The Battalion: October 25, 2013

12TH MAN

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sportsopinion

EDITION

Members of the 12th Man cheer for A&M during a 49-42 loss to No. 1 Alabama.

STANDING TALL

Jenna Rabel — THE BATTALION

MICHAEL AYO: The 12th Man is — and will continue to be — a constant presence in Kyle Field

I

Michael Ayo Sports Reporter @M_Ayo10

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n life, only three things can be certain — death, taxes and a loud 12th Man. Odds are that a very large portion of the student body has experienced it before.

The fuzz flying through the air from people waving their towels and people standing in the aisles watching the game because their row has filled up. Even hearing students yell, “Old Army does it twice,” just so they can chant, “Beat the hell out of [someone],” one more time.

Nowadays we have students singing along with Kanye West and his song, “Power,” as it plays over the PA system right before the Aggies come storming out of the tunnel. There are even students bold enough to dance along with Trey Williams as he awaits a kickoff.

There is no doubt that the fans at Kyle Field are a breed of their own and they could not be prouder of it.

“I believe the 12th Man is one of the greatest traditions in all of college football,” redshirt sophomore quarterback Johnny Manziel said.

“40,000 students standing not as fans, but as members of our team.”

Kyle Field has a listed capacity of 82,589.

However, attendance for each game tends to hover around the 87,000 mark. That is an

extra 4,500 fans cheering and screaming for an Aggie victory. The record attendance at Kyle Field is 90,079, which occurred when the Aggies defeated Nebraska 9-6 on Nov. 20, 2010.

In the words of former running back Christine Michael, “It’s almost like it’s cheating.”

It is hard to find statistics that say just how much fans help a team win a ballgame. But we have all witnessed frustrated coaches yelling at quarterbacks for calling a timeout because he could not hear the play call.

One of the most famous moments came in 1985 when University of Texas quarterback Brett Stafford tried to wait out the 12th Man. They would not be outdone, getting louder as each second ticked off the clock.

We have also seen how energetic our players get when we chant their name and root for a score. There is a reason why our teams are as good as they are,w and with our fans it is almost like cheating.

The 12th Man has received many honors for its dedication to Aggie football. Kyle Field was the highest rated college football stadium in Business Insider’s “Best Venues in Sports.”

In 2011, the game day experience at Kyle Field was rated No. 1 in Sports Illustrated’s College Football Preview. This past year,

Sports Illustrated rated the home of the Aggies the third-loudest stadium in college football.

“I’d say the first time it really stuck with me with how loud the 12th Man gets was when they were playing Texas and A&M scored a touchdown,” sophomore center Mike Matthews said. “It still gives me chills.”

The Aggies have an all-time home record of 391-156-19 at Kyle Field. That winning percentage sits just under 70 percent. Odds are that the electrifying sound coming from the 12th Man has played an enormous role in the winning tradition of the Aggies throughout the years.

“I love playing for the 12th Man,” senior left tackle Jake Matthews said. “Our fans are the greatest and the atmosphere at Kyle Field is outstanding.”

It is a fact that the 12th Man is unlike any other student section in the country. Many have seen the video clip of College Gameday’s Kirk Herbstreit saying, “This is the best student section in all of college football,” that plays before each game.

Aggies are indeed a breed of their own and Kyle Field is where they reside, standing ready to go in the game when needed.

PAGES EIGHT & NINE

PAGE ELEVEN

thebattalion

GAMEDAY FROM THE YELL LEADER PERSPECTIVE

LABHART

PAGE SIXTEEN

12TH MAN

KYLE FIELD INSIDER

10.25.13

10/24/13 8:24 PM

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15 SEC leader A&M braces for league weekend soccerinsider Clay Koepke The Battalion

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(Left) Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel powers through Auburn tacklers on Oct. 19. (Right) The A&M training staff examines Manziel’s shoulder after a hit near Auburn’s goal line.

Photos by Bryan Johnson — THE BATTALION

A&M aims to rebound with Vandy Michael Ayo The Battalion

A

fter a controversial ending to their second loss of the season, the No. 16 Texas A&M Aggies will play their fourth straight conference game Saturday as they take on the Vanderbilt Commodores at Kyle Field.

The Aggies (5-2, 2-2 SEC) were upset Saturday by No. 24 Auburn while the Commodores (4-3, 1-3) upended No. 15 Georgia.

The biggest question surrounding Saturday’s game will be the health of quarterback Johnny Manziel, who suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder in the second half of the game against Auburn.

While Manziel only sat out one possession, he appeared to be favoring his throwing arm throughout the rest of the game. Manziel enters the game averaging an SEC-best 327 passing yards per game to go with 18 passing touchdowns. If he is unable to play, junior Matt Joeckel and freshman Kenny Hill are listed as the backup quarterbacks.

“I feel confident in both of the backup quarterbacks,” said offensive coordinator Clarence McKinney. “It’s a different offense without [Manziel] but they can make plays.”

Head coach Kevin Sumlin said Tuesday at his weekly press conference that Manziel was “hopeful” for Saturday.

The matchup will feature two of the best receivers in the SEC this season. A&M’s Mike Evans leads the conference with 146.3 receiving yards per game and nine touchdowns.

“It’s hard to argue with [Evans’] greatness based on his improvement and consistency of performance,” Sumlin said.

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“It’s hard to argue that he’s not one of the better players in the country.”

Across the field, Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews is second in the SEC averaging 114 yards per game and is fifth with five receiving touchdowns. Matthews needs 14 receiving yards to break the SEC career record. “[Matthews] is a really good receiver,” said defensive coordinator Mark Snyder. “He’s tall, long and fast. We’ll cover him the best we can.”

Vanderbilt is dealing with quarterback injuries of its own as starter Austyn Carta-Samuels went down with a left leg injury against Georgia. Carta-Samuels was replaced by redshirt freshman Patton Robinette, who completed 9-of-15 passes to complete the upset victory.

Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin said Monday at his weekly press conference that Carta-Samuels and Robinette would be evaluated based on practice to determine the starter against A&M. Franklin said he respects A&M. “We’ve never played one another as institutions, which is interesting,” Franklin said. “[A&M has,] arguably, the most explosive offense in the SEC. A lot more balanced than you may think with the run and the pass. They are big and athletic up front and they have a very good corps of wide receivers.”

Franklin apologized to the students who live in dorms near the Vanderbilt football practice fields as the team simulated Kyle Field crowd noise at practices this week.

“We’re really excited about going to play Texas A&M in College Station,” Franklin said. “I do think [Kyle Field] has a reputation of being one of the best places in all of college football. Crowd noise will be significant this week so we will

have the speakers blaring at practice.”

Texas A&M has averaged just under 47 points per game and enters the game on an FBS-best 10-game streak of 40-point games.

However, the dynamic Aggie offense will have its hands full against Vanderbilt’s defense. The Commodores are ranked fifth in the SEC, allowing 365 yards of total offense per game.

An emerging aspect of the Aggie offense of late has been the play of sophomore running back Trey Williams, who missed two games early in the season with an ankle injury but has since come back to rush for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Williams leads the team with an average of seven yards per carry.

“The last couple of weeks [Williams] has shown that he deserves to have the ball in his hands,” McKinney said.

In their only other game following a loss this season, the Aggies defeated the SMU Mustangs 42-13. A&M will look to avoid its first two-game losing streak in its brief SEC history.

In the 20 games played since joining the conference, the Aggies have lost to four different SEC teams.

Those four teams have combined to win the last seven national championships.

“The fact that we lost Saturday helps us,” Sumlin said.

“Right now, it’s not necessarily about the opponent, and that’s no disrespect, but it’s about us and what we can do to get better. There’s a bunch of things that we control that can dictate whether we win or lose.”

he Texas A&M soccer team successfully began its battle through the toughest part of the conference schedule a week ago, tallying up Alabama and Georgia for two marks in the win column.

The two victories increased the Aggie win streak to seven games, a mark that helped place them atop the SEC standings.

After being on the road for their last two games, the Aggies (12-3-1, 7-1-0 SEC) will ride their momentum back to Ellis Field on Friday as they host the No. 23 Ole Miss Rebels at 8 p.m.

Following the showdown with the Rebels, the Aggies will travel to Gainesville, Fla., where they will face the No. 7 Florida Gators.

“It’s a huge weekend for us,” junior Shea Groom said. “Our team has been coming together at the right time and we’re just really excited to finish up conference play. It’s going to be two tough battles this weekend. It’s good

that we play Ole Miss at home. We feel a lot more comfortable here at Ellis with the 12th Man behind us. We’re just kind of focusing on that game first before we take on Florida in Gainesville.”

The match against Ole Miss will be the second meeting between the two programs as the Rebels look to redeem the 4-0 loss at the hands of the Aggies last season in Oxford.

Ole Miss brings a 12-3-2 (5-2-1 SEC) record to College Station. Two electric seniors, Rafaelle Souza and Mandy McCalla, will spearhead the Rebel attack.

Souza, a Brazil native, leads the Rebels in both major offensive categories with 14 goals and six assists. McCalla is a close second, adding 11 goals and four assists as the Rebels are outscoring opponents 42-16 on the season.

Senior captain Rachel Lenz said she knows there is still work ahead for the Aggies, but said she is pleased with the way the team is meshing.

“We’re definitely building and we still have things to improve on, but we’re rolling,” Lenz

said. “Everyone’s playing so well right now — up top, in the middle, in the back — so it’s good to see us working as a team.”

The Aggies will test their team unity and strength Sunday as they head into a hostile environment against a tough Florida team that has proved its dominance on the home pitch with a 9-2-0 record and will look to dethrone the newly appointed conference leaders.

Sunday’s match will be the eighth meeting between the two schools. The Aggies hold a 4-3 series lead, but last year’s match at Ellis Field ended in a 3-1 Gator win. A&M head coach G Guerrieri and the Aggies are mindful of last season’s let down and are looking forward to another crack at Florida.

“We expect that to be just a great game,” Guerrieri said. “That’s the game that a lot of people have circled all around the Southeast as being a big showdown like it always has been.

We’ve had a great, great series with them going all the way back in the mid-90s. It’s a good environment. It’s a smaller field than we play on

here but they play a real high level of soccer. It’s fun to play against teams like that and I think it will be good for the spectators.”

The Gators (12-3-1, 9-2-0 SEC) are led by freshman Savannah Jordan, who leads the team with 15 goals. The second-leading goal scorer for the Gators has four goals.

Despite sitting atop the SEC standings with a 7-1 record, the Aggies enter weekend play unranked against two ranked opponents. The Aggies are using the lack of poll respect as motivation to fuel their postseason run.

“It’s tough and it’s a lot of politics, but we don’t really care about the rankings,” Groom said. “We care about who comes out on top at the end of the season. Right now we’re leading that board and we expect to stay No. 1 and if they don’t rank us after that, that’s their own fault. We’re a great team and a great driving force. That’s our motivation and that’s our drive and that’s what has made us so good — proving those doubters wrong and earning respect as we go along.”

2013 Aggieland yearbooks here If you did not order the 2013 Texas A&M university Aggieland yearbook (the 2012-2013 school year), a limited number are available at the Student Media office, Suite L400 of the MSC. Hours: 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. Monday–friday. $85 plus tax. Cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express, accepted. If you pre-ordered a 2013 Aggieland, it has been mailed to your billing address.

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greatest seats in the house For Yell Leaders, game day obligations extend beyond the Kyle Field hashmarks Sean Lester

The Battalion ours before kickoff each home game, five Texas A&M students prepare for another Aggie game day. As the five men change into uniform, they make their way toward Kyle Field. Instead of playing in front of more than 80,000 fans, they will be leading them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a personal thing, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more about having the opportunity to wear the uniform,â&#x20AC;? senior Yell Leader Chris Powell said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like the impact the uniform has is limitless. Getting the 12th Man fired up, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future, current or former students â&#x20AC;&#x201D; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re kind of that link for everybody.â&#x20AC;?

For seniors Powell, Hunter Cook and Ryan Crawford as well as juniors Roy May and Patrick McGinty, the games are just one step in a

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day that begins at Midnight Yell and ends hours after the football game.

Historic and humorous According to the Yell Leader website, the honor and privilege of being a Yell Leader at Texas A&M began as more of a joke than anything. When A&M was an all-male military college in 1907, students invited ladies from Texas Womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University to attend the football games.

As the legend goes, the dates began to get bored as the Aggies were being out-scored, so the upperclassmen ordered the freshmen to find a way to entertain their guests. The freshmen found janitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coveralls and began leading yells. This garnered so much attention that only upperclassmen would be allowed to entertain in the future.

Josh McKenna â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE BATTALION

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The golf course grand reopening tournament is Friday and the course will reopen to the general public Saturday.

Josh McKenna â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE BATTALION

Yell Leaders huddle prior to kickoff Saturday against Auburn.

The tradition stuck, with students now holding annual elections to choose Yell Leaders. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having the privilege and the honor of being selected for such an old position that is so big here at A&M has been amazing,â&#x20AC;? Cook said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coming out of high school, I never would have thought that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be in this position and having the impact not only on a football game or the 12th Man but on my peers and the people around me.â&#x20AC;?

One of the most historic traditions at A&M includes the Yell Leaders hosting Midnight Yell at Kyle Field.

Around 11:15 p.m. the Yell Leaders and their dates depart from Lewis St. behind Duncan Dining Hall. Carrying lit torches they lead the Fightinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Texas Aggie Band and the 12th Man into the stadium.

In front of fans numbering between 25,000 to 40,000, the Yell Leaders tell humorous stories and lead yells in an experience unique to all of college sports. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Midnight Yell is exhilarating,â&#x20AC;? Cook said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Honestly, when I get done with Midnight Yell, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go to sleep until 2 a.m. Then you wake up the next morning and you get to do it all over again. The energy, for us, carries over from Midnight Yell to the game day experience.â&#x20AC;?

Game morning turns to game day The Yell Leaders get some sleep on Friday nights, but not much. For a 2:30 p.m. kickoff, their official duties begin at 12:15 p.m. at the

Clayton Williams Alumni Center where they lead Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Yell Practice.

Parents snap pictures as the Yell Leaders interact with potential future Aggies. The five men quickly depart, sticking to a schedule that leads them up to kickoff.

They shuffle off to the Spirit Walk where they help usher in the football team two hours before game time.

From there they enter Kyle Field where they are able to take advantage of a rare opportunity for down time and often opt to toss a football on an empty Kyle Field. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We get the opportunity when the team goes in with Spirit Walk, we get to go into the stadium when thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nobody in there,â&#x20AC;?

Cook said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s serene. When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re standing in the stadium knowing in three hours thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be 80,000-plus people in there, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s humbling.â&#x20AC;?

The Yell Leaders play a marquee role as the team takes the field in the Aggiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new entrance, introduced by head coach Kevin Sumlin. They then lead Aggie fans in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Threeâ&#x20AC;? yells that signal itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game time at Kyle Field. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you can imagine being dressed in a very noticeable uniform standing on the field doing the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Big Threeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; before the game,â&#x20AC;? Crawford said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just extremely humbling to have the student section and a lot of the alumni yelling the exact same words at the exact same time at the instant you make a hand motion.â&#x20AC;?

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fter a year of renovations, Texas A&M University will reopen its golf course to the public on Saturday, following a lottery-style tournament on Friday for students and faculty. Showcased along the east side of campus, the course will emerge as the premier golf venue in Bryan-College Station, said Jeff Blume, course architect and Class of 1989.

Staff report

Answers to todays puzzles

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5

yellleaders Linked as brothers The five Yell Leaders follow a schedule during the game that is handed down from their superiors to incorporate the band, the flyover pilots and video features by 12th Man TV. The five Yell Leaders come together after each A&M score and lock arms on one knee.

The moment symbolizes how close these men become over a year’s time.

“Once it gets to this point, after spending so much time together, you’re either going to hate each other or really get along, and I think we’ve been fortunate enough that we all get along really well,” McGinty said. “I couldn’t pick four other guys I’d rather do this with. I consider them my family when I’m up here.”

Over the summer the five travel to Aggie Moms’ Clubs, New Student Orientation sessions and Fish Camp sessions, forming their bond and getting the yells down pat. When the Aggies leave Kyle Field victorious, the group is tackled by freshmen in the Corps and carried out as a group to be thrown into Fish Pond.

At the end of an exhausting game day the Yell Leaders try to relish in the opportunity they just experienced.

“You don’t even realize how much energy you’ve exerted until you get home and you’re out of whites and you finally sit down for a second and you realize it’s been a long day,” May said.

Each member of the group is a member of Texas A&M’s Corps, who are considered the “Keepers of the Spirit” at A&M. On game days, the Yell Leaders preserve a tradition that is more than 100 years old, keeping the famed 12th Man engaged and leading an atmosphere that has been rated among the best in the country.

“The opportunity to be out there, I don’t even know how to explain it, it’s just completely surreal,” May said. “Part of the game we react because we know what to do, but there are parts that slow us down or we have a break at half time — and it never fails every game. I have one or two of those moments where I look around and soak it in. I don’t want to miss a moment, that’s for sure.”

““

I couldn’t pick four other guys I’d rather do this with. I consider them my family when I’m up here.”

— Patrick McGinty, junior yell leader

Tanner Garza — THE BATTALION

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10/24/13 9:01 PM

6

volleyballinsider

A&M preps for Arkansas, No. 7 Missouri Andrew White

The Battalion he Aggie volleyball team (10-8, 2-5 SEC) welcomes the No. 23 Arkansas Razorbacks (13-7, 6-3) Friday to Reed Arena. Fans can get into the game for free with a donation of a canned food item as part of the annual AggiesCAN event.

A&M is coming off a losing weekend during which they were swept 3-0 by Alabama and fell 3-1 to Auburn.

Arkansas enters the weekend after a Friday road win against Tennessee. The Razorbacks were boosted by career-best kill performances by senior Hayley Koop (18) and freshman Breana Jones (13). The Razorbacks then beat Georgia 3-1 at home Sunday where the Razorbacks had two

T

Dee Huggan — THE BATTALION

Freshman outside hitter Emily Hardesty rises for a hit during a 3-0 win over Mississippi State on Oct. 11.

FOOTBALL

players reach 18 kills — Koop and junior Meredith Hays.

“It is going to be a great matchup,” said Laurie Corbelli, A&M head coach. “They are equally physical and they have some bangers on the side with Koop. They are hardworking, well-coached and they are extremely dangerous.”

Corbelli said a pivotal part of the game plan will be getting in sync.

“It is really difficult to identify what the problem is,” Corbelli said. “A lot of it is individual and we are just training like we have been and early in the season when it was just about improving ourselves, and hopefully that will bring us back to normal.”

When on the same page, the Aggie offense is one of the most

11

playerinsider Sean Lester The Battalion

I

effective offenses in the nation, ranking No. 17 in kills per set with 14.31. Senior setter Allie Sawatzky, who has posted six triple-doubles on the season, directs the offense. A&M’s serving has become a prominent fixture as the team has had 13 aces in the last three matches.

“We have started getting our offense back in sync,” said Kelsey Kinley, senior defensive specialist. “We have a lot of hitters and a lot of options at hitter.”

After the Razorbacks, the Aggies will host the top-two teams in the SEC East in the undefeated No. 7 Missouri Tigers (23-0, 7-0) who are coming off an upset of the Florida Gators. The Aggies will play the No. 3 Gators (18-2, 7-1) on Nov. 3.

GAMEDAY

THE WALK-ON EFFECT 2013

WHERE TO GO

Labhart transitions from women’s basketball practice squad to the bright lights of Kyle Field

““

[Labhart] is a great story for us and a great story for this team.”

Scan with your smartphone for more gameday info!

P

HOW TO GET THERE transport.tamu.edu/football

BAT_10-25-13_A11-A6.indd 1

— Kevin Sumlin, A&M head coach

Bryan Johnson — THE BATTALION

Senior receiver Travis Labhart catches one of his seven passes — for 79 total yards — Saturday against Auburn.

t wasn’t long ago that Travis Labhart was a member of a national championship program at Texas A&M. Before walking on to the Aggie football team, Labhart was a practice player for the 2010 Texas A&M women’s national champion basketball team.

“It’s been a very interesting ride,” Labhart said. “You don’t hear of many people from women’s basketball transitioning into football.”

Labhart was an undersized high school football player at Whitesboro High School playing quarterback and safety. There, coaches would make bets on whether he could break 100 pounds in his weight class, which he never did.

A high school coach sent him a message on Facebook suggesting he go out for A&M’s 12th Man tryout.

Labhart walked off the women’s basketball practice team and on to the football team and saw very limited action as a third-string receiver.

“Me and Johnny [Manziel] would take it to the scout team,” Labhart said. “When Coach Sherman was here they had the developmental team and they’d go against the developmental defense and we’d always find each other.”

After two seasons of entering games in garbage time, Labhart was given a chance to make an impact two weeks ago at Ole Miss. Manziel quickly began connecting with him, just like their days of scout team practices.

“It was really funny to look back on it,” Labhart said. “And it was great to take it to a real game.”

Labhart led the team with eight catches for 97 yards in a 41-39 win over the Rebels. After the game his teammates and coaches raved about his play.

“If you know Labhart, that’s not shocking,” said senior running back Ben Malena. “It’s not shocking at all. He comes in and works every day and he’s a great-minded guy. Him stepping up and making catches is not surprising, but I’m really proud of him.”

The game was not the only testament to Labhart’s work ethic.

Earlier in the year, head coach Kevin Sumlin presented him with a scholarship after two seasons as a walk-on.

“When I was a senior in high school I realized it probably wasn’t going to happen — getting a full ride,” Labhart said. “It was a humbling experience because of all the work I’d put in. I was so ecstatic. I called my parents crying. As a walkon you have to do a lot financially and that may be hard for them. It came out of nowhere. I was so surprised.”

Labhart followed up his performance against Ole Miss with another impressive game against Auburn, during which he caught seven passes for 79 yards. His 15 catches in the last two games match Mike Evans for the team lead over that span. “[I’m] not surprised at all,” Evans said. “Last year I felt he should’ve been on the field. We obviously had a lot of guys, but now he’s stepping up.”

Labhart has stepped up on the field and into the spotlight as Aggies everywhere learn about his story. “[Labhart] is a great story for us and a great story for this team,” Sumlin said. “He worked his way from a non-scholarship player into a scholarship player. He didn’t back off after that. He earned the respect of his teammates. I know for a fact that four weeks ago our quarterback felt as comfortable with him as anybody.”

For Sumlin, Labhart showcases what he wants the A&M program to be about — hard work and determination, giving each player an opportunity to shine on Saturday.

“When he went into the game, his success came at a surprise to a lot of people, but nobody on the team was surprised at all because he practices like that,” Sumlin said. “I think it gives an example to other players that as long as you keep working and doing what we ask of you, we’re going to put you in and give you your opportunity.”

10/24/13 8:57 PM

10

staff insider thebattalion

STAFF PICKS Week Ten

Jake Walker

Mark Doré

James Sullivan

Sean Lester

William Guerra

Jessica Smarr

Editor-in-Chief Record: 21-13

Managing Editor Record: 24-10

Sports Editor Record: 17-17

Sports Desk Asst.

Record: 27-7

Graphics Chief Record: 24-10

Copy Chief Record: 19-15

(16) Texas A&M vs.

Vanderbilt

Texas A&M

Texas A&M

Texas A&M

Texas A&M

Texas A&M

Texas A&M

With or without, we still win

Vandy Schmandy

The smart kids are no match for the jocks

Vandy has great names, but we have Johnny

Don’t make me beg...

I think we should all take a moment

(15) Oklahoma vs.

(10) Texas Tech

Oklahoma

Texas Tech

Texas Tech

Texas Tech

Texas Tech

Oklahoma

I will never root for tech

I miss A&M’s 5 o’clock shadow

Let the Kingsbury puns rain down upon us

Casual Kliff, V-necks and Raybans

OU is a big barrel of disappointment

To offer our sympathies to James Sullivan

(3) Oregon vs.

(12) UCLA

Oregon

Oregon

Oregon

Oregon

Oregon

Oregon

Hey look here, Jack.

Ducks all the way

UCLA burned me last week and I’m bitter

Oregon’s first real test will be another easy win

Those pink helmets were hideous

Can’t wait to see their NCG uniforms

He is actually losing to me

Missouri

South Carolina

Missouri

Missouri

Missouri

South Carolina

Whatever. They’re doing alright

Mizzou can’t be the first SEC newcomer to win out

After the past two weeks, I’m a believer

This “Mizzou being good thing” is odd

Best Tigers in the SEC right now

You guys, my picks are based on the mascots

TCU

TCU

TCU

Texas

Texas

TCU

Gig ‘em Frogs. Haha, that’s funny

The thing is, I’m literally never going to pick Texas

I gotta side with Mark on this one

LOL, does it even matter any more?

*shrug*

Poor James

(5) Missouri vs.

(21) South Carolina TCU vs.

Texas

soccerinsider

´ RACHEL FUTBOL

Senior captain spearheads A&M soccer’s youth movement

Senior defender Rachel Lenz makes a pass during A&M’s 3-1 victory over UMass on Sept. 13.

Bryan Johnson — THE BATTALION

Clay Koepke

The Battalion

W

(EARLY)

HEISMAN WATCH JOHNNY

MANZIEL

TEXAS A&M (5-2) SO QB #2 6’1 - 210

MARCUS

MARIOTA

OREGON (7-0) SO QB #8 6’4 - 211

Last Week: 45-41 loss to No. 11 Auburn

502 total yds, 5 TD

Last Week: 62-38 win over Washington State

394 toal yds, 3 TD

Passing: 159-217 for 2289 yds, 18 TD Rushing: 85 carries for 486 yds, 6 TD

Passing: 123-197 for 2051 yds, 19 TD Rushing: 49 carries for 493 yds, 9 TD

Jenna Rabel — THE BATTALION

Michael Arellano — The DAILY EMERALD

JAMEIS

WINSTON

Riley Saaber — FSView

BAT_10-25-13_A7-A10.indd 1

FLORIDA STATE (6-0) FR QB #5 6’4 - 228

BRYCE

PETTY

BAYLOR (6-0) JR QB #14 6’3 - 230

Last Week: 51-14 win over No. 9 Clemson

446 total yds, 4 TD

Last Week: 71-7 win over Iowa State

349 total yards, 3 TD

Passing: 112-157 for 1885 yds, 20 TD Rushing: 43 carries for 137 yds, 3 TD

Passing: 102-144 for 2023 yds, 15 TD Rushing: 24 carries for 51 yds, 5 TD

7

hen A&M fans think about the No. 2 maroon and white jersey, there is one thing that comes to mind — Johnny Football. But there’s another No. 2 on campus just as vital to her team as Manziel is to his — 5-foot-8 senior defender, Rachel Lenz, or Rachel Fútbol.

As the only senior on the squad other than Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar, who joined the team this year, Lenz has embraced her leadership role to spearhead the Aggies’ surge toward the top of the SEC standings.

This is not the first season the Aggies have looked to Lenz for leadership. Texas A&M head coach G Guerrieri said Lenz has been a leader since she arrived on campus and has only improved over the years.

“I got named captain as a sophomore, so it’s something that I think I have just grown into and just developed,” Lenz said. “I had great girls before me who showed me what it took to be a leader.”

The 2009 Round Rock High School graduate accumulated an impressive resume in her high school years.

Lenz captained her club team to four state championships, participated in the Region III Olympic Development Program and trained with the U-20 Women’s National Team in 2009.

Lenz’s high school success brought several universities to her front porch lobbying for her services. But in the end, all it took was one visit to Aggieland.

“A&M had always been where I wanted to go — or the ‘dream school,’” Lenz said. “Being from Austin, I knew I never wanted to go to Texas. Burnt orange just isn’t my color. I visited here on a Friday, and the next morning I flew out to another school and then Sunday I committed here. It just felt like home.”

Lenz’s commitment proved to be a valuable one for the Aggies as she earned a starting role her first semester on campus. After starting 22 of 23 games her freshman year, Lenz was the only freshman named to the All-Big 12 First Team, the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team and the Soccer America All-Freshman Team.

“She’s been a leader on this team almost since her first fall season,” Guerrieri said. “But she’s always been in a leadership role in our team in the heart of our defense.

She’s just gotten stronger and stronger over time.”

In her sophomore season, she was again named to the All-Big 12 First Team.

Guerrieri said Lenz is effective in all facets of the game as a one-of-a-kind teammate and soccer player. As a civil engineering major, Lenz balances her student-athlete role in a humble way.

When asked about her best qualities on the field, Lenz said it was her positive and vocal nature.

Sophomore Karlie Mueller said Lenz’s leadership and presence on the backline has helped her and the other young Aggie defenders gain confidence and experience that will be vital as the season presses forward.

“I’ve been playing with her for two years, and having her behind me is such a blessing,” Mueller said. “I feel so confident with her in the back line with me. She just brings something to the team that no one else does. She’s always positive. You never hear her screaming at people. She’s just a very positive person and she really brings the team up. She never gets down on us. She is going to be greatly missed next year.”

Lenz has started in all but five of her 81 career games as an Aggie, and her consistency seems to be rubbing off on the rest of the Aggie squad as it looks to extend its sevengame win streak against Ole Miss on Friday at Ellis Field.

As a captain of this year’s squad, Lenz brings toughness and grit to the Aggie defense and leads by example in her everyday preparation.

“She’s a vital cog in the machine,” Guerrieri said. “She’s surrounded by great players, but she really takes us getting scored on personally, which is a great characteristic to have.

She’s ferocious in her manner on the field, and she’s a very thorough person. As a future engineer, there is no lack of attention to detail.”

Robby Hirst — THE LARIAT

10/24/13 8:28 PM

9

traditioninsider

A GAME THROUGH THE EYES OF THE MEN WHO CONDUCT THE 12TH MAN

1 2 3 BAT_10-25-13_A9-A8.indd 1

YELL.

5 6 4

1

Texas A&M Yell Leaders light torches before leaving for Midnight Yell prior to the Aggies’ Oct. 19 matchup with Auburn.

2

Yell Leaders lead Midnight Yell in front of thousands of current and former students in preparation for the following day’s home game.

3

Yell Leaders begin their day hours prior to kickoff with an event for the future students of Aggieland — Kids’ Yell.

4

Following Spirit Walk, (from left) Hunter Cook, advisor Gerald Harris and Ryan Crawford make their way back to Kyle Field in preparation for the Corps March-In and stadium festivities.

5

Photos by Josh McKenna — THE BATTALION

Senior Yell Leader Chris Powell tosses a football around with his four compatriots while warming up before fans enter Kyle Field on game day.

6

Yell Leaders perform their wildcats in celebration during the flyover as the National Anthem concludes.

For the story of a gameday from the Yell Leader perspective, check out pages four and five.

10/24/13 8:35 PM