Mike Elko isn’t interested in the doubters when it comes to Marcel Reed. After Texas A&M rolled Missouri State 50-0 on Saturday night at Kyle Field, the Aggies coach made it clear he believes his quarterback deserves a lot more credit than he’s getting in College Station.
Reed opened the season with a clean, efficient line: 21 completions on 30 attempts for 233 yards, two touchdown passes and no interceptions. He also added 20 rushing yards as the No. 8 Aggies handled the Bears in their opener.
Still, Elko sensed there was more discussion around Reed than appreciation, and he used his Monday media session to push back.
“I’m very supportive of Marcel, because I wish people would spend more time studying him, watching him and seeing how good he really is. … I wish people would appreciate who he is a little bit more,” Mike Elko said.
Texas A&M coach Mike Elko on Aggie QB Marcel Reed: "I'm very supportive of Marcel, because I wish people would spend more time studying him, watching him and seeing how good he really is. … I wish people would appreciate who he is a little bit more."
- Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) September 7, 2026
Elko didn’t stop there. He pointed to Reed’s decisions and command in the opener, noting a few plays he’d like back but also a lot to build on.
“They were a couple throwaways that I thought were good throwaways. (There were) a couple balls that he wishes he threw a little bit better, a couple decisions in the pocket where maybe wish the ball would’ve gotten out a little bit quicker,” Elko said.
“Couple times where he made things happen when really most quarterbacks would have been sacked. I thought there was a lot of progress in him going through progressions and reads.
I thought there was a lot of progress in the timing and how the ball came out of his hands. … It was a really good performance for game one.”
Reed led Texas A&M to the College Football Playoff last season, and with him back under center, the Aggies again look like a team capable of doing major damage this year.
In Other News...
Kyle Field Is Bringing Back One Of Texas A&Ms Most Meaningful Traditions
Texas A&M is dusting off one of its more meaningful fall traditions this weekend, bringing back the Red, White & Blue game at Kyle Field for the matchup with Arizona State. The field will feature a special red, white and blue logo at midfield, along with themed endzones, as the Aggies once again lean into a game day setup that carries more weight than the usual seasonal decoration.
The tradition dates to 2001, when it started as a student-led effort to honor American pride after 9/11, and it has since become a way to raise money for relief organizations. This years version also includes fundraising through T-shirt sales, adding another layer to a game that blends football with the kind of remembrance and community focus A&M fans have long embraced. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Backfield Has A New Name Fans Need To Watch
Texas A&M got a glimpse of a new option in the backfield during its 50-0 win over Missouri State, when freshman running back Carsyn Baker turned his first collegiate carry into a 12-yard touchdown. It was the kind of debut that instantly catches attention, especially for a team that has been sorting out its running back picture and looking for signs that young talent can help right away.
Mike Elko was encouraged enough by what he saw from Baker and fellow freshman KJ Edwards to say both should get more chances moving forward, a meaningful development with Tiger Riden out for the season because of injury. For the Aggies, the timing matters as much as the moment itself, because a strong early impression from the freshmen could become even more important as the schedule toughens and the depth chart keeps shifting. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M's Week 1 Rout Just Got A Lot More Interesting
Texas A&Ms opening-week blowout of Missouri State looked decisive on the field, and the numbers back that up. By net success rate, the Aggies graded out higher than anyone else in the first week of college football, a sign that they consistently stayed on schedule offensively while also making life difficult for the Bears on the other side of the ball.
It is still only one game, and the opponent matters here, since Missouri State is a lower-level program. Even so, the metric offers an early glimpse of how sharp Texas A&M can be when its defense is setting the tone, and the next few weeks will tell whether that opening performance was just a clean start or a real indicator of what this team can become. [Read more 🡒]