Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning get an unfair slice of the media for good and bad reasons. In all of the Natty or bust debates, the Aggies are surprisingly flying under the radar. The lack of noise helps. In between the Longhorns hype and the Texas Tech trainwrecks, Mike Elko could guide his program to be the best coming out from the lone star state. But right now, he needs to deal with roster cuts.
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Nine days before starting its 2026 campaign, Texas A&M looked every bit like a team ready to make noise. Marcel Reed was back under center, a revamped offensive line had taken shape, the skill positions offered dangerous depth, and the defense looked downright menacing. The Aggies were already eyeing a statement season. Then Mike Elko dropped a devastating blow.
According to TexAgs’ X account, defensive tackle Chace Sims and running back Tiger Riden Jr. will miss the entire season due to injuries.
Riden made his presence felt late last season by appearing in Texas A&M’s final five games, while Sims enters his sophomore campaign after sitting out the 2025 season. Riden logged a carry in just one contest, rushing 11 times for 45 yards and a touchdown in the Aggies’ 48-0 win over Samford.
On top of that, Nelson McGuire and Jerome Myles are also no longer with the program for “personal reasons.”
Both arrived at College Station as highly touted prospects, but neither made a significant impact during their only season with the Aggies. Myles entered the 2025 recruiting class as a five-star recruit but missed the entire season after suffering a fall camp injury. McGuire, on the other hand, appeared only against Samford, recording 12 snaps.
While the absence of Nelson McGuire, Jerome Myles, and Chace Sims might not significantly hurt the Aggies, Riden’s unavailability could certainly disrupt the team’s plans. He was expected to handle goal-line duties for Texas A&M in heavy personnel packages.
His 5-foot-10, 220-pound frame gave him a physical running style that added a dimension the Aggies lacked in their current running back room. His role could have helped preserve Rueben Owens II and Jamarion Morrow by allowing them to rotate throughout games. However, his absence now makes things more difficult for the team.
Last year’s 11-2 record will be tough to replicate as it ties for the second most wins in program history. A feat only achieved back in 1939, 1998 and 2012. But what hurts more is the gritty loss to Miami in the playoffs. If not for that fateful last minute interception by Reed, who knows how far the Aggies would have gone in the postseason.
With the injury news surfacing, Texas A&M may need to lean more heavily on its running backs this season, particularly in goal-line situations. Despite the situation appearing a bit grim, Mike Elko is confident that they will play better this season.
Mike Elko stays the course
While the news is certainly not a good one, head coach Mike Elko is not backing away from his promise to play better this year. During the press conference, Elko revealed that in-season practices will officially begin tomorrow.
“We’ll transition into game prep starting tomorrow, and it’s an exciting time. It’s an exciting time to get out there, see what we have and what we’re able of,” said Elko during the press conference.
Texas A&M certainly has one of the more impressive teams in the country this season, but the Aggies also face a tough schedule. They will have to navigate Texas, LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, and several other challenging opponents. While the schedule has fans quite terrified, Elko believes the Aggies need to find their winning moment this year.
“We got to continue to be the team that steps up and makes those winning plays in those moments, and that’s what we did in those games… That’s what we didn’t do in the playoff game. The more parity sets in, which it clearly is, and the more that the top comes down a little bit and the bottom comes up… It’s going to come down to winning plays,” said Elko.
Under head coach Mike Elko, the Texas A&M Aggies finished the 2025 college football season with an overall record of 11–2 and a 7–1 mark in the SEC. However, their 2025 campaign ended on a brutal note at College Station against Miami. Mike Elko’s team was known for its high-scoring offense last year, but it couldn’t do anything against the Canes. The defense held its own for the most part, but ultimately, the Canes left with a win.
Even with that disappointing end, it was a successful season for Elko. But the Aggie nation is now expecting the team to take the next step: either an SEC Championship or a deep playoff run.