Texas A&M Teammates Rally Behind Marcel Reed After Kentucky Loss

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Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed took plenty of heat after the Aggies' 31-21 loss to Kentucky, but his teammates aren't abandoning him after one rough Saturday.

Wide receiver Mario Craver and linebacker Daymion Sanford both publicly supported Reed this week as No. 23 Texas A&M prepares for a difficult road trip to face No. 10 LSU in Baton Rouge.

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Reed struggled to find rhythm against Kentucky, completing 53 percent of his passes while throwing two interceptions. He also failed to complete a pass on throws traveling 20 or more yards downfield as the Aggies fell behind 28-7 and were forced to chase the game.

Craver, however, saw something very different from Reed throughout the offseason and practices leading into the SEC opener.

"He's definitely got a lot better in every aspect of the game," Craver said. "I think last week he just got in his head a little bit and let the game get away from him a little bit."

Craver was one of the few bright spots against the Wildcats. He finished with a career-high 11 receptions for 119 yards and became Reed's most dependable option as Texas A&M tried to rally.

Head coach Mike Elko described Reed as "pressing" after the defeat, an issue that could become even more important against an LSU defense playing at home in prime time.

Sanford also expressed confidence in Reed based on what he's seen away from game day.

"What I've seen in practice, he's been commanding and leading," Sanford said. "So I feel like I'm pretty confident in him to go out there and perform."

The Aggies don't have much time to dwell on Kentucky.

Texas A&M heads to Tiger Stadium Saturday night for a 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff against LSU on ABC. The Aggies won last year's meeting in Baton Rouge, 49-25, but this trip carries a different kind of pressure.

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If Texas A&M wants to steady its season, Reed will need to play more decisively, Craver will need to remain heavily involved, and the Aggies' defense must be significantly better against the run.

The locker room is still backing its quarterback. Now Reed has to reward that confidence.

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