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Texas A&M Football: ESPN 12th Man documentary leaked online

By Colton Chumbley

Sep 3, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Cullen Gillaspia (12) celebrates a tackle on a kickoff against the UCLA Bruins during the second half at Kyle Field. Texas A&M won in overtime 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Cullen Gillaspia (12) celebrates a tackle on a kickoff against the UCLA Bruins during the second half at Kyle Field. Texas A&M won in overtime 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Texas A&M football has many stories worth telling. After waiting for what felt like decades, a leaked version of an ESPN feature on the Aggies is now available.

Last fall ESPN’s highly acclaimed “SEC Storied” films announced that finally, Texas A&M would be the focus of its next documentary. The project would be titled after the Caleb Pirtle book, “No Experience Required”. Attached below is the synopsis of the film that had the Aggie faithful eagerly anticipating its release:

"In 1983, Aggie Head Coach Jackie Sherrill, under the pressures of having signed the the richest coaching contract in college football history (and delivering only a 5-6 record in his first season), came up with a crazy idea. Emmy Award winner Kenan K. Holley (who also directed SEC Storied’s “Dominque Belongs to Us” and “The Walk Off”) directs the tale of a coach willing to take a risk. Sherrill decided his kickoff coverage team would be made up entirely of regular college students. Hundreds tried out; few made it. The few who made it went from being disrespected by their scholarship teammates and ridiculed by the press as a publicity stunt, to becoming the most feared kickoff team in America”."

The 12th man is one of the most celebrated traditions in all of college football. With upwards of 80,000 fans standing behind their team, ready to be called upon if needed, it represents the pride and passion that come with being a student at Texas A&M. A dcoumentary highlighting this sacred tradition would finally show the world how special it is to call yourself an Aggie.

So whats the hold up?

What happened next in the film’s development process however is not quite clear. Sources involved claim that the worldwide leader in sports and the university didn’t quite see eye to eye creatively. This ultimately led to the project being put on the back burner for the foreseeable future. Fortunately for those of us eager to see the story of the beloved 12th man kickoff team retold, an early version of the film was just posted online.

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I’ll be the first to go on record and say that it is spectacular. The Aggie family should be proud and grateful for the things those men and Coach Sherrill accomplished. It’s a good length, but it’s worth every minute. Give it a shot and watch the documentary. Did ESPN do a good job? Do 12th Man stories give you the goosebumps? Let us know what you think in the comments or on Twitter @Gigemgazette.