bryant is back to form one year after
knee surgery.
"It's been very fulfilling this year," said Bryant, who has 28
tackles, including a sack.
The 6-foot-5, 324-pound Bryant had 19 tackles with a sack in the
first nine games last season.
He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee against
Oklahoma State last October 21st and missed A&M's final five games.
He had surgery last November 17th.
Bryant was tentative heading into preseason camp, thinking about
how easily he could re-injure the knee.
Once the season started, the fear faded away.
Bryant finally felt like his comeback was complete when he made
five tackles in the Aggies's 24-23 win over Oklahoma State on
October 6th.
---
TURN, TURN, TURN: -- The Aggies have forced 18 turnovers and
committed only eight. Their plus-10 turnover ratio ranks seventh in
the nation.
The Aggies are 6-0 when they force more turnovers than they
commit. A&M committed the same number of turnovers as Miami (3) and
Texas Tech (1) and lost both games.
Kansas also has a plus-10 ratio. The Jayhawks have forced 21
turnovers and given away 11.
---
QUOTABLE: -- "Once Jorvorskie gets leaning, it's like
gravitational pull and Isaac Newton's Law, all that times velocity
and force, plus his weight and speed. He gets moving pretty fast. I
mean, it gets hard to tackle him right there." - tight end
Martellus Bennett, on why the 6-foot, 268-pound Lane is so
difficult to stop at the goal line.

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

AP-NY-10-25-07 1523EDT