Playing "winning football" sounds vague on the surface, and heading into Mike Elko's third season at the helm, it's clear that the program is in the right direction, but back-to-back losses to Texas and Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff were the antithesis of what we saw throughout the 2025 season.
This starts and ends with redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed, who threw four of his career-high twelve interceptions in both losses while seemingly playing with less confidence compared to his past performances, resulting in poor decision-making; former OC Collin Klein's decision to use fewer RPO looks and keep Reed in the pocket also deserves some blame.
Under first-year offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins, the expectation
is that Marcel Reed will return to utilizing his dual-threat skill set more often, getting outside the pocket, especially on play action where he has thrived since becoming the full-time starter. Equipped with one of the best wide receiver rooms in the country, Reed's improvement this preseason should lead to another jump in consistent play.
However, the defense allowed nearly 400 rushing yards against Texas and Miami last season, a huge contributing factor in both losses that wasn't based on personnel, aside from a lack of size at linebacker, which has been addressed this offseason.
During Thursday's press conference, Mike Elko said taking another step toward making "winning plays" in key moments has been a clear focus, starting with finishing strong every practice, while his team's mental makeup will be tested throughout the nine-game SEC schedule.
"We got to continue to be the team that steps up and makes those winning plays in those moments, and that's what we did in those games… That's what we didn't do in the playoff game."
"The more parity sets in, which it clearly is, and the more that the top comes down a little bit and the bottom comes up… It's going to come down to winning plays."
Situations where Marcel Reed is dropping back in 12 personnel and needing to make perfect throws in tight windows must be avoided, if possible, to avoid placing added pressure; this starts with a strong run game, which will open up play-action looks and allow the Aggies' wide receivers to make plays after the catch.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Mike Elko eyes 'winning plays' for Texas A&M in 2026
