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I'm impressed already with the community," Franchione said of Brenham. "I know it's a proud community that's been in the business of higher education for 110 years. I grew up in a small town, I cherish small towns, and I know their values and that they're hard-working folks. I look forward to knowing everybody."

While Franchione followed his father's footsteps in choosing a career, he has separated his career from his father's path. Since working under his father at the University of New Mexico as a student coach, Franchione has gone his own direction.

"That's always been something I've prided myself on," Franchione said. "I wanted to be known as someone who works hard and who cut his own niche in life. Dad told me it would be harder for me in some cases and harder in others and it has been. It's not exactly what he does, but it's real close and now I get a chance to put it into motion and run a program."

The work Franchione has put in to emerge from his father's shadow was a big draw for Steele.

"I'm not going to tell you that (the Franchione name) didn't play a part because you want to take everybody as an individual and you certainly can't deny that there's a last name that means something in this area of the country," Steele said.

"I appreciate the approach his father took, and when I looked at his past I saw that his father really wasn't paving any ways for him. He wanted him to learn everything from the ground up, so I didn't have any fear that anybody had ever made his life easier. When I saw his resume, the fact that his last name was Franchione was just icing on the cake."

Franchione said that while Texas A&M would have an advantage in recruiting Blinn athletes in the future, that doesn't mean he's shutting the doors to other Division I programs.

"There's no question everybody involved in the profession has looked at it that way," Franchione said. "The thing I know about my father and his program is they'll do whatever it takes to be successful. He didn't need me at a two-year school before and he doesn't need me here now.

"I want to make sure we're an institution that serves all four-year schools. Obviously, A&M could have an advantage, but in now way do I want that to hinder other four-year schools from recruiting here."

Franchione also cited his father's proximity as an advantage.





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