Texas A&M Duo Should Be Good To Go vs. Florida

Texas A&M Aggies coach Mike Elko provided an injury update ahead of Saturday's SEC opener vs. Florida.

Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko high fives players as they exit the field during the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The Texas A&M Aggies will be getting some of their depth back on Saturday as they travel to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators.

The offensive backfield. which is already missing running back Rueben Owens, will likely see the return of EJ Smith, the transfer from Stanford who looked good in the season-opening loss to Notre Dame.

"I think we should be really good. EJ. Smith was kind of a game-time decision," Texas A&M coach Mike Elko said Thursday. "We've had him back. He's been been rip roaring, ready to go and practice all week."

Elko also said Scooby Williams will be back as well.

Florida Gators linebacker Scooby Williams (17) celebrates a stop during the first half against the Florida State Seminoles at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 25, 2023. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun] / Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

"Scooby Williams will be back and then we're excited to get him back out there," Elko said.. "I'm blanking on, there was one more and I'm blanking on who was there."

One player who still needs more time, is wide receiver Jabri Barber. He might still need another few weeks.

"That was a nice one. That was a nice one. So yeah, we're still, you know, unfortunately still trying to work him through some some load management stuff because he obviously hasn't been able to run an awful lot, but it's good," Elko said.

When exactly he'll be back is still up in the air, but, Elko said it was good to see Barber out on the practice field, even if he was working off to the side.

"It's good to get him back out there," Elko said. "It's good to get him on his feet and just kind of start to break him back in for the back half of the season."

Aggie tight end Donovan Green, a redshirt sophomore, also appears ready to come back very soon. It is a testament to how hard he worked to be ready to play, according to Elko. Green suffered a season-ending ACL injury in last fall's training camp.

According to Elko, his rehab is almost near complete.

"He's such a great kid and he works so hard, And, you know, unfortunately, he's still just kind of trying to get back to the form that he knows he can be and continue to work and continue to have good weeks," Elko said. "And he had a better week this week. But he's just, yeah, just trying to get that knee back, move in the way he's comfortable moving and the way he used to before the injury. And so we'll continue to work him through that process.”