Butch Dill, Associated Press
'Ainias Smith Was Deebo Samuel First': Aggies Jimbo Fisher Gives Praise To Senior Weapon
Before Deebo Samuel became an All-Pro weapon for the San Fransico 49ers, he had to take a play out of Ainias Smith's book. At least that's how Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher sees it.
During an event at the Fort Worth A&M Club Wednesday, Fisher mentioned that Smith's versatility had been a catalyst for the Aggies offense since 2020. Smith, who's slated to return for his fifth season, has played various positions, including slot receiver and running back.
“Ainias was Deebo Samuel before Deebo Samuel," Fisher told a packed house. "In 2020, we used him at running back, receiver. You will see a lot of that this year. He will be all over the field returning punts and doing the things that he does.”
Make no mistake; Fisher isn't discrediting the success of the former South Carolina star, but rather boosting the confidence of A&M's most effective weapon. Smith himself has compared his game to Samuel's due to their ability to create separation across the field regardless of where they line up.
After a breakout freshman campaign in the slot, Fisher elected to move Smith to the running back room for depth purposes. In 2019, Isaiah Spiller served as the primary tailback and totaled nearly 66 percent of all snaps at the position.
The departures of Cordarrian Richardson, Jacob Kibodi, and Jashun Corbin put the position in a hole for depth purposes. And while Smith still took reps as one of the primary receivers inside, Fisher's trust for Smith's open-field impact led to the switch until the emergence of then-freshman Devon Achane.
Samuel was approached in a similar fashion by Niners coach Kyle Shanahan in 2021. A receiver by trade, Samuel became a staple in Shanahan's run-heavy personnel, totaling 59 rush attempts for 365 yards and eight TDs. He also finished the year with 77 catches for a career-high 1,405 yards and six scores.
Both players remain receivers by trade. After recording 49 carries for 293 yards and four TDs, Smith moved back inside for a majority of the 2021 season. Fisher still schemed up personnel packages for the 5-10 all-purpose player in the backfield, though his production (eight carries for 26 yards) drastically decreased.
One of the biggest differences between the two receivers-turned-running backs is their impact on special teams. Smith has served as the Aggies' primary punt returner since 2020 and has averaged 8.9 yards per return. He also scored a 48-yard return of touchdown in A&M's 44-14 win over Samuel's Gamecocks in 2021.
Since 2019, Samuel has only totaled 75 yards on kickoffs in three attempts, all coming in 2021. Fisher said that, once again, Smith would serve as the Aggies' punt returner for what could be his final season in College Station.
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