Texas A&M RB Says Marcel Reed Has 'Got to Get More Confident' at Passing

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed is heading into a pivotal season.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) throws the ball against the Southern California Trojans in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Texas A&M Aggies running back Rueben Owens had an honest assessment of quarterback Marcel Reed when speaking to the media Wednesday.

Owens, who spent most of last season on the sidelines recovering from a knee injury, is now prepping for his first full season with Reed. Having been around him a ton at this point, Owens thinks that Reed needs to work on his confidence as a passer.

"Marcel has been throwing pretty good," Owens said. "He's just got to get more confident in throwing because he can throw the ball."

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) looks for an open receiver as Texas Longhorns linebacker Trey Moore (8) defends during the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Texas A&M fans won't exactly like to hear that the team's starting quarterback has to get more confident as a passer. For a dual-threat like Reed, it's no secret that the consistent passing production has been a key area of potential improvement. Of course, no player is perfect and Reed is no exception. He showed flashes of that passing ability this past season but still got a major chunk of his offensive production with his legs.

In 2024, Reed went 147 of 240 passing for 1,864 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions while adding 116 carries for 547 yards and seven scores on the ground. Three of these touchdowns came in the win over LSU.

As for Owens, he made a return to the field late this past season, playing in the losses to Texas and USC at the Las Vegas Bowl. Against the Trojans, he had 13 carries for 56 yards and one catch for six yards.

In 2023, he had 101 carries for 385 yards and three touchdowns while adding 12 catches for 109 yards through the air. Owens also returned 12 kickoffs for 249 yards. His rushing yardage was third-most on the team behind Amari Daniels and Le'Veon Moss, respectively. 

"It really hurt because I felt like I was having a good fall camp and was going to have a big sophomore year," Owens said of his injury. "I just had to get through it and get to work immediately so I could get back as fast as I could."

Texas A&M will begin the season on Aug. 30 at home against UTSA.