Isaiah Spiller: The Next Great Texas A&M Running Back
Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher told reporters on Monday that running back Isaiah Spiller was close to being a "complete back" for the 2021 season.
The completion was finalized in the fourth quarter Saturday in Denver against the Buffaloes defense.
Texas A&M's 10-7 victory over Colorado almost ended 7-3 in a loss. With Haynes King leaving after the second drive, the Aggies (2-0) called on redshirt sophomore Zach Calzada to pick up the pieces and keep the team afloat.
First game jitters or not, Calzada needs to play better if he is the future of the position. At least having a go-to option like Spiller should make the job easier.
"At the end of the day we were able to make one more play than they did," Fisher said. "We kept believing we could do that."
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Questionable play-calling from Fisher limited Spiller's reps on the ground. One week after becoming the 21st Aggie in program history to rush for 2,000 yards, he had five yards in the first half on five carries.
Spiller doubled his line with a 5-yard run at the end of the third quarter.
Running backs that can be effective in the passing game add value to any offense. Spiller led the Aggies with six catches and his 56 yards were second most on the team.
Two of his receptions were the biggest of the afternoon.
On a third-and-8 on the game-winning drive, Spiller hauled in a Calzada pass to keep the march alive. The two would connect three plays later, this time for an 18-yard touchdown to take the lead late.
A perfect pass led to a perfect catch. A&M's perfect season and College Football Playoff hopes remain alive for another week.
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"That's my job," Spiller said. "Just doing my job, going out there every day, doing the right things and you see the results."
Once Calzada found his rhythm, A&M converted on 7 of 8 third downs on the final three drives. Two of which nearly culminated in touchdowns.
If not for a fumble at the goal line, would have had a 13-yard touchdown that would have given A&M the lead midway through the fourth period.
The blame all can't be on Calzada, who finished 18 of 38 passing for 183 yards. The offensive line couldn't contain the Buffaloes front seven, allowing pressure nearly every snap. Costly penalties and careless timeouts led to frustration on the sideline from Fisher.
Spiller says you win as a team or lose a one. Pointing fingers is not the standard for A&M.
"We all just wanted to win," Spiller said. "Zach sure showed that. He felt comfortable towards the end of the game. Zach's going to be really good for us down the line."
A&M returns home to face New Mexico before heading to AT&T Stadium for its annual match with Arkansas. The Southwest Classic always seems to be a nail-biter at a neutral location. It doesn't help that the Hogs have extra confidence following a 19-point victory over No. 15 Texas.
The Aggies' offense has questions. Spiller isn't one of them. As the preparation begins for the Lobos, A&M's offensive identity might have new look based on King's status.
If all else fails, trust Spiller to carry the load.
"We're going to clean it up real quick," Spiller said. "We'll be back next week."
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