Texas A&M Football: Season Rewind - Speedy Noil

Texas A&M football receiver and return man Speedy Noil made strides to improve in 2016, but his performance was still lacking from his freshman season.

Speedy Noil caught 21 passes for 325 yards this season. He has two touchdown receptions: one against Prairie View A&M and the other against Ole Miss. Noil also returned 5 kickoffs for 105 yards.

Looking Back

Noil began the 2016 season the same way the 2015 season ended, on the bench. He was suspended 2 games for violating team rules, which included the Music City Bowl vs. Louisville and this season home opener against UCLA. Coach Sumlin praised the work Noil did over the off season, lauding his determination to get back on the field and make an impact for the Aggies.

By far, Noil’s best game came as a return man was against Arkansas at AT&T Stadium. He finished the game with 3 returns for 70 yards. He did not travel with the team to Columbia, South Carolina to face the Gamecocks because of injuries.

During the Aggie’s game against Alabama Noil took a nasty hit on a kickoff return. Alabama Outside LB, Mack Wilson, stopped Noil’s kickoff return with what many Aggie fans called targeting. No penalty was given during or after the game for Wilson’s hit. Watch the video here and judge for yourself.

While the team as a whole struggled in the month of November, Noil ended the season on a high note. 12 of his 21 receptions and 197 of his 325 yards came in the month of November. The Louisiana native played his best game of the season against LSU, with with 102 receiving yards, and his season long catch of 48 yards. Noil went head to head with junior LSU LB Donnie Alexander, a former teammate at Edna Karr High School in New Orleans.

Looking Ahead

Speedy Noil plans to return for the 2017 season. Aggie Football fans are hoping in senior year will be reminiscent of the 2014 season where he lead the team in all-purpose yards. That was the season in which he set the school record for catches by a true freshman.

If Noil can stay healthy and on the field, he can make a huge impact along side Christian Kirk and possibly Ricky Seals-Jones creating a potent lineup of receiver for the Aggies.

***Sources 247sports, Sports-Reference.com***