Aggies, Hogs take different routes to same record

FAYETTEVILLE — If the Texas A&M Aggies still had Nick Starkel’s arm, Arkansas might be more beset today by Kellen Mond’s legs.

Even with graduate transfer starting quarterback Starkel now on Arkansas’ side instead of A&M’s, the Razorbacks could be plenty beset by Mond’s ability as a running quarterback.

Coach Chad Morris’ Razorbacks, 2-2, 0-1 in the SEC, and Coach Jimbo Fisher’s Aggies, also 2-2, 0-1 in the SEC, meet today at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium.

Arkansas and Texas A&M share identical records but aren’t viewed identically. The Razorbacks are perceived wallowing among the lowest of the low after losing last Saturday in Fayetteville to 21-point underdog San Jose State.

A&M’s losses are to No.1-ranked Clemson, the reigning national champion, and undefeated SEC West rival Auburn, No. 7 in both the AP and Coaches polls.

Nationally 11th and 12th in the Coaches and AP preseason polls, A&M still adorns the Top 25. A&M rates 21 by the coaches and 23 by AP.

The rankings don’t compute to identical records, but Arkansas and A&M share an identical problem. Last week both passed too much because running produced too little then was abandoned playing catchup.

A&M ran into trouble since Game 2, losing top running back Jashaun Corbin to a season-ending injury. Aggies replacement running backs Jacob Kibodi and Isaiah Spiller combined for but 30 yards on 12 carries against Auburn.

Mond, whose dual threat abilities last year beat out former A&M starter Starkel for the starting job and triggering Starkel’s move to Arkansas, likely now is A&M’s best runner. He may have to operate accordingly.

“Kellen is very capable of doing that and handling that,” Fisher said Monday. “That’s something we’ll look at no doubt.”

But with every carry a quarterback increases injury risk. Instead of former starter Starkel, A&M’s backup quarterbacks are unproven.

Hence by Wednesday, Fisher hedged on increasing Mond’s totes.

“He possibly could or he could possibly not,” Fisher said. “There are some things we can get to (presumably with Kibodi and Spiller) that we believe can help us. We have those (running Mond) schemes if we want, at the same time we believe in what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. So we’ll see how we go.:

Morris said he “fully expects,” Mond to come running today.

“When you look at some of the breakdowns we’ve had in a few of the contain areas,” Morris said, shuddering at what non-running San Jose State quarterback Josh Love could have done besides passing 402 yards last week.

“That quarterback could have run the football on a few occasions and he didn’t. I think we definitely are going to have to be on high alert.”

Meanwhile, Morris said he must be more patient establishing Arkansas’ running game utilizing proven running backs Rakeem Boyd and Devwah Whaley.

That stay away from catch-up patience depends greatly on Arkansas grasping an immediate handle on Mond whatever he does.