Did Marcel Reed Close Door on Texas A&M QB Debate?

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed should the starter in College Station for the remainder of the season.

Sep 14, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs with the ball against the Florida Gators during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Texas A&M Aggies entered Saturday's SEC opener against the Florida Gators with some major questions surrounding their quarterback room after Conner Weigman popped up on the injury report late in the week.

With Weigman not at 100 percent due to an injury in his throwing shoulder, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko elected to start Marcel Reed. And after his impressive performance, the Aggies shouldn't look back after making a decision that might have provided the spark they needed to jump-start their season.

Reed showed off his dual-threat ability and arm strength, leading A&M to a 33-20 win on the road after a lightning delay sent both teams to the locker room at the end of the first quarter. Reed clearly stayed warm during the delay, as he finished 11 of 17 passing for 178 yards, two touchdowns and no picks while rushing 13 times for 83 yards and a score.

After the game, Elko failed to commit to Reed as the long-term starter. If he puts together another big performance against Bowling Green next week, the coaching staff should have little hesitation to make Reed the QB1 until further notice, regardless of Weigman's health.

Sep 14, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) throws the ball against the Florida Gators during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

“Marcel won the backup job," Elko said. "We think (Jaylen) Henderson is a good QB. We prepare QBs. It’s not like we have been preparing only one QB. Marcel has been getting a ton of reps.”

Weigman's injury occurred during the loss to Notre Dame, which likely contributed to his poor performance in the season opener.

However, even when healthy, it's clear that Reed brings an electricity to the offense that Weigman lacks. Whether it's deep passes down the field or impromptu plays with his legs, the Aggies are better off with Reed handling the reins.

Does he still have tons to prove? Of course. Just like every quarterback, he'll have his fair share of mistakes as the season goes on. He also had the luxury of playing with a lead on Saturday against Florida, which allowed the Aggies to commit to the ground game and get a big day from Le'Veon Moss.

When the Aggies have to transition to a more pass-happy game script down the line, it's unclear how Reed will perform.

But worrying about what will or won't happen is irrelevant. It's about what did happen on Saturday. If the A&M coaching staff wants to do what's best for the sake of the team this season, they'll continue to ride this wave and make Reed the conductor of the offense until the train falls off the tracks.