Tag: Marcel Reed

Despite his slip of the tongue, Texas A&M HC Mike Elko is focused on facing Auburn

Mike Elko’s slight slip of the tongue was just that. The Aggies are 100% focused on the Auburn Tigers.

Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1) is playing meaningful football in November for the first time since the 2020 season under first-year head coach Mike Elko, as the Aggies face the daunting task of needing to win the last two games of the season to earn a spot in the SEC Title game, with a shot at making the College Football Playoff.

After defeating New Mexico State 38-3 on Saturday night, Texas A&M’s offense made some strides in the passing game, but all in all, defeating a now 2-8 team doesn’t move the needle aside from earning the team’s eighth win of the season.

Now set to face the Auburn Tigers (4-6, 1-5 SEC) on the road for a night game inside Jordan-Hare Stadium, Elko and his team are 100% focused on the task at hand, even though some in the media would like to twist the meaning behind a simple slip of the tongue after answering a question regarding the Texas matchup.

“When you’re in the situation we’re in, it’s easy to focus on the task at hand. You know, I think those big games earlier in the year, maybe you look ahead, and if we didn’t have what’s at stake, maybe you would worry about it.”

“Our focus is single-handedly on Texas…I mean Auburn right now and locked in on what needs to get done.”

While this quote could be used as bulletin board material for the Tigers, It’s fair to note that the Texas Longhorns should cheer for the Aggies this weekend to make the Nov. 30 matchup even more meaningful from a resume standpoint.

Texas A&M will face Auburn on the road on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 6:30 pm. CT. The game will air on ESPN.

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Texas A&M rises in newest Football Power Index rankings

Texas A&M has risen one spot in the newest ESPN FPI rankings after Week 12.

Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1 SEC) and first-year head coach Mike Elko have continued to defy preseason expectations. The Aggies are two wins away from reaching the SEC Championship Game for the first time in program history, but that’s a tall task with a road trip to Auburn and the season finale home test vs. Texas left on the schedule.

After defeating New Mexico State 38-3, Texas A&M’s offense made some strides in the passing game, while redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed finished 20/31 for 286 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for another score.

Defensively, junior DL Malick Sylla, in just his second statistical appearance this season, recorded a game-high two sacks and three tackles for loss. At the same time, sophomore DL Rylan Kennedy earned the highest defensive Pro Football Focus score.

Ahead of facing Auburn, ESPN’s Football Power Index update saw the Aggies rise one spot, while the Auburn Tigers and Florida Gators also rose in the rankings.

Texas A&M football’s FPI ranking, rating

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Texas A&M rose to No. 14 after defeating New Mexico State, with a 14.4 FPI rating, the seventh-highest among SEC teams. The Aggies are projected to win 8.8 games and have a 2.8% chance of winning out. Sitting at 8-2 and 5-1, A&M currently has a 12.5% chance of making the playoffs and a 1.1% chance of making the National Championship game.

SEC team in FPI

The top-ranked SEC teams in the upper echelon of the rankings include Texas (26.7), followed by Alabama (2nd, 26.6), Georgia (23.0) at 5th, Ole Miss (22.4) at 6th, and Tennessee (19.3) in the 9th spot.

South Carolina rose one spot (14.5) after defeating Missouri, while LSU (13.1) dropped three spots after falling to Florida on the road in a College Football Playoff elimination game. Here is the rest of the SEC rankings:

  • Missouri (24th, 11.0)
  • Florida (26th, 10.5)
  • Oklahoma (27th, 10.3)
  • Auburn (28th, 9.1)
  • Arkansas (32nd, 8.3)
  • Vanderbilt (38th, 6.6)
  • Mississippi State (69th, -0.0)

Texas A&M will face Auburn on the road on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 6:30 pm. CT. The game will air on ESPN.

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Should Texas A&M QB Conner Wegiman head to the transfer portal this offseason?

It might be time for a fresh start somewhere else for the redshirt sophomore If Marcel Reed is indeed the future starter

Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1 SEC) entered Week 12 without a quarterback controversy for the first time this season, knowing the redshirt freshman Marcel Reed will remain the starter for the remainder of the year.

In his 5th overall and second consecutive start, Reed looked better in the pocket, completing 20/31 for 286 yards and two touchdowns, including a rushing touchdown, before hitting the bench early in the second half.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman, who entered the 2024 season as A&M’s starter, has been relegated to the primary backup spot after his poor showing during the first half of the Aggies’ 38-23 win over LSU. Weigman’s appearance was short-lived, completing 2/5 for 37 yards and an interception before being replaced by freshman QB Miles O’Neill.

After his first snaps in over three weeks, Aggie fans and those in the media questioned Weigman’s sudden decline, especially after his shoulder injury that kept him out of the lineup during the first half of the season.

Weigman’s excellent start during A&M’s 41-10 win over Missouri solidified his standing as the starter. However, an average showing against Mississippi State might have been the first sign of a disappointing season for the former 5-star prospect.

Weigman’s future with the program has certainly become a talking point, as Marcel Reed and O’Neill look like the future options under center, especially after the news that 2025 5-star QB Husan Longstreet has flipped to USC. While it’s fully possible that he could compete next season for the starting job, Reed looks like the better fit in OC Collin Klein’s offensive scheme.

Right now, entering the transfer portal looks like the best option to pursue a fresh start, but this is all speculation based on the future of the postion under head coach Mike Elko.

Weigman is still talented and may need more time to heal if his shoulder is still an issue so he can get back to playing at full strength. For the Aggies, quarterback depth was a longstanding issue under former head coach Jimbo Fisher, but the tides have likely turned under Elko’s guidance.

Regardless of Conner Weigman’s decision, I can safely say that Aggie fans will cheer him on.

Texas A&M will face Auburn on the road on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 6:30 pm. CT. The game will air on ESPN.

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Texas A&M vs. Auburn Game Time, Channel options has been revealed

Texas A&M vs. Auburn will be a night game inside what should be a packed Jordan-Hare Stadium

14th-ranked Texas A&M is three wins away from earning a spot in the SEC Championship Game and the 12-team College Football Playoff. Still, after hosting New Mexico State on Saturday night, the Aggies will travel to Alabama to take on Auburn inside what should be a packed Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Auburn’s struggles this season are noteworthy, as the Tigers are one of the worst teams in the SEC, sitting at 3-6 and 1-5 in SEC play, but when analyzing their schedule, the Tigers have been nearly every home game, including their recent 17-7 loss to Vanderbilt.

Led by senior running back Jarquez Hunter, who has already run for 913 yards and five touchdowns, Texas A&M’s defense will have its hands full after missing 25 tackles in the 44-20 loss to South Carolina in Week 10, something that needs to be improved by the time the Aggies travel to Jordan-Hare.

Even more challenging, the schedule makers are apparently obsessed with Texas A&M playing in night games, as the game will start at either 6:30 or 6:45 p.m. CT. and will air on either ESPN or SEC Network.

If Texas A&M defeats New Mexico State, the Aggies must avoid looking ahead to hosting the Texas Longhorns because I can guarantee that the Tigers will play their best football to play spoiler.

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Predicting Texas A&M’s 3 remaining football games ahead of Week 11 per ESPN FPI

Here are the latest ESPN FPI predictions for Texas A&M’s three remaining regular season games

Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1) came in at No. 14 and the second team out in the first College Football Playoff projections, ahead of No. 15 LSU and right below No. 12 SMU, as the Aggies are in a great position to finish out the year strong and earn one of the final playoff spots.

After losing to South Carolina in Week 10, most in the national media jumped off the Aggie bandwagon, which began with A&M’s 38-23 win over LSU in one of the more memorable comebacks in program history, vaulting the Aggies to No. 10 in the AP Poll before dropping to No. 15 after falling to the Gamecocks.

Amid the second bye week of the season, head coach Mike Elko is now dealing with the season-ending injury to star running back Le’Veon Moss, meaning junior back Amari Daniels and senior EJ Smith will now become the primary running backs for the final three games.

According to ESPN FPI, here are the latest predictions for New Mexico State, Auburn (on the road), and the season finale vs. Texas.

Texas A&M vs. New Mexico State

Date: Nov. 16

Location: College Station, Kyle Field

ESPN Matchup Predictor: 99.0% chance Texas A&M wins

Nothing has changed here. However, how Elko uses the new and very thin running back rotation will be interesting, as the hope is that the passing game can produce some early scores to keep Amari Daniels and EJ Smith from having to endure unnecessary snaps.

Texas A&M at Auburn

Date: Nov. 23

Location: Jordan-Hare Stadium

ESPN Matchup Predictor: 61.8% chance Texas A&M wins

Texas A&M’s chances to defeat Auburn on the road in Week 14 slightly decreased after the news that RB Le’Veon Moss will miss the rest of the season, but Auburn isn’t South Carolina, so I’ll still give the Aggies the nod.

For more Auburn news and analysis, visit Auburn Wire.

Texas A&M vs. Texas

Date: Nov. 30

Location: College Station, Kyle Field

ESPN Matchup Predictor: 24.7% chance to win

Texas A&M’s chance to defend its home turf and defeat rival Texas dropped nearly six points after losing to South Carolina and Moss’s injury, which isn’t surprising. How the Aggies perform in the next two games will likely determine this matchup.

For more Texas news and analysis, visit Longhorns Wire.

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Can Texas A&M overcome RB Le’Veon Moss’s season ending injury?

Amari Daniels and EJ Smith will need to step up over the next three games

Texas A&M’s perfect record in the SEC standings evaporated in the second half of Saturday’s 44-20 loss to South Carolina, as the Aggies were outscored and outplayed on the road in the most lopsided SEC matchup under first-year head coach Mike Elko.

Things got worse two days after the loss, as it was revealed that star running back Le’Veon Moss would miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a knee injury in the first half of Saturday’s game. On Monday, Elko spoke to the media, revealing Moss’s diagnosis while noting just how well the junior had performed before the news:

“Same thing happened with Tyreek (Chappell). When you see young people turn a corner… You hate for anyone to see adversity, but you hate to see it for those kids. You would like to reward them with a clean path.”

“It’s extremely unfortunate for him. He was having a great year.”

The Aggies still have everything in front of them, tied for first place in the SEC standings at 5-1 entering the bye week, knowing that wins against New Mexico State and Auburn (on the road) will set up a likely play-in scenario vs. Texas for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Texas A&M’s RB room suffered a significant blow due to its paper-thin depth. Junior Amari Daniels and senior EJ Smith are the only scholarship backs on the roster, with Moss now shelved.

“I think we will try to look at everything on the table. We are confident in Amari (Daniels). EJ (Smith) will be the primary backup. At this point, everything is on the table.”

While Daniels, who has already run for 466 yards and six touchdowns, is more than skilled enough to take over, saving his touches is key down the stretch, meaning freshman athlete Terry Bussey could see snaps at running back, as Elko alluded to during the Monday presser:

“Terry (Bussey) is talented… Understanding he is still a freshman, that is maybe lost a little bit.”

“He is effective in the role he’s in, and we are trying to expand that role.”

Realistically, after the bye week, Daniels and Smith will take most of the running back snaps vs. New Mexico State in what is hopefully a short day for both players. At the same time, walk-on RB Anthony DiNota should also see time against the Aggies before Daniels and Smith play nearly every running back snap vs. Auburn and Texas.

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Best Photos from Texas A&M’s 44-20 loss to South Carolina

View some of the best photos from the Texas A&M to South Carolina on the road

On Saturday night, No. 10 Texas A&M put their winning streak on the line when they went on the road to take on South Carolina. Unfortunately, for the Maroon & White, homecoming was a party for the fans at Williams-Brice Stadium as they cheered to the Gamecocks 44-20 upset win.

It’s hard to go undefeated in SEC play, and you can throw the records out during conference play. South Carolina secured their statement win of the season and bullied A&M on both sides of the ball. There are excuses and ways for fans to cope on social media, but head coach Mike Elko has another cliff to climb on the way to the mountaintop.

This bye week and how they perform against New Mexico State will set the tone for their remaining two SEC games leading into the postseason. Saturday did not turn out how they wanted it, and now the race to the college football playoffs starts.

Despite the loss, here are the best photos from Saturday night’s game.

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Notable Pro Football Focus grades after Texas A&M’s 44-20 loss to South Carolina

Here are just some of the interesting PFF grades after Texas A&M’s 44-20 loss to South Carolina

Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC) will head into the bye week questioning what went wrong vs. South Carolina on Saturday night. The Aggies were blown out of the building, falling 44-20, their biggest season loss thus far after reeling off seven consecutive wins.

This loss wasn’t an aberration, starting and ending with A&M’s porous run defense, aided by 25 missed tackles and a poor performance in the secondary that kept the Aggies behind in the second half after entering halftime tied 20-20 after scoring two touchdowns.

Behind redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed, A&M’s offense moved the ball well in the first half. Still, after starting running back Le’Veon Moss left the game due to a knee injury, OC Collin Klein failed to find any imagination per the play calling, resulting in a scoreless second half.

Going into the bye week, getting back to the basics is key, especially on defense. At the same time, Klein will need to mix up the playcalling, specifically if Le’Veon Moss will be out for an extended period of time.

After the game, Pro Football Focus released the latest grades from the matchup. Here are the most notable grades on both sides of the ball for every Texas A&M contributor:

Offense:

Senior wide receiver Jabre Barber led the Aggies with seven receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown in one of his best performances in Maroon & White, earning a team-high 784 offensive grade and 77.6 passing grade. He was the only consistent option in the passing game on Saturday night.

QB Marcel Reed, who finished 18/28 for 206 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and 46 rushing yards, was unsuccessful in the eyes of PFF, earning a low 51.3 offensive grade, a 47.3 passing grade, and an average 60.4 running grade.

Running back Amari Daniels, who finished with a team-high 83 rushing yards, including a 55-yard touchdown, continued his strong pass-blocking season (76.9) while finishing with a team-high 73.1 running grade.

On the downside, Texas A&M’s O-line was collectively bad in pass protection, as every starter except left tackle Trey Zuhn earned Pass Pro in the mid-20s, high 30s, or even single digits.

Defense:

As I previously mentioned, the Aggies missed 25 tackles defensively, the most since missing 19 against Notre Dame. While this has been an up-and-down issue throughout the season, it’s fixable, especially during the bye week.

Player-wise, PFF revealed that an impressive 15 Aggies earned a defensive grade above 60, while linebacker Solomon DeSheilds earned a team-high 72.4 overall.

In terms of pass-rush success, star defensive end Nic Scourton was average by his standards, earning the second-highest pass-rush grade (67.4) behind Cashius Howell’s prolific 90.9 grade, even though the Aggies failed to produce a sack and just six tackles for loss.

Coverage-wise, the secondary held up after allowing several explosive plays but struggled overall. However, nearly every cornerback or safety earned coverage grades at or above 60.

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Instant reactions to No. 10 Texas A&M’s blowout 44-20 loss to South Carolina

Texas A&M falls 44-20 on the road to South Carolina, dropping its first SEC game of the season.

No. 10 Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC) was handled by South Carolina (5-3, 3-3 SEC) 44-20 on the road, the Aggies’ first SEC loss of the season.

The SEC is an extremely competitive week-to-week league. There are no trap games in this league. You line up, and the better team each week wins. On Saturday, the Gamecocks punched A&M in the mouth and ran away from the Aggies in a statement win.

Coach Mike Elko’s style of defense was absent. The Aggies were plagued by untimely penalties and a lack of toughness. However, the most unforgivable thing had to be the poor tackling. The defense was called perfectly several times, but the defender missed the sack or there was a defensive penalty.

Offensively, they looked like the team that stepped onto the field against Notre Dame to start the season. Redshirt quarterback Marcel Reed started; however, the spark from his three-touchdown comeback win over LSU was missing. They couldn’t push the ball downfield, the running game stagnated with the loss of running back Le’Veon Moss in the first half and Reed had two costly turnovers.

Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

It was not a good night in the office for the coaching staff or the players, who dropped a tough game before the second bye week of the season. This loss is not season-ending, but the Aggies will need to win out to have a chance at the SEC title game and a college football playoff spot.

Going into their second bye week, the Aggies’ next game is at home against New Mexico State on Nov. 16 at Kyle Field in Bryan-College Station, Texas.

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Nick Saban breaks down Texas A&M’s offense with QB Marcel Reed under center

Should Marcel Reed be the starter for the rest of the season?

Ahead of Texas A&M’s Week 10 road test against South Carolina on Saturday night, it’s become clear throughout the week that this game will come down to the play in the trenches, specifically the play of Texas A&M’s offensive line against the Gamecocks’ stout defensive line.

This should also be flipped, as the Aggies’ deep D-line should be able to generate a ton of pressure against South Carolina’s O-line, which has allowed nearly five sacks per game this season. However, Texas A&M’s impending quarterback decision between Conner Wegiman and Marcel Reed will drastically affect A&M’s offensive game plan.

On Saturday morning, during one of the many pre-game segments on ESPN’s College GameDay, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban, alongside Kirk Herbstreit, broke down Texas A&M’s offense under Marcel Reed, head coach Mike Elko and OC Collin Klein, as Reed’s second-half insertion against LSU last Saturday resulted in a 31-6 run, including three rushing touchdowns from the redshirt freshman.

As Herbstreit noted, South Carolina has had a week to prepare for Reed’s dual-threat running ability. It’s all about playcalling, timing, and execution. Utilizing zone-read looks while Reed manipulates defenders’ eyes was the key to four of A&M’s five consecutive scoring drives, as A&M’s red zone offense is still one of the best in the country.

Now, I wouldn’t be surprised if South Carolina’s defense is ready for any counter-run looks that led to several open looks for Reed against the Tigers. However, this is all premature before knowing when he’ll see the field against the Gamecocks.

Texas A&M will travel to Columbia to face South Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 2nd, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on either ABC.

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