Can Le’Veon Moss & Amari Daniels Carry Texas A&M RB Load After Rueben Owens Injury?

The Texas A&M Aggies suffered a huge setback over the weekend when they lost starting running back Rueben Owens for the season with a lower-body injury.

Last season, Owens ran 101 times for 385 yards and three scores. While those stats might not pop off the page, he had taken a major leap forward during spring and fall camp workouts.

And by all accounts, he was expected to take on the lead roll in the running back room this season.

Obviously, those plans have now been derailed.

Fortunately for the Aggies, they have a good deal of experience in the room, with Amari Daniels and Le’Veon Moss, and both should be ready to carry the load in the season opener.

In 2023, Daniels and Moss combined for 201 carries for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns, with both averaging around five yards per carry.

And while neither of the pair comes with the pedigree and hype that surround the former five-star, they do form a formidable pairing that helped the Aggies to a 7-5 record (including three losses to top-25 teams by a combined 16 points).

Coming to College Station as part of the 2022 class, Moss was also rated as one of the top running backs in the country, ranking as a four-star recruit, the No. 3 player at the position, and the No. 67 player in the nation per the On3 Industry Ranking.

Meanwhile, Daniels was also a four-star talent, ranking as the No. 23 running back in the 2021 class, per On3.

However, they won’t be at it alone, either, with former four-star recruit and Stanford transfer running back EJ Smith also making his debut with the program this season.

Over the past four seasons with the Cardinal, Smith appeared in 24 games, rushing for 557 yards and averaging over five yards per carry. In 2023 he had career highs across the board before suffering a season-ending injury, rushing 53 times for 218 yards and hauling in 33 catches for 242 yards.

He was also named the team’s starter in 2022 before suffering a season ending injury.

In other words, while the loss of Owens is obviously a major blow, there is more than enough talent and experience between Moss, Daniels and Smith to help the Aggies have a successful season.

At least on paper.

The Aggies will find out one way or the other on August 31 when they host the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in primetime at Kyle Field.