COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M Cadet Capt. Greg Hood said it was his Aggie spirit -- not his military training -- that caused him to brandish a saber at Southern Methodist cheerleaders who ran onto the A&M football field in violation of rules.

Hood, 21, a senior from Dallas, faces a disciplinary hearing possibly as early as Monday.


He said Tuesday he wanted to apologize to A&M students who might think what he did was wrong.

Not all of them did, he said.

'I've been patted on the back and had my hand shaken. But there are people on the campus who don't agree with what I've done,' said Hood, who was in uniform and acting as one of eight officers of the day last Saturday when the incident occurred.

'I reacted not as an (officer) or as a corps member,' he said. 'I reacted as an Aggie. I felt it was my duty to get those people off the field.'

During a break in the game, Hood ran on the field and drew his sword 'as scare tactics,' he said, at SMU cheerleaders doing a cheer following a touchdown. A&M yell leaders are allowed on the field but visiting teams' cheerleaders are not.

His action caused the corps commandant to end the traditional carrying of sheathed sabers by the officers of the day. A&M school and student officials have apologized in writing to SMU officials.

Hood faces charges in the hearing of assaulting the cheerleaders, improperly using a weapon and creating a disturbance.