All gas, no brakes. That was supposed to be the motto in College Station heading into 2024. New coach, new juice, 16 returning starters, and a chip the size of Kyle Field on their shoulder. But by the end of the season? That gas tank hit E. Texas A&M came out swinging after season opener L against Notre Dame, skating past McNeese, and somehow surviving a four-OT heart attack against Auburn. By mid-season, they had Aggieland thumping with a 7-1 record and a 41-10 whooping of No. 9 Missouri. SEC folks started whispering. Then it all collapsed. The Aggies lost 4 of their last five, ending the year 8-5. Same old story, new face at the podium. And now, as Mike Elko steps up for Year 2, he’s hearing the same question whispered all over College Station: is Marcel Reed that guy or just a guy?
Marceel Reed’s name been buzzing ever since Blake Ruffino lit up The Ruffino and Joe Show with a scorching take on June 1st. “The biggest catalyst for me… here is where I thought you hit the nail on the head. Does Marcel Reed, who we saw take the starting job last season — how does he progress? I think he’s got to get better throwing the football, Joe. One of the worst quarterbacks in the SEC on third down — especially in November.” Not exactly what you wanna hear about your presumed QB1, but let’s be real—Ruffino wasn’t hating. He was diagnosing.
Men lie, women lie, but stat sheet don’t lie. Marcel Reed put up 1,864 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and six picks across 11 games, completing just over 61% of his throws. And yeah, man’s got wheels too—547 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, leading SEC QBs with 4.7 YPC. But that third-down stat? Painful. 52% completion on money downs isn’t gonna cut it in the SEC West trenches. Especially not with Elko trying to run a balanced attack. Aggies ranked 13th in passing last season. Bottom barrel.
Reed’s got that backyard ball magic though—ask Florida. Marcel Reed turned into Madden Vick for three quarters, threw 2 tuddies and ran for 1. “He did some ridiculous things last year,” Ruffino admitted. “Quite frankly, I thought he was the only reason why they had a shot against Texas at the end of the year.”
And that’s the paradox. Reed is electric… until he has to stay in rhythm. When things break down? He’s fireworks. When he’s gotta hit a slant on 3rd and 6? Not so much. A&M’s passing offense limped to 182.6 YPG while the ground game carried the load at 212.9 YPG. That’s cute, but that’s not winning you playoff games. Not even close. That’s why Elko’s out here adding flamethrowers to the receiver room like he’s assembling the Avengers.
First order of business? Weaponize the wideout room. Enter KC Concepcion, the YAC monster from NC State, fresh off 1,300 yards and enough broken ankles to fill a clinic. Add Terry Bussey, the five-star with afterburners, and Mario Craver, a deep-ball menace outta Mississippi State.
But here’s the twist: none of that means jack if Reed can’t hit them. And that’s where the warning becomes real. “He’s got to be better throwing the football,” Ruffino’s take. Everyone agrees Reed is fun as hell to watch. But that arm? Needs more polish than a pair of church shoes.
The Aggies finished 8-5, their best since 2021, but that’s like getting a bronze medal in a two-man race when you were leading at halftime. Elko’s bringing heat into 2025 with 16 returning starters and revamped staff energy, but if Reed stalls in neutral, all that horsepower won’t mean squat. This year is sink or swim. Either Reed tightens up that third-down execution, or someone else will.
Mike Elko back at running the defense
While the offense’s red flags got most of the headlines, let’s not sugarcoat what happened on defense either. That 1-4 skid to close the year? Most of that blame’s on the other side of the ball. No pass rush. Secondary playing like they were allergic to coverage. Big plays became a weekly feature. You lose to USC and Texas back-to-back? You’re gonna hear about it.
Aggie fans wasted zero time pointing fingers. Jay Bateman’s name got tossed around like a hot potato. Defensive coordinator seat? On fire. But instead of handing him a pink slip, Elko made a chess move. He brought in Lyle Hemphill—his right-hand man from Duke. And then he dropped the real bomb: he’s taking over defensive play-calling in 2025.
“I tried to go up into the press box, but they wouldn’t let me,” Elko joked during Austin Coaches’ Night. “I’ve called plays from the sideline at different times in my career… It’s not something that’s new or that I’m worried about. It’ll be a collaborative effort.”
Translation? Elko’s done watching from the sideline while the defense burns. He’s grabbing the headset back like it’s 2021 again. And that’s potentially huge. Let’s not forget—back when Elko was DC, Texas A&M had one of the most violent, disciplined defenses in the country. That same DNA? It’s still on the roster.
This spring, Elko retooled that defense like a maniac. 14 new portal pickups. 5 of those are defensive linemen. That isn’t coincidence—that’s a full-blown trench war strategy. A&M’s gotta get nasty up front again if they’re gonna stop bleeding points. And let’s talk prep. Elko ain’t doing this solo. Bateman and Hemphill will still be key in pre-game install and in-game adjustments. Think of it like this: Bateman draws the blueprints, Hemphill brings the nails, and Elko swings the hammer.
If this setup clicks, 2025 could be a full-circle moment. The offense has weapons. The defense has leadership again. And QB has no more excuses. Mike Elko knows what it’s supposed to look like—he built it once before. Now he’s betting he can do it again. And this time, he’s calling the shots.
Whether Marcel Reed can elevate under that kind of pressure? That’s the $4 million question. But one thing’s for sure: Elko ain’t here to babysit. He’s here to win.
And College Station? They’ve waited long enough.
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