Quest for 1,000 yards: Achane approaching a 'grand' accomplishment

A grand is required to be grandiose.

Certain benchmarks define excellence in sports. It’s a .300 batting average in baseball. It’s a 20-point scoring average in basketball. It’s 1,000 yards for running backs.

Sometime in Texas A&M’s football game with Auburn on Saturday night — probably in the third quarter, maybe sooner — junior running back Devon Achane’s seasonal odometer will hit four digits.

That will be a grand accomplishment even if it doesn’t really matter for Texas A&M’s season or to Achane’s ego.

“I didn’t even know that until the other day when my coach (running backs coach Tommie Robinson) told me,” Achane said earlier this week. “Obviously, It’s always great to achieve accolades and stuff like that. It’s something that’s great in my season. I don’t worry too much about that.

“I just go out and play, but I do think it’s a great thing to be (just) that far away from 1,000 yards.”

Achane has rushed for 887 yards thus far. He has rushed for at least 99 yards in five of the last six games. With marginal help from the offensive line, he figures to exceed 100 yards against an Auburn defense that is ranked 13th in the Southeastern Conference against the run.

He’ll need about 20 carries — give or take — to reach the 1,000-yard mark.

Even then, Achane’s greatness won’t be truly defined. Nor, sadly, will it be fully appreciated.

Achane long ago proved to be a grandmaster of running backs. He demonstrated that in the 2020 Orange Bowl with 140 yards on just 12 carries and two touchdowns.

He reinforced that last season with 910 rushing yards despite playing in a backup role and sharing carries with Isaiah Spiller.

But the greatest accomplishment in his Texas A&M career may be rushing for 1,000 yards behind an injury-riddled, underperforming offensive line and a mediocre passing game.

Entering the season, I thought he would make a serious run at 2,000 yards. At the very least, I thought he would challenge Trayveon Williams’ single-season school record of 1,760 rushing yards.

However, that was before the realization that the offensive line would struggle and that opponents would not fear the passing game.

In the first two games against Sam Houston and  Appalachian State, Achane managed just 128 rushing yards.

Those were expected to be statistic-building games for what was supposed to be an explosive offense.

The buzzword throughout the offseason was “explosive.”

Head coach Jimbo Fisher all but promised a more explosive offense than in 2021, when A&M netted just 56 plays of 20 yards or more.

Yet A&M’s offense has been less explosive than a year ago so far.

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

Devon Achane has ten total touchdowns this season and 26 in his career.

The Aggies have managed 37 plays that covered 20 yards or more. A&M has 15 plays that have netted at least 30 yards. Last season, the Aggies had 22.

If A&M comes close to matching the “explosive plays” total of a year ago, Achane — who has tremendous speed — will likely have to supply the majority of them.

He has gained at least 20 yards on ten plays. He has gained at least 30 yards on four plays.

His value to A&M isn’t limited to yardage totals and long runs, though.

Achane has reached the end zone ten times. That’s 40 percent of all A&M touchdowns. He leads the SEC in all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving, returns).

A&M is ranked 102nd in the nation in scoring offense and 91st in total offense.

What would A&M’s offense be without him?

That answer is probably coming next year.

Although Achane technically has two years of eligibility after this season, he figures to enter the NFL draft.

“That’s something I have to discuss with my mother,” Achane said. “I’ve made no decision on that yet.”

Achane has previously said his mother wants him to finish his degree.

But he’s a special player. Special players usually depart for the NFL as soon as they’re eligible.

Expect Achane to play three more games for A&M. Expect him to get about 60 more carries as an Aggie. Enjoy each of them as he likely finishes off a grand career that should’ve been even more grandiose.