Texas A&M Aggies QB Marcel Reed Delivers 'Special' Performance In Loss To Oklahoma State
HOUSTON -- Marcel Reed stapped his helmet and began tossing balls with one of the Texas A&M receivers as coaches took the field. He didn't need confirmation to know it was his time to shine.
Reed took over as the Aggies' starting quarterback one play into the game at the TaxAct Texas Bowl against No. 20 Oklahoma State. He was nervous, to say the least, delivering a missile into the chest of tight end Max Wright on his first pass attempt.
No one expected a true freshman to be the stable force on offense at NRG Stadium Wednesday evening, but in a season filled with twists and turns, what's one more added to the puzzle? Minus securing the win, Reed did more than impress against the Cowboys' defense.
Most A&M fans will forget the 31-23 score by the end of the week, but they'll remember Reed's performance and carry hope over into the spring.
Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs with the ball as Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker Nickolas Martin (4) attempts to make a tackle during the first quarter at NRG Stadium.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
“The way he came out in the second half and helped us put points on the board and the way that he did — when I saw him do that, I was like, “All right, he’s locked in,’” Wright said.
Jaylen Henderson's season came to an end after connecting with Jahdae Walker for an 11-yard gain. The sophomore rolled outside the pocket to give himself a second chance but collided with a Cowboys' defender and went airborne.
Henderson rolled on the turf and waited for medical assistance after landing awkwardly on his non-throwing shoulder. Trainers immediately placed him in an air cast and proceeded to take him back to the locker room for X-rays.
As for the Aggies and interim coach Elijah Robinson, they turned to Reed, a four-star from Nashville’s Montgomery Bell Academy who had only seen a handful of reps against Abilene Christian. The good news? Robinson said Henderson and Reed possess similar skills, so the offensive approach didn't need a switch-up.
It's a good thing, too. New offensive coordinator Collin Klein should be able to finely tune the little kinks that could turn Reed into a stalwart SEC passer. Reed finished with 361 passing yards and a 20-yard rushing touchdown while completing 61 percent of his throws.
Those watching from the A&M sidelines didn't have to marvel as a rhythm formed on the field midway through the second quarter. Walk-on linebacker Sam Mathews, who played defensive back in place of Demani Richardson, often remembers watching Reed make similar plays on the scout team in practice.
“Talk about off-platform throws. Just making defenders look silly,” Mathews said. “I mean, you guys got a brief look at it tonight. He’s really shifty and he can sling the ball.”
While Reed never found the end zone through the air, he built a rapport with Walker. The two connected on three gains of over 20 yards, including a 36-yard pass to set up an Amari Daniels' 2-yard touchdown run.
After trailing by 18 at halftime, the Aggies responded to make things interesting. Punts turned to points. Three-and-outs turn into long-winded drives that put Reed and the offense deep into Cowboys' territory.
"He was making really smart decisions and good reads," Wright said of Reed. "Standing back there with a little bit of poise, even with bullets flying at him."
Walker finished with a career-best 126 receiving yards. Moose Muhammad hauled in three catches for 68 yards, while Wright capped off his A&M career with a 62-yard outing in front of the home crowd.
Henderson, who should return to College Station and compete for the starting job alongside Conner Weigman, watched as A&M totaled 445 yards of offense and Reed made magic. His 361 passing yards were second-most for an Aggie quarterback this season behind Weigman's 399-yard game against Louisiana-Monroe.
“The biggest thing I thought that he can learn from this is he doesn’t have to win the game for us on just one play,” Robinson said of Reed's performance. “He can just stick to the process.”
After forcing an OSU missed 47-yard field goal, Reed took the field with 15 seconds and a chance to tie the game. He connected with Walker for a gain of 27 yards, but the clock kept rolling. After a spike, the Aggies were looking at second-and-10 with two seconds remaining.
Reed heaved a deep ball to the center of the end zone, but OSU's Kendal Daniels was baiting the freshman downfield. The interception secured the victory and the eighth double-digit win season for Mike Gundy in Stillwater.
A&M, down 31 scholarship players prior to kickoff, lost on the scoreboard. But looking into the future at quarterback, the Aggies might have won for the long term at the game's most important position.
Weigman proved last fall he's capable of leading the Aggies to victory. Henderson showed poise when taking over for Max Johson for the final three games. As for Reed? He did more with less.
Imagine what he could do with an entire starting lineup?
"I have high hopes for the kid," said Mathews. "I think he's going to take us far."
