Mike Elko shares the one huge difference maker for Texas A&M Aggies despite defensive struggles in win over Arkansas
Marcel Reed and offense stepped up like it always does when defense faltered against Taylen Green and Arkansas
The Texas A&M Aggies are 7-0 for the first time since 1994 after their win over the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday. It may not have been pretty, but as my friends at the Solid Verbal college football show always say, you’ve got to “win your clunkers”. Head coach Mike Elko was obviously disappointed in the team’s defensive showing, but made sure to note the one difference maker for this Aggies team that keeps happening.
When one side of the ball is struggling, just like clockwork the other side steps up big time. That happened again on Saturday as Marcel Reed and the Aggies offense scored 40+ points for the fourth team on the season when they needed it badly.
Texas A&M offense and Marcel Reed step up to help horrific defense
When the Aggies needed to somehow score exactly 41 points against Notre Dame because the defense couldn’t stop a nose bleed, Marcel Reed and his explosive wide receivers answered the call. When the offense couldn’t get anything going the very next game against Auburn, star defensive end Cashius Howell and the A&M defense finally got their act together and allowed just 10 points. It was the offense’s turn again to step up this week, and Elko didn’t seem surprised that his team just did what needed to be done:
“When one side of the ball has needed to step up it has done it every single game. Every single week, every single opportunity. I just think [our team] is getting a feel for that. I think it didn’t take much to figure out that we were going to have a problem dealing with [Taylen Green] tonight. It didn’t take long to figure out we weren’t on our game defensively tonight. I think that just kind of triggered the offense into a little bit more focus, a little bit more being locked in because that’s how the game was going to have to go for us to win it.”
Huge credit to Arkansas quarterback goes to Taylen Green because the A&M defense just didn’t have an answer for him. The emerging Razorback superstar came into the game leading all FBS quarterbacks in total yards per gam and ranking second in QBR for a reason. However, Marcel Reed’s performance was even better (and it needed to be).
Marcel Reed threw three touchdown passes, ran in another, and tallied 335 total yards of offense as he personally averaged nearly nine yards per play for Texas A&M on Saturday. Coach Elko sung his praises after the game saying he was “calm in the pocket” and “delivered the ball where it was supposed to go” throughout the entire game.
That’s become a trend for the Aggies. Marcel Reed stepping up at just the right time, with the perfect play, exactly when Texas A&M needs it most. That kind of Heisman Trophy level play will need to continue, especially if the Aggies struggle against hyper mobile quarterbacks like Taylen Green again in the future. The good news? Reed seems up to the task.
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