Texas A&M’s offense may be headed into Saturday’s rivalry game with Arkansas already short-handed, and the biggest question revolves around Mario Craver.
The Aggies are trying to stop a two-game skid, but the injury report delivered another complication Wednesday evening when Craver was listed as questionable for the SEC matchup. Texas A&M is already operating without wide receivers Terry Bussey and Madden Williams for the rest of the season, leaving the position group thin as conference play continues.
Craver’s status matters because he has been one of the most productive targets on the roster. He left the first half of last week’s loss to LSU with a left ankle injury and went back to the locker room, then returned after halftime and finished with three catches for 31 yards in the 35-6 defeat. That comeback may have been more than Texas A&M needed in a game that had already gotten away.
There was at least one positive for the Aggies: Ashton Bethel-Roman is no longer on the injury report after being a game-time decision against LSU. Even so, he has not yet made much of a mark this season, which only raises the pressure on the players ahead of him if Craver cannot go.
Through the first part of the season, Craver has posted 22 receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton has emerged as the clear No. 2 option, with 15 catches for 213 yards and three touchdowns. If Craver is sidelined, Marcel Reed figures to lean heavily on Horton.
Beyond that, Texas A&M’s receiver depth is a real issue. With Bussey already done for the year, there is no obvious No. 3 target based on the first four games. True freshman Aaron Gregory has the third-most production among Aggie wideouts with four catches for 41 yards and a touchdown, and he would be asked to take on a much bigger role if Craver is unable to play.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Faces A Defining Test That Could Shift Everything
Texas A&M is heading into a stretch that should say plenty about where the program stands right now, starting with Arkansas and followed by Missouri. Those are the kinds of games that can either steady a season or make the margins feel a lot tighter, especially for a team still looking to shape its identity as the schedule toughens.
Missouri, in particular, looms as the one that could carry the biggest ripple effect for the Aggies if they get there with momentum. The discussion around that matchup is already about what a win or loss might mean for the rest of the season and even how the program is viewed, which is why the next two weeks feel bigger than a typical run through the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Marcel Reed Gets A Crucial Chance To Quiet Texas A&Ms Biggest Concern
Texas A&M has spent the opening stretch of the season trying to find some stability on offense, and the biggest question has centered on Marcel Reed. The Aggies are 2-2, Reed has battled accuracy issues, and his passing numbers have landed near the bottom nationally in several categories, leaving the quarterback situation as the clearest reason the unit has not yet clicked.
Arkansas, though, gives Reed a chance to change the conversation. The Razorbacks have struggled on the back end, allowing a high completion percentage and plenty of yards per pass, which could make this matchup a useful measuring stick for Texas A&Ms passing game. For Reed and the Aggies, the point is not just moving the ball better, but showing enough rhythm and confidence to suggest the offense can still find its way. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Faces A Crucial WR Question Before Arkansas
Texas A&Ms receiving depth is suddenly under the microscope as the Aggies get ready to face Arkansas after back-to-back SEC losses. The latest availability report ruled wide receiver Terry Bussey out for the game, while Mario Craver remains questionable, leaving the offense with an unsettled picture at a position group that has already been tested.
There is at least one encouraging note for the Aggies, with running back Jamarion Morrow no longer listed on the report, which points to a possible return. Even so, the wide receiver situation is the bigger concern, especially for a team trying to steady itself and avoid letting its conference skid grow longer. [Read more 🡒]