Texas A&M wide receiver putting up big numbers despite his youth
Texas A&M has played a school-record 17 true freshmen this season, and seven of them have started.
Perhaps none of the newcomers has made as much of an impact as Uzoma Nwachukwu (pronounced ooh-ZOME-uh WATCH-ah-coo).
The wide receiver from Allen leads the Aggies with 445 yards and six touchdowns receiving — his TD catches rank second in the Big 12 Conference — and Nwachukwu already has tied the single-season school record with three 100-yard receiving games. In the last two games alone, he had 13 receptions for 277 yards and three TDs.
Texas A&M wide receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu (7) reaches for a pass as Oklahoma State cornerback Andrew McGee (6) defends during the second quarter of a NCAA football game Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 in College Station, Texas. McGee was called for pass interference on the play. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
“He really was thrust into action a lot sooner than we would want to throw a kid into action, but he’s responded well,” said Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman, who has started Nwachukwu in all six games.
“… (He’s) stepped up and really done a nice job for us and had a couple good games and has shown on a weekly basis — not just in the games but in practices — that he’s more than capable of playing at a high level.”
Nwachukwu is known as “Eazy” among the Aggies, and he’s made his first college football season look, well, easy. He scored all four times he touched the ball in a 38-30 victory over Utah State, including once on a running play, and has had his two most productive games against Big 12 competition.
“It’s been a real fun season,” said the 6-foot-1, 189-pound
Nwachukwu, who’s had a knack for making explosive plays and a nose for the end zone. He ranks third in the NCAA with 21.2 yards per catch, and he’s scored once every 3.5 receptions, the second-best ratio nationally.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, who watched Nwachukwu set career highs of eight receptions for 146 yards in the Cowboys’ 36-31 win two weeks ago, said he demands a defense’s attention.
“There’s different styles of players at our level — some are really fast, some got great savvy, some got great hands,” Gundy said. “He just has the ability to make a play.”
Sherman said Nwachukwu’s instant success reminds him of Jeff Fuller, one of the Aggies’ leading receivers as a freshman last year who has been sidelined with a broken leg. But Fuller had the benefit of spring practice, Sherman noted, whereas Nwachukwu has jumped right in and produced.
Sherman also said he “still has a long way to go to be a complete receiver,” and Nwachukwu described the quick transition to the college game as ongoing.
“There’s a lot I can work on,” he said. “I’ve been trying to really work on coming back to the quarterback and things like that, catching the ball at the high point. I just want to be exact on every single route, so the quarterback knows where I’m going to be every time.”
Nwachukwu also wants to get back to winning, something he grew accustomed to at Allen. He helped lead the Eagles to the Class 5A Division I state championship last season, and the team went 38-4 during his three varsity seasons.
Texas A&M already has three losses this season.
“He’s excited about what he’s doing as an individual, but he’s a team player,” said Allen head coach Tom Westerberg, an A&M alumnus.
“He’s not used to losing a whole lot of games, and that disappoints him that they’re not quite into winning yet. Hopefully they’ll get that thing straightened out — hopefully get that thing turned around this weekend.”
Nwachukwu, who said he’s been “excited the whole year” for Saturday’s game at Texas Tech, said the Aggies will get back to winning.
Sherman is confident Nwachukwu will help in that regard, saying his gifted young receiver has a bright future both as an Aggie and beyond. But the former Green Bay Packers coach stopped short of labeling Nwachukwu as an emerging star or NFL prospect.
“I think he’s shown everybody what he’s capable of doing,” Sherman said. “To me, the whole thing is consistency, not just from game to game but from year to year. That remains to be seen, but I think he has great potential and an excellent work ethic, so I think that combination will bode well for him in the future and for us.”
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Nwachukwu, who said he’s been “excited the whole year” for Saturday’s game at Texas Tech, said the Aggies will get back to winning.
Sounds like this guy needs a good ole fashion workin over by the Tech defense. Sounds like a typical freshman. Has no knowledge of A&M’s history in Lubbock. I believe that he will soon get some learnin.
Wreckem Texas Tech
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Texas Enema will beat the tceh dead ray duhs 27-21 this weekend in fron of 60, 000 or less. Meanwhile Texas plays on ABC in front of a TV audience of millions. That’s the way it ought to be and that’s the way it is! Get your Horns up for the Missouri game! UT is headed for its 5th national championship in football this year! HOOK ‘EM HORNS!
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@East Techsan:
I’m glad that our players don’t say that kind of stuff in public. One of the reasons we beat Nebraska like we did was because we went into the game with the proper respect for how good Nebraska was (or…. was…. supposed to be).
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want a prediction, Missouri will upset ut 31-17. happily smashing any kind of hope for a NC, In front of millions of viewers. I think that every lubbockite should be allowed to run over up to 6 texas fans without any legal ramifications. doesnt that sound like fun?
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Umm, I mean by all means good for Eazy as they call him, but don’t those numbers sound a lot like the Tech receivers every week. 3 TD’s in two weeks, didn’t Leong have that against KSU. Don’t get me wrong propr so this guy fo rhis work ethic on the field but really, if he was at Tech he would just be another receiver with sky high numbers.
I guess I missed the highlight here.
Wreck ‘Em
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kid should have come to tech. let’s see, catch 4 or 5 a game or 8 to 12…pretty easy math!
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Obviously the Allen H.S. coach (aggie grad) had something to do with him going to a&m. Here’s hoping for a Tech win and no injuries for either team!
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So here it is 2 and half days before the game and there is seriously not going to be any television coverage? I really figured they would have at least picked it up on a pay-per-view basis. For me it is not the money of getting into Jones, although that is pretty expensive, but rather I live in the metroplex. Seriously disappointed!!
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Unranked A&M the reason game is not on TV. Potts needs to have one or no turnovers and tech wins. I think the Ags are going to score some points. They turned it over six times last week at KSU. Not likely this week. Ags have every thing to gain, nothing to lose. Danger. danger!
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If our defense plays like that have been, A&M does not score more than 14 points. If Potts plays a decent game with no more than one turnover, we win easily. Two ifs there, but I think very possible. Prediction: Tech 35 A&M 14
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I agree Straight Shooter. This very well may be close game. A&M put up good offensive numbers in their first three games, albeit to Division I bottom dwellers. They handled New Mexico better than we did and played OSU tough. If Tech comes out flat, watch out!
I’m hoping Potts brings some energy and leadership and sets the field ablaze. My prediction is Tech by 2-3 TDs.
Guns Up!!
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Only Teasipper T-shirt fans think they will be in the NC game (and most of them know they would lose).
Alabammy and USC will end up in the NC game because Teasipper T-Shirt fans only have a defense and a mediocre QB.
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As usual sour grapes from the tech folks, it irks them and exposes their lack of self-confidence to know that NOBODY outside of the loop is interested in their team!!!
Is there any truth to the story that the pirate will strap on a leather helmet and QB his charges?
Envy on, as we become more self-absorbed in our importance!!!!
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“It’s been a real fun season,”…
So if you have personal success while the team looses that is FUN?
Glad we have more of a TEAM additude and view personal accomplishments UNDER team accomplishment (WINS).
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Hey mackBrowninfatuated, if no one outside our loop is interested in us, then why are you and your sub 100 IQ buddy hook-em trolling our website? WHO has the envy?? We don’t have to worry about the rest of the nation knowing who we are or rooting for us, because you guys took care of that for us last year, when during the highest rated football game of the year and the 3rd highest rated game ever, Tech Tech beat the perennially over-rated and under performing longhorns. You helped us create a nation full of new Red Raider fans……
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Raiderengineer, well said. Whenever I see T-sippers and Aggots on here, it only proves the point that Tech is now a legitimate football program with national recognition. A&M is no longer relevant and the years of blow outs by Texas are over. Macbrown4guv is a typical uneducated Longhorn fan who must live in a hole. And the fact that he wants Mac Brown as governor says it all about his intelligence.
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Right on raiderengineer!!!!!! Love it!!!!! IF the “wronghorns” aren’t worried why do they troll our websites? I have checked A&M’s and can’t find a single posting from a Raider…..haven’t been to the “wronghorns” sites yet. Why don’t these people get a life? They are, for my money, the worst fans in the country….always bragging, whining, etc. I vote Mack Brown for Whiner in Chief.
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Hookem Horn’s,
If you read your own posts you have got to see how dumb they are. By the way did you attend UT? I bet you are an arm-chair Horns wanna be ;-)
Tech by three touchdowns on Saturday. As a Tech alum I support the Red raiders and will be in my season seats. I always look forward to watching the Aggie Corps Band at half time!
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This game will be a battle for 5th place on non-biased state rankings:
1) The University of Texas at Austin
2) Dallas Cowboys
3) TCU
4) U of Houston
5) Winner of TTU/aTM game, loser goes to number 7.
6) UTEP
By the way, I see already two losses for tech next year- UT and TCU.
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Congratulations Mike Sherman! This week you became the no. 1 rated worst coach in America on CoachesHotSeat.com AND you also got your Aggies on ESPN’s Bottom Ten list of the 10 worst teams in America at no. 5. Good think you’ve played no. 2 New Mexico twice in the last 14 months, as both wins over the 2nd worst team in America accounts for 2 of our 5 wins in 2 years!
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Mike Sherman – You promised that 2009 wouldn’t be like 2008 and you were right! You’ve made it worse not that we AGAIN made the ESPN Bottom Ten list, ranking lower (or in this case higher) than last year. We are actually doing worse that last year since our strength of schedule is 103rd in the country! Of course, 2 years of recruiting outside the Top 20 is also taking its toll. Hard to believe that you inherited a team 22 months ago that had been in bowls 3 of the last 5 years, beaten UT, and almost beat Penn State in the Alamo Bowl (24-17). Enough excuses. Shut up, coach, or resign (which is what 85% of Aggies are praying you do). http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?page=bottom10102109
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straight shooter said:
Unranked A&M the reason game is not on TV. Potts needs to have one or no turnovers and tech wins. I think the Ags are going to score some points. They turned it over six times last week at KSU. Not likely this week. Ags have every thing to gain, nothing to lose. Danger. danger!
You sound kind of limp there shooter. A&M may not have that many turn overs against us, but dont sell the Tech Defense short. I do believe our D is much better the then K-State D. Do you disagree?
Wreckem Texas Tech
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