Mike Elko Sets Goals For Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed in Second Year as Starter

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko looks to improve on both Marcel Reed's second season as a starter and his own as a coach.

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) calls a play during the first quarter against the Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns defeated the Aggies 17-7 at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed took the 12th Man by storm this past season with his Lamar Jackson style of play.

Taking full control of the team in the second half of the conference game against LSU in relief of a dismal performance by Conner Weigman, Reed wowed the home crowd with three consecutive scoring drives out of the halftime tunnel and leading the Maroon and White to a thrilling comeback that resulted in a 38-23 win.

Unfortunately, it seems that this was really where the good times ended for the redshirt freshman out of Nashville.

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs with the ball during the fourth quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Aside from the win against New Mexico State, Reed struggled in the remaining conference games against South Carolina, Auburn, and in the regular season finale against Texas, all of which resulted in losses and quickly buried Texas A&M's playoff hopes.

And even in their bowl game against the USC Trojans, Reed and the Aggies' offense played a solid first three quarters of the game and were out to a multi-score lead at one point.

The only problem is that football is four quarters, not three, and once the A&M offense stalled in the fourth quarter, we all know what followed afterwards.

While many believed that Reed lacked the maturity required for such a big role, others believed that he would fit in perfectly as time went by.

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko would be in that latter group that believes time will work its magic on Reed and rightfully expects growth from his star signal caller in his first full year as the team leader, especially with his arm.

"I think he just needs a better comfortability with the offense, in particular the throwing game," Elko said."I think Marcel is really talented, I think he's got the ability to make every throw on the field. What he really needs is that natural, one year development in terms of confidence in read progressions, knowing where the ball should go, getting it out on time and getting it out accurately and I think he's really been hard at work for the last five months, making sure that he's a master of this system and what he wants to do."

Reed will have plenty of time to master said system before the Aggies open up their 2025 season at home against the UTSA Roadrunners on August 30.

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