Kinney, a former MacArthur defensive back who transferred to A&M-Kingsville from Cisco Junior College, got acquainted with his new teammates and became familiar with the Javelinas’ defensive scheme.
It has been an adjustment, but Kinney is feeling more comfortable each day. Now, he’s looking forward to showing off his ability when the season gets under way.
“Coming in the spring was good for me,” Kinney said. “I’ve gotten bigger and quicker. I feel like I am a better player. I was a decent defensive back in high school, but it is different in college. There’s a totally different way of covering receivers. I’m learning that here.”
Rams sharp in first intrasquad scrimmage
The Angelo State University football team concluded its first week of practice with an intrasquad scrimmage Friday at the LeGrand Sports Complex.
With their season opener against Texas A&M-Commerce just two weeks away, the Rams are preparing to put last year’s 3-8 season behind them. ASU returns 43 players, including 14 starters from last year’s team, which not only gives them some depth but puts them ahead of where they were at this point last year.
“We are definitely ahead of where we were last year,” quarterback Josh Neiswander said. “We have more numbers. We have a lot of playmakers this year. Our defense is doing well. We are excited on both sides of the ball.”
Neiswander is one of the team’s returnees on offense. He is returning to form after missing almost all of last season with a broken leg he suffered in the team’s season opener against Texas State.
It may have been the middle of August, but at times the West Texas A&M football team looked in midseason form during Saturday morning's controlled two hour scrimmage at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.
For example, when redshirt freshman defensive back Curtis Slater unloaded on sophomore wide receiver Tramicah Young on a pass over the middle from sophomore quarterback Brandon Hicks - the impact was as crisp as an October evening.
Then there was the reaction from the Buffs offensive unit compared to the defensive unit over a disputed touchdown catch from redshirt freshman quarterback Tanner Marsh to junior running back Kelvin Thompson. The play might as well have occurred on a November afternoon, judging by the way the offense vehemently lobbied on the sidelines - with senior kicker James Chandler leading the way - while the defense loudly protested on the far sideline.
The Midwestern State offense had more than its share of big plays Saturday, scoring three times during the regular scrimmage and three straight times in goal-line situations. But the defense had a couple of big plays of its own and allowed only one score in four chances in the Red Zone. It left head coach Bill Maskill with mixed feelings as the Mustangs finished their first full week of workouts.
“There was some good hitting out here, a lot of good hitting,” Maskill said. “And we’re getting in better shape every day. But we had too many penalties. The defense gave up too many big plays, but then I didn’t like the offense getting in the scoring zone and not putting the ball in the end zone. I did like the way the offense was moving the ball. And the defense is getting better every day breaking on the ball. I saw a lot of good things and some things we have to work on.”
When the Midwestern State Mustangs have gone on the road over the past two seasons, one question has been asked in almost every pressbox in the Lone Star Conference.
“Are those guys related?”
The question was about talented running backs BeeJay and Marcus Mathis.
For the record, the answer is no. But the Mustangs do have three sets of brothers on their 2009 team — Clifton and Brandon Washington, Andy and Matt Tanner and Tyler and Travis Maner.
“It says something about the kids that they’re not afraid to follow in their brother’s footsteps,” MSU head coach Bill Maskill said. “They can be comfortable having their older or younger brother here and they can still be themselves.”
All three sets of brothers have a slightly different story.
Scott shines in preseason debut
Lady Buffs workin' up a sweat in two-a-days
As West Texas A&M senior Melissa Harper put on her kneepads before the Lady Buffs' second two-a-day practice Wednesday at First United Bank Center, she made a gross discovery. Sliding one pad onto her leg, she noticed it was still wet from sweat from the team's first practice at WT Fieldhouse.
The outside hitter then explained how she would wear that pair of kneepads for every practice the rest of the week, then toss them in the wash and replace them with a fresh pair for this week's two-a-day workouts.
"Now that I'm a senior, I have multiple kneepads so I can go through them like that," Harper said. "Just surviving two-a-days is what I've been doing the past three years. Your body gets older, but your mind's stronger by now."
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