Aggies Ainais Smith Playing For More Than Win Over Alabama, Nick Saban
COLLEGE STATION -- Everyone in college football knows of Nick Saban, but Ainais Smith actually knows the man first-hand.
The senior Texas A&M receiver first met the seven-time national champion coach when his older brother, Maurice, was being recruited to play for the Crimson Tide. He remembers the event that occurred in 2016 and turned him away from potentially committing to the school if offered.
Smith knows Alabama. He knows Saban and his tactics. He understands that the Crimson Tide remains college football's staple so long as the greatest coach to stand on grass still roams the sidelines.
And he knows what a win would mean not just for A&M, but also the Smith family.
“I feel like this game is always more personal, every time I’m playing, you know what I’m saying?” Smith said Monday. “I don’t know what happened, it’s in the past now and I’m not able to control it, but every time I do look on that sideline, I do think about what happened, and I’ll definitely be thinking about it."
The Aggies (4-1, 2-0 SEC) host No. 11 Alabama (4-1, 2-0 SEC) Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff in what could factor into the division standings come early December. Both teams remain undefeated in conference play, and the winner will have the inside track to represent the SEC West in Atlanta, Ga., for a shot at the conference title.
Everyone wants to be the one to take down the face of college football, especially in front of the home crowd. Smith also wants to win, but not because it's simply Alabama.
Maurice Smith spent three seasons in Tuscaloosa before eventually electing to enter the transfer portal and follow then-defensive coordinator Kirby Smart to Georgia. After an appeal letter was filed on campus, Maurice found his personal belongings in the trash with a photo attached stating "underneath trash."
Maurice eventually did transfer to Athens, became a captain for Smart's defense, and set the tone as one of the building blocks for what Georgia has become today. But for Ainais, now being recruited by schools, the damage was done. He released a statement in 2016 saying how he respects Saban, "but it’s hard to have respect for what he’s done to my brother and has never apologized for how he was treated."
"I know what Nick Saban wants, and we're gonna mess that up," Ainias said. "You know what I'm saying? If them boys don't got no momentum for real, we're gonna have to take that away, immediately, for sure."
History could repeat itself if Smith and the offense remain consistent and the defense continues to eliminate scoring drives. The last time Alabama entered Kyle Field, the Aggies were unranked, having come off back-to-back losses against Arkansas and Mississippi State.
It didn't matter. Zach Calzada had the game of his life quarterbacking A&M, De'Von Achane broke free for a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Smith was on the receiving end of a game-tying touchdown and Seth Small's last-second field secured the 41-38 victory.
Once again, Alabama remains ranked following wins over the Mississippi schools to begin conference play. The Aggies, who picked up victories over Auburn and the Hogs in Arlington, won't have a number attached to their name at kickoff.
"I do feel like we have a narrative of us being, I guess you could say, the laughingstock of the SEC a lot of times in the past,” Smith said. “We had a lot of expectations on our backs, and we ended up falling short of those expectations.”
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Alabama is beatable, as evident by its 34-24 loss to No. 3 Texas in Week 2. Even with the resurgence of Houston native Jalen Milore at quarterback, the Crimson Tide aren't built like past teams that went on runs to the College Football Playoff and eventually the national championship.
It is still Alabama, though. The Crimson Tide haven't suffered a pair of losses at the midway point of the season since Saban's first year on campus back in 2007, and they learn to adapt on the fly, always presenting challenges for the opponent regardless of location.
"Alabama is Alabama and they’re a great team,” said A&M coach Jimbo Fisher. “What we have to do is get prepared to play Alabama or whoever you’re playing, because each game is a big game."
A&M can only control itself and not worry about what's happening for game prep three states eastbound. A strong week of practice and the same consistent play could pay dividends with a repeat of 2021.
Smith said the Aggies have the narrative of being the laughingstock of the conference, but all it takes is one game to change the persona. And A&M can do it in front of the home crowd.
“Instead of letting the people talk for us, let’s do the talking on the field," said Smith. And I feel like if we get this (win) against Bama, then we aren’t going to have to say nothing.”
