Tag: Oklahoma State Football

Texas A&M sophomore QB Jaylen Henderson has ‘very successful surgery’ on right arm

After suffering a right arm injury on the first play of the Texas Bowl against No. 20 Oklahoma State on Wednesday night in Houston, Texas A&M sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson is on the road to recovery.

After suffering a right arm injury on the first play of the Texas Bowl against No. 20 Oklahoma State on Wednesday night in Houston, Texas A&M sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson is on the road to recovery.

Henderson’s journey back to Kyle Field got off to a positive start on Thursday, he shared via X.

“Very successful surgery,” Henderson posted. “I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers!”

The sophomore signal caller was hit and landed awkwardly after completing an 11-yard pass to junior wide receiver Jahdae Walker to begin the matchup. As a lefty, he injured his non-throwing arm.

After the 31-23 loss to the Cowboys at NRG Stadium, Aggies interim head coach Elijah Robinson shared his thoughts on the injury.

“Everybody wants to protect the quarterback and it’s not that anybody did anything wrong,” Robinson said Wednesday. “It was just a good hit on the guy and the guy got hurt. For the most part, those guys rallied around (Marcel Reed) and he responded.”

The specifics of Henderson’s injury have not been released. Sports & family medicine physician Jesse Morse, MD was among those on X speculating about what just occurred in the national broadcast on ESPN.

“Likely a fracture and/or dislocation,” Morse posted. “Hard to tell if he fractured humerus (upper arm), elbow or both. He was fitted for an air-cast which is almost always used for a fracture.”

Henderson wasn’t the only Texas A&M player to get banged up in the bowl game. Walker suffered a left shoulder injury attempting to make a touchdown catch in the first period but he later returned. However, the wideout kept it G sporting a sling in an X post on Thursday.

“Alldae” endeared himself to the 12th Man by not only participating in the contest but also gutting through an injury to record eight receptions for 137 yards. With a nod to Hall of Fame pass-catcher Shannon Sharpe, Walker let an appreciative Aggies fan know that he left it all out on the gridiron.

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Best Photos: Texas A&M vs Oklahoma State TaxAct Bowl game

Texas A&M fought hard all game long but fell just short in the TaxAct Bowl

Undermanned and inexperienced, the Aggie football team gave the Big 12 runner-up all they could handle at NRG Stadium but fell short in the 31-23 loss to No. 20 Oklahoma State in the TaxAct Bowl.

When the clock hit triple zeros, it officially ended the Jimbo era, and Interim head coach Elijah Robinson fulfilled his promise to the players on the team to stick with them through the bowl game. Even though things did get a little weird near the end, Coach Robinson always let it be known how much respect he has for the university and the time spent at A&M.

“I have nothing bad to say about this program. This program is first class, and they’re going to take it to the top.”

Below, you can check out the best photos from the game on Wednesday.

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‘Lock in with the brother next to you. That’s what it has been this season.’ Wright and Mathews speak after TaxAct bowl game

Seniors Max Wright and Sam Mathews have big games during the TaxAct Bowl and speak post game presser

The 2023 football season has officially come to an end for the Aggie Football team and new head coach Mike Elko has a lot to look forward to in the future.

I don’t think anyone knew what to expect when the Aggies took the field at NRG Stadium on Wednesday night. Then, when third-string QB Jaylon Henderson was knocked out of the game on the very first play from scrimmage, it appeared that skipping the game altogether might have been the wiser choice.

However, true freshman Marcel Reed, 180 pounds soaking wet, showed that Aggie spirit and fought all game long, giving A&M a fighting chance to the very end. Two seniors, Max Wright and Sam Mathews, played huge roles in keeping the game in reach, capping off their final game in the Maroon & White. Wright finished the game with four receptions for 62 yards and Mathews finished with a career night that he will never forget.

His stat line consisted of a team-leading 14 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, and an interception. Max and Sam both talked about their time at A&M and what this season meant to them.

 “Texas A&M, to me, is the perfect representation of what it means to be people of honor and people of character. It’s the best university in the world, and there is no other university like it. I will be an Aggie for the rest of my life.” – Max Wright

“This season has been one I’ll never forget. Those last weeks might have been my favorite on this team with how everybody bought in and committed to each other. It was special to be a part of.”

Below, you can hear everything Max Wright and Sam Mathews had to say following the game.

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Texas A&M true freshman QB Marcel Reed has historic Texas Bowl performance in defeat

Texas A&M true freshman quarterback Marcel Reed likely didn’t expect to get any significant playing time during the 2023 season but life comes at you fast and he was more than ready when the opportunity presented itself.

Texas A&M true freshman quarterback Marcel Reed likely didn’t expect to get any significant playing time during the 2023 season.

However, life comes at you fast and he was more than ready when the opportunity presented itself. Sophomore starter Jaylen Henderson injured his right arm on the first play of the Texas Bowl on Wednesday night in Houston, which thrust Reed into the spotlight on a national stage.

The undermanned Aggies may have lost to No. 20 Oklahoma State but the 2023 Mr. Football in Tennesee seized the moment. Reed had made two previous appearances in limited-action this year, on Nov. 11 against Mississippi State and the following week versus Abilene Christian.

On Wednesday at NRG Stadium, the true freshman completed 20 of 33 pass attempts for 361 yards and one interception, which was a Hail Mary heave on the game’s final play.

Reed’s yards passing was the most against a Power Five opponent since Kellen Mond tossed for 430 yards against Clemson in 2018. Since then, only one other performance topped Reed’s extended debut, when Haynes King passed for 364 yards against Sam Houston State last year.

The backup signal-caller added 10 rushes for 29 yards and a touchdown to his overall stat line as well. Reed’s main highlight from the Texas Bowl came on a 20-yard scamper down the right sideline for a score.

Whether it’s Henderson or Reed starting under center for Texas A&M next season, new head coach Mike Elko and the Aggies will be in good hands.

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‘..I am proud of that team and that locker room. I’m proud of those guys for stepping through.’ Elijah Robinson speaks after close loss to Oklahoma State.

Hear what Interim Head Coach Elijah Robinson had to say after the TaxAct Bowl game

The 2023 football season has officially ended for the Aggie Football team and new head coach Mike Elko has a lot to look forward to in the future.

I don’t think anyone knew what to expect when the Aggies took the field at NRG Stadium on Wednesday night. Then, when third-string QB Jaylon Henderson was knocked out of the game on the very first play from scrimmage, it appeared that skipping the game altogether might have been the wiser choice.

However, true freshman Marcel Reed, 180 pounds soaking wet, showed that Aggie spirit and fought all game long, giving A&M a fighting chance to the very end. As awkward as the Elijah Robinson situation got over the past few weeks, he kept his word to the team, took a very depleted team in the TaxAct Bowl, and gave the Big 12 runner-up a run for their money.

“We talked brotherhood from the very beginning, and no matter what anybody said outside of that locker room, the locker room was about brotherhood.” “I give a lot of credit to the coaches and those guys sticking around… The kids gave us everything we asked of them.”

Below, you can hear everything Interim Head Coach Elijah Robinson had to say following the game.

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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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Watch: Texas A&M WR Moose Muhammad III hauls in 1-handed reception during Texas Bowl

First impressions are very important and Texas A&M junior wide receiver Moose Muhammad III made the most of his opportunity on Wednesday night during the Texas Bowl.

First impressions are very important and Texas A&M junior wide receiver Moose Muhammad III made the most of his opportunity on Wednesday night during the Texas Bowl.

Aggies head coach Mike Elko was interviewed during the ESPN broadcast of No. 20 Oklahoma State against Texas A&M and Muhammad impressed his new coach with an incredible one-handed catch.

Muhammad hauled in a 29-yard reception with his right hand to reach Cowboys territory immediately after Elko stepped into the booth.

“Attaboy, Moose! That’s not a bad first play for me to be calling right there,” Elko said on ESPN. “It’s a heck of a throw and what a catch.

“That’s Moose right there at his finest.”

The junior wideout is the son of former NFL player Muhsin Muhammad II, who played in the league for 14 seasons on three separate teams.

Moose caught the pass from true freshman Marcel Reed. Sophomore starting quarterback Jaylen Henderson injured his right arm on the first snap of the game versus Oklahoma State when he completed an 11-yard pass to junior wide receiver Jahdae Walker.

Muhammad is 1-of-3 wideouts on scholarship that are active on Wednesday along with Walker and freshman Micah Tease.

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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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Final Staff Predictions for Texas A&M vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State in the TaxAct Texas Bowl

Here are the final staff predictions for the TaxAct Texas Bowl as Texas A&M faces No. 20 Oklahoma State on Wednesday night.

Texas A&M (7-5) will finish the 2023 college football season hopefully on a high note, set to face the No. 20 Oklahoma State Cowboys on Wednesday, Dec. 27. Facing plenty of roster-based adversity, the Aggies will be without a large portion of the regular season depth chart, including a reported 55 scholarship players.

With the news that sophomore wide receiver Noah Thomas will miss the game for undisclosed reasons, the A&M will only have three scholarship wide receivers available, as Moose Muhammad III, Jahdae Walker, and freshman Micah Tease will start and finish the game with virtually no help.

Oklahoma State’s rushing attack, led by All-American running back Ollie Gordon III (1,614 rushing yards, 20 TDs), the Cowboys are looking to run down the Aggies’ throats due to the attrition on the defensive line from the transfer portal, but don’t count out freshman linebacker Taurean York to clean up the mess, and keep the opponent one dimensional.

Ahead of Texas A&M’s final game before new head coach Mike Elko’s inaugural 2024 season, here are our final staff predictions for Texas A&M’s TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State.

Cameron Ohnysty: Managing Editor:

“With the news that the Aggies will only have 55 scholarship players available for the game, one thought crept into my mind: This makes Mike Elko’s evaluation of the roster a whole lot easier. While quarterback Jaylen Henderson is slated to make his fourth start, it’s A&M’s now depleted defensive line facing Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon III that could be the games’ deciding factor

Needing to embody the spirit of the 12th Man, I have no idea this team under interim head coach Elijah Robinson will put everything they have into this final matchup, and if the Aggies’ can keep Gordon at bay for most of the night, Henderson and the offense will likely need to score at least 20 points to secure the victory.

Final score prediction: Texas A&M 24, Oklahoma State 20

Shaun Holkko: Staff Writer:

“Just like Mike Gundy, I honestly have no idea what to expect from Texas A&M tonight. The Aggies are underdogs heading into this matchup against a ranked team that competed for a conference title this season.

However, I’ve gotta sneaky suspicion that Texas A&M will be victorious in this rematch of the 2019 Texas Bowl, which the Aggies also won. In the last official game of the Jimbo Fisher era in College Station, Texas A&M defeats Oklahoma State 28-25 led by interim head coach Elijah Robinson before he departs for Syracuse.”

Final score prediction: Texas A&M 28, Oklahoma State 25

Jarrett Johnson: Staff Writer:

“I do not know how this game will go. However, I’m extremely intrigued to see several Aggies get extended playing time they did not receive during the regular season.

This will serve as a good showcase against a quality team so Elko can evaluate where he still has positions of need that he might not have considered a few weeks ago.

As far as the game goes, I think Jaylen Henderson goes off for 2 rushing touchdowns and 2 passing touchdowns because why not? However, I think the inexperience and shorthanded defense will make a few too many mistakes.”

Final score prediction: Oklahoma State 30, Texas A&M 28

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