COLLEGE STATION -- Looking for flaws in Ainais Smith's play style might be more challenging than finding a gold needle in a haystack.
The senior Texas A&M Aggies receiver continues to be more than advertised in what could be his final year on campus. None more was that evident Saturday in a 30-17 win over South Carolina.
Smith finished with a team-high 118 receiving yards off six catches and a touchdown, helping the Aggies end their two-game losing streak. With his 33-yard reception in the fourth quarter, Smith became one of 10 receivers in program history to total six or more 100-yard outings.
His ability to create separation is physical but it's also mental," said A&M coach Jimbo Fisher. "He knows how to set you up. He understands football. He understands leverage. He understands angles. Changes speeds and what you're trying to accomplish on the play."
Smith, a fan favorite at Kyle Field, kickstarted the scoring with a 28-yard reception in the second quarter to set up a 14-yard touchdown run by Reuben Owens. Two drives later, he'd be the one finding the end zone, this time from 42 yards out.
With the score, Smith surpassed A&M great Mike Evans for the eighth-most receiving touchdowns in program history. He also moved into A&M’s all-time top 10 in all-purpose yards with 119 on the day to up his career total to 3,683, now ranking ninth all-time.
That's a blessing, most definitely. I'm really lost for words. I mean, I just got to keep going," said Smith. "I got to keep striving. It's definitely nice to be top ten, but like I said before, I'm trying to be one. Most definitely."
The first half was filled with promise, as evident under Max Johnson and the passing attack. Fisher also was willing to be aggressive in moving the sticks, going 4-of-4 on fourth-down attempts.
Offensive concerns still linger, primarily after halftime. Despite nailing three field goals from Randy Bond, the Aggies failed to score a touchdown on offense in the second half for the fourth consecutive game.
"It's definitely tough, not being able to get the results that you want," said Smith. "Putting up three points instead of six does hurt sometimes, a lot of the times, all the time.
"We really have to learn from where we are. And I know that we're not necessarily getting the results that we had wanted, you know, with touchdowns and whatnot. We just got to keep working and keep learning."
Smith likely will be one of — if not the main — factor in the passing game Saturday when the Aggies travel to Oxford to take on No. 11 Ole Miss. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m
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