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Gregg got help from father of Tech receiver

A&M's free safety played for Amendola's dad at Westfield

By RICHARD CROOME
Eagle Staff Writer

Texas A&M safety Devin Gregg thanks the father of Texas Tech's wide receiver Danny Amendola for the opportunity to try to stop, or slow down, the Red Raider passing attack once a season.

Willie Amendola was Gregg's defensive coordinator at Spring Westfield High School.

"He did a great job, and if it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't be playing football right now at A&M [considering] all the things he did for me," Gregg said.

Gregg, along with his Aggie teammates, have the unenviable task of trying to slow down Amendola and the pass-happy Red Raiders on Saturday.

It's nothing new to Gregg, who will be facing Tech for the third time and went up against Amendola while playing mostly cornerback for Spring Westfield. Amendola was a receiver for The Woodlands.

When asked how much his former coach would mind him getting a big hit on his son, Gregg said: "I'm sure he'd tell me to do [it]. Coach Amendola, he gives Danny a hard time, and he wants both of us to do good."

The elder Amendola is now the head football coach at Dekaney High School, which opened to freshmen and sophomores in August. With no varsity team this season, Amendola has time to watch his son on Saturdays.

Amendola is especially looking forward to this week with Gregg also on the field.

"The funny part of it is, in high school, I was coaching Devin against Danny," said Amendola, who has seen every Tech game this season after only getting to see the Tech at A&M game last year. "It's all about the competition and having fun out there playing hard, and at the end of the game, see who wins.

"It will be fun seeing Danny and Devin play against each other this weekend."

Amendola has had fun all year, putting up numbers that would be the talk of Lubbock if not for teammate Michael Crabtree, the nation's leading receiver in three major categories.

Amendola, the lone senior offensive starter, caught his 100th career pass last week in the victory over Iowa State. He has 54 receptions and four touchdowns this season. Crabtree has 70 catches and 17 TDs.

"You are going to have to have a short memory this week," Gregg said of stopping Tech's offense. "They were able to put up 660 yards against Oklahoma State, and yet [OSU] was still able to win the game, which lets you know if you keep playing, anything can happen."

For Gregg, it's the guy getting Amendola and Crabtree the ball who is impressive.

Quarterback Graham Harrell is completing nearly 75 percent of his passes and has 28 touchdowns to three interceptions.

"I think he's a lot more accurate, and I think he knows where he wants to go," Gregg said of the junior quarterback. "The guys are doing a great job of catching and just being productive with the ball. He's really pinpointing those wide receivers."

So what advice would Amendola the coach give to his former star and leader at Westfield on how to stop Tech and his son?

"Devin, just relax and play like you know how," he said.