Texas A&M vs. Utah State Post Game Notes - TEXAS A&M OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Texas A&M vs. Utah State Post Game Notes

Sept. 19, 2009

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WATCH OUT FOR NWACHUKWU -- True freshman Uzoma "EZ" Nwachukwu (pronounced WATCH-ah-coo) had a record-setting game with four touchdowns against Utah State. EZ took his only four touches of the game to paydirt, three by air and another by ground. EZ's four touchdowns broke the old freshman record of three set by Leeland McElroy vs. Missouri in 2003, and was the most by an Aggie since Jorvorskie had four against Nebraska in 2007. His three TD catches match the overall school record for receiving touchdowns, which is shared by three players and last achieved by Chris Cole vs. North Texas in 1998. EZ joins "Lectric" Leeland McElroy as the only players in school history to score four or more touchdowns in different ways (McElroy had two rushing and two receiving TDs vs. Tulsa in 1995).

YOUTH IS SERVED -- True freshmen led the Aggies in rushing and receiving yards against Utah State. Uzoma "EZ" Nwachukwu led the way with 101 receiving yards (on three catches) and Christine Michael had a team-best 94 rushing yards.

IT'S MILLER TIME -- Junior "jack" Von Miller (DeSoto, Texas / DeSoto) continues his assault on opposing quarterbacks with three quarterback sacks against Utah State. Miller, who shifted from linebacker to a hybrid defensive end/linebacker position last spring opened the season with three quarterback sacks in the season-opener against New Mexico and has six sacks after two games.

JOHNSON SPREADS IT AROUND -- Using eight different receivers, junior quarterback Jerrod Johnson threw for 322 yards and four touchdowns. It was the fourth 300-yard passing effort of Johnson's career, which sets a school record. Johnson becomes the second player in school history to post back-to-back 300-yard games, joining Reggie McNeal who did it against SMU and Texas State back to back in 2005. He becomes the fourth player school history with multiple four TD passing efforts to his credit, joining Gary Kubiak, Kevin Murray and Reggie McNeal.
Johnson's 78 rushing yards were a career high and his 42-yarder was the longest of his career.
Johnson finished with 400 yards of total offense (322 passing and 78 rushing), maiing him only the second player in school hisory to record consecutive 400-yard games. He had 406 (349 passing/57 rushing) in last week's opener against New Mexico. The only other A&M player to do it was Reggie McNeal in 2005 against SMU and Texas State.

MAROON & WHITE DEBUTS -- Two more freshmen from Mike Sherman's 2009 signing class saw action against Utah State to raise the season total to 15, which is just one shy of the record of 16 by the 1980 Aggies. Seeing their first action were kickoff returner Ryan Swope (Austin, Texas/Westlake) and linebacker Michael Lamothe (New Iberia, La./New Iberia).
Also playing for the first time were junior squadsman linebacker Michael Hodges and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Jeffrey Hyde. Hodge was listed as a starter at outside linebacker coming out of the spring. Hodges had knee surgery soon after spring drills and was limited in fall camp.
With Swope, Lamothe, Hodges and Hyde seeing action tonight, a whopping 30 players have now made their maroon and white debuts this season.

MISCELLANEOUS-- Game captains were junior Von Miller, senior Lee Grimes and sophomore Lionel Smith ... Making the first 12th Man start of his career was Don Bishop, a junior tight end from Katy High School.

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