But against UT-El Paso, in the third quarter of the Aggies' third game, Brooks decided he could do more. After that, Slocum turned Brooks loose. Against Texas Tech, Brooks came up the middle, split two blockers and got a hand on the ball. He could see I had a knack for it. Despite all his blocked punts, Brooks still feels blue about his backup role in the secondary.
Blocks are a bonus.
When people want to know how good you are as a defensive back, they always ask you how many interceptions you have. Brooks may get another shot at starting next year. Brooks is working at both cornerback and safety. Next spring he'll likely compete with freshman Dawon Gentry for the free safety spot. Not that Brooks wants to retire from his other job.