With a 52-yard pass to freshman tight end Jalen Wydermeyer, junior quarterback Kellen Mond not only extended A&M’s lead to 35-10, but he also notched his 48th passing touchdown, tying for third place in A&M history.
Mond’s passing touchdown total is tied with Kevin Murray, who served as A&M’s signal caller from 1983-86.
In addition to his three passing touchdowns on the night, Mond was 17-of-23 for 234 passing yards. He also added 76 yards and two touchdowns on the ground for a career-high five touchdowns.
Following A&M’s 49-30 win over Mississippi State, Mond’s career record improved to 19-10, making him tied for fourth winningest quarterback in A&M history with Johnny Manziel.
A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said he was pleased by Mond’s success in all areas of his game.
“Kellen really managed the game today,” A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “His decision-making to run, to pull it, to hand it, to check and get us from pass to run, from run to pass, picking up passes and blitzes and fronts, and then being so accurate with the football down the field.”
Despite Fisher’s high praise, Mond said there are still areas he and the Aggies need to improve in.
“We didn’t score on every drive,” Mond said. “I had about three running reads that I missed. We can still get better as an offense.”
Though Mond’s third passing touchdown was the one to move him higher in A&M’s record books, his second was the most memorable of the game.
Mond hit junior wide receiver Kendrick Rogers for a 16-yard touchdown, during which Rogers fought to reach the end zone and bounced off of two defenders to keep the play alive.
Despite the ultimate success of that play, Mond said Rogers ran the wrong route on the play.
“He made a mistake on that play, but he made a big play and he made up for that mistake,” Mond said. “That’s the type of Kendrick that we’re used to seeing.”
That wasn’t the only rough play Mond was involved with, though. Earlier in the second quarter, Mond took off on a 25-yard run to the 4-yard line, taking a hard hit from a Mississippi State defender. Mond’s shoe fell off at the end of the play, and the defender picked it up and ran off with it, and an unsportsmanlike penalty on A&M followed.
“My center, [senior Colton] Prater, went up and took the shoe from him,” Mond said. “[He] might have bumped him a little bit, but they called a personal foul on our side.”
Junior wide receiver Jhamon Ausbon said although Prater was sticking up for his quarterback, coach Jimbo Fisher would prefer the opponent just celebrate with the shoe.
“Coach talked about it,” Ausbon said. “We’re having his back, but when the guy walks off and the shoe [is in his hand], just let them have that.”
Fisher said the Aggies’ win over Mississippi State exemplified Mond’s improvement throughout the season.
“He just keeps growing as a football player,” Fisher said. “It’s fun to watch.”
Mond moves up in A&M record books
October 26, 2019
Photo by Photo by Meredith Seaver
Junior quarterback Kellen Mond passed for 234 yards and three touchdowns against the Bulldogs.
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