Issue date: 7/2/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Battalion Admin Head Coach Mike Sherman has made it clear that Mike Goodson and the running attack will carry the load in the fall, but there are other questions to be answered. Battalion columnist Mike Teague answers some of the lingering questions. [Click to enlarge]

Recruiting and the offensive line are vital to the Texas A&M football team, says Mike Teague, whose take on the team focuses on Aggie personnel. Teague says the backfield, secondary and 12th Man must perform well to have a successful season.

In just a few short months, the Mike Sherman era will officially begin at Texas A&M. Aggie nation is full of excitement and anticipation as it waits for Arkansas State to come to town. Every one of them is wondering the same the thing: "How will Sherman do?"

"Whenever you make a change, people get excited because they weren't having as much fun and success as we had previously," said Texas A&M Athletic Director Bill Byrne, who said he is among the excited Aggies.

Coach Sherman returns to Aggieland after spending the previous 11 seasons in the NFL. The Aggies enjoyed success while Sherman served as offensive line coach from 1989-93 and 1995-96 including three straight Southwest Conference titles in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

One of the factors in hiring Sherman was his work experience at A&M and within the Lone Star State. Byrne said he knows the importance of recruiting Texas well.

"We start by recruiting within the state of Texas." Byrne said. "That's our home, that's what we're going to defend, that's where a lion's share of our athletes are going to come from. It's essential that all the coaches we bring here have ties to the state of Texas and coach Sherman certainly had that."

Sherman's expertise with the offensive line was also an attraction in hiring him. The performance of A&M's offensive line may be the determining factor in how much success the Aggies have this season.

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