Texas A&M Backup QB Praised by Mike Elko

Marcel Reed saw his initial game time appearance with the first string offense in blowout of McNeese last Saturday.

Sep 7, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs the ball against the McNeese State Cowboys during the second quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images / Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed saw his first game action with the starting offense last week against McNeese when he spelled Conner Weigman in the first half with the game already in hand.

Texas A&M won 52-10.

With a comfortable 35-0 lead with 4:30 left to play in the first half, Elko wanted to see Reed operate with the first-string offense. Reed had the balance of the first half and the first drive of the second half to run with the first team.

Reed finished 5-of-11 for 71 yards.

"The the biggest thing we really wanted to do was we wanted to give Marcel a chance to play with the 1st offense. That was something that was important to us, you know. Obviously, if you look at football. there's a good opportunity at some point," Elko said. "Your backup quarterbacks gonna have to go out there and and win you a football game. And so you know what we didn't want to do was have to play the starters deep into the third quarter in order to get Marcel work with that group."

Sep 7, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman (15) runs the ball against the McNeese State Cowboys during the second quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images / Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Reed could get pressed into action at any moment when there is an actual game riding on the line. Elko wanted to make sure he got quality repetitions with the first-team before the starters were pulled after the start the third quarter.

"So we wanted to kind of make that change early to let Marcel go out there and and get some quality reps before we, you know, went to the full second string," Elko said. "So he got the drive at the end of the first half he got the drive at the start of the second half, and then we really started emptying the bench on offense, but it was really good for him to get out there and get those those drives with those guys."

Reed earned the No. 2 position at the end of fall camp, Elko said. It was a tough battle for the backup position, but Elko has confidence in Reed, should Weigman be forced to leave a game early due to injury.

"That was a heated competition between all of those quarterbacks. It was a competition for Number One, and then it was a competition for Number 2," Elko said. "And yeah, we we think Marcel's a young kid that's got tremendous arm talent. He's obviously got an ability with his feet to make things happen."

Elko liked what he saw of Reed in the McNeese game. He also said his play was indicative of what he saw during spring and fall camp.

"We felt like the offense functioned really well with him in there," Elko said. "I thought he had a really good spring game and then I thought he had a really good fall camp. And so we're really confident with Marcel and what he's capable of anytime he gets on the field."