Mike Elko Breaks Down Marcel Reed’s Growth Ahead of Fall Camp

Aggie head coach Mike Elko evaluates Marcel Reed's progression and what to expect next season

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) embraces head coach Mike Elko after the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Mike Elko is actively building a championship-caliber team, and the team captain needs little introduction. Marcel Reed has proven himself worthy of the QB1 job in Elko's eyes, as he continues to build an offense around young Reed.

In 2025, Reed had the season that many dream of having, with incredible stats and an eleven-win record, even landing himself in Heisman conversations. He was not always this same quarterback, though, as Elko shares on the "Always College Football" Podcast.

With major hesitancy from college football fans at the beginning of Reed's career, Elko shares a quick and solid response to how much Marcel Reed has grown as a player, and what you can expect from his production in the upcoming season.

Zero to Hero

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) looks to pass the ball during the first half against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

"He went from a guy who you guys were asking me if he could throw a football, to a Heisman contender," Elko said.

Elko sums up Reed's progression, explaining that college fans already know how much he has improved through the media's shift in narrative. He explains that all of this growth happened between year one and year two, which college football fans watched firsthand.

What does this mean for the upcoming 2026 season? If Reed hits another growth spurt during the offseason, then the sky is the limit for how he will perform against Texas A&M's brutal schedule lineup in the fall. The problem is, he did not finish as a Heisman finalist, nor did he go very far in the playoffs, and fans are wondering what needs to change in order to take a step forward.

Elko spoke on some "dips" from the quarterback last year, saying, "As he goes from year two to year three, there are certainly areas he needs to be more consistent," and "There were missed throws, missed opportunities, things of that nature."

Still, Mike Elko reassures that Reed has been tasked with improving his consistency in those areas over the offseason and has handled it exceptionally well. It is very clear that Elko believes in his QB1, just from the way he speaks about him in things like interviews or podcasts. Elko knows what Reed's ceiling is, and will continue to push him towards those flashes of excellence we saw the season prior.

Leaving one last message for the 12th Man and fans of college football around the globe, Elko said, "I think you saw him at his high levels, playing like an elite quarterback in college football."

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