Now, how do you even sum up Mike Elko’s first year as the head coach at Texas A&M? One word—disastrous. But can you really pin it all on him? After all, he took Jimbo Fisher’s seat that was already hot. Sure, Elko and the Aggies got off to a solid 7-win run, but their Natty dreams were crashed. And now, heading into the 2025 season, they’re trying to pick up the pieces from that failed mission—with a quarterback the fanbase still doesn’t fully believe in: Marcel Reed.

Reed is hitting the U-turn and coming back for another season. But let’s just say—Aggieland is not jumping with joy. Confidence in him is still pretty shaky. And just as doubt continues to creep in, a college football analyst came in with a much more polished, almost whitewashed perspective on the situation.

Statistically, the 2024 season wasn’t a total washout for Reed. He threw for 1,864 yards and 15 touchdowns. If you combine the last two years, that adds up to 2,238 yards and 16 touchdowns—not elite, but respectable. Up until the LSU game, A&M was sitting at six wins with just one loss. Reed’s time in the spotlight came after starting QB Connor Weigman went down. In fact, even when Weigman was there, he wasn’t able to save the game against the Tigers. Reed produced three back-to-back scoring drives that turned the game around for the Aggies. But after that? The Aggies dropped three straight, and Reed couldn’t make a statement in any of them. That’s when the skepticism really started brewing….

On the April 22nd episode of That SEC Football Podcast, analysts SEC Mike and Cousin Shane dove into Reed’s situation. Mike asked, “Is there a returning starting quarterback in the SEC that I think the overall SEC fans have less confidence in than Marcel Reed?” Shane’s response? Nico Iamaleava used to be in that convo, but since he left the SEC, “I think Reed is the one.” Shane added, “It’s kind of funny; not funny it’s sad. But I’ve talked about this multiple times. Would you be surprised in November if we’re not talking about Reed as one of the best quarterbacks in this conference? I wouldn’t be blown away.”

Still, there are clear flaws in Reed’s game. He’s struggled in the pocket, and downfield accuracy has been a consistent problem. But Shane was quick to point out—it’s not all on him. “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.” Valid point. Reed hasn’t exactly had a dream setup.

And it’s not getting any easier in 2025. A&M’s schedule is brutal. There’s a rough stretch in late October and November, and even before that, Week 3 has them traveling to Notre Dame. That’s followed by Auburn. Shane laid it out: “Those are two losable games that Texas A&M fans do not want to lose… Having Reed back gives you a better opportunity to really shock the conference, if you will, because everyone will be scratching their heads if you come out here and punch Notre Dame in the mouth.”

Reed may not get his flowers early in the season, but if he can hang tough through that stretch, the narrative could shift. That is, of course, if he gets some protection and weapons—two things Mike Elko just got bad news about.

Mike Elko and the Aggies take a spring hit

Injury gods clearly haven’t taken a break. During Texas A&M’s Maroon & White spring game on April 19, there was plenty to be happy about. Improvements were seen across quarterback, wide receiver, and the defensive pass rush. Freshman EDGE Marco Jones put on a show with five sacks and six tackles for loss. And the transfer portal picks looked sharp too. Dayon Hayes, T.J. Searcy, and Tyler Odyedem kept crashing the backfield.

The wide receiver group? Glow-up mode activated. Transfers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver looked like Reed’s go-to guys already. They brought a mix of speed, clean routes, and burst—exactly what A&M needed.

But one major piece of the puzzle was missing: Jerome Myles, the five-star WR out of Corner Canyon High. Myles signed with the Aggies on December 4, 2024, and came with serious credentials. Back at West Jordan (Utah) as a sophomore, he racked up 699 yards and 8 touchdowns on 34 receptions. Big-time potential. But fans didn’t get to see him in action at the spring game—he’s currently sidelined with a knee injury.

Mike Elko provided an update, saying, “Jerome Myles was here today. He has all the physical characteristics to be a great player… He is coming back from a knee injury. Without question, he will add a lot of value to our program.” Fingers crossed for a fast recovery, because if there’s one thing Marcel Reed desperately needs, it’s a big-bodied wideout to replace Noah Thomas and give this offense some balance.