Marcel Reed is walking into fall camp with a much firmer handle on Texas A&M’s offense, and that matters a lot after a 2025 season that included 12 interceptions and four fumbles, two of them lost.
That comfort level has been noticeable to teammates, too. Ashton Bethel-Roman, now in his third year in College Station and watching Reed go from starter to established starter to a quarterback with massive 2026 expectations, said the growth shows up in how Reed handles the room.
“There’s been a lot of growth in terms of how he speaks with receivers,” Bethel-Roman said of Reed's development at fall camp. “He wants to hear how we feel. He wants to know where we want him to put the ball.”
Reed has already had his share of big moments in Collin Klein’s offense, especially that stunning comeback from a 27-point halftime deficit against South Carolina last November. But he’s also made it clear what stands out to him about Holmon Wiggins, who replaced Klein. Reed didn’t come right out and say he prefers one approach over another, but the message was easy to read.
"Not anything crazy. I think he has a lot more love for the receivers and how to create some open windows for them," Reed said at SEC Media Days.
Wiggins’ background helps explain why that would appeal to a quarterback. He was a running back at New Mexico before moving into receiver coaching nine years into his coaching career, and he spent five seasons at Alabama working with DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, Jameson Williams, and John Metchie III.
For Texas A&M, the early read from camp is that Reed trusting his first-year offensive coordinator could be a real boost.
The other encouraging sign is how balanced things have looked so far. Reports out of camp have pointed to Mike Elko’s defense showing real strength, while Reed and the offense have held their own even with 4/5ths of a new offensive line in front of them.
That kind of back-and-forth isn’t a bad thing this time of year. It suggests both sides have some bite, and not much is being handed out easily.
The first week of camp has given the 12th Man reason to feel good about what’s taking shape. The real test, though, comes once the games start - September 5 against Missouri State, or more accurately, September 12 when Arizona State comes to East-Central Texas.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Has A Backup QB Battle Worth Watching
With Marcel Reed settled in as Texas A&Ms starting quarterback for 2026, the spotlight has shifted to a backup job that could matter more than it usually does in College Station. Redshirt freshman Brady Hart has the early edge in that competition, helped by his early enrollment, some game experience and the physical development that comes with another year in the program. It is the kind of quiet offseason battle that rarely gets the same attention as the starting job, but it can shape how a team handles the inevitable bumps over a long season.
Mike Elko has made clear, though, that nothing is locked in behind Reed. Hart is ahead for now, but he still has to keep improving to hold off the rest of the room, and that is what makes this one worth tracking as spring and summer move along. For an Aggies team with bigger goals in 2026, the difference between a steady No. 2 and an unsettled depth chart could end up meaning more than it looks like in March. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Thomas Is Already Showing Why Texas A&M Needed Him
Texas A&M went into the offseason looking for a tighter fit at tight end, and Houston Thomas arrived with that job description in mind. The transfer from UTSA was brought in to help the offense for the 2026 season, and early fall camp work has given the Aggies reason to think they may have found a more useful piece at the position than they had a year ago.
Thomas has already stood out in practices, flashing the kind of receiving ability Texas A&M was missing in its tight end group. He has been making notable catches against the defense, including one against safety Tawfiq Byard, and the early signs suggest the Aggies may have added a player who can change the conversation around that spot. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Just Added The Kind Of Scorer SEC Teams Fear
Texas A&M is bringing in the kind of proven perimeter scoring that can change how SEC defenses game-plan overnight. PJ Haggerty, one of the top 10 NCAA scorers in the 2025-26 season, is returning to college basketball for a fifth season, and his next stop is College Station after a winding path through TCU, Tulsa, Memphis and Kansas State.
Haggerty has been a high-volume scorer in recent seasons, and the Aggies are getting a veteran guard who has already shown he can carry an offense. He is not the only major scorer staying in school, either, with Juke Harris also opting out of the NBA Draft after two seasons at Wake Forest and choosing to continue his college career with Tennessee, a reminder that the top end of the transfer and draft markets is still very much in motion. [Read more 🡒]