Why Texas A&M is 'paying the price' for loyalty this season

Texas A&M is by far one of the most disappointing programs in the country this season, as the Aggies sit at 3-3 and 1-3 in SEC play, falling to Missouri 27-6 in Week 6, and will host The Citadel on Saturday in what could be the program's final win of the year, knowing that road tests vs. Alabama, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and home games against Tennessee and Texas are left on the schedule.

Through six games, it's more than fair to grade the Aggies' season as a complete failure thus far, and coach Mike Elko's offseason decisions to elevate wide receivers coach and ace recruiter Holmon Wiggins as the new offensive coordinator, and keep starting quarterback Marcel Reed, instead of pursuing a veteran signal caller with NFL potential, have resulted in the offense taking a significant step back.

After making the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, Mike Elko deserves credit, but also all the blame for this season's problems that have yet to be fixed. CBS Sports writer John Talty named five teams, including Texas A&M, that are "paying the price" for being too "loyal," with the Aggies and 3-2 Oregon Ducks standing out as the worst 2025 CFP teams because of poor offseason choices.

"It made sense why Texas A&M stuck with Reed. Elko and his coaching staff were aware of Reed's limitations but loved his leadership and the way he connected with his teammates. Coming off a team that made the playoff with Reed as the starting QB, it would have been bold to go shopping in the portal for a better option. It's what A&M needed to do, however, especially after losing first-round receiver KC Concepcion and four offensive linemen who were drafted in April. The offensive line has taken a clear step back, while Reed hasn't used his legs as effectively as he did in 2024 or 2025."

Based on the film, Holmon Wiggins' play calling has been average to above average, with receivers open, while Marcel Reed has failed to execute from the pocket. The offensive line has been a problem, giving up 13 pressures against Missouri, but Reed still deserves most of the blame.

Former OC and current Kansas State coach Collin Klein did wonders for Marcel Reed's development, but that progress evaporated after Klein and KC Concepcion left. Even if Holmon Wiggins keeps his job, Mike Elko's No. 1 priority will be finding Marcel Reed's replacement in the transfer portal.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Why Texas A&M is 'paying the price' for loyalty this season