aurorasooner
10/10/2007, 01:01 PM
Texas A&M back promises to end 14-year drought in Lubbock.
Web Posted: 10/09/2007 11:38 PM CDT
Brent Zwerneman
Express-News Staff Writer
COLLEGE STATION — Jorvorskie Lane owns a reputation for bowling over opponents. On Tuesday, the 275-pound Texas A&M tailback got rolling from 450 miles southeast of Lubbock.
Whether he records a strike or a gutter ball will be determined on Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium, when the league-leading Aggies (5-1, 2-0 in Big 12) and Texas Tech (5-1, 1-1) clash at 2:30 p.m.
When told that the Aggies haven't won at Tech since 1993 — or about the time he was in kindergarten — Lane offered a pledge at A&M's weekly news conference.
"We're going to win in 2007," he said. "That's a guarantee. I promise you."
Asked what coach Dennis Franchione, who had spoken to reporters earlier, might think of such a bold prediction, Lane shrugged.
"I'm a man," he said. "I can say what I want to say."
Tech has won Franchione's two previous games in Lubbock by a combined 70 points — but such a fact didn't faze Lane.
"Nothing can break us," he said.
About the same time Lane was taking a stand on Tuesday, so was Tech. The university announced that it was banning the sale of a T-shirt on campus that showed a dog hanging from a leash held by a drawing of a football player wearing Michael Vick's No. 7.
"I guess that was supposed to Reveille," A&M safety Devin Gregg said, shaking his head. "I didn't appreciate that."
Reveille is A&M's mascot. Vick, who is suspended from the NFL, has pleaded guilty to federal dogfighting charges, and has admitted to killing dogs. The T-shirts, designed and sold by a Tech student, said, "Vick 'Em" on the front, mocking A&M's "Gig 'Em," and featured the drawing on the back.
"We will not permit individual students or any student organization to profit from selling merchandise on campus that is derogatory, inflammatory, insensitive, or in such bad taste that it reflects negatively on this fine institution, its students, athletic teams, alumni or faculty," Tech president Jon Whitmore said in a statement.
Meanwhile the Red Raiders have treated the Aggies insensitively in Lubbock over the last 14 years, winning six consecutive games in that span.
"Our fans are going to be wild, and it's going to be exciting," Tech quarterback Graham Harrell said of Saturday's showdown. "When you make a big play at home, the crowd gets going, and you kind of feed off of that with momentum and stuff."
Back in College Station, A&M fans and students are reminding the players of plenty of other stuff — mainly Tech's six-game winning streak in Lubbock.
Quarterback Stephen McGee said the Aggies plan to draw upon their comeback last weekend against Oklahoma State, when they overcame a 17-0 halftime deficit to prevail 24-23, but that Saturday's contest at Tech isn't a must-win game.
"I don't ever feel like a season rides on one game," he said. "Win or lose."
Speaking of winning, A&M cornerback Danny Gorrer's eyes grew wide when told Lane had predicted a victory against the Red Raiders, who own the nation's top offense.
"Wow," Gorrer said, chuckling. "I'm not going to take it as far as Jorvorskie. But I'll get on his back. I feel strongly that we can beat Tech. But we also have to play all four quarters of the game."
Web Posted: 10/09/2007 11:38 PM CDT
Brent Zwerneman
Express-News Staff Writer
COLLEGE STATION — Jorvorskie Lane owns a reputation for bowling over opponents. On Tuesday, the 275-pound Texas A&M tailback got rolling from 450 miles southeast of Lubbock.
Whether he records a strike or a gutter ball will be determined on Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium, when the league-leading Aggies (5-1, 2-0 in Big 12) and Texas Tech (5-1, 1-1) clash at 2:30 p.m.
When told that the Aggies haven't won at Tech since 1993 — or about the time he was in kindergarten — Lane offered a pledge at A&M's weekly news conference.
"We're going to win in 2007," he said. "That's a guarantee. I promise you."
Asked what coach Dennis Franchione, who had spoken to reporters earlier, might think of such a bold prediction, Lane shrugged.
"I'm a man," he said. "I can say what I want to say."
Tech has won Franchione's two previous games in Lubbock by a combined 70 points — but such a fact didn't faze Lane.
"Nothing can break us," he said.
About the same time Lane was taking a stand on Tuesday, so was Tech. The university announced that it was banning the sale of a T-shirt on campus that showed a dog hanging from a leash held by a drawing of a football player wearing Michael Vick's No. 7.
"I guess that was supposed to Reveille," A&M safety Devin Gregg said, shaking his head. "I didn't appreciate that."
Reveille is A&M's mascot. Vick, who is suspended from the NFL, has pleaded guilty to federal dogfighting charges, and has admitted to killing dogs. The T-shirts, designed and sold by a Tech student, said, "Vick 'Em" on the front, mocking A&M's "Gig 'Em," and featured the drawing on the back.
"We will not permit individual students or any student organization to profit from selling merchandise on campus that is derogatory, inflammatory, insensitive, or in such bad taste that it reflects negatively on this fine institution, its students, athletic teams, alumni or faculty," Tech president Jon Whitmore said in a statement.
Meanwhile the Red Raiders have treated the Aggies insensitively in Lubbock over the last 14 years, winning six consecutive games in that span.
"Our fans are going to be wild, and it's going to be exciting," Tech quarterback Graham Harrell said of Saturday's showdown. "When you make a big play at home, the crowd gets going, and you kind of feed off of that with momentum and stuff."
Back in College Station, A&M fans and students are reminding the players of plenty of other stuff — mainly Tech's six-game winning streak in Lubbock.
Quarterback Stephen McGee said the Aggies plan to draw upon their comeback last weekend against Oklahoma State, when they overcame a 17-0 halftime deficit to prevail 24-23, but that Saturday's contest at Tech isn't a must-win game.
"I don't ever feel like a season rides on one game," he said. "Win or lose."
Speaking of winning, A&M cornerback Danny Gorrer's eyes grew wide when told Lane had predicted a victory against the Red Raiders, who own the nation's top offense.
"Wow," Gorrer said, chuckling. "I'm not going to take it as far as Jorvorskie. But I'll get on his back. I feel strongly that we can beat Tech. But we also have to play all four quarters of the game."