From 4 Pounds at Birth to 268, Aggie Still Gains

David J. Phillip/Associated Press
Jorvorskie Lane had the third-
most rushing touchdowns
(19) in the nation last season.

SAN ANTONIO, July 24 — At his heaviest last season, Texas A&M tailback Jorvorskie Lane weighed 282 pounds. With the season opener five weeks away, Lane now weighs 268 pounds, which he said he considered to be “real light.” Still, he wants to lose three more pounds before practice starts in two weeks.

Born more than a month premature, he weighed just four pounds at birth, said Linda Morris, Lane’s grandmother. Because his heart and lungs were not fully developed, he was hospitalized for the first 14 days of his life.

Last season, Lane rushed for 725 yards on 166 carries, and had 19 touchdowns, tied for the third-most rushing touchdowns in the nation...

Nicknamed J-Train, he is known for his ability to level defenders while breaking tackles, and he has become a folk hero among Aggies fans. He is frequently compared to Jerome Bettis...

“I’ve never hit him and made him go backwards,” said the Texas A&M senior defensive lineman Red Bryant, who is 6-5, 324 pounds. “Hitting him is like hitting a brick wall. He’s got a lot of power.”

But Lane remained athletic. At Lufkin High School in East Texas, Lane was a three-year starter at running back. He rushed for 3,671 yards and 70 touchdowns, and had 82 receptions for 1,060 yards.

Lane moonlighted at quarterback and was the punter, averaging 42.3 yards a kick.

“He’s the best big guy I’ve ever coached,” Lufkin Coach John Outlaw said in a telephone interview. “There’s nothing this guy can’t do. He could have started at every position for me in high school on either side of the football.”

HOW MANY SEC STUDENTS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB?
At VANDERBILT: it takes two, one to change the bulb and one more to explain how they did it every bit as good as the bulbs changed at Harvard.
At GEORGIA : it takes two, one to change the bulb and one to phone an engineer at Georgia Tech for instructions.
At FLORIDA : it takes four, one to screw in the bulb and three to figure out how to get stoned off the old one.
At ALABAMA : it takes five, one to change it, two to reminisce about how The Bear would have done it, and one to throw the old bulb at an NCAA investigator and one to throw the other old bulb at Fulmer.
At OLE MISS: it takes six, one to change it, two to mix the drinks and three to find the perfect J. Crew outfit to wear for the occasion.
At LSU: it takes seven, and each one gets credit for five semester hours.
At KENTUCKY : it takes eight, one to screw it in and seven to discuss how much brighter it seems to shine during basketball season.
At TENNESSEE : it takes ten, two to figure out how to screw it in, two to buy an orange lampshade, and six to phone a radio call-in show and talk about how much they hate Alabama .
At MISSISSIPPI STATE : it takes fifteen, one to screw in the bulb, two to buy the Skoal, and twelve to yell, “GO TO HELL, OLE MISS”.
At AUBURN : it takes one hundred, one to change it, forty-nine to talk about how they did it better than at Bama, and fifty to get drunk and roll Toomer’s Corner when finished.
At SOUTH CAROLINA : it takes 80,000, one to screw it in and 79,999 to discuss how this finally will be the year that they have a decent football team.
At ARKANSAS : None. There is no electricity in Arkansas.
PLANNING FOR THE FALL FOOTBALL SEASON
Planning for the fall football season in the South is radically different than up North. For those who are planning a football trip to the South, here are some helpful hints.
Women’s Accessories
NORTH: ChapStick in back pocket and a $20 bill in the front pocket.
SOUTH: Louis Vuitton duffel with two lipsticks, waterproof mascara, and a fifth of bourbon. Money not necessary - that’s what dates are for.
Stadium Size
NORTH: College football stadiums hold 20,000 people.
SOUTH: High school football stadiums hold 20,000 people.
Fathers
NORTH: Expect their daughters to understand Sylvia Plath.
SOUTH: Expect their daughters to understand pass interference.
Campus Decor
NORTH: Statues of founding fathers.
SOUTH: Statues of Heisman trophy winners.
Homecoming Queen
NORTH: Also a physics major.
SOUTH: Also Miss America.
Heroes
NORTH: Rudy Giuliani
SOUTH: Bear Bryant, Archie, Eli and Peyton Manning, Bo Jackson
Getting Tickets
NORTH: 5 days before the game you walk into the ticket office on campusand purchase tickets.
SOUTH: 5 months before the game you walk into the ticket office on campus and put name on waiting list for tickets.
Monday Classes After a Saturday Game
NORTH: Students and teachers not sure they’re going to the game, because they have to prepare for classes on Monday.
SOUTH: Teachers cancel Monday classes because they don’t want to see the few hung over students that might actually make it to class.
Parking
NORTH: An hour before game time, the University opens the campus for game parking.
SOUTH: RVs sporting their school flags begin arriving on Wednesday for the weekend festivities. The really faithful arrive on Tuesday.
Game Day
NORTH: A few students party in the dorm and watch ESPN on TV.
SOUTH: Every student wakes up, has a beer for breakfast, and rushes over to where ESPN is broadcasting “Game Day Live” to get on camera and wave to the idiots up north who wonder why “Game Day Live” is never broadcast from their campus.
Tailgating
NORTH: Raw meat on a grill, beer with lime in it, listening to local radio station with truck tailgate down.
SOUTH: 30-foot custom pig-shaped smoker fires up at dawn. Cooking accompanied by live performance by “Dave Matthews’ Band,” who come over during breaks and ask for a hit off bottle of bourbon.
Getting to the Stadium
NORTH: You ask “Where’s the stadium?” When you find it, you walk right in.
SOUTH: When you’re near it, you’ll hear it. On game day it becomes the state’s third largest city.
Concessions
NORTH: Drinks served in a paper cup, filled to the top with soda.
SOUTH: Drinks served in a plastic cup, with the home team’s mascot on it, filled less than half way with soda, to ensure enough room for bourbon.
When National Anthem is Played
NORTH! : Stands are less than half full, and less than half of them stand up.
SOUTH: 100,000 fans, all standing, sing along in perfect four-part harmony.
The Smell in the Air After the First Score
NORTH: Nothing changes.
SOUTH: Fireworks, with a touch of bourbon.
Commentary (Male)
NORTH: “Nice play.”
SOUTH: “Dammit, you slow sumbitch - tackle him and break his legs..”
Commentary (Female)
NORTH: “My, this certainly is a violent sport.”
SOUTH: “Dammit, you slow sumbitch tackle him and break his legs.”
Announcers
NORTH: Neutral and paid.
SOUTH: Announcer harmonizes with the crowd in the fight song, with a tear in his eye because he is so proud of his team.
After the Game
NORTH: The stadium is empty way before the game ends.
SOUTH: Another rack of ribs goes on the smoker, while somebody goes to the nearest package store for more bourbon, and planning begins for next week’s game.
Nothing else in the universe comes even halfway close to the glories of Southern football!

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