Texas A&M’s running back room has started to take shape this preseason, and one name keeps standing out for a different reason than the rest: Tiger Riden Jr.
Over five preseason practices, the Aggies have seen clear progress from the group as a whole. Redshirt junior Rueben Owens, coming off a career-high 639 rushing yards and five touchdowns last season, has owned up to the mistakes that hurt Texas A&M a year ago, including several drops in the losses to Texas and Miami in the first round of the CFP.
Rising sophomore Jamarion Morrow has also made his case. During the Maroon & White Game, he looked like the roster’s best one-cut runner, showing sharp upfield burst and the kind of physical finish after contact that jumps off the field. For now, Owens appears to have the inside track in the competition, but the battle for the top spot still has time to unfold over the next two weeks.
Beyond those two, Saturday’s practice brought some noise from former five-star freshman KJ Edwards, who has enough talent to get on the field this season. But the most interesting development may be Riden, the redshirt freshman who has reportedly put together a strong camp and is already regarded as the team’s best blocking back. At 5-foot-10 and 219 pounds, he’s also the biggest back on the roster.
New offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins pointed to both Riden’s recovery from injury and the style he brings when he’s healthy.
"We've been getting some stuff from Tiger Riden, who was a guy that, in my opinion, shocked me coming in because we didn't see much of him in fall camp, a couple of injuries kind of held him out and now you get a chance to see him. He's a big, powerful guy that gives us a little different dimension, a little chaneup as a big back."
That kind of size and power matters for an Aggies offense that needs more toughness from every back who touches the ball next season, especially with four new starters in front of them on the offensive line. Wiggins will lean on his elite wide receiver group, but if Texas A&M wants to establish the run early, Riden could end up being a real part of that equation.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Linebackers Suddenly Carry A Big Defensive Question
Texas A&Ms fifth preseason practice offered a little bit of everything on both sides of the ball, with quarterback Marcel Reed showing improvement and wide receiver Mario Craver continuing to stand out. The Aggies also brought in 17 transfer portal additions, and one of the more important ones for this fall is linebacker Ray Coney, who arrives with the kind of profile that can help steady a defense still sorting out its identity.
At linebacker, the intrigue is starting to center on how quickly that group comes together after the offseason turnover. Defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill has already expressed confidence in the room, and Daymion Sanford is nearing full strength again after the injury he suffered in the Maroon & White Game. Even with those encouraging signs, the position still carries a big question for Texas A&M as camp unfolds, because the next few practices will go a long way toward showing who can turn promise into production. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M's Texas Tech Decision Says Plenty About SEC Scheduling
Texas A&M has made its scheduling priorities pretty clear by passing on Texas Techs offer to set up a non-conference game in the foreseeable future. Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said the Red Raiders have reached out to multiple schools about matchups in 2027 and beyond, and so far the answers have not been encouraging. For the Aggies, the decision fits the broader way SEC teams have been managing their calendars, with outside games carefully chosen around the demands of league play and the need to protect long-term scheduling plans.
Texas A&M already has home-and-home series lined up against Arizona State and Louisville over the next four seasons, which underscores how selective these openings can be. For fans hoping to see old regional ties revived, the Texas Tech pitch would have carried real appeal, but the Aggies refusal suggests they are not eager to add another commitment unless it fits exactly what they want. In the meantime, Tech keeps searching for a partner, and the lack of traction says as much about the current scheduling climate as it does about any one matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M May Have Finally Fixed One Passing Game Problem
Texas A&M spent a good chunk of last season looking for a little more variety in its passing game, and now it appears the Aggies may have added a piece that changes the shape of the room. A transfer receiver is on the way who brings the kind of size this offense has not consistently had, giving the unit a different look to pair with Mario Craver and KC Concepcion.
The addition matters because the new arrival is not just another target, but a player who produced in bigger spots last season and showed he could hold up against major competition. For an Aggies passing attack trying to become more balanced and harder to defend, that mix of size and production could be exactly what it needed. [Read more 🡒]