The Texas A&M Aggies suffered a couple of big loss in Week 1, the biggest one coming on the scoreboard when they collapsed against UCLA.

The other came when starting QB Nick Starkel went down with a broken ankle. He had surgery shortly after and was expected to miss the rest of the season.

However, on Tuesday, coach Kevin Sumlin was coy with his response when asked if Starkel could be available after the Aggies’ bye next weekend:

Even if Starkel is able to play, though, freshman Kellen Mond has been steadily improving as the season has gone on.

This is Mond’s team now, and if Starkel isn’t fully healthy, it doesn’t make much sense to throw him into a game against an SEC opponent.

The best bet for Starkel, who is only a redshirt freshman, may be to sit this year out. That way, there’s a chance he could get a sixth year of eligibility via a medical redshirt should the situation arise.