'Get Him Touches': Aggies Looking To Increase Ainias Smith's Role
Through six games, Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Ainias Smith only has 11 touchdowns: six receptions and five punt returns.
The explosiveness in Smith's game needs to be utilized more, and Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher agrees.
"We called a lot of balls to him," Fisher said Monday. "Whether it gets to him or the read, you want to get him touches. We’ll continue to get the ball in his hands, and we’ll continue to play them all because we have a good group of receivers.”
Now, it's perfectly understandable that there are plays that have been designed to go to either wide receiver Evan Stewart or Noah Thomas. Those two have been electric and two of quarterback Conner Weigman's favorite targets in the first two contests.
Stewart has caught 19 passes on 27 targets — which is nearly triple the number of targets as the next Aggie receiver — for 257 yards and two touchdowns, and Thomas has 10 receptions for 112 yards and four scores.
With that being said, Smith needs to become more involved in some schemed play designs to keep the defense guessing even more.
He showcased in 2021 what he can do with the ball in his hands, rushing eight times for 26 yards, hauling in 47 passes for 509 yards and six touchdowns while also returning 23 punts for 259 yards and a score.
Smith missed the final eight games last season with a leg injury, so if his lack of touches is due, in part, to the coaching staff trying to ease him back into full swing. Smith has played 56.4 percent of Texas A&M's 156 offensive snaps through two games.
Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino could dial up some jet sweeps, pop passes or screen plays for Smith to get him in space, using his athleticism.
Having three weapons that defenses have to game plan for in the passing game is a lot better than only having two.
