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Dave Wilson, ESPN Staff Writer
A short-handed Texas A&M team got more bad news during the TexAct Texas Bowl on Wednesday night when it lost quarterback Jaylen Henderson to an injury on the first play of the game.
Henderson jumped to avoid Oklahoma State’s Cameron Epps, who hit his legs, and Henderson fell hard on his arm. He was taken directly to the locker room and was ruled out for the rest of the game.
Henderson was replaced by Marcel Reed, a 6-2, 180-pound freshman who was the No. 175 player in the 2023 ESPN 300. Reed had attempted three passes all season coming into the game.
Henderson, a 6-3, 220-pound sophomore, began the season as the third-stringer but was thrust into the starting role when starter Conner Weigman was lost for the year and backup Max Johnson was injured. Johnson has since transferred to North Carolina.
The Aggies are playing with just three scholarship wide receivers. Leading receiver Ainias Smith is out with a broken finger, second-leading receiver Evan Stewart entered the transfer portal and Noah Thomas, who had 29 catches this year, is also out with injury.
The Aggies are led by interim coach Elijah Robinson, who replaced Jimbo Fisher when he was fired on Nov. 12. Robinson has already accepted the defensive coordinator job on Fran Brown’s staff at Syracuse. Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino departed for Arkansas after the end of the regular season, so tight ends coach James Coley is calling plays.