Texas A&M Football: 3 standout players in Week 1 win vs. Kent State

Texas A&M Football Week 1 Standout No. 3: WR Ainias Smith

On the stat sheet, Ainias Smith had a solid day. His 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns were very impressive, especially as he continues to shift to a more wide receiver-centric role. Still, part of what he did for the Aggies on Saturday won’t be marked down in a stat sheet.

Actually, the best part of Smith’s game was the fact that he didn’t do anything.

What I’m referring to is the fact that Kent State was constantly avoiding kicking the ball toward Smith, which eventually resulted in great field positioning for Texas A&M all night long. The funny thing about this is that Smith only has 265 return yards in his two-year career with the Aggies. Apparently, that was enough to scare Kent State away from landing their kicks and punts near him.

Beyond that, though, Smith had the best game of any Texas A&M wide receiver. He was a nice short option for Haynes King while the first-year starter was settling in. His 100 yards through the air came through eight catches, which is over double the total of the next player down the list.

Smith also reached the endzone twice, giving King both of his touchdown passes. Hopefully, Smith can continue to help guide the young quarterback throughout the season.