Category Archives: CLOSEUP

CLOSEUP: Gabby Mayo

Oct. 10, 200812:00 p.m.

From left to right: Gabby Mayo, Daryle McNair, and Brandon Banks. This picture was taken at the 2006 Nike Outdoor Nationals, where Mayo (11.43) and Banks (10.43) both won the 100, and get this – it was on Father’s Day, which is why McNair is in the middle, chillin’.

You can read all about Brandon Banks’ little sister here. She’s amped up to see Brandon – she’s the only one who calls him by his complete first name – since it’s been a while. If anyone is going to the A&M game, bring her some K-State gear. She needs some.

“I talked to him yesterday,” Mayo said Wednesday. “We talk almost every day. He likes it up there.”

Mayo grew up with her mother in Raleigh while Banks and McNair lived in Garner. But Mayo said she was always with Banks and McNair – Raleigh and Garner are separated by about seven miles.

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CLOSEUP: Baron Batch

Oct. 2, 20081:12 p.m.

(J-MART NOTE: This is a somewhat new feature to add some perspective on Kansas State’s upcoming foe. It might be a star player, an assistant coach, a cheerleader, whatever. If you have suggestions for Texas A&M, next week’s opponent, list them below. Thanks.)

His first reaction is laughter.

Texas Tech sophomore Baron Batch can’t help but be amused when he’s asked about the Red Raiders’ sudden inclination to use their running backs to, well, run the ball.

“People are like, ‘Hey, you have a running game,’” Batch said.

Batch teams with senior Shannon Woods to form a highly productive tandem in the backfield. Tech averages 146.5 yards on the ground, which is 66th in the nation. And with all things considered — mostly the fact that Graham Harrell threw for 5,705 yards in 2007 — that is a significant upgrade from last season, when the Red Raiders were so one-dimensional.

Not anymore.

Already, Tech has 586 rushing yards. In 2007, in 13 games, the Red Raiders finished with 771.

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