Week Five's Overnight Sensation: Devon Achane, Running Back

Each Monday during the 2020 Texas A&M football season, we’ll identify a first or second-year Aggie player who delivered an exceptional performance and earned the distinction of being the week’s ‘Overnight Sensation.’ 

One word comes to mind when you think of Devon Achane: Speed.

If there is one thing the Aggies lacked in years prior, it's that blow-you-away, turn-on-the-jets SEC speed throughout the roster. While the Aggies still might not be the fastest team in the league, they're on their way to matching the quickness of everyone else in the nation's fastest conference.

Achane is another weapon who can run with the best of them, and he showcased that world-class track speed on Saturday night versus Arkansas.

I know what you're thinking: "How can you possibly write an entire article about just one run?" Well, that's because it was one heck of a run and probably foreshadows what we're going to see much more of during Achane's time in Aggieland.

The run I'm referring to came late in the third quarter with the Maroon & White holding a sizable 35-17 advantage. On first-and-10 from the Razorback 30-yard line, Achane lined up in the pistol formation, took a handoff and ran right. The first-year ball carrier busted through a massive hole and then made two would-be tacklers miss ten yards downfield. Achane wasn't done as he burned down the sideline, side-stepping a diving defender at the 12 before coasting into the endzone for his first-career collegiate touchdown.

Achane's high school highlight tape was littered with plays just like this one. During his time at Fort Bend Marshall, Achane scored over 115 touchdowns and ran for over 6,500 yards. As a senior, he averaged over 10 yards per carry and was named the Houston Touchdown Club's Offensive Player of the Year. Without a doubt, the Aggies are hoping to see more of Achane's explosiveness in the remaining five games of this season and beyond.

Aside from the 30-yard score, Achane's night wasn't that remarkable. He only carried the ball three other times for a total of nine yards. However, Achane did provide another key ball-carrying option for Jimbo Fisher and Darrell Dickey. The importance of having another weapon like Achane cannot be overstated, especially considering that Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom devised a game plan to limit A&M's top rusher, Isaiah Spiller. The Aggies still rushed for 182 yards as a group on Saturday night.

But that 30-yard touchdown run was the most exciting play of the night, and it gave the 12th Man a taste of what is hopefully many electric Devon Achane scores to come in the future. 

Achane's stats vs. Arkansas
Carries: 4
Yards: 39
Yards Per Carry: 9.8
Long: 30
Touchdowns: 1

Achane's 2020 stats
Carries: 8
Yards: 59
Yards Per Carry: 7.4
Long: 30
Touchdowns: 1

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