Roughly 365 days removed from a disheartening injury that ended his 2022 season, Texas A&M wide receiver Ainias Smith got a dose of redemption over the weekend.
The Aggies’ 34-22 win over Arkansas marked their 11th victory in the last 12 matchups of the Southwest Classic. It moved the Maroon and White to 2-0 in SEC play amid a pivotal turnaround season. And it aptly gave Sub Zero his “revenge back on that turf.”
When A&M last faced Arkansas in 2022, the Aggies walked away with a thrilling 23-21 victory that proved to be bittersweet. When blocking downfield, Smith was rolled up on before being helped off the field in the victory. After the game, it was revealed he suffered a fracture in his right leg, effectively ending his season and forcing the Aggies to be without their dynamic weapon.
Given the severity of the injury, as well as A&M’s eventual 5-7 finish, Smith’s future in Aggieland remained unclear. But with an extra year of eligibility at his disposal, Sub Zero made it clear that he was unsatisfied with how his season came to an end. The senior announced he would return in 2023, proclaiming, “Aggie nation, let’s run it back!”
On Saturday, Smith indeed ran it back, both figuratively and literally. In what was his breakout performance of the season, he finished with a team-high 71 receiving yards on four receptions. While he didn’t find the end zone as a receiver, he scored six points by none other than flexing his skillset on special teams.
With 7:40 left to go in the fourth quarter, Smith returned a punt for an 82-yard score, giving the Aggies a 34-16 lead that they would never surrender. In what proved to be the nail in the coffin for the Razorbacks, Smith exemplified why he’s one of Texas A&M’s greatest leaders, both on and off the field.
Not. Gonna. Catch. Him. @ainias_smith 💨💨💨
📺 @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/utnwnZ2c1w
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 30, 2023
A&M has had no shortage of adversity this season, but overcoming those obstacles is much easier when you have a bonafide leader in tow. The Aggies saw that to the fullest on Saturday, as Smith dispelled any demons from last year’s injury. Sub-Zero noted that just walking into the stadium, he felt it would be a special game.
It takes not only physical work but mental fortitude to come back from such trials and tribulations. Given everything that he’s gone through in the last year, as well as all that he’s given to A&M, Smith deserves all the success that comes his way. The revenge tour in 2023 is real, and it’s not stopping anytime soon.
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