The curtains are ready to drop on the spring transfer portal soon. But as is the case with the volatile nature of player transfers, players are making their last calls to jump ship to other programs. With just one day left, Texas A&M‘s list of portal losses continues to be a growing pain for Mike Elko. The man is coming back after a lacklustre 8-5 season from last year, and was looking to go big this season. But raining down on those hopes are some O-line players, who’re ditching him to find greener pastures.

In 2024, Elko looked like he would pull the Aggies to a better score than the 2023 season, in the first half of the schedule. Up until the South Carolina game, he was 7-1, matching the number of total wins from last season. But the Gamecocks were the beginning of the Aggies’ downturn in the season. And since the Auburn loss, Elko and Co. nosedived into a streak of defeats. A key problem was its offense, which was battered with a series of injuries. “We’ve got to finish better. We’ve got to lock in to be able to perform in those critical situations. Every inch matters,” OC Colin Kleinman told the press after spring practice.

He won’t be happy with what the portal ended up taking away from his chance at redemption. TE Eric Karner is the latest name to join Texas A&M‘s list of players leaving for the portal. A 2024 recruit, Karner was expected to take on a bigger role this year. He sat out of game action last season, but is taking his skills elsewhere now. He has a career total of 435 yards and 7 touchdowns from his high school years. Before enrolling at A&M, Karner had offers from Michigan State, Florida, Iowa, and even juggernaut Alabama. There’s a chance programs will be in pursuit of him now in the portal as well.

Karner is one of a slew of portal losses for Mike Elko. His biggest blows are the losses of WRs Micah Hudson and Ernest Campbell. Hudson looked like a great addition to the Aggies’ WR room after Noah Thomas entered the previous portal. The former Texas Tech WR played for just one season, recording 8 receptions for 123 yards. Hudson left the Aggies just after a month of arriving at College Station. Campbell, on the other hand, was yet to receive game time. Another portal departure is Sam Salz, who is entering the portal with one year of eligibility.

It doesn’t end here for a frustrated Mike Elko. The HC also has some serious work lying ahead in developing Marcel Reed as his starter. And it won’t be easy for him, because confidence about Reed’s prowess is dangerously low.

Mike Elko receives troubling intel on Marcel Reed

Reed proved to be a spark of hope when he played his first game of 2024 against LSU. Based on his performance from last year, the QB1 still looks like a grey area for Mike Elko. He’s good, but has a long way to go to be called great. And Elko needs great right now, because a lot of the Aggies’ offense depends on Reed’s skills. Mike Bratton of That SEC Football Podcast said, “Is there a returning starting quarterback in the SEC that I think the overall SEC fans have less confidence in than Marcel Reed?” Cousin Shane replied, “I think Reed is the one.” In that LSU game, Reed produced five touchdown drives. But since then, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the QB.

But Reed is just one part of the problem. Sure, he lacks accuracy everywhere, and he struggles with pocket pressure. But that losing streak can’t all be put on his shoulders. “It’s about the relationship with the offensive line, where they know exactly what you’re doing and where you’re about to be. It’s the wide receivers and the timing.” The whole offense was poor, which Elko has to take note of. Connor Weigman is now at Houston, so the HC does not have a lot of options to look at.

Reed has a slew of problems to be worked on, which is a priority task for Mike Elko at the moment. He cannot afford for the QB to still carry that ‘boom-or-bust’ tag with him into this season. Reed has to be the guy from the minute the season begins. For now, it doesn’t look like Elko is having an easy spring either, after losing 4 players to the portal in quick succession.