Teammates turn out to remember Fails

? Texas A&M player Brandon Fails was remembered by hundreds of people Saturday as a big-hearted player who was quick with a smile and at times seemed too nice to be a defensive lineman.

More than 1,600 college and high school teammates, family members and friends gathered for the funeral of the 18-year-old freshman, who died Monday after collapsing while getting ready to go eat breakfast.

“He had a love for others that would just … it’d just embrace you, like one of his big ol’ hugs,” said Chris Cunningham, Fails’ coach at Colleyville (Texas) Heritage High School. Cunningham spoke before rows of Fails’ former teammates, who wore Colleyville Heritage jerseys.

Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum said Fails was so friendly he had trouble putting on the “meanest of mean” faces that A&M linemen like to wear in team pictures.

“Brandon had no chance,” Slocum said. “He couldn’t do it.”

Fails had that same quality as a standout at Colleyville, assistant coach John Furin said, recalling how Fails would always apologize and offer a hand to each player he tackled.

“Brandon was a winner in the game of football; he was a winner in the game of life,” Furin said.

The school said Fails’ No. 72 would be retired.