Locked On Aggies: How Does Texas A&M Replace The Production Of Isaiah Spiller?
Isaiah Spiller glided his way into Texas A&M's record book during his three seasons in College Station. It's time for the next chapter of his life, one many Aggies look forward to each offseason.
Spiller officially declared for the 2022 NFL Draft earlier this month. A second-team All-SEC selection, the junior ran for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns on 179 carries this season. He averaged 5.6 yards per play and tallied another 189 yards through the air as a receiving option.
The attention now turns to A&M's backfield in the post-Spiller era. The easy option for Jimbo Fisher would be to promote secondary runner Devon Achane to the full first-team offense, double his reps, and hopeful production.
Achane, a speed threat thanks to his success on the track, led the SEC in average yards at 7.1 a carry. Despite finishing with nearly 50 fewer carries than Spiller, the sophomore runner tallied 910 yards and nine rushing touchdowns.
Achane also tacked on 261 yards in the passing game, third-most among all A&M players.
In limited roles, both Amari Daniels and LJ Johnson Jr. saw their opportunities to carve out playing time next fall. Daniels, a native of Miami, Fla., finished third on the team in rushing yards (180) and scored his first career touchdown in the home finale against Prairie View A&M.
Johnson, a local name from Cypress, was built for more third down situations late in games. He averaged 3.6 yards per run on 21 attempts.
Fisher won't be limited to a bell cow runner like he was in 2019. Achane's speed provides value on any down. Johnson's strength fills the need in the trenches and Daniels can work both on the edge and up the middle.
Who thought should be the "lead" back against Sam Houston in Week 1?
In partnership with AllAggies.com, Locked on Aggies is a daily podcast to provide insight into the world of Texas A&M sports. On today's show, host Cole Thompson breaks down the pros and cons of each player starting.
Listen to the latest episode here or check out more podcasts surrounding college football at the Locked On Podcast Network.
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