Jimbo Fisher emphasizes Kellen Mond's stellar QB play against Ole Miss
The voices of discontent have been heard.
Texas A&M football coach Jimbo Fisher has made it clear that he’s heard and/or read the complaints directed at quarterback Kellen Mond.
Fisher’s message on Monday was that those voices would be well served by a stroke of laryngitis.
Mond has been the subject of intense scrutiny, especially after throwing a pivotal interception in a loss to Auburn, then losing a fumble and throwing an interception in last week’s 38-24 victory over Ole Miss.
Fisher in his weekly press conference insisted the critics didn’t see the entire picture. Indeed, Fisher raved about Mond’s performance against Ole Miss.
“I want to say this first and foremost: (Mond) made very few mistakes in the game,” Fisher said. “There were two big mistakes he made on turnovers, but the guy played an unbelievable football game.
“He graded out in the 90-something percentile. His throws, his decisions, what he did, where he went with the ball. I just wanted to clear that up real quick.”
Fisher also announced sophomore guard Jared Hocker, who missed the Ole Miss game with an injury, is expected to return to the lineup for this week’s game against Alabama-Birmingham.
Fisher also explained why he felt this week’s game was better for the annual Senior Night celebration than the regular-season closing clash with LSU.
But mostly, Fisher talked about what he apparently feels is a misconception concerning Mond’s outing against Ole Miss.
Mond lost a fumble at the 4-yard line that Ole Miss returned 96 yards for a touchdown. He then threw an interception on the Aggies’ next series.
However, he bounced back and led the Aggies on scoring drives on four of their next fives possessions.
He finished the game completing 19 of 28 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns. He showed pin-point accuracy on several throws and great touch on a 10-yard fade route to Quartney Davis to score a touchdown.
Fisher, who admitted he had contemplated replacing Mond, said he was extremely impressed with Mond’s response to the turnovers.
After the turnovers, Mond was 5 of 7 for 76 yards and two touchdowns. One of the incompletions was a drop. He also had a 31-yard completion to Jace Sternberger on third-and-8 that was a perfect sideline throw into a small opening.
“On second-and-8 we drop a ball dead in our hands for a first down,” Fisher said. “So, he’s third-and-8 and here they bring the blitz. Jace is open by a half a step. To throw the ball on that sideline to the spot he threw it where Jace could catch it and advance it… that’s as good as it gets.
“Then to come down and throw the fade route… that ball was dead on the money.”
Fisher likened Mond’s reaction to a cornerback that gets beat but comes back to play well on the next series. Or a receiver that drops a pass but catches the next throw.
Fisher maintained doing that isn’t as easy as it may appear.
“We take it for granted because guys are so gifted,” he said. “But the mental disposition to compete and play at a high level and win and come back from adversity when you know yourself and you’re mad at yourself… it takes very special types of people to be able to compete like that.”
Mond will try to build on his strong finish against UAB, which is 9-1 and ranked 25th in the coaches poll.
Seniors will be honored prior to that game.
Typically, Senior Night is reserved for the final game of the regular season. The Aggies face LSU in the finale on November 24.
Fisher said the decision to move Senior Night to Nov. 17 was made before he was named coach, but he thinks it’s a good idea.
“I did it at Florida State that way,” Fisher said. “It was such a huge rivalry game.
“You add the rivalry to it and all those types of things and the emotion of a last home game and things. I elected back then to make the adjustment to the next to last home game just to take some pressure off rivalry game, which LSU and us is a huge rivalry game in my opinion.”