COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Ricky Cavanaugh remembers his Texas A&M football debut — just not too fondly.
For the former LBJ High star, converted from defensive end to linebacker by the Aggies, his first chance to play came in the 2008 season's fourth game, against Army. The Black Knights' triple-option attack was designed to confuse defenders.
 Courtesy: Glen Johnson/TEXAS A&M ATHLETICS Texas A&M linebacker Ricky Cavanaugh had five tackles in his first game as a sophomore. The former defensive end at LBJ High struggled in his first year as an Aggie. For a larger, high resolution image, click HERE |
As far as Cavanaugh was concerned, it worked.
"Everyone was going this way, that way. You couldn't really tell where the ball was," Cavanaugh said. "And since it was my first game, I was already so nervous."
"His head was spinning," confirmed senior free safety Jordan Pugh.
After one game as a sophomore, though, Cavanaugh finds his head is no longer spinning as much and the game has slowed down. It showed against New Mexico in the opener.
Cavanaugh came off the bench to register five tackles and contribute to one of A&M's two takeaways. He smacked Lobos tailback Desmond Dennis late in the second quarter, forcing a fumble that Pugh recovered and the Aggies converted into a field goal for a 20-0 lead.
"Ricky laid that running back out, and that's not something he did last year," Pugh said. "It's crazy watching him from last year till now. He grew up."
It's been a process, despite a distinguished career at LBJ, where as a senior in 2007 he was named the Class 4A co-defensive player of the year.
During his years with the Jaguars, he made 186 tackles (111 solo) and demonstrated a flair for the dramatic. He totalled 34.5 career sacks, caused 10 fumbles and recovered five, blocked six kicks and scored five defensive touchdowns.
The most noteworthy came as a senior in a playoff victory over Houston Furr. Cavanaugh rushed the quarterback from his blind side, tapped the ball out of his hands and into the air, grabbed it and raced 53 yards for a touchdown.
"My instinct was to tackle him," Cavanaugh said. "I don't know what made me take the ball out of his hand."
But Cavanaugh had to begin developing new instincts when he committed to A&M over Baylor and Oklahoma State, and arrived at Aggieland as a linebacker.
Playing as a true freshman was difficult as Cavanaugh adjusted not only to his unfamiliar linebacker role but to college overall.
"Last year was kind of a first step for me, just learning the college lifestyle," he said. "I didn't know anybody here at first. I had to get comfortable with the classes, as well as with the football."
With the latter, Cavanaugh's adjustment from end was complicated by the fact that he was trying to learn both middle and outside linebacker.
"There was a lot to it," he said. "The hardest part for me was learning to read the offenses. Is it a run? A pass? I had to learn which gap to fill, when to drop into coverage, where I was supposed to drop. At defensive end, all you really do is just chase the ball."
A&M coaches are happy with Cavanaugh's progress. Arriving as a 215-pounder, he has increased his weight to about 230 pounds on his 6-foot, 2-inch frame with no loss of quickness.
"Ricky's very quietly, steadily getting better," said defensive coordinator Joe Kines, who lists Cavanaugh as a second-teamer behind freshman Jonathan Stewart.
"How much you play isn't near as important as how well you play," Kines added. "Ricky came in (against UNM) and had a good hit on the fumble play. He was in the right place and did the right thing."
Coach Mike Sherman, who dispenses compliments sparingly, said Cavanaugh "has made a lot of progress."
"I thought Ricky played one of his better games against New Mexico," he said. "He was very physical. His pass coverage also was much improved. I felt at times last year he was a little lost in space."
Cavanaugh admits he was a little lost last season. But now he seems to have found himself again, and the Aggies have noticed.
Randy Riggs writes for the Austin American-Statesman. E-mail: rriggs(at)statesman.com.
