How Marcel Reed Has Progressed As A Passer

In a rollercoaster game for sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed, the most significant surge of the Utah State game was the spectacular throw and catch that hit the open arms of wide receiver Mario Craver for a 34-yard touchdown, giving A&M an early lead.

The decline was the undisclosed injury that coach Mike Elko gave no update on, which saw Reed miss over a quarter. According to Elko, his quarterback “will be fine” after the game.

Through the hills and valleys, Reed once again maneuvered his way through bumpy stretches, revealing that nothing can stop the passer from his chemistry with his teammates.

Taking and Giving

Nov 16, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies coach Mike Elko reacts during the second quarter against the New Mexico State Aggies at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Through an evident first half where Reed was surveying the field and using his mobility, his athleticism and knowledge of the playbook helped him make the right decisions that opened up his confidence and trust in his passing skills.

“He did a really good job in the RPO game,” Elko said. “I thought they gave us a lot of open-access things, and he took it.”

An RPO, which stands for run-pass-option, is an offensive scheme that requires the quarterback to be quick in his decision-making on whether he wants to hand the ball off to a running back, throw the ball to his receiver, pitch it to the outside, or hold onto it. Based on how Reed reads the defense, it dictates who handles the ball.

That’s the formula that offensive coordinator Collin Klein has run for his dual-threat quarterback, and it has proven to work—seven touchdowns in two games.

It requires the rest of the team to make the right block and run the correct route. So far, the offensive line and receiving room have allowed Reed’s eyes to take and give him what is best to score.

In the air, the 12th Man once again witnessed the magician pull tricks out of the hat with dimes thrown to the elusive wide receivers KC Concepcion, Terry Bussey and Craver.

dropped it right in the bucket 🎯@AggieFootball x @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/M4wioHK0f6
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) September 6, 2025

These weapons not only hustled to create space, but also handled the adversity of breaking free and relying on each other, which has allowed Reed to evolve week by week. Reed has now completed 60.0 percent of his passes in eight straight games, and it’s only going to get better because of who surrounds him.

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Seven different receivers hauled in receptions against Utah State, while in the opener versus UTSA, 11 receivers registered catches. Against UTSA, Reed set his career-high for touchdowns with four and was only one shy of tying that mark.

Six of those seven touchdowns were targeted and hauled in by Concepcion or Craver, who value the friendship and bond they carry with Reed, which has assisted in their on-field chemistry.

“My connection with Marcel is growing stronger every day,” Concepcion said. “It doesn’t matter if he comes over to my house, I go over to his house, we watch film. We chill, eat. Just like playing the game, throw. It’s growing every day and can’t wait to see where it goes.”

Offensive lineman Trey Zuhn Ⅲ also chimed in earlier in the season about how great the bond is and how great it is to play with all of the returners from last season.

“We just got such a great bond and so many reps together banked together that we are just one unit,” Zuhn Ⅲ said. “Getting the quarterbacks, receivers, tight ends on the same page, it’s very cool to see. Their connection and making explosive plays down the field, it’s exciting.”

Together, the whole offense has rallied around each other, which has helped Reed buy time and scan the field, which plays another role in why Reed has logged over 500 yards in the air through two weeks.

“I’ve been the calm, cool and collected guy who’s gonna push my teammates to be their best and push myself to be my best,” Reed said before the home opener. “I try to build connections with everyone in the locker room.”