Tag: Marcel Reed

Post game recap: Texas A&M’s Maroon & White spring game ends with a 24-10 Maroon team victory

Texas A&M’s spring game concluded with a 24-10 Maroon team victory

Texas A&M’s annual Maroon & White spring game concluded on what turned out to be a rainy latter half of the afternoon. The Maroon team defeated the White team by a score of 24-10 behind the arm of backup quarterback Marcel Reed and the hands of junior wide receiver Noah Thomas.

As I noted ahead of the game, nearly 20 players, mostly presumed 2024 starters, did not play, including several starters on the offensive line.

Head coach Mike Elko had a plan for all three quarterbacks going into the game. Starter Conner Weigman is still recovering from surgery after a 2023 foot injury sidelined him after four games, but he still made the start for the White team.

Lacking his usual mobility, Weigman only completed 5-14 passes for 47 yards. Still, none of this should be surprising due to the lack of blocking up front and a lack of receiving options compared to the Maroon team.

Quarterbacking the Maroon, sophomore Marcel Reed (10-14, 84 yards, 1 TD) shared reps with senior Jaylen Henderson (8-13, 100 yards, 1 TD) as both found the endzone. Yet, Reed’s mobility and accuracy have made this offseason battle even more intriguing down the stretch.

Making waves offensively, junior wide receiver Noah Thomas has now made his case as the Aggies’ No. 1 wide receiver next season. He led the game with seven receptions, 82 yards, and two touchdowns, including a diving endzone grab for his final score.

Defensively, former Purdue Edge Nic Scourton looks like the team’s best overall player going into the fall, credited with five tackles, 2.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup for the Maroon defense. In comparison, junior Shemar Stewart was equally impressive for the White team, with seven tackles, a sack, and a tackle for loss on the afternoon.

From what I saw today, Texas A&M’s transfer portal-heavy cornerback room is filled with length, speed, and, most importantly, experience at a postion group that struggled throughout the 2023 season.

Overall, the offense showed flashes, especially his improvement at running back, as Le’Veon Moss and Rueben Owens both ran for touchdowns. At the same time, the defense looks like the Aggies’ predominant strength heading into the season opener vs. Notre Dame on Saturday, Aug. 31.

Final Stats: 

White Team: 

  • Total yards: 128
  • Rushing yards: 70
  • Passing yards: 58
  • 1st downs: 6
  • Turnovers: 0
  • Time of possession: 20:51

Maroon Team: 

  • Total yards: 364
  • Rushing yards: 180
  • Passing yards: 184
  • 1st downs: 21
  • Turnovers: 1
  • Time of possession: 39.09

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

WATCH: Maroon team finds the end zone twice to take a 14-3 lead in the spring game

Le’Veon Moss breaks the game open for the Maroon team during Texas A&M’s spring game, followed by a Marcel Reed TD To Noah Thomas

Texas A&M’s Maroon & White spring game is off to the races despite the inclement weather. The game was moved up an hour to avoid the rain predicted for later in the day. Aggie fans have seen new head coach Mike Elko back on the sidelines for the first time since his defensive coordinator days (2017-2021) with the program.

It’s been a slow day for both offenses, as several presumed 2024 starters are sitting out. The quarterbacks have looked solid for the most part, starting with the limit reps Conner Weigman has taken. For the Maroon team, sophomore Marcel Reed took notable strides, aided by an enhanced running back rotation that now features the son of NFL Hall of Fame RB Emmett Smith, E.J. Smith, who transferred from Stanford earlier this year.

However, don’t forget about 2023 starting running back Le’Veon Moss, who broke the game open with an impressive inside touchdown run to give the Maroon Team a 7-3 lead. As both defenses continued to impress, Reed’s impressive play led the Maroon down the field again, soon finding wide receiver Noah Thomas on a rollout in the endzone to take a 14-3 lead into halftime.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

ESPN identifies Texas A&M’s quarterback room as its biggest strength entering 2024 season

“The upside of all those quarterbacks getting thrown into the fire due to injuries is that there’s now a solid QB room full of confidence.”

ESPN college football reporters identified the biggest strengths of college football’s top 25 teams on Wednesday.

Coming in at No. 25, Texas A&M‘s biggest strength entering the 2024 season is its quarterbacks, according to Dave Wilson.

“The Aggies have been trying to find the right man for the job since the departure of Kellen Mond in 2020, and Jimbo Fisher‘s complex offense — combined with a struggling offensive line — did them no favors,” Wilson wrote. “But the upside of all those quarterbacks getting thrown into the fire due to injuries is that there’s now a solid QB room full of confidence.

“Starter Conner Weigman threw for 979 yards, 8 TDs and 2 INTs in four starts with a 68.9 completion percentage. Unheralded Fresno State transfer Jaylen Henderson got the job after an injury to backup Max Johnson, and Henderson completed 67.9 percent for 715 yards and 6 TDs to 2 INTs. When Henderson was hurt on the first play of the Texas Bowl against Oklahoma State, true freshman Marcel Reed completed 20-of-33 passes for 361 yards and added a 20-yard TD run.

“New offensive coordinator Collin Klein molded Will Howard and Avery Johnson before departing for College Station and Weigman could be the best Aggies quarterback since Johnny Manziel if he lives up to his potential.”

Johnny Football didn’t quite live up to the hype in the NFL, but will Weigman do so at the college level, led by new head coach Mike Elko? We’ll all find out together beginning on Aug. 31.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

Texas A&M sophomore QB Jaylen Henderson officially set to return for 2024 season

Back in November, sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson said he was “ready to work” under new head coach Mike Elko and his staff in 2024.

Back in November, Texas A&M sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson said he was “ready to work” under new head coach Mike Elko and his staff for the 2024 season.

Despite getting injured on the first play of the Texas Bowl on Dec. 27, Henderson confirmed his proclamation on Wednesday morning. Per a report from On3 Sports college sports business & transfer portal reporter Pete Nakos, the superb sophomore will not be entering the NCAA Transfer Portal and intends to play again for the Aggies later this year, according to the A&P Agency.

Henderson suffered a humerus fracture to his right, non-throwing arm during a 31-23 loss against No. 20 Oklahoma State. He had a “very successful surgery” on Dec. 29. True freshman Marcel Reed took over for Henderson and accomplished history along the way.

If everyone is healthy by training camp, there will be a three-horse race to become the Texas A&M starting signal caller between Henderson, Reed and sophomore Conner Weigman.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

Texas A&M sophomore QB Jaylen Henderson has ‘very successful surgery’ on right arm

After suffering a right arm injury on the first play of the Texas Bowl against No. 20 Oklahoma State on Wednesday night in Houston, Texas A&M sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson is on the road to recovery.

After suffering a right arm injury on the first play of the Texas Bowl against No. 20 Oklahoma State on Wednesday night in Houston, Texas A&M sophomore quarterback Jaylen Henderson is on the road to recovery.

Henderson’s journey back to Kyle Field got off to a positive start on Thursday, he shared via X.

“Very successful surgery,” Henderson posted. “I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers!”

The sophomore signal caller was hit and landed awkwardly after completing an 11-yard pass to junior wide receiver Jahdae Walker to begin the matchup. As a lefty, he injured his non-throwing arm.

After the 31-23 loss to the Cowboys at NRG Stadium, Aggies interim head coach Elijah Robinson shared his thoughts on the injury.

“Everybody wants to protect the quarterback and it’s not that anybody did anything wrong,” Robinson said Wednesday. “It was just a good hit on the guy and the guy got hurt. For the most part, those guys rallied around (Marcel Reed) and he responded.”

The specifics of Henderson’s injury have not been released. Sports & family medicine physician Jesse Morse, MD was among those on X speculating about what just occurred in the national broadcast on ESPN.

“Likely a fracture and/or dislocation,” Morse posted. “Hard to tell if he fractured humerus (upper arm), elbow or both. He was fitted for an air-cast which is almost always used for a fracture.”

Henderson wasn’t the only Texas A&M player to get banged up in the bowl game. Walker suffered a left shoulder injury attempting to make a touchdown catch in the first period but he later returned. However, the wideout kept it G sporting a sling in an X post on Thursday.

“Alldae” endeared himself to the 12th Man by not only participating in the contest but also gutting through an injury to record eight receptions for 137 yards. With a nod to Hall of Fame pass-catcher Shannon Sharpe, Walker let an appreciative Aggies fan know that he left it all out on the gridiron.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

Best Photos: Texas A&M vs Oklahoma State TaxAct Bowl game

Texas A&M fought hard all game long but fell just short in the TaxAct Bowl

Undermanned and inexperienced, the Aggie football team gave the Big 12 runner-up all they could handle at NRG Stadium but fell short in the 31-23 loss to No. 20 Oklahoma State in the TaxAct Bowl.

When the clock hit triple zeros, it officially ended the Jimbo era, and Interim head coach Elijah Robinson fulfilled his promise to the players on the team to stick with them through the bowl game. Even though things did get a little weird near the end, Coach Robinson always let it be known how much respect he has for the university and the time spent at A&M.

“I have nothing bad to say about this program. This program is first class, and they’re going to take it to the top.”

Below, you can check out the best photos from the game on Wednesday.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Five takeaways from Texas A&M’s 31-23 loss to Oklahoma State in the TaxAct Texas Bowl

After falling to Oklahoma State in the TaxAct Texas Bowl on Wednesday night, several young Aggies showed up and showed out.

Texas A&M’s 2023 season, along with the Jimbo Fisher era, has finally ended after falling to the No. 20 Oklahoma State Cowboys 31-23 on Wednesday night.

While the news regarding A&M’s depleted roster, as just 48 scholarship players were available due to injury and the transfer portal became the dominant narrative, it was Aggie freshman quarterback Marcel Reed’s record-setting performance that potentially provided a blueprint for what new head coach Mike Elko will bring to the program in 2024 and beyond.

After injuring his non-throwing arm after the first play of the game, A&M QB Jaylen Henderson’s frustrating departure led to one of the more memorable performances by an Aggie signal-caller in program history, as Reed, in just his second appearance on the year, passed for 361 yards, the second most yards against a Power 5 opponents since former QB Kellen Mond’s 430 against Clemson in 2018.

Outside of Reed’s introduction, several players on offense and defense stepped up, most notable 12th Man representative and linebacker/safety Sam Mathews, who led the team with 14 tackles and an interception, played his last game in an Aggie uniform, and man, was it a memorable one.

Focusing on the future, Elko and his staff have plenty of talent to work with on both sides of the ball, and by the looks of it, the current quarterback room looks borderline elite heading into next season.

Here are five things we learned from Texas A&M’s bowl game loss to Oklahoma State.

‘Lock in with the brother next to you. That’s what it has been this season.’ Wright and Mathews speak after TaxAct bowl game

Seniors Max Wright and Sam Mathews have big games during the TaxAct Bowl and speak post game presser

The 2023 football season has officially come to an end for the Aggie Football team and new head coach Mike Elko has a lot to look forward to in the future.

I don’t think anyone knew what to expect when the Aggies took the field at NRG Stadium on Wednesday night. Then, when third-string QB Jaylon Henderson was knocked out of the game on the very first play from scrimmage, it appeared that skipping the game altogether might have been the wiser choice.

However, true freshman Marcel Reed, 180 pounds soaking wet, showed that Aggie spirit and fought all game long, giving A&M a fighting chance to the very end. Two seniors, Max Wright and Sam Mathews, played huge roles in keeping the game in reach, capping off their final game in the Maroon & White. Wright finished the game with four receptions for 62 yards and Mathews finished with a career night that he will never forget.

His stat line consisted of a team-leading 14 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, and an interception. Max and Sam both talked about their time at A&M and what this season meant to them.

 “Texas A&M, to me, is the perfect representation of what it means to be people of honor and people of character. It’s the best university in the world, and there is no other university like it. I will be an Aggie for the rest of my life.” – Max Wright

“This season has been one I’ll never forget. Those last weeks might have been my favorite on this team with how everybody bought in and committed to each other. It was special to be a part of.”

Below, you can hear everything Max Wright and Sam Mathews had to say following the game.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Texas A&M true freshman QB Marcel Reed has historic Texas Bowl performance in defeat

Texas A&M true freshman quarterback Marcel Reed likely didn’t expect to get any significant playing time during the 2023 season but life comes at you fast and he was more than ready when the opportunity presented itself.

Texas A&M true freshman quarterback Marcel Reed likely didn’t expect to get any significant playing time during the 2023 season.

However, life comes at you fast and he was more than ready when the opportunity presented itself. Sophomore starter Jaylen Henderson injured his right arm on the first play of the Texas Bowl on Wednesday night in Houston, which thrust Reed into the spotlight on a national stage.

The undermanned Aggies may have lost to No. 20 Oklahoma State but the 2023 Mr. Football in Tennesee seized the moment. Reed had made two previous appearances in limited-action this year, on Nov. 11 against Mississippi State and the following week versus Abilene Christian.

On Wednesday at NRG Stadium, the true freshman completed 20 of 33 pass attempts for 361 yards and one interception, which was a Hail Mary heave on the game’s final play.

Reed’s yards passing was the most against a Power Five opponent since Kellen Mond tossed for 430 yards against Clemson in 2018. Since then, only one other performance topped Reed’s extended debut, when Haynes King passed for 364 yards against Sam Houston State last year.

The backup signal-caller added 10 rushes for 29 yards and a touchdown to his overall stat line as well. Reed’s main highlight from the Texas Bowl came on a 20-yard scamper down the right sideline for a score.

Whether it’s Henderson or Reed starting under center for Texas A&M next season, new head coach Mike Elko and the Aggies will be in good hands.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

‘..I am proud of that team and that locker room. I’m proud of those guys for stepping through.’ Elijah Robinson speaks after close loss to Oklahoma State.

Hear what Interim Head Coach Elijah Robinson had to say after the TaxAct Bowl game

The 2023 football season has officially ended for the Aggie Football team and new head coach Mike Elko has a lot to look forward to in the future.

I don’t think anyone knew what to expect when the Aggies took the field at NRG Stadium on Wednesday night. Then, when third-string QB Jaylon Henderson was knocked out of the game on the very first play from scrimmage, it appeared that skipping the game altogether might have been the wiser choice.

However, true freshman Marcel Reed, 180 pounds soaking wet, showed that Aggie spirit and fought all game long, giving A&M a fighting chance to the very end. As awkward as the Elijah Robinson situation got over the past few weeks, he kept his word to the team, took a very depleted team in the TaxAct Bowl, and gave the Big 12 runner-up a run for their money.

“We talked brotherhood from the very beginning, and no matter what anybody said outside of that locker room, the locker room was about brotherhood.” “I give a lot of credit to the coaches and those guys sticking around… The kids gave us everything we asked of them.”

Below, you can hear everything Interim Head Coach Elijah Robinson had to say following the game.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.