Texas A&M’s biggest camp assignment is staring Mike Elko right in the face: clean up the turnovers.
For all the good the Aggies did last season on their way to their first College Football Playoff appearance, they were a mess when it came to taking care of the football and forcing mistakes. That showed up on both sides of the ball, and it left Texas A&M with a turnover issue that has to be addressed in fall camp.
The Aggies finished behind only Arkansas in turnover margin in 2025, which is not the kind of company a program like Texas A&M wants to keep. Arkansas was in disarray last season, firing Sam Pittman halfway through the year and turning to Bobby Petrino.
Texas A&M, by contrast, has more respect now after finishing fourth in the SEC Media Preseason Poll. Even so, this is still not a team many people are picking to win the SEC or be among the last ones standing in January.
A big reason is obvious: the giveaways.
Marcel Reed was the central figure in that problem. He accounted for 12 of the quarterback room’s 14 interceptions and lost four of the five offensive fumbles recorded during the 2025 season.
That can’t just be laid at the feet of former play-caller Collin Klein. Elko’s late-game clock management also helped put Reed in tough spots, and the head coach could have done more to keep his quarterback from trying to force throws, escaping instead of taking sacks, and taking hits he didn’t need to take.
Reed remains a huge part of what Texas A&M wants to be, and the Aggies’ ceiling is tied to how well he handles the ball. Yes, 33% of his interceptions came against elite defenses in Texas and Miami to close the season, but Reed still has to be able to play clean football against anybody. That’s the standard Elko needs to push in camp.
Defensively, the picture is a little different. There’s less to tear down in the secondary and linebacker group, which gave up 176.6 passing yards per game. Texas A&M also finished No. 1 in third-down defense, holding opponents under a 23% conversion rate, and the secondary allowed completions on just 56.2% of passes defended.
In other words, the defense doesn’t need a makeover. It needs more breaks to go its way. If the Aggies keep playing with the same consistency, turnovers should start to follow.
Still, there’s room to be more aggressive. More blindside hits could turn into more quarterback fumbles, and Texas A&M was already No. 2 in sacks last year. If that sack total climbs, the fumbles should come with it.
So the mission is pretty clear: cut down Reed’s risky moments, keep the defense sharp, and let the pressure create more takeaways. If Elko gets that done, Texas A&M will be in a much better spot when September arrives.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Is One Decision Away From Cementing Its No. 1 Class
Texas A&Ms 2027 recruiting surge has been built the way Mike Elko wants his program to look, with premium talent spread across the roster and enough early momentum to keep the Aggies near the top of Rivals latest update. The latest boost came with linebacker Mikahi Allen, and the class already carries high-end pieces at offensive line, defensive edge and wide receiver, giving A&M the kind of balance that usually separates a strong class from a truly elite one.
Now the spotlight shifts to one last major decision, with a priority running back set to choose soon and the Aggies still positioned to finish where they started. The broader picture is just as important for A&M, though, because this group is not only about star power but also about building depth at quarterback and continuing the recent reset at receiver, where transfers and new commitments have changed the look of the room. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Fans Just Earned Major Respect Nationwide
A new ranking from Message Board Geniuses gave college football fans a fresh reminder of what Texas A&M has long represented: one of the sports most devoted followings. The Aggies landed near the top of the list of loyal fanbases, a nod to a crowd that has kept showing up through changing eras, uneven results and the kind of week-to-week uncertainty that can test even the most committed supporters.
The backdrop matters here, because Texas A&Ms fan base has continued to pack Kyle Field through recent coaching turnover and mixed team performance, with attendance staying strong in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. That kind of consistency is what separates a good home crowd from a truly national presence, and it is why the Aggies keep getting mentioned in the same breath as the sports most dependable fan bases. [Read more 🡒]
Marcel Reed Just Got The Doubt Aggies Fans Will Remember
Marcel Reeds rise at Texas A&M last season was enough to make him one of the more interesting quarterbacks in the SEC conversation, but it was not enough to earn him a preseason spot on the leagues teams. The Aggies starter flashed the kind of early-season play that had people around the conference paying attention, and he remains the player most tied to how far Texas A&M can go this fall.
Still, the preseason nods went elsewhere, a reminder that Reeds resume still comes with some uneven moments attached to it. Texas A&M is chasing a breakthrough run to the SEC Championship Game, and if that push is going to turn into something bigger, Reed will have to turn the kind of mixed perception he carries right now into the kind of consistency that changes the conversation. [Read more 🡒]