Texas A&M’s 2026 running back room will lose two veterans: Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels. For now, coach Mike Elko and running backs coach Trooper Taylor have not added a running back from the portal, though that could change in the coming weeks.
However, incoming redshirt junior Rueben Owens, who took over at the No. 1 RB after Moss’s injury, is the name to watch heading into the 2026 season.
The former five-star prospect, who chose the Aggies over the Texas Longhorns in the 2023 recruiting class, shot on the scene as a key reserve during his freshman season. He rushed for 385 yards and three touchdowns and added 109 receiving yards. However, the anticipated 1-2 punch of Moss and Owens for of the 2024 season was derailed by Owens’ ACL injury during the preseason. Sidelined for all but two games in 2024, Owens made a full recovery.
This season the El Campo, Texas native stepped into the starter’s role when Le’Veon Moss injured his ankle during the Aggies’ midseason win against Florida. Moss had already run for a career high 142 yards against Mississippi State, and the Aggies backfield didn’t stumble as A&M won four straight.
However, his production declined at the end of the year. He averaged 3.7 and 3 yards per carry in losses to Texas to end the regular season and to Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff. After the loss to the Hurricanes, who will face Indiana for the national title on Jan. 19, Mike Elko stated that fixing the run game was the focus this offseason.
After losing four offensive linemen to the 2026 NFL draft, the Aggies landed four likely replacements, including LSU tackle Tyree Adams and LSU guard and A&M commit Coen Echols. If the run blocking improves, Rueben Owens, who announced his return on Saturday, shouldn’t have trouble finding holes to run through.
With a deep running back room that features incoming sophomore Jamarion Morrow, sophomore Tiger Riden and incoming freshmen KJ Edwards and Carsyn Baker, the unit is in solid shape even if the Aggies don’t land a transfer back.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: ‘Let’s run it back’: Texas A&M RB announces official return for 2026
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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