Mike Elko isn’t backing off Marcel Reed after a rough night against Kentucky.
Texas A&M’s path into this weekend was supposed to be a little cleaner. The Aggies were expected to arrive for their matchup with LSU still unbeaten, but instead they’re 2-1 after a disappointing loss to the Wildcats. Reed took the hit at quarterback, and the numbers weren’t pretty: he completed 26 of 49 passes for 236 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Even with that performance fresh in everyone’s mind, Elko made his stance clear ahead of the LSU game.
“I have a lot of confidence in Marcel,” Elko told reporters. “I believe in Marcel, and Marcel is our quarterback.”
That support doesn’t mean the pressure has gone away. Fans are split on what comes next, with some openly questioning Reed’s future as the starter and others arguing the Aggies need to adjust the offense around him. The frustration is real, but there isn’t an obvious replacement waiting in the wings, which only sharpens the debate around what Texas A&M should do next.
There is, however, one thing Reed can point to as a reminder of what he’s capable of in Baton Rouge. Last year against LSU in Death Valley, he put together 310 total yards and four touchdowns in Texas A&M’s 49-25 win. He also threw two interceptions in that game, and those are the kind of mistakes he can’t afford this time around against this LSU team.
Now the stage shifts back to Baton Rouge, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. E.T. on ABC. If Reed can deliver a strong performance, it would go a long way toward getting him back in good standing with Aggie fans.
In Other News...
Kentucky Finally Gets To Enjoy The SEC Shorts Joke
SEC Shorts leaned into another round of SEC chaos this week, and Kentucky got a rare turn in the spotlight for the right reasons. The Week 3 video touched on LSUs loss to Ole Miss and Kentuckys upset of Texas A&M, while also playing with Lane Kiffins return to Oxford and even bringing in Morgan Freeman as the voice guiding the mayhem.
For Kentucky fans, the amusing part is not just the win getting noticed, but the tone of the joke itself. After plenty of past sketches where the Wildcats were the punch line, this one had them in a much better place, which is about as good a sign as any that the football season has started to tilt their way. [Read more 🡒]
Kenny Minchey May Have Started A New Kentucky Quarterback Conversation
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Mincheys recognition also moved him onto the Davey OBrien Midseason Watch List, adding another layer to a week that already felt significant for his place in the offense. For Kentucky, the bigger question now is whether one sharp outing was just a breakthrough moment or the start of a much larger conversation under center. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky's Upset Left Texas A&M Dealing With A Brutal New Blow
Kentuckys 31-21 upset of Texas A&M in Week 3 did more than hand the Wildcats a notable win. It also left the Aggies trying to absorb a sharp drop in the rankings, from No. 9 to No. 23, after a game that felt costly well beyond the final score.
Texas A&Ms bigger concern came almost immediately, when wide receiver and kick returner Terry Bussey went down on the opening kickoff and never returned. Bussey had been a key piece for the Aggies and entered the season as a preseason All-SEC kick returner, making the loss especially tough for a team already recalibrating after a setback that changed the mood in College Station fast. [Read more 🡒]