Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee (7) runs past a group of Nebraska defenders. McGee set career highs with 35 carries for 167 yards in the Aggies' 36-14 victory over the Huskers on Saturday in Lincoln, Neb.

Thirty-five times last week against Nebraska, Stephen McGee made himself the potential target of a head-rattling hit.

That’s an excessive amount even for a durable running back in the NFL. But for a 200-pound quarterback in college football? It’s almost unheard of.

McGee, Texas A&M’s junior quarterback, carried the ball 35 times against Nebraska, absorbing dozens of licks on his way to 167 rushing yards in a 36-14 Aggies victory.

McGee’s willingness to keep an option and, eventually, get drilled is a central theme to the Aggies’ offense, which next attacks Kansas University on Saturday in College Station, Texas.

But 35 carries for a quarterback? That’s entering a domain where few go anymore in the era of the spread offense.

“He was certainly a real warrior on Saturday with all the carries and the hits he took,” Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione said of McGee, the reigning Big 12 offensive player of the week. “He did what was necessary to move the ball and win the football game.”

With McGee and running backs Jorvorskie Lane and Michael Goodson, the Aggies (6-2 overall, 3-1 Big 12 Conference) don’t try to hide what their crutch is. The three have combined for 1,751 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. That’s almost 100 yards and a score per game per player.

The Aggies’ passing attack, meanwhile, has compiled just 1,238 yards and seven touchdowns.

Obviously, a grind-it-out ground game is in the works if Texas A&M has any say. With a speedy Goodson, the 270-pound Lane and the tough McGee always willing to tuck and run, the 12th-ranked Jayhawks (7-0, 3-0) have plenty of looks to prepare for.

“They certainly do a good job of executing,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “They try to outgap you with running the quarterback, creating an extra gap. Our defense has played well against the run all year. It’s a different kind of challenge, but I think our kids will be good to go and well prepared for the challenge.”

Colorado is another Big 12 team which likes to run, but the Buffs’ ground game struggled in a 19-14 loss to the Jayhawks last week. CU managed just 66 yards on 33 carries, confirming that KU’s strong run defense of recent years is still around.

Texas A&M, though, has many more ground weapons than Colorado and likely more of a desire to impose its will. McGee, Lane and Goodson combined for 157 yards rushing last year against Kansas, including a two-yard run by Lane with 34 seconds left that sealed the Aggies’ 21-18 victory.

All three are back, and perhaps their legs are relied on even more in 2007. McGee getting nearly three dozen rushes in one game would be convincing evidence, anyway.

“That’s obviously a big key for our success,” Franchione said. “I think most teams would say that you have to stop the run to win first. When you’re able to continue to run the ball, for us to keep out of bad down and distance situations, that’s pretty pivotal.”