Why Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed Deserves More Recognition

At this point last season, Texas A&M had a Heisman candidate at quarterback, or so it thought.

Conner Weigman had shown flashes throughout his entire career in Aggieland. He looked poised to be the next great Texas A&M quarterback. After an AC joint injury derailed the game against Notre Dame, and eventually his time in College Station, the Aggies looked towards raw, then-redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed to right the ship.

Almost immediately, Reed stepped into the starting role, and it seemed like he owned that position. He provided a breath of fresh air that the team definitely needed, and it showed on the field.

Will Marcel Reed Improve in 2025?

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko looks on in the first quarter against the Missouri Tigers at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

In the initial episode of Aggie Football Hour with Mike Elko, Andrew Monaco and Elko discussed Reed quite a bit, and for good reason.

In his 2024 performance, Reed completed 147 of his 240 passing attempts for 1,864 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions while boasting a 142.1 passer rating. On top of his prowess as a passer, he is a glaring threat in the run game as well. On the ground, Reed carried the ball 116 times for 547 yards and seven touchdowns.

“There was a lot thrown at him last year,” Elko said. “I don’t think he gets the respect for the year he had given the circumstances around him.”

Reed was thrust into a pretty compromising situation. He was replacing a fan-favorite projected Heisman candidate who had multiple starts under his belt, was thrown into multiple games and expected to bail the Aggies out, and had to figure out being the starting quarterback for a Power Four football program as a redshirt freshman.

While Reed was not the greatest passer last season, he still did enough to get the job done, as evidenced by his impressive passer rating. He definitely has room to improve, and that is something Reed has been working on heading into 2025.

“He understands how the reps in practice translate over to a game,” Elko said. “We’re real excited to see his development.”

Reed will get a chance to showcase his improvement when the UTSA Roadrunners come to Kyle Field Saturday night. The game should not lack great quarterback play. The Roadrunners are led by Owen McCown, son of longtime NFL quarterback Josh McCown. Last season, McCown averaged over 260 passing yards per game and threw for 25 touchdowns. Between the two quarterbacks, expect the ball to be in the air quite a bit Saturday night.