Aggie legend Bucky Richardson's mentality could help Trevor Knight

Since arriving at Texas A&M, quarterback Trevor Knight has done everything right.

He learned Noel Mazzone’s offense. He organized seven-on-seven workouts. He encouraged teammates. He helped improved team chemistry, and he united what appeared to be a divided locker room.

Therefore, it stands to reason he’s also done an abundance of film study to prepare for the season-opener against UCLA.

He should do more.

He should delve into A&M’s video archives. He should find film and tape of the 1987 through 1991 seasons. He should watch intently.

Then, he should emulate Bucky Richardson, the hard-nosed, hard-playing Aggie legend who’d attempt to run over a linebacker before he’d run away from one.

True, Knight has to be himself. Yet, the new No. 1 should be influenced by Old No. 7.

At 6-1, 215-pounds, Knight is roughly the same size Richardson was while at A&M.

Knight is a strong runner, though sometimes his passing has been questioned. He’s a natural leader. He plays with passion.

That would also describe a former All-Southwest Conference quarterback that was 24-6-1 as a starter at A&M and led the Aggies to two conference championships.

Of course, football has changed a lot in the 25 seasons since Richardson played at A&M. Richardson passed for 1,479 yards in 1991.

Knight will likely double that total.

But that’s not the point. Knight just needs to approach football like Richardson did.

“I played hard,” Richardson said in a telephone interview earlier this week. “People appreciated that. I wasn’t the best passer. We didn’t throw in high school. I didn’t throw until I got to A&M.

“But people appreciate toughness, putting the team first and playing every play like it’s your last. They appreciate you putting your head down on third-and-one instead of running out of bounds. Playing hard and throwing your body around when you need to for the sake of team – that’s how I played.

"I wasn’t the fastest, the best thrower or the most talented. I played hard and worked my tail off. Good things happen when you do that.”

Richardson predicts good things will happen for the Aggies this season. Perhaps he sees a bit of himself in Knight.

“From what little I’ve seen of Trevor, I can tell you his attitude speaks volumes about his character and his work ethic,” Richardson said. “You sense that he understands completely and fully that he’s part of something bigger than himself.”

The Aggies need a quarterback with that mentality. They’ve had too many that seemed more interested in scoring on Northgate than on Kyle Field.  

They’ve had guys seemingly more interested in posting stats than victories.

They’ve had guys whose first goal seemed to be getting to the NFL rather than getting the Aggies to Atlanta.

“You show me a good quarterback at any level that is a really good player that is selfish and about himself. It doesn’t happen,” Richardson said.

“Great players – particularly quarterbacks – understand they have to be about the team. You need unity and togetherness. Trevor understands that. He’s mature enough to understand that. He knows that's what it takes to win.

“If you’re a 'me' guy, you’re not going to survive in that world. It’s too hard to win games already. You’ve got to do the things you can control correctly (and) put yourself in position to win.”

Can Knight put the Aggies in a position to win? Leadership skills are needed. Attitude is important. Effort is applauded. Eventually, though, success is dependent on performance.

Knight was inconsistent as a starter at Oklahoma in 2014. That season he completed just 56.6 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,300 yards in 10 games. He threw 14 touchdown passes but also had 12 interceptions.

He was just a sophomore then.

Richardson offers a reminder that quarterbacks are typically better as seniors than they were as sophomores.

“Adversity makes you better,” Richardson said. “Running from adversity makes you weaker. Trevor had some adversity. He battled through it and kept his attitude. That’s what you have to do. You’re playing teams with kids on scholarships and good coaching. They will make plays. So how will you respond to it?

“Will you run off the field with your head down or say, ‘Coach, I’ve got this,’ and learn from it? I think that’s the kind of player Trevor is going to be. That’s what I’m expecting.”