Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed’s first full starting season was a massive success after helping lead the Aggies to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, throwing for a career high 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, and proving that he is much more than a running quarterback after plenty of offseason doubt.
Still, the Aggies were just a couple of plays and avoidable mistakes away from defeating the eventual national runner-up Miami Hurricanes in the first round of the CFP, while Marcel Reed’s two interceptions, including a red zone pick in an attempt to tie the game, have become the focus this offseason, which Reed detailed during his interview with On3’s Pete Nakos.
Focused on avoiding “mental mistakes” that led to the Aggies’ poor end to what was otherwise a magical season, Reed’s offseason workouts with private QB coach Jeff Cristensen have been “nearly perfect,” and from a philosophical point of view, the Tennessee native’s national football identity has been muddled, especially in the SEC, where Texas QB Arch Manning overshaows nearly every signal caller.
Even after his career highs last fall, Marcel Reed’s critics are correct when questioning his ability to lead the Aggies to a national title, but no one can dispute that he is one of the top five (depending on the source) quarterbacks in the SEC, and should only be judged for what he does on the field.
“I’m a quarterback. They haven’t said that for a while,” Reed said. “I don’t really care what people say. My Mom always tells me, when somebody says something about me, she asks, ‘What’s your name?’ I say, ‘Marcel Reed.’ She says, ‘That’s who you are.’ So I don’t really care what anybody has to say. I’m not worried about it. I’m just worried about being me.”
This is the type of healthy mindset that usually results in quarterbacks taking the proverbial “next step” after their first full starting season, and while the Aggies’ revamped offensive line, now featuring four new starters, will need to avoid regression, the 2026 wide receiver rotation, led by star junior Mario Craver and Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton, should result in Marcel Reed, the quarterback, reaching his full potential.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: ‘I’m a quarterback’: Texas A&M QB is ignoring his critics
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire | USA TODAY Network
