It only took one sentence to make a frustrating season that much worse for Texas A&M. “Michael tore his ACL,” coach Mike Sherman told reporters on Monday regarding junior running back Christine Michael . The beefed up, mean Michael ranked fourth in the Big 12 in rushing despite being second on his own team in carries. His 899 rushing yards looked like the buildup to his first 1,000-yard season after a broken leg cut short last year’s promising season. Among the 15 Big 12 running backs with at least 100 carries, Michael was one of only four to average at least six yards a carry. Just like last season , Michael will have to sit on the sidelines while his team tries to dig itself out of an early season hole. “He’s handled it quite well actually,” Sherman said. “It’s certainly a disappointment to him and to us. He’s in a positive state of mind, at least he was last time I saw him; it’s just part of the game.” Now, part of the game for Texas A&M is relying on last season’s hero, who Michael had surpassed as the Aggies’ lead dog in the backfield. Cyrus Gray topped 100 yards in nine consecutive games from the end of last year to the beginning of this season. Texas A&M went 8-1 in those games and Gray reached the end zone 14 times in that stretch. “He’s going to have to do it again this year,” Sherman said. Gray has failed to top 60 yards rushing in three of his past four games, though he’s become a bigger threat in the passing game, catching 15 passes in the last three games. His only two touchdowns in the last four games have come on receptions. Now, he’ll be responsible for a much heavier load. Just twice since September has Gray been relied on for more than 20 carries. During his run without Michael last year, he had 20 carries in each of the final five games. “He, like all of us, is disappointed that Michael is out, but I think he plays better when he gets more carries in the game and tries to find his niche in the ball game,” Sherman said. “Hopefully that will help us move forward.” It better. So much was on the line for Texas A&M entering this season, with the SEC waiting with open arms at season’s end. At 5-4, the Aggies have been reduced to something of a punch line, a team chronically prone to second-half meltdowns. This, despite opening the season in the top 10 as a Big 12 contender. If that trend’s to change, it’s up to Gray. Just like last year.

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Texas A&M in unfortunate, familiar spot