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 The Dallas Cowboys have signed Texas Tech wide receiver Danny Amendola, who went undrafted, to a free agent contract.
He had 109 catches for 1,245 yards and six touchdowns for the Red Raiders in 2007. The Cowboys would really like to see Amendola develop into another Tech receiver, Wes Welker, who lit it up last year in New England. They have similar builds - Amendola is 5-10, 183, Welker is 5-8, 185 - and excelled as slot receivers in Mike Leach’s offense.
It can’t hurt to give the kid a look. Certainly, there have been some solid players who went undrafted for whatever reason. Still, the Cowboys had plenty of opportunities to draft a wideout and instead reached for several players they didn’t need.
The Dallas Cowboys took Texas A&M tight end Martellus Bennett with their second round pick, bypassing several quality wide receivers, their position of greatest need.
These are the same Dallas Cowboys who drafted Anthony Fasano in the 2nd round in the 2006 draft and just shipped him off to the Miami Dolphins, along with starting linebacker Akin Ayodele, for a bag of magic beans 4th round pick. This makes no sense whatsoever. None. Zip. Nada.
This draft has all the makings of the worst drafts in the bad old days of the post-Jimmy Johnson, pre-Bill Parcells era.
Scouts, Inc.: 70th
Strengths: Has a massive frame, including long arms and big hands. Former basketball player for two seasons at A&M; he’s aathletic for his size. Knows how to get a clean release when linebackers try to jam him at the line, does a good job of tracking the ball downfield and, while doesn’t have elite speed, is fast enough to stretch the seam a little bit. Appears to read defenses well and locates seams when working against zone coverage. Uses wide frame to shield defenders from the ball and can make tough catches in traffic. Snatches the ball out of the air and flashes the ability to pick up yards after contact so can produce after the catch. Shows good focus, has adequate body control and can adjust to passes thrown outside frame. Fights for the ball while it’s in the air and is capable of coming down with the ball in most jump ball situations. Has experience lining up flexed to the outside, size caused matchup problems for defensive backs and is somewhat versatile. Works from the snap until the whistle and flashes the ability to sustain blocks. Does a fairly good job of staying low considering how tall he is and can get under defenders’ pads. Shows adequate lateral mobility and can seal the edge. Takes adequate angles to blocks and can get into position at the second level.
Weaknesses: Takes too long to change directions, doesn’t explode out of cuts and is going to have a harder time separating from man coverage at the NFL level. Isn’t going to make many defenders miss, lacks breakaway speed and isn’t much of a big-play threat. Lacks elite foot speed and has a harder time beating press coverage when lines up outside. Doesn’t show great lower body strength, doesn’t always get good hand placement and is going to have problems driving two-gap defensive ends off the ball. Durability is not really a concern but he did miss 2007 Nebraska game with an ankle injury.
Overall: Bennett started five of the 11 games he appeared in during his true freshman season in 2005. He started all 13 games of the 2006 season recording 38 catches, 497 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. Bennett started 12 games during the 2007 season recording 49 receptions, 587 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. Bennett lacks explosiveness and strength elite of an elite prospect, but he has the frame, toughness, and hands to develop into a starting tight end in the NFL. He also is a smooth athlete with adequate speed for his size. Bennett projects as a third-round pick.
Rick Gosselin: 46
Mel Kiper: 5th best TE in class; not on Big Board
A total headscratcher.
UPDATE: Tim McMahon disagrees.
To put it bluntly, the A&M passing offense stunk under Dennis Franchione. Bennett didn’t get the ball nearly as often as he should have, but he did develop into a solid blocker.
The knock on Bennett is that he doesn’t have breakaway speed, but tight ends that do are few and far between. He’s 6-7, 250 pounds and athletic enough to be a contributor on Billy Gillispie’s basketball team. He has the size and versatility to line up as a traditional tight end or in the slot, and he has the hands and leaping ability to be a prime red-zone target.
This guy is an upgrade over Anthony Fasano on the field.
You’d hope so.
Texas A&M has hired Mike Sherman as their new head football coach.
Former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman was introduced as Texas A&M’s coach Monday, three days after Dennis Franchione resigned.
Sherman, 52, has been an assistant head coach with the Houston Texans for two seasons under Gary Kubiak, a former quarterback for the Aggies. Sherman also has ties to A&M. He was the offensive line coach from 1989-93 and then in 1995-96 under R.C Slocum. Kubiak was A&M’s running backs coach in 1992 and ‘93.
Franchione took a contract buyout and stepped down Friday, less than an hour after Texas A&M beat Texas 38-30. Defensive coordinator Gary Darnell was named the interim coach Saturday and will lead the Aggies (7-5, 4-4 Big 12) through their bowl game. The Aggies are expecting an invitation Sunday.
That was quick. Sherman doesn’t have much of a record as a head coach or as a recruiter, which makes this a rather odd choice.
Dennis Franchione’s days as head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies appear to be numbered, ESPN reports.
Texas A&M is talking about buying out Franchione’s contract, sources have told ESPN college football analyst Andre Ware. Texas A&M said Monday it would wait until the end of the football season before deciding Franchione’s fate. At least one national Web site reported that Franchione had already accepted a buyout before backing off the story.
“There are several false rumors circulating regarding the Texas A&M football program,” the school said in an e-mailed statement. Athletics department spokesman Alan Cannon said athletics director Bill Byrne would wait until the end of the season to evaluate Franchione, as he does with all coaches. Cannon added, “I have received no indication that he has changed his stance.” Cannon said Franchione is still A&M’s coach and is preparing the team to play Missouri on Saturday.
Franchione has been in hot water with the university for a newsletter he was sending out to donors willing to pay $1,200 for inside information. In mid-October, Texas A&M officials admonished Franchione for his secretive, for-pay newsletter and said the embarrassing episode would be a factor in deciding whether he returns next season.
The school said it would report the results of an internal investigation to the NCAA because of possible rules violations, and Franchione was ordered to shut down his Web site, CoachFran.com. He also will receive a “letter of admonishment.”
“The Aggies are embarrassed right now,” athletic director Bob Byrne said in October. “This has been a very unfortunate incident we do not want to experience again.”
Texas A&M is reportedly researching whether Franchione violated his contract with the income he received from the newsletter. If he is found in violation of the contract, the Aggies may not have to pay the coach anything upon firing him.
Franchione’s contract pays him $2 million per season and runs through 2012. A buyout will be $141,667 per month for the remainder of the contract, or about $8 million. Ware reported Monday that Texas A&M is looking for a buyout in the $2 million range.
Ware reported that Texas A&M wants to talk to Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville for a potential vacancy. He reported that the school is working with Chuck Neinas, who runs a consulting firm specializing in hiring coaches.
Franchione’s case isn’t helped by the fact that he’s underperformed since taking the gig.
Franchione came to A&M from Alabama, where he went 10-3 in 2002. He was never a perfect fit at A&M, where he replaced the popular R.C. Slocum.
Oklahoma humiliated the Aggies 77-0 in 2003, the first of three consecutive losses to end the season. The Aggies went 7-4 in 2004, but lost again to Texas before Tennessee’s 38-7 win in the Cotton Bowl. A&M lost its final four games in 2005 and finished 5-6, its second losing record in Franchione’s first three seasons.
The Aggies won nine games last season, but narrowly beat Army in San Antonio. They beat Texas 12-7, snapping a six-game losing streak in the series and getting their first win in Austin since 1994. But California ripped A&M 45-10 in the Holiday Bowl last December, rekindling A&M fans’ discontent.
Texas A&M is 6-4 this season, and Franchione is 31-28 overall with the Aggies. He is 2-12 against main rivals Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
As an Alabama fan left in the lurch by Coach Fran when he bailed on his team in order to pursue his dream, all I can say is Bwaaaaa ha ha ha.
A Texas Tech student designed a t-shirt using the Michael Vick controversy to make fun of the visiting Texas A&M Aggies. His school’s administration was not amused.
Texas Tech has banned the sale of a T-shirt bearing the likeness of Michael Vick hanging the dog mascot of rival Texas A&M. The red and black shirts, with text that says “VICK ‘EM” on the front in an apparent reference to the Aggies’ slogan “Gig ‘em,” was created by a Tech student who was trying to sell them before Saturday’s game in Lubbock. The back of the shirt shows a football player wearing the No. 7 Vick jersey holding a rope with an image of the mascot Reveille at the end of a noose. Vick, who faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal dogfighting charge, is suspended indefinitely by the NFL.
Tech officials late Tuesday announced the fraternity that sold the shirts was suspended temporarily and will face judicial review for allegedly violating the solicitation section of the students’ code of conduct. The school said it wouldn’t allow the sale on campus of items that are “derogatory, inflammatory, insensitive, or in such bad taste.” No more shirts are being produced, the school said in a release.
A&M officials, in a statement, thanked Tech administrators for “their response and action regarding this matter.”
Good for Texas Tech, which showed class and sensitivity here. Hopefully, they won’t overreact in their punishment of the student and/or fraternity; kids do dumb things. It’s the job of the adults running the place to help them grow up.
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