Auburn Tigers' Plan to Stop Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed

Auburn got the best of Marcel Reed last season with a win in four overtimes, but not before he threw for 297 yards and three scores.

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed presents a dual-threat challenge for Auburn. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

When you look at the Texas A&M Aggies on offense, one name keeps jumping to the forefront: quarterback Marcel Reed.

"Obviously Marcel Reed, we saw him last year, is super twitchy and can throw, run it. They have a great running game, best running game we’ve seen," Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze said on Monday. "This will test what was just asked about, with our run defense for sure. As soon as you commit to it, they’ve got people that can really make you pay. That’s an excellent football team, one that will be in the playoff discussion for sure."

The entire Aggies offense is predicated on how well Reed performs. If Auburn has any chance to win, stopping Reed becomes an instant priority. For all of his talent, and there is considerable, he actually plays well into the Tigers' hands.

All or Nothing

Reed is an inaccurate passer.

His 58.6 completion percentage and the ensuing film show a throwing motion that struggles to repeat. Meaning, like a pitcher's delivery in baseball, having a repeatable throwing motion is a recipe for success. For many quarterbacks, there is a mental checklist, where every part of the body acts like a kinetic chain that needs to be in place to succeed.

For example, at times, Reed's front foot doesn't always plant with the stability it needs to. As a result, the ball will drift and produce a slide-like revolution out of his hand. Auburn can take advantage. Those small breaks in technique can lead to rushed or late passes. As a result, that could be a great opportunity for their much-maligned secondary to make plays.

Now, when Reed does connect, he will let the ball fly. Five of his nine touchdown passes are more than 20 yards. If he feels like his teammate has even a sliver of daylight, Reed will throw the ball. While he's only been picked off once, the quarterback likes to tempt fate. If Auburn can't capitalize on Reed's throwing, they're not going to capitalize at all this season.

MARCEL REED MAGIC

pic.twitter.com/o6dsfcomtO

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 14, 2025

Contain, Contain, Contain

Reed is a dual-threat athlete. He will tuck and run.

He is the Aggies' second-leading rusher, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. If the defense veers too wide in their rush, Reed will find the vacancy and exploit it. Auburn still can't rush Reed, but crashing down and hoping to collapse in on him is not a smart strategy. He will spin away and see nothing but wide open spaces and opportunity.

Favorite design from this week's 'Coordinator Spotlight':
Collin Klein dials up a wrinkle to get Marcel Reed's legs involved. 21p (2 RBs, 1 TE) the RBs align outside the tackle. The RB motions into a mesh point, drawing the entire 2nd level. They run C/G Ctr opposite to open a… pic.twitter.com/F23hZmBgpb

— Peyton Davis (@peytonrdavis) September 18, 2025

Opportunity

As mentioned, Reed will present the Tigers with more than one gift; whether it's a fumble or a chance at an interception, they need to pounce on the chance and make the most of it. For every dropped pick or booted fumble recovery is a lost opportunity to place more pressure on the Aggies. Making Reed need to rely on the pass to close the scoring gap needs to sit high on their list.

Reed presents the perfect opponent for Auburn when they need to win a big game. The defense must come up big and make Texas A&M bend to their will and not vice versa.