Mike Elko remains confident in Texas A&M RB room after injury news

Texas A&M's 2026 running back room took a setback on Thursday when coach Mike Elko announced that redshirt freshman Tiger Riden Jr. would miss the regular season due to an undisclosed injury. This news came as a surprise to the media, who had recently witnessed Riden's impressive performance during the preseason. Riden was expected to compete for the No. 3 running back position behind Rueben Owens and Jamarion Morrow.

Typically, coaches like Elko keep injuries hushed until shortly before the season starts, but given the current state of the running back room, Elko praised Rueben Owens' progress this offseason. With his contact balance issues now resolved, Owens appears to be the clear favorite to start the season, bolstered by his improved physical readiness for the rigors of the SEC.

The departure of Riden leaves Owens and Morrow as Elko's top options to form a powerful 1-2 punch, complemented by freshmen KJ Edwards and Carsyn Baker. With these additions, Elko is confident that the injury won't significantly impact the depth of the running back room. The 5-for-5 rule, which mandates playing younger, skilled players, will likely result in Edwards and Baker getting more opportunities throughout the season, particularly with nine games scheduled in the SEC.