2 Ways Marcel Reed Needs to Improve for Texas A&M in 2026

The Texas A&M Aggies had one of their best seasons in program history, finally breaking through and making the school's first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.

Some of that success came from quarterback Marcel Reed, who turned a career-defining season into a late push for a Heisman campaign. Now, though, it is time for the Aggies signal-caller to build off of that success and take the next step forward as one of the better quarterbacks in the country.

To do that, Reed will need to improve in two critical areas: ball security and patience in the pocket. Should he do that, and another Heisman campaign could be in the script for the 2026 season.

Trust Your Abilities

Texas A&M Aggies Quarterback Marcel Reed — Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) eludes the tackle of Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (3) during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

It's no secret that Reed struggled with turnovers on the year, primarily with interceptions. He threw 12 of them on the year, which ranked 121st in the country, severely hampering what was otherwise a really good season for the Aggies' signal-caller.

More importantly, though, the interceptions came at some of the biggest times. Four of them came in the final two games, and were also their only two losses of the season. Without a clean game and struggling against two of the top defenses in the country, it led to forced throws, resulting in a spike in interceptions.

Furthermore, seven of his 12 interceptions came against ranked opponents, with two against the LSU Tigers and one against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Oftentimes, feeling "forced" to make a play, as Aggies head coach Mike Elko put it, it led to undesirable outcomes. If he can fix that, primarily by being more patient in the pocket, his performances should follow suit.

Being patient and concise isn't a blanket statement, though. In fact, he averaged 2.99 seconds per throw last season, ranking 12th in the country, according to PFF. Reed also had 50 scrambles on the season, the fourth-highest mark in the country, despite having the time to throw.

With a rushing capability more than useful, Reed's legs are certainly a weapon for the offense, but at times, they were also used as a crutch. Some of his interceptions came at times where he looked undecided on committing to the throw or taking off for some positive yardage, which led to a result worse than had he just picked one.

As he continues to grow and mature, and the speed of SEC play slows for him, Reed will become more decisive in his decision-making. That will allow him to go through his progressions, make the right reads, and deliver a strike to his receivers, as he showed multiple times throughout the 2025 season, he is capable of doing.

If Reed can fix both of these issues, a middle-of-the-season Heisman conversation could quickly turn into a season-long ordeal and land him in New York for the ceremony at the season's end.

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