The Pain of Being an Aggie Football Fan

Dear Jimbo,

I have been an Aggie fan for a very long time.  I have suffered the highs and frequent lows of loving this team.  I can’t remember a time when we came into a season ranked as high as we did this year.  My husband attended Texas Tech but I’ve created a monster in him and he loves Aggie football as much or more passionately than any Aggie I have ever known.   He believed in his heart that this was our year.

I was as concerned as any member of the 12th Man when Haynes was injured but let’s be honest, our issues this season are way bigger than who is at quarterback though that is not helping us at all.

Your quote following our loss this weekend is starting to sound like a broken record. I agree that we do need to play better.  Every play, every game needs that.  The greats become greater by never forgetting that.

I hope you appreciate that we Aggies take our role as the 12th Man very seriously.  We know we make a difference in games.  I am asking that you recognize that as I make my requests of you.  

I have been rooting for Zach, I really have.  I know he has talent but he has had three years under you and he is not getting it done.  The O line has not been effective for any quarterback. And what has happened to our defense? We had one of the top ranked defenses in the country.  They are now letting teams move the ball and waiting until they are in the red zone to make big stops.

There is talent on this team.  I am asking you to be honest.  Be honest with your players, be honest with the 12th Man.  The job is not getting done.

Why not try something different this week?  What do we have to lose?  Based on the last few weeks next weekend is going to be painful.  We have the possibility to make Arkansas’ loss to Georgia look like it wasn’t too bad.  But we also have the opportunity to do something huge.  

Throw out the playbook you have been using over and over and over again.  Let Spiller and Achane and Wydermyer put some points on the board without playing the same obvious calls.  What do you have to lose if you put Stower in as starter?  Give him a shot, surprise everyone.  Alabama wont have any idea what is coming, no one will.  If the current O line can’t hack it pull in some second string and let’s see what they can do.  Find the players that want this and are ready to take it to the next level.

Look at our defense.  What happened?  Find the magic and go back to those types of plays again. Let them do what we all know they can do.

Give us a chance.  Be honest to the players that stayed and came back.  Don’t let them regret their choice. Now is not the time to play it safe.

Let’s do this.  We were supposed to be the one team that could give Alabama a game.  Throw caution to the wind and let’s surprise everybody.  I promise I will be there doing my part.  Give us a reason to believe that you are as ready as the 12th Man is to BTHO Alabama and that WE AIN’T DONE YET!