I Was There

I was there. Standing at the back of the Texas A&M locker room, watching the players just moments before they would take the field against the 8^th ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers on national television. Each player had their own way of getting ready for this matchup. Many made last minute equipment adjustments, and for those without their own headphones on, locker room DJ Von Miller provided a Phil Collins groove to pump up the team. Eddie Brown paced through the middle of the room, imploring his teammates to get ready for the night’s battle. Coach Sherman’s speech was succinct and to the point, reminding his team that they expect to win this game, then asking the question of the moment: Are you ready? Hell yeah.

I was there, walking out of the locker room behind the team. The first image that greeted the team and I was a profile view of the sold-out student section, a sea of maroon with the blanket 12^th Man towels as the foaming wave, pulsating in time with drum line’s cadence. I waited behind the team as the seniors were introduced, seeing just how much Aggieland meant to guys like Terrence McCoy, Jerrod Johnson, and Von Miller. This was their last run out on Kyle Field’s grass, and they would do everything they could to make the last one something special.

I was there at ground level, watching the 31,005 students saw varsity’s horns off. Every word of every yell could be heard crisp and clear from the ground. The energy—no, the spirit—that was in that place was something that could ne’er be told, only experienced. From kickoff to the final snap, the 90,000+ in attendance yelled and waved with everything they had, and then some.

I was there on the sideline. I saw Von Miller stretching between series, trying to avoid the cramps that plagued him against Oklahoma. I heard Jerrod Johnson, the consummate Aggie, giving pointers to Tannehill and telling the coaching staff what he was seeing on the field. I stood next to the injured Christine Michael as he listened intently to the running back meetings on the sideline. I was next to the guys nobody knows are on the football team, but whose work on the practice fields prepares the starters for moments like this. Up and down the sideline, every Aggie giving his all to spur the team on to victory, whether on the field or on the sideline.

I was there, in the business-like halftime locker room with the score deadlocked at three. Coach Sherman said, “We’ll win this game 6-3 if we have to, but we will win this game.” The players broke up into position groups and went over the gameplan for the second half. There was an air of expectation in that room, an expectation that they would rally behind this coach, these seniors, and these fans to bring home the win.

I was there. I still can’t believe that I was there. All eyes turned to the defense following Randy Bullock’s go-ahead field goal with three minutes left. “One stop defense! That’s it!” yelled Ryan Tannehill. Cyrus Gray made his rounds to the defensive players, giving all the support that he could. This was their time, time to close this game out. One minute and fifty-two seconds of game time later, they had done it. Jubilation filled the stands and spilled down to the sideline. The sight of 12^th Man towels raining down from the upper decks added to the beauty of the scene that played out in front of me.

I was there, with many of you, on the field sawing varsity’s horns off in celebration of the victory. I was there again in the locker room, but this was a different room than I was in before. Not in the physical environment, but the emotional. After taking care of business, now was the time to let loose. Outside linebackers coach Nick Toth (one of my personal favorites) was all over the place, defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter was splashing unsuspecting players with his water bottle, even the typically even-keeled Mike Sherman ended his postgame speech by throwing up a “WC” hand sign and starting a Wrecking Crew chant. And why not?

I was there, but so were many of you. Listening to the coaches and players, and being down on the field, there is no doubt that the 12^th Man played an integral part in this game. It was designated as 12^th Man Day, and that’s exactly what it was. The game was played by the eleven on the field, but it’s the 90,079 that stood behind them as one that propelled them past the opponent. Those are the images and sounds that will stay with me after this experience. The view onto the field from the sideline is great, but the vantage point that it provided for me to see the 12^th Man was unparalleled. Hearing the Spirit, War Hymn, the yells and Wrecking Crew chants, seeing varsity’s horns sawed off, 12^th Man towels waving in full force, every nook and cranny of Kyle Field filled with Aggies. That’s what I’ll remember from being there.