Mike Elko describes emotions of losing Le'Veon Moss to injury

Texas A&M was dealt a significant blow when running back Le’Veon Moss suffered a season-ending knee injury in a game against South Carolina.

He’s the second Aggies running back to be lost for the season, joining Rueben Owens.

For coach first-year Mike Elko, seeing Moss go down in the middle of a truly terrific campaign was downright gut-wrenching. The Texas A&M boss opened up on his emotions following the injury.

“The worst thing that happens, injuries are hard when you see kids really get injured like that,” Elko said on his weekly coaches radio program. “Nobody wants to see that. When you see a kid who’s worked as hard as he’s worked, put in everything he’s done to have the season that he was having and now to have to deal with the adversity of coming back from that injury, yeah, you just hate it for him and your heart breaks for the kid.”

Le’Veon Moss ran for 765 yards and 10 touchdowns on 121 carries (6.3 yards per carry), while also catching 10 passes for 141 yards.

He was the engine behind the offense.

But now the Aggies are having to shift gears; so too is Moss. He’s going to have to adjust to life without football, not knowing exactly when he’ll be able to make his return.

“We always talk about the 18- to 21-year-olds, right? And the hardest thing for them to understand is, OK, it’s a six-month recovery, it’s an eight-month recovery, but what I do in the first three weeks is as critical as what I do in the second month, is as critical as what I do in the fifth month,” Elko said of Le’Veon Moss. “And you’re just with them. I think that’s the biggest thing that we try to do, is you have to be with those guys.

“We check in on Tyreek (Chappell) all the time, we check in on Rueben, check in on Mark Nabou. They’re at all of our team meetings. They’re still at practice. You have to be around them because it’s got to be a village that helps them get through it, and I think they feel that. And when you feel it that way I think that helps.”

Le’Veon Moss is a true junior, so there’s a shot he could consider a jump to the NFL Draft following such a good season. He’ll certainly have options, whether at Texas A&M or elsewhere.

Regardless, Elko is just happy to see him in good spirits.

“He’s good. He’s in great hands,” Elko said. “Had a procedure done this morning. He’s back now in town, so we’ll get him back and get him right and get him ready to go.”