Monday Notebook: Texas A&M loses WR Cyrus Allen for remainder of season

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - Texas A&M transfer wide receiver Cyrus Allen will miss the remainder of the season due to an arm injury that will require surgery, head coach Mike Elko confirmed Monday.

Allen was injured while making a nine-yard catch from Marcel Reed with approximately six minutes left in the first quarter. After securing the grab on a dive, Reed immediately jogged to the sideline with his arm dangling. He did not return to the game.

"He'll have surgery on his arm and hopefully we'll get him back sooner rather than later, but we won't have him the rest of the year," confirmed Elko.

The junior Louisiana Tech transfer has caught 18 passes this season for 269 yards and a touchdown. He ranks third on the team in receiving yards behind Noah Thomas and Jabre Barber.

Saturday, senior Moose Muhammad III and sophomore Jacob Bostick filled the void left by Allen. Muhammad had one six-yard grab for a touchdown in the game.

"Obviously, we rolled a lot of different guys in there and those two were part of it," Elko said. "Jacob's different. Jacob's a younger kid who, I still think, is growing and getting better every single week and we've talked a lot about Moose and still just trying to find that consistency of performance from him. But obviously, somebody's going to have to step up as we go down the stretch and Moose is certainly a kid who's capable of doing that for us."

Allen joins a list of three other players who have officially been named out for the season: Center Mark Nabou Jr., defensive back Tyreek Chappell, and running back Le'Veon Moss. Fellow running back Rueben Owens has missed the entire season but could potentially be available if the Aggies make a deep postseason run, as Elko said earlier in the season.

A kind gesture

As time wound down Saturday on A&M's 38-3 win over New Mexico State, reamining fans in the stands got a glimpse into the future.

Freshman quarterback Miles O'Neil conducted the Aggie offense for the final drive of the game, which ended with a five-yard touchdown pass from O'Neil to fellow freshman wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman. It was the first college touchdown for the pair.

"Obviously, I'm really happy for them and it's a cool moment for them," expressed Elko after the game. "It's one they'll remember forever."

Thanks to fellow quarterback Marcel Reed, O'Neil will have a keepsake from the moment. After the touchdown pass, Reed ran over to get the ball used in the play and gave it to the freshman quarterback after the game.

Reed said he did not remember to ask for the ball after his first collegiate touchdown against Abilene Christian last season.

"I didn't receive the ball, so I made sure Miles got the ball after he threw his touchdown... I walked over to Miles, stuffed it in his helmet and he was like, 'thank you,'" Reed recalled after the game.

Players of the week

Tight end Theo Melin Öhrström was a new addition to the team's players of the week after his performance against New Mexico State. The Swede nearly tripled-up his career receiving yards in the game with 111 on five catches.

Before the game, Melin Öhrström joked with Reed that he needed to pick up his third touchdown of the season against New Mexico State. As the game wore on and a score became unlikely, Reed told him they would get him above 100 receiving yards instead.

"Me and Theo are pretty close," added Reed after Saturday's game. "He's gotten a lot better since last year and it's great to see his improvement."

Here are the rest of the players of the week, announced by Elko Monday:

Offensive line: OT Trey Zuhn III, OG Ar'maj Reed-Adams

Defensive line: DE Nic Scourton

Offensive: TE Theo Melin Öhrström

Defensive: DE Malick Sylla

Special teams: S Bryce Anderson