'Marcel (Reed) has been great' Texas A&M HC Mike Elko praises his QB's development
Texas A&M's 2025 season will wholly depend on starting quarterback Marcel Reed taking the next step in his development, and while most of the national media are highly skeptical, coach Mike Elko has vocally backed the redshirt sophomore based on his offseason development, and continued to do so on Tuesday night during the Forth Worth Coach's Night.
Reed is a dual-threat quarterback in every sense of the definition, flashing brilliance as a runner, while he has shown the arm strength and accuracy needed to thrive in the SEC. However, inconsistency in the pocket was a constant issue outside of a handful of games, while his poor performance in the season finale loss to Texas resulted in the national media losing confidence in the former four-star recruit.
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Still, thanks to his father, Rod Reed, we have been able to witness Marcel put the work in the offseason, working with various coaches to refine his technique as a passer, mainly working on his accuracy and quick release. In OC Collin Klein's balanced offense, Reed will need to make the tight window throws and complete enough deep passes to open up the running game, which shouldn't be an issue on paper given the influx of talent in the wide receiver room from the transfer portal.
With KC Concepcion and Mario Craver joining Terry Bussey, Ashton Bethel-Roman, Izaiah Williams, and Jonah Wilson in the 2025 WR Corps, Reed can thrive in the short to intermediate passing game given every player's ability to gain yards after contact.
On Tuesday night, Elko once again praised his QB based on the work he's put in, reminding the Aggies in the audience that during his first starting season as a redshirt freshman, mistakes are almost guaranteed, but he's on the right track regardless.
"Marcel (Reed) has been great."
"I don't think anybody really appreciates the development that Marcel made because a lot of his development happened at the end of the year when we didn't get the results that we wanted. … We have to finish those games and get the results, but if you're looking for signs of growth from the quarterback, those signs were there."
"Growth" is everything when it comes to quarterback development, and while some will see this as coach-speak, Elko has kept it real when discussing player development, especially given the importance of the 2025 campaign.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M HC Mike Elko praises his QB Marcel Reed's development
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