Athlon ranks Texas A&M’s 2026 running back room as Top 10 unit in SEC

This offseason, third-year coach Mike Elko promoted wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins as the program’s new offensive coordinator and playcaller after Collin Klein departed for Kansas State, and with quarterback Marcel Reed back under center for his second full starting season, Texas A&M’s offense is expected to match, or better, last season’s scoring average.

While Marcel Reed’s importance can’t be overstated, Holmon Wiggins spoke during the spring practice period that a balanced attack, centered around a steady and reliable running game, will not just allow Reed to thrive in play action, but also allow the Aggies‘ deep wide receiver rotation, led by junior Mario Craver and Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton, to spread out and make plays after the catch.

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Among the rest of the SEC, Texas A&M’s 2026 running back room isn’t lacking versatility, led by junior and former five-star Rueben Owens, rising sophomore Jamarion Morrow, and redshirt freshman Tiger Riden Jr., while freshmen KJ Edward and Carsyn Baker provide immediate depth.

This fall, Owens and Morrow will compete for the starting running back job, especially after Morrow’s impressive performance during the Marron & White Game, and if the newly formed offensive line, now featuring four new starters, improves in run blocking, Wiggins’ hope of a balanced offense will come to fruition.

Athlon’s Steven Lassan recently ranked his top running back rooms in the SEC, placing Texas A&M at No. 9, which is respectable given Le’Von Moss’s departure and the unknowns regarding Rueben Owens’ ability to take over as the every-down back, even after rushing for a career high 639 yards and five touchdowns last season.