Texas A&M’s quarterback situation reached a boiling point Saturday, and Marcel Reed was right in the middle of it.
By halftime against Missouri, the Aggies’ starter had put together a rough line: 5 of 13 passing for 47 yards with two interceptions. The numbers alone were ugly enough, but the way the half unfolded only fueled the frustration around College Station.
Those interceptions were not clean giveaways from Reed. Both came after deflections, and one of them was tipped by one of his own players before landing in the hands of a Missouri defender.
Reed also didn’t get much help from his receivers, who let several catchable balls slip away. At least three times, a pass that was on target enough to be made was dropped.
Still, that hasn’t softened the criticism. Fans have been pushing for Mike Elko to make a change, and the pressure only intensified as Reed’s struggles mounted. Elko is not known for simply giving in to outside noise, but the performance left plenty of people wondering what he’s seeing at quarterback and whether a move is coming.
Even some measured voices have started calling for a switch. Robert Behrens wrote: “Two weeks later, this is still true. Brady Hart may not be the answer, but with A&M’s offense in complete dysfunction with Marcel Reed, the downside is non-existent.”
The problem for Texas A&M is that Brady Hart has already seen limited action, and what he has shown has not looked better than Reed. A change would also come with a real risk: if Elko pulls Reed, it could crush whatever confidence he has left and leave the Aggies with a quarterback situation that looks even worse.
That hasn’t stopped the calls. SEC Mike added, “I've always been a Marcel Reed fan, but I don't know how Texas A&M can keep letting him play
He misses so many open, easy throws”
And once the frustration took hold, the jokes followed. One post imagined Reed dropping back and looking deep, while another called the outing “borderline inept.” Another summed up the mood simply with a picture of misery attached to Reed’s performance.
Whatever Texas A&M decides next, something has to change for this offense. Many fans believe a quarterback move is the answer, even if it’s far from certain that would fix anything. For now, though, the temperature around Reed is only getting hotter after the kind of first half that sent Aggie fans over the edge.
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