The Battalion - September 14, 2018 by The Battalion

TEXAS A&M VS UL-Monroe SATURDAY, SEPT. 15 @ 6:30 P.M. SEC Network

Leader of the pack

Jesse Everett — THE BATTALION

Sophomore quarterback Kellen Mond threw for 430 yards and three touchdowns in the Aggies’ close game against No. 2 Clemson University on Sept. 8.

Sophomore Kellen Mond owns role as Texas A&M’s go-to quarterback By Abigail Ochoa @AbigailOchoa88 From stepping in as quarterback during the 2017 season while still a true freshman, to being named this season’s starting quarterback, Kellen Mond has grown as a leader and a power player on the offense. With his newfound confidence and presence on and off the field, Mond is proving that he’s an essential asset for the Texas A&M football program. Mond had the opportunity to step up for his team early in his college career. Redshirt sophomore Nick Starkel was injured in the first game of the 2017 season, opening the position to Mond and then-senior quarterback

Jake Hubenak. With eight starts under center, Mond made the most of the opportunity, throwing 1,375 yards, rushing for 340 yards and becoming the first true freshman to pass more than 300 yards in a single game during A&M’s matchup against Louisiana-Laffayette. With both Starkel and Mond in good shape for this season, head coach Jimbo Fisher had the hard task of naming a starter before the season opener. One day before their matchup against Northwestern State, Fisher named Mond as the starting quarterback, crediting the decision to Mond’s performance in spring and summer camps. “He played very well in the pocket and made great decisions,” Fisher said. “He led our team and played with great poise and composure and knowledge of our offense. He created plays and our team followed him very

well… He had a little better camp overall and he’s our starter.” Mond has wasted no time proving he earned his spot as quarterback. With only two games under his belt this season, Mond has racked up 614 passing yards, five touchdowns and secured a 61.5 percent completion rate with zero interceptions. However, don’t plan on seeing him bragging about his successes, or even turning to social media to re-live highlights from his plays. Mond said he stays away from media outlets and doesn’t focus on watching highlight shows. But he does watch film very closely, especially after the game against No. 2 Clemson, where he made three touchdowns and threw for 430 yards. “Even though a lot of people were saying that my performance was really good, I felt like I could’ve done a lot better,” Mond said.

“I pride myself on being perfect and I felt like I could’ve made some plays for us that would’ve helped us and put us in a better position.” His focus and strong work ethic have coaches impressed with his ability to take control of the offense. Fisher, along with Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, said his determination and presence on the field make him a unique quarterback. “Everything about him, whether he’s studying in the office, watching film until late at night, whether he’s doing all the other things he has to do — his competitive, physical nature and that look [he gets] in his eye,” Fisher said. “When he’s in that huddle, [the offense] like[s] him. He works at it. He’s got a demeanor, he’s got a presence about him.” Swinney said he was impressed by Mond’s MOND ON PG. 2

Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

Sophomore reciever Kendrick Rogers hauled seven receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns against the No. 2 ranked Clemson Tigers.

Small-town star shines in Aggieland Kendrick Rogers makes his presence known in Kyle Field By Grant Spika @GrantSpika A tiny Texas town by the name of Frankston sits 98 miles southeast of Dallas, with a population of just 1,229. ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard is from Frankston, as is Texas A&M receiver Kendrick Rogers. Rogers isn’t nearly as famous as Beard, but soon he could be. The 6’5” sophomore receiver made his name known around the country last Saturday in the Aggies’ 28-26 loss to No. 2 Clemson. The game was aired nationally on ESPN in the 6 p.m. primetime slot, where Rogers put on a show for the 4.4 million people who tuned in. “It was a great game, but I have to move on and focus on next week,” Rogers said. “I’ve known I could do it. I just had to show other people I

could do it.” Rogers was the 73rd-rated prospect in the state of Texas and the 78th wide receiver in the country in the class of 2016. As a recruit who wasn’t highly sought after, Rogers knew he had to prove himself. The receiver committed to former A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin in the summer before his junior year, in which he caught 57 passes for 1,045 yards and made 10 touchdowns in just 10 games. Rogers wears number 13, which gives many Aggie fans flashbacks to Mike Evans, a wide receiver who dominated for A&M just a few years ago. Evans is now in the NFL where he starts for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The comparisons between Rogers and Evans are warranted, as both were three-star-rated prospects coming out of high school, both redshirted their true freshman years and both are tall receivers who can catch almost anything thrown their way. “His catch radius is obviously

phenomenal,” A&M quarterback Kellen Mond said. “That’s something he’s been doing since I got here, so a lot of people start seeing it now, but it’s something that I saw in spring ball when I first got here. His performance [against Clemson] really wasn’t much of a surprise to any of us.” When watching A&M play, it’s easy to spot the big receiver with blonde dreads coming out the back of his helmet, and anyone who watched the game on Saturday saw Rogers dominate all game long. He caught seven passes from Mond, totaling 120 yards and two touchdowns. All three numbers were career highs for Rogers after the receiver posted just 11 catches for 99 yards in 2017. “Now he’s gone out and had a couple good games in a row,” head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “He’s a guy that has great ability that can help us in a lot of different ways and his ROGERS ON PG. 4

Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M looks to recover from their 28-26 loss against Clemson as they take on Univeristy of Louisana-Monroe.

‘Every game is a huge game’ Fisher emphasizes need for consistent effort as Aggies look to bounce back after last week’s loss to Clemson By Angel Franco @angelmadison_ As Saturday approaches, Texas A&M is working to get back into a winning mindset after a 28-26 fall to No. 2 Clemson in the final minutes of last week’s game. Head football coach Jimbo Fisher said that with the loss behind the Aggies, the team is looking to put their best foot forward and make improvements against this weekend’s opponent — The University of Louisiana at Monroe. “Our job this week is to get better, correct those mistakes and expect to play a great football game,” Fisher said. “They’ve won two very tightly contested games and they’re going to come in here ready to play.” Against Clemson, A&M rushed for 74 yards and junior running back Trayveon Williams was contained in the back field, rushing for 31 yards on 17 attempts. Fisher said he’s looking to create a game plan that PREVIEW ON PG. 2