Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman told his team repeatedly that "something special" was going to happen this season.
It never did, but the Aggies insist the fallen program is headed in the right direction under Sherman's leadership despite a rough 4-8 season that ended with the worst loss to rival Texas in more than 100 years.
The 49-9 defeat at No. 4 Texas on Thanksgiving night wrapped up the third losing season in six years for Texas A&M, with the record matching Dennis Franchione's first season in 2003.
Like that year, Sherman's debut was marked by humiliating losses, including some at no-longer-imposing Kyle Field, and a defense that ranked among the worst in the Big 12.
But the Aggies say the former Green Bay Packers coach convinced the team better days are coming, even though they lost their last three games by an average of 33 points.
"This program is in great hands with coach Sherman," said outgoing senior quarterback Stephen McGee, who was a big Franchione supporter and missed most of his final season with a sprained throwing shoulder.
Sherman signed a seven-year contract after replacing Franchione last November, but he was expecting more success in his first season as a college head coach.
"One season doesn't make a program," Sherman said. "I never anticipated when I came here that this was going to be a 12-0 season. I was hoping for a bowl, but it didn't turn out that way. But I feel good about the people we're working with."
