Mike Elko Drops Big Marcel Reed Update After Admitting Major Blunder Leading to Aggies Heartbreak

Is Marcel Reed slated to make an even bigger splash in his second year with the Aggies? He was the game-changer of Texas A&M’s 2024 season after all. Reed not only picked up the slack after Conner Weigman tapped out, but also established a space for himself. A lot of things went awry in Mike Elko’s campaign last year. But Marcel Reed saved the program’s face. Hopes are riding high on the QB to pull the Aggies through a better season in 2025, given that Elko is making some significant upgrades in the necessary areas. Reed now has experience to back on, and is looking like a QB worth looking out for in 2025.

When Mike Elko mapped out his first roster at Texas A&M, Conner Weigman was the obvious choice under center. Marcel Reed was a freshman, raw and untested, and not part of the immediate plan. But plans change. Weigman went down, and suddenly Reed was starting college football games in high-stakes environments with little warning. What followed was something close to remarkable. Reed steadied the offense, reeled off a six-game win streak, and gave the Aggies a jolt of rhythm and resolve. The season unraveled late—A&M lost three of its final four—but an 8–5 finish with a true freshman at the helm told a fuller story.

Now, Reed is no longer a rookie. Gone is the newbie innocence in him, as he returns as a leader for the 2025 Aggies. He’s added some more muscle to his frame and stands more confidently in the team than before. Mike Elko is confident that his star QB will deliver upon the expectations placed upon the program. “I’m happy with strides he made in the throw game in the spring and I think that will continue in the summer,” he said. Reed showed huge promise throughout spring practice and the spring game. In the latter, he managed to shine despite a roughly strung-together offensive line.

Mike Elko on QB Marcel Reed: I’m happy with strides he made in the throw game in the spring and I think that will continue in the summer.”

— Olin Buchanan (@olinbuchanan) May 27, 2025

He completed 18 of his 28 passes, recorded 213 passing yards, but threw one interception. There were some points in the scrimmage where Reed displayed his running skills as well. His team unfortunately lost 19-7 in the game, but it shows that the QB has been working diligently to become a polished starter this year. He needs more work, but is on the right track. LB Taurean York said of Reed, “You’ve got some fans and you’ve got adversity going on.” Marcel Reed has clearly evolved, but he just needs to go that extra mile.

Also, Mike Elko had an admission to make about his 2024 run, making that sharp dive towards the end of the season.

Mike Elko clears the air about his 2024 woes

Until Texas A&M’s South Carolina game, Mike Elko was 7-1. At this point, the Aggies also had a good chance of competing for a playoff spot. But after November 2, all hell broke loose for the program. They could get up for one last time in the season against New Mexico State, but were beaten back down in the next two games. To cap it all off, Elko also lost the Bowl game against USC.

Here’s what Elko thinks played a part in their last season’s downfall. “It was a lot of things. One, we were in a situation we haven’t been in before. We played back-to-back night games on the road in the SEC as the team that was being hunted. I don’t know that we handled that well,” he said. Those three games completely turned around the way Texas A&M’s 2025 season was progressing. All those soaring hopes went crashing down, as Elko went 0-3 in the SEC routine last year.

One notable factor was the loss of RB Le’Veon Moss in the South Carolina game. Along with Marcel Reed, he was a weapon that lined up in the Aggies’ offense. Moss started in 9 games, totaled 765 yards and 10 TDs, while also being named as Offensive MVP by the program. Moss is set to return in 2025, as Elko confirms the RB is “100%” healthy. Ever since he went down with an injury, it seemed like the offense lost its spark. Even Marcel Reed couldn’t do much. All three games also saw slow offensive starts, which cost the Aggies greatly.

2025 will be the year Elko seeks redemption as Texas A&M’s second-year head coach. He has the goods to do better this season. After all, they were a playoff-contending team midway through the season last year. Can he prevent a repeat of 2024, as Marcel Reed takes charge?

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