Tag: Jaylen Henderson

Shorthanded Texas A&M football team bested by No. 20 Oklahoma State in Texas Bowl rematch

“This program is capable of being a team that is in the playoff and competing for national championships every year,” Mike Elko told ESPN.

The Jimbo Fisher era at Texas A&M has finally come to an end following the Texas Bowl which concluded the 2023 season on Wednesday night in Houston.

No. 20 Oklahoma State (10-4) defeated the Aggies (7-6) by a final score of 31-23 at NRG Stadium. The Cowboys earned revenge from the 2019 Texas Bowl, which Texas A&M won 24-21.

Wednesday’s SEC versus Big 12 showdown began with a somber start as Aggies sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson injured his right arm on the first snap of the game. He did not return and true freshman Marcel Reed took over as starting quarterback for the remainder of the contest.

Five plays stuck out for Texas A&M as highlights of the game. First, junior wide receiver Moose Muhammad III hauled in an incredible 29-yard one-handed reception in the second quarter.

Next, freshman defensive back Dalton Brooks reeled in his first collegiate interception to begin the second half. Then in the third period, Reed took off down the right sideline and galloped into the end zone for a 20-yard rushing touchdown. About four minutes into the fourth quarter, graduate student Sam Mathews recorded the first interception of his Texas A&M career.

Finally, junior kicker Randy Bond tallied a hat trick with three field goals. His final boot of the night came with 5:07 remaining and bounced off the crossbar and in from 51 yards out to set a new Texas Bowl record.

While there may have been positive plays along the way, the Aggies were ultimately overmatched against Oklahoma State. Texas A&M had only 48 scholarship players in uniform on Wednesday.

Aggies interim head coach Elijah Robinson now departs the program to become defensive coordinator at Syracuse. He led Texas A&M to a 1-2 overall record during his short tenure at the helm.

As the calendar turns to 2024 in a couple of days, the Mike Elko era in College Station officially begins. Elko was interviewed during the Texas Bowl on ESPN and his outlook for the future of Aggies football should get the 12th Man very excited.

“We’ve gotta become what we’re capable of becoming, that’s the biggest thing,” Elko said on ESPN. “This program is capable of being a team that is in the playoff and competing for national championships every year, but we’re not that right now. We’ve gotta recognize that, roll up our sleeves and go to work to become what we should be.”

Below are the Texas A&M critical contributors from the game:

Reed: 20-33 pass attempts, 361 yards passing, 29 yards rushing and 1 TD

Amari Daniels: 8 carries for 29 yards rushing and 1 TD, 1 catch for 34 yards

Jahdae Walker: 8 catches for 137 yards

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Texas A&M starting QB Jaylen Henderson injures right arm on first play of Texas Bowl

Texas A&M quarterback Jaylen Henderson injured his right arm on the first play of the Texas Bowl versus Oklahoma State on Wednesday in Houston.

With only 48 scholarship players in uniform on Wednesday in Houston, Texas A&M lost its starting quarterback to injury after only one play of the Texas Bowl.

On the first snap from scrimmage Wednesday night at NRG Stadium, Jaylen Henderson injured his right arm and left the game against No. 20 Oklahoma State wearing an air-cast. The sophomore signal-caller suffered the injury while completing an 11-yard pass to junior wide receiver Jahdae Walker.


True freshman Marcel Reed took over for Henderson at QB and the Aggies punted after three plays. On Reed’s second drive, he led Texas A&M on an 11-play, 56-yard drive that lasted over four minutes and resulted in a 37-yard field goal from junior kicker Randy Bond to tie the game at 3-3 with 4:34 remaining in the first quarter.

At 8:51 p.m. CT, ESPN sideline reporter Taylor McGregor stated on the game broadcast that Henderson was out and would not return to the Texas Bowl.

Walker suffered a left shoulder injury attempting to make a touchdown catch in the first period but he later returned to the game. Walker is 1-of-3 wideouts on scholarship that are active on Wednesday along with junior Moose Muhammad III and freshman Micah Tease.

Reed was a 4-star recruit coming out of Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville. He was named Mr. Football in Tennessee following his senior year of high school.

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Report: Texas A&M football team will be shorthanded for Texas Bowl versus No. 20 Oklahoma State

According to a report from GigEm247 reporter Carter Karels, “Texas A&M is expected to have no more than 55 scholarship players available to play.”

In the official last game of the Jimbo Fisher era in College Station, Texas A&M will be shorthanded for the 2023 finale tonight in Texas.

The Aggies will be playing No. 20 Oklahoma State in the TaxAct Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston beginning at 8 p.m. CT. According to a report from GigEm247 reporter Carter Karels, “Texas A&M is expected to have no more than 55 scholarship players available to play.”

The depth chart is thin for the Aggies due to a multitude of reasons, beginning with the NCAA Transfer Portal and injuries. Sixteen Texas A&M players have entered the portal since it opened at the beginning of December and nine of those former Aggies have already found a new home.

Six Texas A&M players are out with season-ending injuries, including graduate student Ainias Smith. The talented wide receiver has a broken finger and declared for the 2024 NFL Draft on Dec. 8.

Karels also noted that without Smith, the Aggies will have a total of three scholarship receivers in uniform against the Cowboys. Interim head coach Elijah Robinson certainly has a challenge in front of him before departing for Syracuse.

Oklahoma State will be attempting to avenge a 24-21 loss to Texas A&M in the 2019 Texas Bowl. Given the fluctuation of the Aggies’ available players, even Cowboys coach Mike Gundy has “no idea” what to expect tonight.

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Texas A&M’s depth chart ahead of the TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State

Here is Texas A&M’s depth chart ahead of Wednesday’s TaxAct Texas Bowl matchup vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State in NRG Stadium.

Texas A&M and No. 20 Oklahoma State are set to face off for the final time in 2023 during Wednesday night’s TaxAct Texas Bowl, which will occur in the Houston Texans’ NRG Stadium among what should be a packed crowd.

Amid all the changes taking place in College Station after the Nov. 12 firing of Jimbo Fisher and the subsequent hiring of new head coach Mike Elko just two weeks later, Elko and his staff have already dealt with more than a dozen departures through the transfer portal, but have also gained 14 signees from the 2024 recruiting cycle, and seven additions from the portal.

While current interim head coach Elijah Robinson has ignited some mild controversy regarding his recruiting tactics while already working in his 2024 role as Syracuses’ new defensive coordinator, we can only trust a man at his word, and Robinson has continually promised that the Aggies are his sole focus heading into the bowl game.

For Oklahoma State, superstar running back Ollie Gordon III is expected to play, meaning that A&M’s now depleted defensive line will have its biggest challenge yet, as defensive tackles McKinnley Jackson (2024 NFL Draft), Walter Nolen (transfer portal) and Isaiah Raikes (transfer portal) have left the program.

Looking at Texas A&M’s depth chart ahead of the game, the roster may be depleted, but the Aggies should have enough to get the job done, including 55 scholarship players who are posed to dress out. Here is A&M’s complete depth chart ahead of Wednesday’s TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State.

‘Tackling is an art’ Taurean York, Jaylen Henderson, and Max Wright speak ahead of the TaxAct Texas Bowl

Hear what LB Taurean York, QB Jaylen Henderson, and TE Max Wright had to say ahead of the TaxAct Texas Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 27.

Following Texas A&M interim head coach Elijah Robinson, incoming sophomore linebacker Taurean York, senior tight end Max Wright, and sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson provided the player commentary on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the Aggies TaxAct Texas Bowl matchup vs. Oklahoma State on Dec. 27.

While we’ve heard from both Max Wright and Jaylen Henderson throughout the latter half of the 2023 regular season, this was Taurean York’s first official press conference, and for a young man who is still a teenager, the maturity displayed while taking a multitude of questions was nothing short of impressive.

Ranging from his development into one of the nation’s best linebackers during fall camp to his love for the game through his father, York’s relationship with new head coach Mike Elko started all the way back to Elko’s time as the Aggies defensive coordinator (2018-2021), and continue during his two years as Duke’s head coach.

“I love Coach Elko. He recruited me hard at A&M and recruited me hard at Duke.”

While Elko has yet to hire a new defensive coordinator, whoever is lucky enough to work with York in 2024 and beyond will inherit one of the smartest players in the country, made abundantly clear when York was asked about the fundamentals of tackling:

“Tackling is an art. You have to work on it. You have to have your technique.”

However, it was Jaylen Henderson who will make his fourth consecutive start this season with the quote of the afternoon, simply stating that despite the movement in the transfer portal, the Aggies are focused on winning the game in front of them and taking much-needed momentum into the 2024 offseason:

“Our goal is to end on a win. That’s our mindset, no matter who is playing or who is not playing.”

With that, here is everything Taurean York, Jaylen Henderson, and Max Wright had to say ahead of the TaxAct Texas Bowl next Wednesday night.

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Texas A&M QB Jaylen Henderson is reportedly ‘ready to work’ under new HC Mike Elko

The Mike Elko era at Texas A&M has begun, and while recent coaching departures may cause friction, QB Jaylen Henderson is ready to work.

Whenever a new head coach is hired, changes on the previous coaching staff are bound to be made, and as the Mike Elko era for Texas A&M Football has officially begun, said changes have already taken effect.

On Tuesday, it was announced that after just one season in Aggieland, offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino would not return next season and was almost immediately hired as Arkansas’s new OC, which, yes, is extremely ironic.

While Petrino’s exit won’t impact a bulk of the Aggies’ roster, sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson, whom Petrino personally recruited to join A&M after his brief stint at Fresno State, Henderson took the departure in stride and, in a conversation with AggiesToday, the ascending signal-caller is ready to put in the work under whoever Elko chooses to become Texas A&M’s new offensive coordinator:

“It’s unfortunate. I love coach petrino and appreciate him for believing in me and bringing me to A&M. This is about to be my fifth OC, so I’ll just have to prove myself again and get to know whoever comes in. I’m excited for the new playbook and ready to work.”

In four games, including three starts during the 2023 season, Henderson threw for 704 yards, six touchdowns, and just two interceptions, combined with 104 rushing yards and two scores. Heading into the 2024 season, Henderson has likely secured the No. 2 quarterback spot behind starting QB Conner Weigman, who will be coming off his season-ending injury after just four starts.

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Five takeaways from Texas A&M’s 42-30 loss to No. 14 LSU

LSU quarterback and Heisman favorite Jayden Daniels was just too much for the Aggie D. Here are five takeaways from the 42-30 loss.

Texas A&M (7-5, 4-4 SEC) finished out the 2023 regular season on a weird note after falling 42-30 to the No. 14 LSU Tigers on the road, as a new era of Aggie Football will begin in 2024 as soon as Jimbo Fisher’s successor is named in what could be mere days.

Within interim head coach Elijah Robinson’s second game at the helm, strides were made on offense in the first half against the Tigers, as sophomore signal caller Jaylen Henderson led the offense on three scoring drives to take a 17-14 lead into the half. Keeping the momentum, the offense kept rolling as offensive guard Mark Nabou made every football fan smile as the big man snuck his way into the endzone, mirroring former Chicago Bear legend William “The Fridge” Perry.

However, Let’s not forget who the Aggies defense was facing, as LSU senior quarterback and Heisman favorite Jayden Daniels, who has now accounted for 50 touchdowns (!) on the year, threw for four touchdowns while readily exposing A&M’s susceptible pass defense in a performance all too familiar to Aggie fans this season.

With plenty of news coming your way in the next week or so regarding who will be Texas A&M’s new head football coach, here are five takeaways from today’s season finale loss. Random Corporation name bowl game, here we come!

Everything the players had to say after Texas A&M’s 42-30 loss to No. 14 LSU

Hear what Jaylen Henderson and Fadil Diggs had to say after Texas A&M’s 42-30 season finale loss to No. 14 LSU.

Texas A&M (7-5, 4-4 SEC) has finished the 2023 regular season after losing 42-30 on the road vs. the No. 14 LSU Tigers behind quarterback and Heisman-favorite Jayden Daniels’ impressive four-touchdown performance.

In interim head coach Elijah Robinson’s second game at the helm, the Aggie offense was lights out in the first half, as sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson, in his third career, start no less, led the offense to three first-half scoring drives, including a 14-yard touchdown strike to tight end Jake Johnson to take a 17-14 halftime lead.

Despite keeping the Tiger’s explosive passing attack at bay early on, Daniels began to heat up, throwing three second-half touchdown passes, all endzone shots, as the Aggie’s secondary continued its embarrassing trend of allowing big plays from every opponent’s star receiver, as LSU No. 1 wide receiver Malik Nabers hauled in 122 receiving yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon.

Trailing 35-24, Henderson found senior tight end Max Wright for a memorable 51-yard touchdown as the big man rumbled his way to the endzone to cut the lead in half and provide a small opening for a potential comeback. However, the defense continued to falter late, as Daniels would find WR Kyren Lacy for a 15-yard touchdown to seal the Tiger’s 42-30 victory.

After the game, Jaylen Henderson and defense lineman Fadil Diggs were the player representatives during the post-game media session. Here’s what both young men had to say after the loss:

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Everything Elijah Robinson had to say after Texas A&M’s 42-30 loss to No. 14 LSU

Hear what Texas A&M interim head coach Elijah Robinson had to say after the Aggies 42-30 season finale loss to No. 14 LSU on Saturday.

Texas A&M (7-5, 4-4 SEC) has finished the 2023 regular season after losing 42-30 on the road vs. the No. 14 LSU Tigers behind quarterback and Heisman-favorite Jayden Daniels’ impressive four-touchdown performance.

In interim head coach Elijah Robinson’s second game at the helm, the Aggie offense was lights out in the first half, as sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson, in his third career, start no less, led the offense to three first-half scoring drives, including a 14-yard touchdown strike to tight end Jake Johnson to take a 17-14 halftime lead.

Despite keeping the Tiger’s explosive passing attack at bay early on, Daniels began to heat up, throwing three second-half touchdown passes, all endzone shots, as the Aggie’s secondary continued its embarrassing trend of allowing big plays from every opponent’s star receiver, as LSU No. 1 wide receiver Malik Nabers hauled in 122 receiving yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon.

Trailing 35-24, Henderson found senior tight end Max Wright for a memorable 51-yard touchdown as the big man rumbled his way to the endzone to cut the lead in half and provide a small opening for a potential comeback. However, the defense continued to falter late, as Daniels would find WR Kyren Lacy for a 15-yard touchdown to seal the Tiger’s 42-30 victory.

While the search for Texas A&M’s next head football coach steadily heats up, Elijah Robinson has already proven his tremendous worth as the program’s most important assistant. For a final time, outside of the Aggies’ impending bowl game, Robinson spoke to the media after the loss. Here’s what he had to say:

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Post Game Recap: Texas A&M falls 42-30 to No. 14 LSU in the 2023 regular season finale

The Aggies fought hard, but couldn’t tame the Tigers in the Bayou falling for their 5th loss of the season, and 10th consecutive SEC road loss.

Texas A&M (7-5, 4-4 SEC) falls after a valiant effort to the No. 14 LSU Tigers (9-3, 6-2 SEC) at Tiger Field in Baton Rouge on Saturday morning.

It was a pretty evenly matched contest early on, with both teams getting early stops. LSU would strike first after an Aggies failed fourth down attempt, resulting in a short field for the Tigers and a 7-0 lead. Texas A&M responded with their longest drive in 9 years with a 17-play 67 touchdown drive to tie it up early in the 2nd quarter.

Randy Bond would add another three points midway through the second quarter for the Aggies 10-7 lead. With both teams heating up, Heisman hopeful Jayden Daniels marched his team downfield after a kick out of bounds that gave the Tigers a great field position. A short pass from Daniels to Nabers put the Tigers back on top 14-10.

The Aggies, wanting to double-dip, had another impressive and efficient drive closing in on halftime. With under 30 seconds left and counting, in his 1st road start, Jaylen Henderson hit Jake Johnson for a 14-yard touchdown pass for the final score of the half to go up 17-14.

Bobby Petrino was in his bag to start the second half, giving Jaylen Henderson a little more freedom, and it paid off immediately, carving up the LSU defense down to the one-yard line. To cap off the Aggies’ drive, they brought in an additional blocker for 3rd and goal. Instead of pitching it to the running back, they handed it to the big man, offensive lineman Mark Nabou, for an exciting rushing touchdown to take a 24-14 lead.

LSU answered in a big way with their own touchdown to cut the Aggie lead to 24-21. The defenses for both teams finally tightened up after the Aggie defense forced a punt. However, LSU would stop an A&M drive with an interception near midfield that led to a Tigers touchdown, and that’s when Daniels began to carve up the Aggie’s secondary like a Thanksgiving turkey.

Texas A&M would be outscored 21-6 from that point as one of the top offenses in the nation started to heat up. Late in the fourth quarter, after an A&M turnover on downs, Daniels got the sign from Brian Kelly to take a knee, which sealed the final score at 42-30 for an LSU victory.

Essentially solidifying his Heisman campaign, Jayden Daniels is one heck of a player with a bright NFL future. For the Aggies, Texas A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork is hard at work searching for the program’s new head football coach, as the impending announcement could come at any time soon.

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