'Up and down': Mike Elko grades Texas A&M QB's performance against ASU

Through two games, redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed hasn't exactly lit up the scoreboard in back-to-back blowout wins over Missouri State and Arizona State, but he has thrown for 396 yards and five touchdowns, including three against the Sun Devils, while passing for a pedestrian 163 yards. Still, winning matters most, and personal achievements matter far less.

Since taking over as the full-time starter midway through the 2024 season, Marcel Reed's focus on reaching his full potential as a passer led to his career-high 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, and the program's first College Football Playoff appearance. This offseason, cutting down on his turnovers and eliminating the "mental mistakes" that plagued his performance in back-to-back losses to Texas and Miami in the first round of the CFP is slowly but surely paying off.

Again, Reed's stats don't jump off the page, and while some Aggie fans feel he has not improved as a passer, the tape speaks for itself. Against Missouri State, Reed completed 21/30 for 233 yards and two touchdowns, showing improved accuracy, better ball touch, and budding chemistry with transfer receiver Isaiah Horton, which continued into Saturday.

Credit to Arizona State's defense, Texas A&M's offensive line didn't give Reed enough time in the pocket early in the game, and tight Sun Devils' coverage forced smart decisions to run the ball or throw it away. Among his 16 completions, the redshirt junior hit his receivers in the numbers, while his NFL-level end zone fade to Isaiah Horton was a thing of beauty.

On Monday, coach Mike Elko officially graded his quarterback's performance, and in his usual form, Elko was completely honest with his assessment that Marcel Reed has a ways to go as a consistent pocket passer.

"Up and down. Certainly better than the stats maybe would say. I wouldn't necessarily say he played poorly, but there were poor plays," Elko said. "Early in the year, some good and some bad. A continued work-in-progress, like we are as a team right now."

Saturday's 48-20 win was more about "winning plays" at the right time and playing cleaner football after committing just one penalty, which is steady progress for a team entering SEC play against Kentucky on Saturday afternoon.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 'Up and down': Mike Elko grades Texas A&M QB's performance against ASU