COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Going into the second week of the 2024 college football season, Texas A&M will be moving forward without another starting offensive player due to a season-ending injury.
Starting center Mark Nabou, who won the starting job for A&M's first game of the season against Notre Dame, got injured during the first quarter and did not return. Utah transfer Kolinu’u Faaiu finished the game in his stead.
“Mark Nabou, unfortunately, is going to be out for the rest of the year and that’s kind of what led to (Kolinu’u) playing a lot more,” Elko said in a press conference on Monday. “I think the plan originally was a little bit more rotation, but unfortunately, Mark’s going to be out for the rest of the year, and so, (Kolinu’u) now, obviously, had to step up and play the majority of the game at center for us.”
While Elko has reported that Nabou's injury was a lower leg injury, On3 has stated his injury is a torn ACL.
Faaiu joined A&M after spending the past couple of years with the Utes and was a part of the team's 2021 and 2022 rosters that won the Pac-12 championship under Kyle Whittingham. His addition to the Aggie offensive line was a much needed one, as previous starter Bryce Foster, who during the spring was competing with the track and field team, ended up transferring to Kansas.
A released depth chart for Texas A&M's week two matchup against McNeese remained unchanged from the prior week, but did not include another center backup despite Nabou's injury. Another possible backup can come at one of the other linemen, as during fall camp, Elko noted that three offensive linemen were in the mix for the starting center job: Nabou, Faaiu, and Kam Dewberry, who is listed at left guard behind Chase Bisontis.