We are three weeks into the 2026 college football season. Coaches and programs are suffering because of bad quarterback roster management decisions. A few are thriving because they got the right quarterback. It's the most important position on a roster for a reason. Let's consider the damage being done to Texas A&M
due to Mike Elko's decision to retain Marcel Reed and not swap him out for an upgrade.Mike Elko and Marcel Reed at Texas A&M
If you watched the College Football Playoff game against Miami, Texas A&M's defense stood on its head and did virtually everything it could to win. Merely average quarterback play would have won the game for A&M, but Marcel Reed was well below average. It was the kind of disaster which should make a head coach insist on a transfer portal exchange.
Instead, Mike Elko doubled down on Marcel Reed.
Did you watch Saturday against Kentucky? Marcel Reed hasn't improved. He hasn't gotten smarter. He is holding back A&M, which has to visit LSU next week. The Aggies are in major trouble. Their quarterback is the main reason why.
Brent Venables and John Mateer at Oklahoma
The Sooners could have and should have upgraded. They didn't. John Mateer said after a pitiful 14-point performance against New Mexico on Saturday that he's sick and tired of saying he needs to fix his mistakes. The coaching staff certainly isn't doing its job, but with better players, worrying about mistakes isn't as big a concern. Better players have a way of not making as many mistakes.
Ryan Silverfield and KJ Jackson at Arkansas
Arkansas is a disaster for many reasons, but quarterback is a central one. Ryan Silverfield's inability to bring a top gunslinger with him to Fayetteville has left the Razorbacks' offense hopelessly outclassed. Arkansas has had no chance against Utah and Georgia, and will continue to have no shot against the top half of the SEC.
Sonny Dykes and Jaden Craig at TCU
Maybe the Horned Frogs can turn things around in Big 12 play, but Jaden Craig from Harvard played very poorly against Bill Belichick and North Carolina in TCU's season opener. This acquisition isn't looking very good. TCU scored just 14 points in the first half against Arkansas State Saturday night.
Positive effect - Mario Cristobal and Darian Mensah at Miami
Miami paid up for Darian Mensah, and the former Duke quarterback is lighting it up for the Hurricanes. He looks fantastic, making UM a prime national championship contender.
Coaching carousel interviews
When athletic directors interview coaching carousel candidates this coming November and December, the first thing they need to ask is what their quarterback plan is if the current QB on the roster isn't all that good. The coach needs to get an assurance from the AD that money will be spent on a quarterback. A number of programs did not nail down this detail and are paying the price.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Quarterback roster decisions define 2026 college football season
