Mike Elko is 'excited' for freshman RB to 'earn some opportunities

Last Wednesday, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko spoke to both local and national media during SEC Media Days, providing an extensive preview of what to expect from the Aggies in the 2026 season, marking his third year at the helm after leading the program to its first appearance in the College Football Playoff.

One of the more underrated topics surrounding A&M's offense centers around the starting running back battle, which will likely come down to redshirt junior Rueben Owens and rising sophomore Jamarion Morrow duking it out during fall training camp, which Elko confirmed during his time at the podium last week.

With veteran starting back Le'Veon Moss officially a former player, Owens, who rushed for a career-high 639 yards and five touchdowns last season, still has plenty to improve on to reach his full potential, while Morrow, who shined as a reserve option during his freshman season, looked like the best one-cut runner with the vision and burst to earn the starting job.

However, the Aggies could easily utilize a rotation that should also include freshman and former five-star RB KJ Edwards, whose future is extremely bright given his NFL traits, which Elko discussed when asked about the running back rotation on Wednesday.

“I think he’s progressing really well for a young kid,” Elko stated regarding Edwards. “I think he is getting stronger, more comfortable with our system. Obviously, has the ability to be a really, really dynamic playmaker. I think you saw that a lot from him in high school. We’re excited to see him come out in camp and compete for the opportunity to earn some opportunities this fall.”

Similar to Rueben Owens' 2023 freshman season, where he rushed for 385 yards and three touchdowns, there's a clear opening for KJ Edwards to earn a spot in the rotation as the No. 3 option, and given his elite speed and agility, screens and outside runs is where he should thrive early in his career.

Texas A&M averaged an impressive 184.1 yards per game last season, but after Le'Veon Moss's injury against the Florida Gators, the Aggies struggled to find any consistency in the backfield, making the addition of KJ Edwards that much more important to provide more speed and versatility.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Mike Elko is 'excited' for freshman RB to 'earn some opportunities'

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