Mike Elko didn’t shy away from the obvious question after Texas A&M’s 31-20 loss to Alabama: yes, he thought about pulling Marcel Reed.
The Aggies led 20-17 heading into the fourth quarter, but Alabama finished with two touchdowns in the final period to leave Texas A&M with another painful defeat. Reed’s night only added fuel to the noise. He went 14-of-21 for 163 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw two interceptions, and after the second one, plenty of Aggies fans wanted to see a change at quarterback.
Elko stayed with Reed anyway, and after the game he explained why.
“Yeah, absolutely. It was for sure a thought,” Elko said.
“Obviously, it couldn’t continue to go that way. So we were ready to do that.
And then Marcel obviously went back out and played probably his best football for the rest of the first half.”
Reed’s play has been a far cry from last season, when he was a legitimate Heisman candidate and helped push Texas A&M into the College Football Playoff. Even with the rocky year, Elko said he still sees Reed as the best answer for the Aggies at quarterback.
“I still believe he’s our best option, so that’s kind of why we stayed with him,” Elko said.
Texas A&M is off in Week 9 before heading to Columbia to face South Carolina. The quarterback conversation isn’t going anywhere, but for now, Reed remains the starter in College Station.
In Other News...
Nick Saban Just Shared A Side Of Himself Alabama Fans Know Well
Nick Saban spent part of ESPNs College GameDay broadcast in Salt Lake City sounding like a man who has found a new sport to study, and Alabama fans probably recognized the familiar edge of his curiosity right away. The former Crimson Tide coach, now a minority owner of the NHLs Nashville Predators, talked about how his appreciation for hockey has grown and why the sport has held his attention, especially when the conversation turns to how winning teams are built.
The setting made the moment stand out even more, with the crew on hand ahead of a college football game in a city that will host the 2034 Winter Olympics. Saban drew parallels between constructing successful football and hockey teams, a reminder that even in a different arena, he still sees the same themes of discipline, structure and team building, only now with skates instead of cleats. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Still Has Rival Coaches Talking Like This
Utah coach Morgan Scalley used his Week 8 turn on College GameDay to spotlight something Alabama fans have long known: Nick Sabans football mind still carries enormous weight around the sport. Scalley said a conversation he had with Saban about cover 3 defenses left him humbled, a reminder that even among top coaches, Sabans grasp of the game continues to command respect.
The exchange also fit neatly into a larger conversation about Utahs strong start under Scalley, but the Saban anecdote was the part that lingered. For Alabama observers, it was another small sign that long after his sideline days, Saban still shapes the way rival coaches think, teach and talk about defense. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Heads Into The Bye With One Big Roster Concern
Alabama snapped its two-game losing streak with a 31-20 win over Texas A&M, a result that offered some relief after a stretch that had started to test the early part of Kalen DeBoers tenure. The postgame mood was naturally better than it had been the previous two weeks, and DeBoer spent part of his press conference pointing to the value of the bye week as the Tide reset and sort through what the next stretch of the season can look like.
Still, the conversation did not end with the final score. DeBoer talked through the teams performance and the ongoing player evaluations that come with this point in the schedule, while also expressing optimism about getting key players back after the break. For Alabama, the bye arrives with momentum restored, but also with one important roster concern that will shape how quickly this group can settle in once the season resumes. [Read more 🡒]