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Texas A&M WR Ainias Smith out for season with leg injury

Texas A&M wide receiver Ainias Smith will miss the rest of the 2022 season due to an injury he suffered in the team’s win over Arkansas on Saturday night.

Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher confirmed the news Monday and said Smith has a "lower body injury." Maurice Smith, Ainias' father, told The Bryan-College Station Eagle that his son has a fracture in his lower right leg.

Smith was rolled up on by Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool in the second half. Smith was blocking on a run by QB Max Johnson and Pool tumbled over Johnson as he made the tackle and incidentally fell on top of Smith’s right leg.

Smith was unable to put any weight on his leg when he was helped off the field by Texas A&M’s medical staff and didn’t return to the game.

Smith has led A&M in receiving for past 2 seasons

The loss of Smith is huge for an A&M passing game that has struggled to get going through the first four games of the season. Smith has been the Aggies’ leading receiver in each of the past two seasons and has 15 catches for 291 yards and two scores in 2022.

Smith had 47 catches for 509 yards and six TDs in 2021 and served as a multi-purpose weapon in 2020. He had 43 catches for 564 yards and six scores and rushed 49 times for 293 yards and four scores as the Aggies went 9-1 and beat North Carolina in the Orange Bowl.

A&M opened the season with Haynes King as the team’s starting QB but made a switch after losing to Appalachian State in Week 2. LSU transfer Max Johnson took over ahead of the team’s Week 3 game against Miami and the Aggies have beaten both the Hurricanes and Arkansas with Johnson as the team’s top signal caller.

Outside of Smith, Evan Stewart is the only player on A&M’s roster who has more than nine catches in 2022. Stewart has 13 catches for 141 yards and is also the only other player on the roster with more than 100 receiving yards.

The right foot of Texas A&M wide receiver Ainias Smith's (0) is caught under Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool (10) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. Smith suffered an injury on the play and left the game. Texas A&M won 23-21. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Texas A&M receiver Ainias Smith was lost for the season on this play. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)