Aggies heed ‘wake-up call’
Spiller’s 217-yard, three-TD rushing effort, defensive adjustments spark recovery from 7-0 deficit
COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M defensive tackle Justin Madubuike described it as a “wakeup call” in the first quarter Saturday. It was one the Aggies missed for an early kickoff against UTSA.
“We all told each other to wake up, that it’s not going to be an easy game,” Madubuike said following A&M’s 45-14 victory — a comeback from a 7-0 deficit that befuddled a still-yawning crowd.
“I honestly thought for a minute we were going to win this game,” UTSA cornerback Cassius Grady said. “They weren’t that good at all.”
Grady then mulled his quote before adjusting his estimation.
“They were good, but not what we thought they were going to be,” he said.
On that, Grady and the Aggies could agree.
“We just had to hit that switch,” A&M safety Keldrick Carper said of the Aggies finally getting rolling against a Conference USA opponent. “We didn’t come out like we wanted to, as far as just guns blazing, heads on fire, trying to be a great defense.”
Following UTSA’s surprising early lead, keyed by a 44-yard completion against a backpedaling secondary, the Aggies’ defense got its act together and didn’t allow a touchdown the rest of the way.
“We started getting a better rush, and we were getting more pressure (on the quarterback),” A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “We started clamping down. We got some urgency about us and started doing what we’re capable of doing, which we should have been doing out of the gate.”
One Aggie blasted out of the gate and wound up with a recordtying performance. Isaiah Spiller rushed for 217 yards on 20 carries, matching the total of Trayveon Williams for an A&M freshman in a single game.
Williams, a rookie with the Cincinnati Bengals, happened to be on hand Saturday. He originally set the record three years ago against Tennessee. Spiller, the former Klein Collins star who entered the season as Jashaun Corbin’s backup, has improved as the season has progressed.
“We’re down 7-0 and then, bang, it’s 7-7,” Fisher said of Spiller’s 60-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. “When you hit those one-play drives, it demoralizes people. It takes the heart out of guys on the other side.”
Spiller was pressed into action in the third game after Corbin was lost for the year with a torn hamstring at Clemson. Spiller’s three rushing TDs matched the most by an A&M freshman in a single game. He had a 50-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter and a 42-yarder on the Aggies’ next possession.
“It gives you adrenaline, and we kept building off it,” Fisher said of Spiller’s penchant for long runs Saturday. “He was the catalyst.”
With the victory over the Roadrunners (3-5, 2-2 C-USA) the Aggies (6-3, 3-2 SEC) became bowl eligible for an 11th consecutive season. A&M has won three straight games after having won two in a row for the first time this season. Saturday marked the Aggies’ final nonconference contest of the season.
“Picking up that sixth win is huge,” Madubuike said. “It’s a great feeling, but we’re not done. We’re not satisfied.”
The Aggies led 45-7 with about five minutes left in the fourth when UTSA safety Dadrian Taylor intercepted a pass by A&M backup quarterback Zach Calzada and returned it 58 yards for a TD for the game’s final points.
A&M starting quarterback Kellen Mond finished an efficient 16of-21 passing for 211 yards and a TD. He also was sacked twice before giving way to Calzada in the final quarter.
“We didn’t protect (Calzada) well,” Fisher said in defense of his true freshman’s pick-six interception. “He made a mistake on a read and threw it out there. He’ll learn from it. That’s why you’ve got to get (the young players) in there as much as you can, get them playing as much as you can.
“(Calzada) has got a tremendous future, and he’s going to be a great player. But you’ve got to get in there and go through those growing pains.”
The Aggies have next weekend off before facing SEC East foe South Carolina on Nov. 16 in the last of three consecutive home games. The Aggies close out the regular season at No. 8 Georgia on Nov. 23 and at No. 1 LSU on Nov. 30 before finding out their bowl destination.
“We’ve got a lot of room to grow,” Fisher said, “and a lot of football left.”