Texas A&M’s offseason has already delivered one milestone after another, but the biggest story in College Station right now might be the one still being written on the practice field.
Mike Elko is coming off Texas A&M’s first trip to the College Football Playoff, and the program checked off more than just the postseason box along the way. The Aggies also had a record 10 players picked in the 2026 NFL Draft. Even with that success, there’s still a glaring item hanging over the program: Texas A&M has not beaten Texas since the 2010 season, and the Aggies have dropped back-to-back meetings since the Longhorns joined the SEC.
A big part of that storyline still runs through quarterback Marcel Reed. He posted career highs of 3,169 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, but his biggest moments last season were followed by some rough ones. Reed turned it over four times in both losses to Texas and Miami in the first round of the CFP.
This offseason, Reed has attacked the areas that hurt him most. He has been working with private QB coach Jeff Christensen, new offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins and quarterbacks coach Joey Lynch, focusing on accuracy, pocket awareness and decision-making in pressure situations. Those were major trouble spots during his first full season as the starter.
Through 12 practices, including Saturday’s scrimmage, Reed and the offense have given Texas A&M reasons to be intrigued. Transfer receiver Isaiah Horton and sophomore running back Jamarion Morrow have stood out as possible difference-makers. Horton’s 6-foot-4 frame gives the Aggies a target who can threaten defenses down the field, while Morrow brings agility and burst once he gets into space.
And then there was Friday’s practice, when Elko was mic’d up for the first time this offseason. The New Jersey native has built a reputation as one of the funniest coaches around without ever losing the sharp edge that comes with his attention to detail.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Still Has A Chance To Flip A Crucial In-State RB
Texas A&Ms running back recruiting board for the 2027 class already has a familiar name on it in SaRod Baker, the current Texas Tech commit the Aggies are still working to pry loose. The pursuit fits the way this staff has approached in-state talent before, and it also brings back memories of previous recruiting battles in which Trooper Taylor helped push a flip across the finish line.
Baker remains pledged to Texas Tech, so this is far from a simple courtship and the Red Raiders have every reason to keep holding firm. Still, the Aggies have stayed in the mix, and with a prospect of this caliber in Texas, it is the kind of long game Texas A&M cannot afford to ignore if it wants to keep stacking the states best backs. [Read more 🡒]
Marcel Reed Is Making Texas A&Ms QB Outlook A Lot Harder To Ignore
Marcel Reed has spent fall camp giving Texas A&M a much different kind of quarterback conversation than the one that followed him around earlier in his career. The athleticism was never in question, but what has stood out lately is the way hes handling the offense, making cleaner decisions and showing a sharper feel for where the ball needs to go. For a program trying to settle its quarterback outlook, that kind of development matters.
The optimism is real enough that some of the national skepticism around Reed may be getting ahead of itself. Still, camp is one thing and Saturdays are another, and Reeds next step is proving that the growth in command and accuracy carries over when the games count. Until then, Texas A&M has reason to believe the position is looking less like a question and more like a storyline worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Former LSU QB Max Johnson Adds Another Twist To His Journey
Max Johnsons college journey has taken him through some of the sports biggest stages, and now the veteran quarterback is headed into another fresh start. Georgia Southern has tabbed Johnson as its starter, setting him up for a debut against Charleston Southern before a much stiffer test against Clemson, another step in a winding career that has already included starting roles at LSU, Texas A&M and North Carolina.
For Aggies fans who remember his stop in College Station, Johnsons next chapter is another reminder of how much mileage he has put on a college arm. He brings more than six years of experience and a career line of 6,356 passing yards with 49 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, but the real intrigue now is how quickly he settles into his new home with a demanding early schedule waiting right away. [Read more 🡒]