Starkel’s 4 TD passes launch rout of Lobos
COLLEGE STATION — Christian Kirk did it all in Texas A&M’s 55-14 victory over New Mexico on Saturday night, and then added an extra point in a personal overtime long after the game’s final whistle.
“I’ll personally say that there’s not another college football coach that I’d rather play for in the entire country,” said Kirk of Kevin Sumlin, in stepping up for the embattled coach who’s expected to be dismissed at the end of the regular season.
Kirk added, “When it comes to all of the speculation and what not, you have to block it out.” Delivering on offense
The Aggies (6-4) did just that in freshman quarterback Nick Starkel’s bigtime showing in his second career start.
Nine contests after he was expected to run the Aggies’ offense week in and week out, the Starkel era appears to have begun in earnest.
In his first start since breaking his ankle in a season-opening loss at UCLA, he was 21 of 30 passing for 416 yards with four touchdown passes in only playing the first half. After he broke the ankle in the third quarter, as the Bruins overcame a 34-point deficit and placed Sumlin firmly on a hot seat he hasn’t left yet, fellow freshman Kellen Mond started the next eight games.
A big difference in the freshmen eligibility of Starkel and Mond, however, is Starkel had the luxury of a redshirt season last year while veterans Trevor Knight and Jake Hubenak ran the show during a third consecutive 8-5 finish.
The inexperienced Mond sputtered this season as the competition increased in the SEC, and Starkel earned his starting job back on Saturday after substituting for Mond in bruising home losses to Mississippi State and Auburn the past two games.
On Saturday, the Aggies led 48-7 at halftime and New Mexico had only scored at that point thanks to a 100-yard kick return late in the second quarter. The competition increases again over the next two weekends, when the Aggies play at Mississippi and LSU — and when Starkel will truly be put to the test as starter. The Lobos (3-7) have lost five consecutive games, and were no match from the start against A&M either on defense or offense.
“All you want is for everyone to play as hard as they can,” A&M defensive end Jarrett Johnson said. “The thing you want after that is a win. A win isn’t guaranteed just because you work your butt off.”
Meanwhile Starkel, in only his second career start, is the fifth A&M quarterback to throw for at least 400 yards — and all of his 416 came in the first half. Current TCU senior Kenny Hill holds the A&M school record for passing yards in a game with 511. A dominant first half
The Aggies scored their 48 first-half points on Starkel touchdown passes to Kirk, Jhamon Ausbon and Damion Ratley, twice, and touchdown runs by Keith Ford and Trayveon Williams, along with a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown by Kirk.
Kirk’s seven career returns for touchdowns are a school record (six on punts, one on kickoff).
Starkel’s third start of the season this coming weekend will be his first against an SEC opponent. Ole Miss (5-5, 2-4) are worse than the Aggies overall and in SEC play, but also are coming off an offensive explosion in a 5022 victory over LouisianaLafayette on Saturday in Oxford, Miss.
“Next week we’re back in SEC play,” Sumlin said, “And we need to continue stepping it up.”
Meanwhile a bemused Sumlin responded to Kirk’s assertion there’s no one the All-American would rather play for.
“I’d hope so, since he came here and we recruited him,” Sumlin said, smiling. “He had choices out of high school.”