Bennett confident of his ability

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — When it was pointed out to Les Koenning Jr., that Texas A&M's tight ends are on a school-record pace for receptions, he just laughed.

"Martellus (Bennett) probably told you that," the Aggies' offensive coordinator said of the flamboyant sophomore. "He's a great way to get publicity out, one way or the other."

Well, when you're a member of the Legion of Doom — the nickname Bennett dreamed up for A&M's tight end corps during two-a-days — publicity is bound to follow. And in this case, it's justified.

Bennett and Joey Thomas are rapidly establishing themselves as one of the top tight end tandems in the nation. Bennett has eight catches for 97 yards, Thomas five for 101.

Thomas' total includes a juggling catch last week of a pass from backup quarterback Ty Branyon that went for a 56-yard touchdown against Louisiana-Lafayette.

After two games, Bennett and Thomas have combined for 6.5 catches per outing. If they sustain that pace, it will the most receiving production from the position in school history, topping the 5.9-catch average of Rod Bernstine in 1986.

"Those guys give us great flexibility," head coach Dennis Franchione said as A&M began working for Saturday's game against Army in San Antonio's Alamodome. "The quarterbacks like both those guys because they're big targets. They can find them easily."

Thomas stands 6 feet, 5 inches and weighs 250 pounds; Bennett is 6-7, 248. They're also so athletic that the Aggies often leave both in the game even when they're in a four-receiver spread offense.

"They're so big," Koenning said. "When they run their routes, they can be covered and still be open."

Bennett noted that occasionally he and Thomas line up next to each other and will wind up blocking the same defender because the second defender "will run away."

"I don't blame him," Bennett said. "If the Legion of Doom was coming at me, I'd run away, too."

Bennett is beginning to play like everybody expected him to when he came out of Alief Taylor High School. Not exactly the shy, retiring type, he infuriated Texas fans when he made his announcement on television by playing with the caps of several schools, including UT, before donning an Aggies cap.

Bennett's exuberance and self-confidence hasn't diminished at A&M.

"I do believe I'm one of the best tight ends in the country," he said.

To become the best, Bennett said, he'll probably have to give up playing his second sport, basketball, perhaps as soon as this year. As a freshman power forward last season for coach Billy Gillispie's NCAA Tournament qualifier, he appeared in 26 games, averaging 1.9 points and 1.5 rebounds.

"I eventually will have to give (basketball) up to be the best I can be," he said. "It could be as soon as this year or next year. My dad wants me to give basketball another chance and Coach Gillispie wants me to come back this year, too. So I don't know. We'll see how the (football) season goes."

Bennett, for all his bluster, is something of a student of the tight end position. He said he frequently talks to tight ends in the NFL, including former A&M star Dan Campbell and the Cleveland Browns' Kellen Winslow to pick their brains. He also talks to fellow collegiate tight ends, including, he said, Texas' Jermichael Finley.

"We talk a lot," he said of Finley. "I'll ask him what he's seen and what he's trying to do.

"He'll tell me stuff and I'll say, 'Man, you shouldn't be doing that,' " Bennett joked with a laugh. "But I don't give him any tips. I take more than I give."

Both Bennett and Thomas have taken a lot in A&M's first two games. Thomas has the lone touchdown reception between them — the play actually was drawn up by Branyon in Koenning's meeting room the day before the game — but Thomas, the more sedate of the two, said he and Bennett still have more to prove.

"We're on our way," Thomas said. "I wouldn't say we're there yet because we've played just two games. We have a lot more ahead of us. Once we start making big plays in bigger games, we can start to establish our name."

Actually, they already have.

Randy Riggs writes for the Austin American-Statesman.