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Sports

Plant Receiver Lets His Performance Do the Talking

Senior Plant wideout Austin Aikens is not the jaw-flapping pass catcher you would expect.

Why is the wide receiver position so associated with smack talking?

Perhaps because the wide out is split away from the main action in a given play and his battle with the opponent is predominantly a one-on-one battle. The receiver has plays where he does nothing, at least, nearly nothing. Then he has plays that could win or lose the game on a single catch. A corner back covering a receiver will usually have safety help, while the wide receiver is on his own.

Whatever the reasons, receivers are notorious for their mouths as well as their hands. But not Panther senior Austin Aikens. He believes in letting his actions do the talking for him.

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And his actions speak loudly.

Last year, as a junior, Aikens hauled in 35 passes for 820 yards and six touchdowns while being a secondary option to Antonio Crawford and Scott Greacen. Still, despite catching fewer passes, Aikens’ yards-per-catch, yards-per-game and total yards were more than Crawford’s and Greacen’s. These types of numbers have not escaped college scouts’ attention. Currently, Aikens has offers from: Cincinnati, Iowa, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Boston College, Temple, Toledo, and Western Kentucky.

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Aikens is getting it done with his feet and his hands, and not with his mouth.

As quiet as he is, he has earned the nickname “Beast”. Not a nickname you would expect for a wide receiver - maybe a offensive tackle. Aikens earned the nickname because he is a beast. He is the bread-winner of the Panther passing game, the go-to guy. His performance through the sweltering 7-on-7 competitions over the summer was astounding. He made just about every catch that needed to be made, helping the Panthers win both the Heath Evans and the 7 on 7 tournaments.

It’s lucky for the Panthers Aikens found football. He was a very good point guard and played AAU ball, with SEBA Select and Florida Elite. The appeal of football finally pulled him off the court and onto the turf.

“Football is more organized, the way you run plays and such,” said Aikens. “The team camaraderie is like no other sport. Everyone has to do their jobs and work together as one to be successful.”

Even as humble and soft-spoken as Aikens is, he wants to be one of those guys that makes the big plays.

“I just love how the spotlight’s on you when you have the ball in your hands,” said Aikens.

Count on Aikens to have the spotlight on him this year - about 40 or 50 times.

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