Mike Elko reveals Texas A&M OL, potential starter, to miss beginning of season
By Derek Hryn
Published:
Texas A&M will be without one of its most experienced offensive linemen to kick off the 2025 season.
Head coach Mike Elko confirmed Monday that senior offensive lineman Reuben “Deuce” Fatheree is sidelined with a lower-leg injury and will miss “the first few games” of the season. This comes after the devastating announcement that prized freshman wide receiver Jerome Myles and second-year lineman Isendre Ahfua were ruled out for the season.
Fatheree, who has 41 career appearances for the Aggies, was expected to be a starter or the offensive line’s sixth man. A former 4-star recruit and multi-sport athlete out of Richmond, Texas, Fatheree broke onto the scene in 2021 as a Freshman All-American, starting eight games and grading among the SEC’s top run blockers.
He followed that up with a strong sophomore season in 2022, starting all 12 games and logging 785 snaps while ranking among the conference’s best tackles in both run and pass protection.
A&M will now rely heavily on junior guard Chase Bisontis and RS senior Dametrious Crownover to hold down the line. While Elko and the Aggies remain confident in their depth, Fatheree’s absence will be a challenge to overcome as they head into the season opener against UTSA on Aug. 30.
