Texas A&M Eyes Transfer Portal After Playoff Exit, QB Room in Flux
Texas A&M’s 2025 campaign came to a disappointing halt in the first round of the College Football Playoff, falling 10-3 to Miami in front of a packed Kyle Field. For a team with championship aspirations, it was a tough pill to swallow. Now, head coach Mike Elko turns his attention to the offseason - and the transfer portal - as the Aggies look to retool and reload for 2026.
Let’s start with the quarterback situation, because that’s where things get interesting.
Marcel Reed is expected back for his redshirt junior season, and while he showed flashes of promise throughout the year, his late-season slump - including seven turnovers - raised some eyebrows. Reed still holds the keys to the offense for now, but there’s no question the Aggies want to create competition at the position to sharpen their edge heading into next fall.
Behind Reed, the QB room is thinning out. Third-stringer Jacob Zeno is on his way out, and sophomore Myles O’Neill hasn’t yet confirmed if he’ll return.
That leaves incoming freshman Helaman Casuga and likely addition Brady Hart as the only sure bets for 2026. Translation: Texas A&M needs another arm, ideally one with some experience and upside.
Enter Austin Novosad.
The Oregon sophomore announced on Saturday that he’s entering the transfer portal after two seasons with the Ducks. The Dripping Springs, Texas, native didn’t see much game action in Eugene - just two pass attempts for 40 yards this season - but he’s a name that should ring a bell for Aggie fans. Novosad was a top target for A&M during his recruitment, making multiple visits to College Station before ultimately signing with Oregon.
Now, with two years of college seasoning under his belt, Novosad could be a compelling fit for Elko’s program. He’s got the size, the arm talent, and the pedigree - 2,911 passing yards and 39 touchdowns his senior year of high school - to make things interesting in the quarterback room. He’s not just a depth piece; he’s someone who can push for the No. 2 job, and maybe more if Reed doesn’t clean up the turnovers.
It’s also worth noting: Novosad has deep ties to the program. Both of his parents are Texas A&M alums, and the familiarity with the school and staff could make College Station a natural landing spot.
But quarterback isn’t the only area of focus for Elko and his staff.
After the loss to Miami, Elko pointed to the trenches as a major concern. And he’s not wrong.
The Aggies are set to lose three starting offensive linemen and multiple contributors on the defensive front. That’s a lot of experience and physicality walking out the door, and in the SEC, you don’t win without winning at the line of scrimmage.
So while the quarterback headlines will draw the most attention, expect the Aggies to be aggressive in the portal when it comes to bolstering both lines. If they want to take the next step - and avoid another early playoff exit - that’s where the foundation has to be rebuilt.
Texas A&M has the talent. Now it’s about adding the right pieces to elevate the roster. And with the portal wide open, the next few weeks could go a long way in shaping what kind of team we’ll see in 2026.