Fran going a little over the edge!

[sooner n houston]

SAN ANTONIO – Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione went all in Tuesday. He put his chips in the middle of the table by putting his team on equal ground with Oklahoma and Texas in the Big 12 South race this season.

He said his team is capable of winning all its games. And in a move certain to win points in Aggieland, Fran even referred to the Longhorns as "t.u." while discussing A&M's 12-7 victory in Austin last year.

"We beat Texas and with two more points in the OU game or an upset by Oklahoma State against OU, we're Big 12 South champions," Franchione said to reporters during the Big 12's annual media days. "That's probably been overlooked a little bit. We were right there. We could almost feel it and touch it."

Franchione repeated several times that A&M was "two points" from being Big 12 South champions last season, referring to a 17-16 loss at home to the Sooners.

"That's something that I think has left our guys with a lot of purpose and is motivating for them," said Franchione, whose team went 9-4 (5-3 Big 12) in 2006.

"When you reflect back on Cal, my brothers in the Big 12 probably won't like this statement. But Cal was the best team we played last year."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/072507dnspobrown.a9ac5b31.html

[King Crimson]

give Fran a horse laugh.

[SoonerDood]

they were also 4th & 13 away from losing to OState, and 4th & goal away from losing to ARMY. All three of those conference losses were at HOME! They haven't beaten OU or Tech on the road in a decade, and they have a trip to Lincoln to top it off. Keep telling the Gomers what they want to hear Fran.

[OUmillenium]

77-0 was only 4 years ago.

One of the funnest days of my life, I think I wil plug in the tape and fall asleep about the time Paul T enters the game.

[garland sooner]

Didn't at one point against us Fran played it safe and kicked the extra point instead of going for two? I remember being there and hearing the fans boo him for that.

So... It's his fault for not being big 12 champs.

[OKC-SLC]

I think I wil plug in the tape and fall asleep about the time Paul T enters the game.
So, what...after the first series of the 2nd half?

What a shellacking that was. Fran is on crack.

It speaks volumes that Bob wasn't spouting off about "if we didn't get screwed at Oregon and if we played two full halves against texass...then we're in the mix for MNC" bull****. Because that's exactly what it is--bull****.

That was last season, Fran. You guys were decent then and lost some games. You're gonna be decent this year and lose some games. Good luck in Norman, beyonce.

[sooner518]

its a shame he didnt have enough faith in "the J Train" to get those 2 extra points. thats why we're OU, and the aggy fans are booing their coach.

gotta love those aggies. pure comedy

[Vaevictis]

77-0 was only 4 years ago.

One of the funnest days of my life, I think I wil plug in the tape and fall asleep about the time Paul T enters the game.

You know, people talk about one team playing the "mythical perfect game."

Folks, the perfect game ain't mythical -- it happened in Norman Oklahoma on November 8 2003.

[goingoneight]

77-0 was only 4 years ago.

One of the funnest days of my life, I think I wil plug in the tape and fall asleep about the time Paul T enters the game.

I think even PT fell asleep when he entered the game. :D

[aurorasooner]

Franchione repeated several times that A&M was "two points" from being Big 12 South champions last season,http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/2664/screenshot002xc3.jpg

[bcgvh]

Cal was the best team they played all year??? HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course he has to say that after THAT blowout! LOL!

[usmc-sooner]

Is it required to that Aggie coaches talk about the what if's of a year ago. This sounds like Gundy speak as well.

He Fran what if OU had AD? What if they didn't call back AP's touchdown. I'm glad we don't have coaches who talk like that.

[MojoRisen]

Stoops also said Kyle Field is over hyped before the game adding extra fuel! The Bottom line is I think we have A&M's number with their offense and our defense. The key will be scoring some points next time around and it should look like 42-15 or so.

[Mac94]

Well, techincally he is right .... of course, as pointed out, we were also a razors edge from losing to Army, Kansas, and Oklahoma St while the Texas and Missouri games were nailbiters as well. Such was the Aggie squad of 2006 ... they were a gutsy and fun team to watch but doing so probably took a few years off every Ags life.

The Oklahoma game was typical of A&M all year save the playcalling in the fourth.

Down 17-10 we have first and goal ... so Fran and company call what ... a pass play. Incomplete. The passing game was nonexistant for both teams and our staff really thought that would work? Second and goal ... what do we do .... call for a pass play. Everyone is covered so Stephen makes something out of it by scrambling to the 2 yard line. Okay, 3rd and goal from the 2 ... no brainer ... run the %$#&#^#!&#%&@^@& ball. Give it to Lane, fake it to Lane and let Stephen run the option .... just run the %#&#%@#^&! ball! So what do the brains on the sideline do .... CALL A PASS PLAY!!! Which, of course, doens't work .... and then we kick a field goal. Some of the worst play calling I have ever seen in football ... ever.

As for 2007 ... many of us Ags think we have the kids to pull off an amazing season. We return the bulk of our team. We are senior laden with a ton of talent and experience.

But, we have a tough schedule ... and so many of us aren't convinced the coaching staff can get it done. With the kids we have, if we had OU's staff .... we'd be the heavy favorites to be in San Antonio .... but we don't.

[soonerinabilene]

But, we have a tough schedule ... and so many of us aren't convinced the coaching staff can get it done. With the kids we have, if we had OU's staff .... we'd be the heavy favorites to be in San Antonio .... but we don't.

Hey, for what its worth, I think you have as good a shot as any to make the Alamo Bowl.;)

[Mac94]

Nah, that reserved for Texas. ;)

Seriously, we could end up anywhere from the BCS (Big-12 Champs) to no bowl whatsoever. We could really build something special ... or fall apart like we did in 2005 .... yes, NCAA, there really was a 2005 season ....

Predicting A&M football for 2007 is such a crapshoot because you could make logical reasons why we could win the Big-12 all the way down to a losing season.

[OSUAggie]

I have no gauge on A&M for 2007, but I don't think there's any shot of winning the Big XII when you have to go to Norman (as well as Lincoln, Columbia, and Lubbock).

The extremes are somewhere around the Cotton Bowl and the Independence Bowl to me.

[SteelClip49]

speaking of the Aggies....if they did beat Notre Dame in 1992 and 1993, you think they would have won the National Championship? In 1992, they finished 12-1; 1993 they finished 10-2. Also, what was the reason for TAMU being on probation in 1994 (10-0-1)?

Slocum got a raw deal when he was canned.

[Mac94]

A&M's best team during the Slocum era was 1991 .... we were not predicted to do well in the SWC as we lost a ton of players from the year before ... but the 1991 squad ended up being a great team.

We opened the year with a 45-7 win over LSU (wasn't as close as the score) but we lost our starting quarterback Bucky Richardson, starting Fullback Doug Carter, and backup running back Randy Simmons during the game.

The following week we played at Tulsa. We started an all freshman backfield and dominated the first half to take a 28-10 lead into the lockerroom. Then the bottom fell out for some reason and we lost 35-34. It would turn out that Tulsa was a pretty good team (finished 10-2), but it was a painful and shocking loss.

We would run the table the rest of the way goign 10-1 into the Cotton Bowl to face Florida State. We lost that game 10-2 .... a game in which we outplayed Florida St but shot ourselves in the foot time and time again. Casey Weldon, the Seminole QB, in the post game press conference wore an A&M hat to honor our defense. The FSU players even admitted the better team lost that day. They were stunned what our defense could do to them. Think what OU did to them in the 2001 Orange Bowl but even more dominant.

We fumbled one TD at the 1 yard line, dropped a TD pass with no defender within 10 yards of the receiver, had a field goal erased on a holding call, etc.

As for the 1992 team, that was a good team but young ... it had flaws and they were exposed in the 28-3 loss to Notre Dame in the Cotton.

The 1993 team was also good, but as shown in Norman, not MNC worthy. Still, it would have been big to have beaten Notre Dame in the Cotton bowl, and we were once again oh so close ... falling 24-21 in a classic of a game.

And, this was always RC's problem, he couldn't win the bowl games. It was the key difference between him and Jackie Sherrill. Jackie couldn't beat LSU, but won two of three Cotton Bowls; 35-16 over Bo Jackson and Auburn and 35-10 over Tim Brown and Notre Dame. RC beat LSU but couldn't win the big bowl games.

[Mac94]

Ah, the 1994 probation .... well, think of OU's recent issue with Big Red and a booster paying players for work not done ..... and that was our issue.

We had a Dallas area Booster named Warren Gilbert that employed some of our Dallas area kids over the summer at some of his apartment complexes. And, as it would turn out, he also paid our kids for work not done.

And, as luck would have it our basketball team had been recently put on probation for violations under Kermit Davis.

Anyway, the NCAA cleared the athletic department saying this infractions were not known by the department or university and even complimented our complaince proceedures. Still, it was an NCAA violation so we got 5 years probation, 1 year bowl ban, and 1 year TV ban.

[MamaMia]

Franocchio is insane. I hope the Sooners read this. Nothing like a good chuckle to start your day. :D

[OSUAggie]

The following week we played at Tulsa. We started an all freshman backfield and dominated the first half to take a 28-10 lead into the lockerroom. Then the bottom fell out for some reason and we lost 35-34. It would turn out that Tulsa was a pretty good team (finished 10-2), but it was a painful and shocking loss.

Known around these parts as the "Miracle on 11th Street".

I was quite a closet Bucky Richardson fan.

[MojoRisen]

[QUOTE=Mac94]A&M's best team during the Slocum era was 1991 .... we were not predicted to do well in the SWC as we lost a ton of players from the year before ... but the 1991 squad ended up being a great team.

We opened the year with a 45-7 win over LSU (wasn't as close as the score) but we lost our starting quarterback Bucky Richardson, starting Fullback Doug Carter, and backup running back Randy Simmons during the game.

The following week we played at Tulsa. We started an all freshman backfield and dominated the first half to take a 28-10 lead into the lockerroom. Then the bottom fell out for some reason and we lost 35-34. It would turn out that Tulsa was a pretty good team (finished 10-2), but it was a painful and shocking loss.


Yeah- I remember Chris Penn taking it too the house on you guys!!!- I had two brothers play at Tulsa- they always played A&M pretty tough. My bro had his redshirt pulled in 82-82 and picked off 3 passes in a close lose.

[OUmillenium]

I think even PT fell asleep when he entered the game. :D


:D

[Rhino]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdu4ctT52o4

[msteudem]

I went to the OU/A&M game last year and it was awesome! That was my first time at Kyle Field. The fans were really classy even after we won. Fran doesn't seem to reflect the fans' attitudes and/or vice versa. I am curious as to why he doesn't take as many chances with trick plays, onside kicks, etc. as he did against OU when he coached the Tide.

[Seamus]

The FSU players even admitted the better team lost that day. They were stunned what our defense could do to them. Think what OU did to them in the 2001 Orange Bowl but even more dominant.




Well, let's examine that. A&M held the Noles to 280 yards and 10 points. OU held the Noles to zero points on offense, and 301 yards, far below their average of 549. And much of that was gained in desperation time.

So, recapping:

1. OU defense: Zero points. A&M defense: 10 points.

2. OU defense: 301 yards. A&M defense: 280 yards.

3: OU: Victory in national title game. A&M: Loss in semi-meaningless Cotton Bore.

You deserve a neg for "Think what OU did to them in the 2001 Orange Bowl but even more dominant," and I'm surprised no one else called bullshat. But you're a good, respectable poster, so we'll let this one slide ;)

[Mac94]

I'm only talking about defensive performances, not the meaning surrounding the game. Of course the Orange Bowl was a bigger game ... but thats not relevent.

We also forced four or five turnovers and the defense scored our only points while almost scoring another TD on an INT return by Chris Crooms ... another one of those "oh so close" things in that ball game.

The Aggie defense held FSU in check all the while the Aggie offense was making mistakes, dropping passes, and also turning the ball over.

Question, have you seen the 1992 Cotton Bowl? See, I have, and I also have the 2001 Orange Bowl on DVD (I am an OU fan as well) ... I have seen both games over and over and both defenses played great .... but IMHO, the Aggies had a better defensive performance.

And, Florida State players did tell out players A&M was the better team that day. Ask members of our 1991 squad.

[oumartin]

Cal prolly was the best team.

[Seamus]

And, Florida State players did tell out players A&M was the better team that day. Ask members of our 1991 squad.

I'll get right on that.

[Mac94]

Also, our offense ... what there was of it ... has 8 turnovers. So, A&Ms defense held the Seminoles to fewer yards and forced more turnovers while their teammates on the offensive side of the ball turned it over 8 times. You think the Sooner "D" would have held up as well if Josh and company were turning it over 8 times? Yeah, our defense did pretty darned well.

[MiccoMacey]

Down 17-10 we have first and goal ... so Fran and company call what ... a pass play. Incomplete. The passing game was nonexistant for both teams and our staff really thought that would work? Second and goal ... what do we do .... call for a pass play. Everyone is covered so Stephen makes something out of it by scrambling to the 2 yard line. Okay, 3rd and goal from the 2 ... no brainer ... run the %$#&#^#!&#%&@^@& ball. Give it to Lane, fake it to Lane and let Stephen run the option .... just run the %#&#%@#^&! ball! So what do the brains on the sideline do .... CALL A PASS PLAY!!! Which, of course, doens't work .... and then we kick a field goal. Some of the worst play calling I have ever seen in football ... ever.

Sounds a lot like the 2004 Sugar Bowl against LSU. Except you guys actually ran a play. We passed every play.

And for what it's worth, I agree with every thing Fran said. Regardless of what other events could have transpired, he was close to winning the title.

And Cal probably was better than us. Tedford's got a good team out there, and most Sooners recognize we weren't our normal Stoops-coached team.

[CtheB]

A&M's best team during the Slocum era was 1991 .... we were not predicted to do well in the SWC as we lost a ton of players from the year before ... but the 1991 squad ended up being a great team.

We opened the year with a 45-7 win over LSU (wasn't as close as the score) but we lost our starting quarterback Bucky Richardson, starting Fullback Doug Carter, and backup running back Randy Simmons during the game.

The following week we played at Tulsa. We started an all freshman backfield and dominated the first half to take a 28-10 lead into the lockerroom. Then the bottom fell out for some reason and we lost 35-34. It would turn out that Tulsa was a pretty good team (finished 10-2), but it was a painful and shocking loss.

We would run the table the rest of the way goign 10-1 into the Cotton Bowl to face Florida State. We lost that game 10-2 .... a game in which we outplayed Florida St but shot ourselves in the foot time and time again. Casey Weldon, the Seminole QB, in the post game press conference wore an A&M hat to honor our defense. The FSU players even admitted the better team lost that day. They were stunned what our defense could do to them. Think what OU did to them in the 2001 Orange Bowl but even more dominant.

We fumbled one TD at the 1 yard line, dropped a TD pass with no defender within 10 yards of the receiver, had a field goal erased on a holding call, etc.

As for the 1992 team, that was a good team but young ... it had flaws and they were exposed in the 28-3 loss to Notre Dame in the Cotton.

The 1993 team was also good, but as shown in Norman, not MNC worthy. Still, it would have been big to have beaten Notre Dame in the Cotton bowl, and we were once again oh so close ... falling 24-21 in a classic of a game.

And, this was always RC's problem, he couldn't win the bowl games. It was the key difference between him and Jackie Sherrill. Jackie couldn't beat LSU, but won two of three Cotton Bowls; 35-16 over Bo Jackson and Auburn and 35-10 over Tim Brown and Notre Dame. RC beat LSU but couldn't win the big bowl games.

I'm finding a lot of humor in the fact that there is an Aggie on a Sooner board giving us a game by game account of Texas A&M's football season 16 years ago.

[CtheB]

Flash forward to July, 2008:

Dennis Franchione: "We would have been Big 12 South Champions if we didn't have such a difficult schedule, and I didn't show the same propensity to lose my head somewhere up in my a$$ in the middle of a game along the way."

Face it, Fran is all about promotion. Period. Promotion, little performance, and the spin job to explain it all away. His comments do nothing for me.

[Mac94]

CtheB -

Someone asked about our early 1990's teams ... so I gave an answer. As to why I am on this board ... simple ... while I am an A&M alum, I grew up going to OU games. My dad was OU class of 1974 so I grew up wearing the Crimson and Cream. OU was my first school of choice, but I lived in Texas and that pesky thing called out of state tuition forced me to look in state. So, I chose A&M ... mainly because of their engineering program and that fact it wasn't Texas (dad never would have written a check to THAT school in Austin). ;) So, I went to A&M and became an Aggie ... but never gave up cheering for the Sooners ... and hey, A&M was SWC and OU was Big-8 .... no conflict there, right? Who knew!?! ;)