Texas A&M Aggies Coach Jimbo Fisher Praises 'Tremendous' Ainias Smith
When Texas A&M graduate receiver Ainias Smith announced his return to Aggieland for a fifth and final season, the Aggies' lofty season goals got that much bigger.
A year prior, during the year that was supposed to be "the one," Smith and his teammates watched their 3-1 record turn into 3-2, then 3-3. Before they knew it, they'd lost six straight conference games and were in risk of losing bowl eligibility.
Fast forward a year later. The Aggies didn't qualify for a bowl game and wanted nothing but to prevent that from happening a second straight year. They'd already dropped back-to-back games against Alabama and Tennessee, so winning against South Carolina a week after an important bye-week was crucial.
Thanks to Smith, Texas A&M got its win. The Aggies improved to 5-3 and now sit one game away from bowl eligibility with four games to go.
And the graduate couldn't have been happier.
"Man, it felt real good," Smith said.
Oct 28, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Ainias Smith (0) calls to teammates during the second quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field.
© Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports
"The team [was] able to come together and actually execute the things that we've been working on," he added. "I feel real good about that. Our coaches put us in a real good predicament to go ahead and get the plays out and get the ball to the players that we needed to."
For the Aggies, Smith was the guy they needed to get the ball to. On the game, the receiver finished with 6 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown, which he scored on a 42-yard connection from Max Johnson after phasing through multiple defenders.
"His ability to create separation is physical but it's also mental," Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher said of Smith. "He knows how to set you up. He understands football. He understands leverage. He understands angles. Changes speeds and what you're trying to accomplish on the play."
It wasn't just that play that Fisher was pleased with however.
"[Smith] is a very physically and gifted football player, but he's [also] a tremendous competitor," he said. "But he's also a very smart football player. When you put that combination together, it's hard to control."
Smith's talent is undeniable. It's why Texas A&M has consistently had one of the conference's best-receiving corps — and arguably the NCAA. But apart from him, the Aggies were able to rely on their offensive weapons and each other, which Smith says stemmed from the Aggies' productive bye-week.
"I feel like we did a real good job coming together during the bye week," Smith said. "After a two-week losing streak, we came together as a team. We were holding each other accountable ... and I feel like we definitely have grown together as a brotherhood and as an offense."
Fisher certainly agreed.
"[I'm] happy for our guys," Fisher said. "[We] got a win, learned how to win again [and] handled the things [we had] to handle. ... It wasn't perfect, but [there were] some really good things in the game."
Next week, Texas A&M will hit the road to Oxford to face the Ole Miss Rebels as it looks to turn its win into a winning streak. Smith will be crucial to that success, as will the rest of his teammates, who certainly will prepare this week the way they did over the break — and if all goes well, that will be clear on the field.
Kickoff Saturday from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is set for 11 a.m. CST.
