In June 2016, 4-star dual-threat quarterback Kellen Mond chose then-coach Kevin Sumlin and Texas A&M over Gus Malzahn and Auburn.
At the time, Auburn had high expectations for incumbent starter Jeremy Johnson as well as solid depth behind him, with sophomore Sean White and high-profile commitments from John Franklin III and Woody Barrett.
After redshirting his freshman year, Mond got his shot in the Aggies second game of the season and was named the Aggies starting quarterback. Mond performed well, showing flashes of stardom and, prior to the Auburn game, the freshman posted a 7 to 5 touchdown-to- interception ratio to go along with three rushing touchdowns.
After going 5-for-11 for only 16 yards and falling behind at half against Auburn, head coach Kevin Sumlin elected to go with fellow redshirt freshman Nick Starkel as the starter. A&M went on to lose that game 42-27.
In 2018, Mond was named the Aggies starter and has no doubt improved from his freshman to sophomore season. However, it has been an up-and down-season for the Aggies and new head coach Jimbo Fisher.
A 2-point loss to No. 2 Clemson is a good showcase of how talented this A&M team is, but struggles against teams like Arkansas and South Carolina show how hot and cold this team can be. Mond is a solid personification of that fact.
In four home games thus far, A&M is 3-1 (losing a heartbreaker against Clemson) and Mond has posted over 1,200 total yards and 11 touchdowns with just one interception, throwing with a solid 62.7 completion percentage and 158.1 total QB rating.
Obviously, games against Northwestern State and UL Monroe help inflate those stats, but that doesn't change the fact that when Mond is away from College Station, he is a different player.
In four away or neutral-site games, A&M is 2-2 and hasn't won a game by more than a touchdown. In those games, Mond has been far less efficient with four total touchdowns compared to five interceptions. His completion drops to a less impressive 57 percent and his QBR to 115.
However, it's not just the home vs. away splits when examining Mond's rollercoaster season; his stats when A&M wins or loses deserve attention.
A quarterback's performance is a strong indicator of a teams win-loss record, but in A&M's two most recent losses (at Alabama and at Mississippi State), Mond is 40-79 (50.6 percent) with three interceptions.
A strong quarterback outside the pocket and a constant threat to make plays with his legs, Mond's dual-threat ability has also been up and down thus far. Eclipsing 30 yards rushing three times in A&M's first four games (including 98 against Alabama), Mond has since cooled down and has yet to rush for more than 25 yards since.
The Auburn rush defense has been, for the most part, spectacular this year. The Tigers only allow 125.5 rushing yards a game (good for 27th among 130 FBS programs).
However, the Tigers have struggled this year with a few dual-threat quarterbacks. This past game, Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta'amu was able to consistently make plays with his legs — and Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald absolutely torched the Auburn defense for 195 yards and two touchdowns on the ground alone.
Auburn will be hoping Mond's away-game woes continue Saturday as the Tigers search for the first home-team victory in the SEC series.
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