What’s the saying? Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Thatis how it's felt watching Marcel Reed over the past two games. Still, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko is sticking with his QB1, at least for another week.
After another poor performance from Reed, this time against LSU, fans are wondering how much longer Elko will let him struggle before considering a change. When asked after Saturday night’s 35-6 loss whether he would consider one, Elko gave a simple answer:
"No"
That answer will frustrate fans, and understandably so. But backup Brady Hart has not made a case in his limited playing time, either. Hart threw an interception on his lone pass attempt against LSU. Reed’s ability to escape pressure
is also valuable while the offensive line searches for consistency. None of that excuses how he has played.
Reed acknowledged that the passing game was not working and did not put all the blame on his teammates.
“We had trouble up front and some of that is on me. We couldn’t get it going, it’s as simple as that. We executed stuff in practice, it just didn’t translate to the game.”
Asked about his own performance, Reed added, “Today I tried my best to put the ball where it needed to be.”
I do not doubt that he did. But the results are what matter. Reed completed 10 of 26 passes for 106 yards and an interception against LSU. He was sacked four times, and A&M converted only four of its 15 third-down attempts. The line had its problems, but Reed missed opportunities to make plays when he had them.
This is bigger than one bad night. Reed struggled against Kentucky, too, and the Aggies are now 0-2 in SEC play. Elko can stand by the quarterback who helped get the program to this point while still demanding better decisions and more accurate throws.
For now, Reed remains QB1. Elko and offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins have a week to figure out why what works in practice is not showing up on Saturdays. If the quarterback is staying the same, something about the approach and the performance has to change before Arkansas comes to Kyle Field.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: ‘No’: Mike Elko rules out QB change after Texas A&M’s loss to LSU
