Texas A&M wide receiver Mario Craver did not play in Saturday’s college football game against The Citadel. His cryptic post on Instagram alluded to what kept him out of the lineup but did raised more questions than answers.
It could either be in reference an undisclosed injury or mental health issues, or both, or neither.
You never know what a college football player might be thinking when he posts on social media. The Aggies would likely prefer that he stay off of the internet during his absence from the lineup.
Mario Craver is dealing with an injury— or injuries.
Although he does not lead the team in yardage or touchdowns, no other player on the Texas A&M football team has caught more passes than Mario Craver. And it’s not particularly close.
Craver caught 24 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns in the first six games of the season. Isaiah Horton caught 19. The next closest total is running back Ruben Owens and tight end Houston Thomas with nine. Wide receivers Terry Bussey and Ashton Bethel-Roman have seven.
Craver was listed on the injury report prior to the last two games against Missouri and Arkansas. He played in both games but his production saw a significant drop from the beginning of the season and last season. Head coach Mike Elko confirmed that his top pass-catcher sustained multiple injuries during games. He did not get hurt during practice.
“To whatever degree we can utilize Mario in games in the degree that we’re going to utilize him in games. Regardless of whether we’re having success or struggling, we’re going to try to get Mario on the field as much as Mario is physically capable of being on the field.”
Fair enough. Craver is hurt so the Aggies aren’t able to use him they way they normally would.
A cryptic post on Instagram is cause for concern.
Texas A&M entered Saturday’s college football game against the Citadel off a blowout loss to Mizzou at 3-3. Multiple starters were not dressed out for pregame and Mario Craver was one of them.
He did not play.
Given Elko’s comments about his star wide receiver’s injuries, it would be easy to assume that he chose to rest some of his best players against an inferior opponent so they can get healthy. The Aggies could beat the Bulldogs with their third-stringers.
However, Craver made the following post on Instagram on Saturday morning:
What does it mean? Craver would have to answer that question. Maybe he is making reference to his injury. Maybe it is something deeper. Perhaps this is a sign of the times. The moral in College Station is low!