Texas A&M Down Three Offensive Linemen For Remainder Of Season
COLLEGE STATION -- The hits keep coming for the Texas A&M Aggies in 2022. This time, it's found in the trenches.
Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher announced that offensive linemen Bryce Foster (knee), Aki Ogunbiyi (knee) and Jordan-Spasojevic-Moko (ankle) would miss the remainder of the 2022 season. All three players are expected to make full recoveries from surgery and will return for the start of spring practice.
Foster, who started all 12 games last season at center as a true freshman, missed A&M's first two games after dealing with an illness. Both Foster and Ogunbiyi did not play in Saturday's 30-24 loss to South Carolina after suffering injuries against then-No. 1 Alabama on Oct. 8.
Spasojevic-Moko had been out since A&M's 42-24 loss to Mississippi State on Oct. 1. According to his Instagram account, Spasojevic-Moko underwent surgery on the foot shortly after, though Fisher declined to say at the time if he would miss the remainder of the season.
Freshman Kam Dewberry has seen his rep count expand this month, making his first career start Saturday on the road in Columbia. He is expected to remain the starting left guard until further notice while redshirt freshman Matthew Wykoff will replace Foster at center.
Wykoff, a native of Magnolia, started the first two games in place of Foster and started at left guard against Alabama after Ogunbiyi was asked to fill in at left tackle for freshman Trey Zuhn.
The Aggies (3-4, 1-3 SEC) are expected to have quarterback Haynes King back in the starting lineup against No. 15 Ole Miss on Saturday. King left Saturday's game early in the fourth quarter after suffering a shoulder injury on a first-and-10 incompletion to tight end Donovan Green.
King, who finished Saturday 17 of 32 passing for 178 yards with a touchdown and an interception, was replaced by true freshman Conner Weigman. In five drives, Weigman completed 8 of 15 pass attempts for 91 yards. His longest throw of the evening came on a 24-yard pass to Moose Muhammad III with just over a minute remaining.
Fisher praised both quarterbacks for their ability to fight back and keep things close after being down 17-0 within the first 10 minutes.
"Haynes played a very, very good football game," Fisher said. "He made a lot of good throws, put us in a great position, had good runs, scrambled, made some good third-down throws, nice drives, played a very, very solid football game. Made big-time plays."
Fisher credited Weigman for understanding the intricate play concepts and keeping the offense afloat in a hostile Williams Brice Stadium.
"He understands what we're doing," Fisher said. "A couple of throws, a read or here or there, if he had some more time. His eyes were good, he got the ball out, saw the field, and could come back and regurgitate to you on the sideline what he saw, why he saw it, what happened, and it was exactly what you saw on film."
The Aggies return to Kyle Field for the first time since Sept. 17 to take on the Rebels. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
Subscribe to the Texas A&M Aggies Daily Blitz Podcast!
Hey 12th Man! Want to see the Aggies in action? Get your Texas A&M game tickets from SI Tickets here!
Follow AllAggies.com on Facebook and Twitter!
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Aggies? Click Here to Subscribe to the All Aggies Newsletter