COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M’s Ainias Smith and Devon Achane garnered Honorable Mention honors for The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award after the Aggies’ 41-10 season-opening victory over Kent State, SPORTyler and the Tyler Chamber of Commerce announced Tuesday.
Smith, a junior wide receiver from Missouri City, Texas, posted yardage through the air, on the ground and returning punts against the Golden Flashes. He topped the 100-yard receiving mark for the third time in his career as he hauled in a personal-best eight receptions. Smith reached the end zone twice in the season opener to mark the second time in his career that he has caught multiple touchdowns in a game. Smith’s 127 all-purpose yards on Saturday were the third most he has posted in a single game, trailing last season’s 152-yard output at Alabama and 130-yard performance against North Carolina.
Achane, a sophomore running back from Missouri City, Texas, rushed 12 times for 124 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns Saturday evening. The season-opener marked the second-straight game that he crossed the century mark on the ground after tallying 140 yards in the Aggies’ Orange Bowl victory over North Carolina in January.
