Aggieland’s three‑headed ground monster is back—and it’s hungry.
After a turbulent 2024 campaign that still saw Texas A&M finish second in the SEC in rushing despite catastrophic injuries, head coach Mike Elko now enters Year 2 with the entire running‑back room healthy, battle‑tested, and apparently hell‑bent on dragging the Aggies into the College Football Playoff picture. Le’Veon Moss, Rueben Owens II and Amari Daniels—three backs who could all credibly start elsewhere—each elected to stay in College Station, spurning overtures from the transfer portal and NIL suitors. Their decision didn’t just preserve depth; it preserved identity. In an SEC that has grown increasingly pass‑happy, the Aggies are doubling down on a blue‑collar, between‑the‑tackles ethos that already shredded defenses for 208.6 yards per game a season ago.
The emotional centerpiece of the trio is Le’Veon Moss, a punishing 215‑pound north–south runner whose 2024 breakout was cruelly cut short by a November ankle injury. Before limping off, Moss piled up 765 yards on just 121 carries—an eye‑popping 6.3 yards per attempt—while racking up 10 touchdowns and earning All‑SEC Second‑Team honors.
Meanwhile, Rueben Owens II returns with a chip on his shoulder the size of a goal‑line scrum. The former five‑star phenom never got to show his burst last fall, sidelined by a foot fracture suffered in the first scrimmage of camp. But coaches raved about how the sophomore attacked rehab, sitting in on install meetings and peppering staff with questions rather than sulking.
Owens’ 10.9‑second 100‑meter speed remains intact, and his patience behind zone‑blocking concepts reportedly improved during film sessions—bad news for linebackers who think they can simply over‑pursue the Aggie outside‑zone.
Then there’s Amari Daniels, the Swiss Army knife who quietly became the SEC’s most underrated change‑of‑pace back. With Moss and Owens both sidelined for stretches, Daniels logged 139 carries for 661 yards (4.8 ypc) and eight scores, lining up in the slot on third down and flashing soft hands on angle routes.
He and Moss combined for 1,426 yards and 18 TDs—production that convinced Elko to scrap plans for a committee in favor of a “hot‑hand” rotation that can toggle styles on demand.
As if a three‑back punch weren’t enough, Stanford transfer E.J. Smith (yes, Emmitt’s son) quietly contributed 207 yards in relief snaps last year and slides into a luxury RB4 role.
Behind him, true freshmen Trent Morrow and Kameron Riden arrive with four‑star pedigrees, giving running‑backs coach Trooper Taylor usable practice reps even if injuries strike again.
Offensive coordinator Collin Klein—imported from Kansas State after dismantling Alabama in last year’s Sugar Bowl—loves pre‑snap motion and counter‑gap runs that isolate linebackers in space. In spring ball, Klein unveiled a “21 Orbital” package that places Owens in jet motion while Daniels flares to the flat, forcing safeties to declare coverage before the snap. Early scrimmage data showed the formation averaged 7.4 yards per play, with Moss ripping chunk gains against nickel personnel unaccustomed to his downhill violence.
Klein’s arrival also means a heavier dose of RPOs, a boon to sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed. Reed’s legs demand backside contain, which in turn should widen interior rushing lanes. Expect the Aggies to mirror Auburn’s 2013 template: run, run, vertical shot—then run some more when safeties retreat.
Continuity on the O‑line. All five starters return, led by future first‑round left tackle Chase Bisontis. A unit that surrendered just 14 sacks now adds 330‑pound LSU transfer Bo Bordelon as a sixth man.
Favorable crossover schedule. The Aggies dodge Georgia and Tennessee, drawing rebuilding Florida at Kyle Field and Arkansas at AT&T Stadium, where they’ve won nine of the last ten meetings.
Defensive growth. New coordinator Elijah Robinson retained the majority of a front that ranked fifth nationally in Havoc Rate. If the defense merely repeats, the offense only has to be marginally better to move from 9–4 to 11–2.
Las Vegas reacted accordingly: BetMGM nudged A&M’s SEC‑title odds from +1600 in January to +900 after Moss was medically cleared, the largest mid‑offseason shift of any West Division program.
Aggie fans have waited a decade for a national breakthrough. They’ve spent millions on coaches, facilities and NIL collectives but rarely witnessed an offense that could impose its will when everyone knew what was coming. That might finally change in 2025. A thunderous, three‑headed rushing attack is not merely returning; it’s returning older, angrier and deeper.
