Jabre Barber injury update: Mike Elko provides target date for return

On Monday, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko revealed wide receiver Jabre Barber is expected to miss several more weeks due to injury. Barber was unavailable in Texas A&M’s first two games, as well.

“Still a couple of weeks away,” Elko said about Barber’s status, per TexAgs.com. “We kind of targeted the Arkansas game as the right timing, and it’s probably still that.”

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Texas A&M does not play Arkansas until Sept. 28. Elko’s update is a stark contrast from previous expectations. Only hours before the game against McNeese State on Saturday, KBTX’s Travis Brown reported that he expected Barber to suit up.

Earlier in the week, Elko also provided a seemingly positive perspective on Barber’s recovery.

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“Yeah, I think he’s progressing and I think we’re getting a little bit closer,” Elko said. “I don’t know if I have a firm grip on exactly when we’ll be able to get him back out there, but I think he’s for sure getting closer and we’re excited to get him out there.”

Now, there’s no confusion about Barber’s return. Barber was one of the team’s key offseason acquisitions from the NCAA transfer portal, arriving in College Station after spending four years at Troy.

However, he suffered an injury to his foot that required surgery this spring, sidelining him for several months. An exact timetable for a return hasn’t been established, but the Aggies are hopeful he can still contribute this fall.

If he can, Barber could offer a significant upgrade in the receiving corps.

In total at Troy, Barber caught 132 passes for 1,674 yards, good for over a dozen yards per reception, and 10 touchdowns. He also returned 25 kicks for 285 yards. He returned 16 punts for 83 yards at an average of 5.2 yards and nine kickoffs for 202 yards at 22.4 per return.

Barber was Troy’s leading receiver in 2023. He finished with 75 catches for 999 yards, good for 13.3 per reception, and five touchdowns. The receptions, yardage, and scores were all career highs through his three seasons playing and four years in college. He also made three kick returns for 58 yards, good for 19.3 per kick, along with all of his punt coverage.

With or without Jabre Barber, the Aggies will square off against the Florida Gators on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on ABC.