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As pressure intensifies on the Texas A&M football program, many around College Station are questioning whether a critical decision from last season contributed to the team's dismal start in 2026.
Head coach Mike Elko and his staff chose senior Marcel Reed as the starting quarterback in 2024 over Conner Weigman, who is now starting for Houston. Despite the Aggies' recent struggles, no definitive answer has emerged about whether that choice was correct.
Reed's early success is often overlooked. He guided Texas A&M to an 11-0 start in 2025, helping the team climb to No. 3 nationally after orchestrating a 27-point second-half comeback against South Carolina. However, 2026 has brought nothing but disappointment, with the Aggies losing three of their four SEC games by double digits. In those defeats, Reed has thrown just one touchdown and five interceptions, failing to surpass 200 passing yards against LSU and Missouri. His confidence and body language have visibly wavered, and calls for him to be benched grow louder each week. The situation reached a boiling point last week when Elko went viral for negatively referring to a vocal segment of the fanbase as a "cesspool."
Meanwhile, Weigman is enjoying a standout season at Houston and seeing his NFL Draft stock rise. Through six games, he has posted an efficient 15-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio while leading the Cougars to a 5-1 record. Rumors suggested Elko favored Reed for his superior athleticism, but Weigman has proven dynamic on the ground as well, recording three explosive runs, six rushing touchdowns this season, and 17 total rushing touchdowns in a season and a half at Houston. Although he doesn't face SEC defenses weekly like Reed, Weigman has been a proven winner, compiling a 15-4 record as a starter and keeping the Cougars in Big 12 title contention after a 35-32 victory over No. 18 Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Key Analysis
In the end, Weigman may not have been the ideal fit for Elko's system, but he appears to be the better quarterback overall, with superior stats, consistent play, and a stronger record. If Texas A&M could redo this program-altering decision, the careers of both Weigman and Reed might look very different, though the results aren't guaranteed to change. Ultimately, they are two distinct quarterbacks who require different support systems to reach their full potential.