'Health matters': Texas A&M's roster is completely healthy outside of one player

USA Today

a day ago

Texas A&M's 2024 season was derailed after star running back Le'Veon Moss was lost for the season after the Aggies' 7-1 start, resulting in an 8-5 finish that led to plenty of warranted questions heading into the 2025 offseason. This resulted in immediate changes, including head coach Mike Elko taking over as the defensive play caller, while quarterback Conner Weigman announced his transfer to Houston.
After landing 14 players from the transfer portal, while returning 72% of the 2024 roster, Elko and his staff entered the summer with conference, especially from a health perspective with Le'Veon Moss, and former five-star back Rueben Owens completely healthy and ready to go, according to the head coach, who reiterated so during Tuesday's press conference.
"Everybody is really ready to go for the first practice. We're ready to go."
"Marcus Garcia is the one kid that is nursing a little something, and we'll see where that goes. Other than that, we're ready to go."
Thanks to Austin American-Statesman beat writer Tony Catalina for asking the question, freshman offensive lineman Marcus Garcia is the only player dealing with a minor injury ahead of the first practice on Wednesday, which further proves that new S&C Tommy Moffitt has made a significant impact from a conditioning standpoint.
"I think, just like coaching, there is a foundation of what training looks like. There is a conditing level and a level of which you can push the body."
"In year two, that strength and condition capacity starts at a higher level."
For Texas A&M to compete throughout the SEC schedule, which features road games against Arkansas, Missouri, LSU, and Texas, health is everything, especially on offense. Last season's issues are finally in the rear view mirrior, and while some may be worried about Le'Veon Moss, while Marcel Reed's 185-pound frame has also resulted in questions, sometime's luck is all you can hope for, outside of proper conditioning.
"Health matters. Keeping our best players healthy throughout the year plays a role."
"Last year, the one positive on the injury front was that you didn't have a lot of soft-tissue injuries and didn't have a lot of things happen in practice, so the things that happened happened without your ability to control them. Hopefully the breaks go the other way."
Injuries happen, and the hope is that the Aggies can (knock on wood) get through the next 30 days without any major injury issues, which has been a problem over the last three offseasons.
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