Over the past two seasons, young running backs have highlighted Texas A&M’s offense. As the No. 5 Aggies took on Auburn on Dec. 5, freshman Devon Achane put up a career-high 99 yards to help A&M to a 31-20 win on the road.
A&M put up 174 rushing yards alone in the first half and continued its dominance with 139 in the second as the Aggies outrushed the Tigers by over 100 yards.
The Aggies finished with a total of 313 rushing yards, with sophomore running back Isaiah Spiller leading the way with 120 yards. Achane followed with 99 rushing yards.
Achane led the Aggies with an average of 11 yards per carry, and A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said his large role in Saturday’s game was due to the work he has put in so far this season.
“He’s earned it,” Fisher said. “He’s played his tail off. He gives a 1-2 punch [with Spiller], keeps him fresh for the things he did. [I’m] very proud of him and his development and we’re going to need him down the road.”
Senior quarterback Kellen Mond also demonstrated his strength in running the ball, putting up 60 rushing yards with his longest run going for 17 yards.
In addition, the signal caller had a one-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter.
Mond said he knew going into the matchup that the run game in general was going to account for big plays.
“I felt lanes break open,” Mond said. “I was able to make a big-time play, especially in the run game. And also keep the chains moving on third downs. Going into the game we knew were going to get a lot of man coverage on those third downs. So, having the ability to use my legs when all those people get out of there, we knew it was going to be big.”
Also on the statsheet for his running game was sophomore running back Ainias Smith, who posted a four-yard rushing touchdown and 36 total rushing yards.
A&M had over 100 more rushing yards than receiving, with the Aggies receiving for 196 yards.
Sophomore tight end Jalen Wydermyer said the Aggies will continue to utilize their run game.
“In Coach Fisher’s offense we are going to run the ball either way,” Wydermyer said. “There is no if, and or but about it, we are going to run the ball. It’s all about the attitude that we come out there with. We came out there with an attitude that we need to win this game. So we came out there and we just kept running it until they stopped us, which they never did.”