Texas A&M Aggies WR Ainias Smith Has 'More Confidence' Facing Alabama Crimson Tide This Year
The Texas A&M Aggies vanquished the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday 34-22 at AT&T Stadium in the annual Southwest Classic which celebrates the rivalry between the two schools in the old Southwest Conference.
A big part of that win was Aggies wideout Ainias Smith, who returned to the stadium and game where his season ended abruptly and prematurely last year. Smith broke his leg last September against the Razorbacks in this very game and had extra motivation to return this year.
"I think I did have a little bit more motivation going into this game ... I was really just thankful for the opportunity, being able to get back into that stadium again after what happened ... I just wanted to go out and ball out."
Aggies WR/PR Ainias Smith
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Smith posted four catches for 71 yards against the Hogs on Saturday, but his impact was felt more on special teams. The Sugar Land native and senior at A&M returned four punts for 131 yards (a 32.8 average) including an 82-yarder for a touchdown that steered momentum the Aggies' way.
For that effort, Smith was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.
"It means everything. I'm just going to keep going. This is just getting started, but I wish I could've had another one, but we ain't gonna talk about that."
Smith feels like he was just waiting to break one open this year, and it finally happened against the Razorbacks on Saturday.
"Man, for sure. It was definitely one of those. I always pray for the opportunity, God gave me another opportunity to showcase what I can do and I'm just grateful."
The Aggies face SEC West rival Alabama this week, and Smith thinks his experience against the Crimson Tide gives him somewhat of a personal edge against coach Nick Saban and the team.
"Yes ... that gives me more confidence, knowing Nick and what he expects from his defense, from his offense. Knowing those things you can go into it like coach (Jimbo Fisher) sometimes says, knowing the answers before the test."
Every team in the SEC West has suffered at least one loss this season already, and LSU has been defeated twice. It would be easy to consider the division more wide open than in previous seasons with the "mystique" surrounding Alabama seemingly gone. But that's not the way Smith is approaching it.
"... Right now I'm not even looking at it like that, I'm just trying to keep my head on to what I need to do, making sure my grades are straight so I can play at the end, making sure the team is straight so we have the right mindset going into each week and focusing on each week not worrying about the end result."
The Aggies face the Crimson Tide on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on CBS from Kyle Field in College Station.