SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 22, 2026

Marcel Reed

Texas A&M Aggies

Press Conference

Q. Obviously team goals are at the top of your list. What individual goals do you want to meet so those team goals happen?

MARCEL REED: I want to go up (audio issues).

Q. Marcel, you've just absolutely dominated LSU in the past almost two games. What worked so well for you against LSU?

MARCEL REED: My legs. (Laughter).

No, but LSU is a good team. But gotta have confidence going into every game. It's fun being able to play in a scene like that in Death Valley. Get to go back this year. There's a new coach there now. They've got some new players. So we'll see how this one goes.

Q. You talk about improving statistics. I'm curious if there's one stat in particular that you guys really harp on as quarterbacks at A&M?

MARCEL REED: I think completion percentage is kind of a universal one for quarterbacks. I think that's an important one to me. Taking those for-sure passes and not passing them up for maybes is something that's really important for me this year.

Q. How do you describe the frustration of the final two games to end last season and maybe how that kind of fueled you guys here heading into this fall?

MARCEL REED: Definitely frustrating last two games, losing to a rival and then losing the first round of the playoffs, not fun. But I wouldn't say it's too much fuel, because you can't really take anything from last season into this season.

But they were two good teams. And we were a good team, but the people we had last year aren't the same people we have this year.

And I think we've had some improvements over the offseason. We've got a new OC. We've got a new quarterback coach.

Just continuing to develop, having that experience now and just growing in my own character and my own way of playing football, I think, is going to be a change this year, for sure.

Q. Going off those last two games, just seemed you hit a wall. Like you just couldn't move the ball the same way you had all year. So for you personally, what did you take from those games and what were you missing during those last two performances?

MARCEL REED: Yeah, just like how you said it. We weren't able to move the ball. Couldn't get the ball in the end zone. I think we had maybe one or two possessions in the Texas game where we could really move it. Other than that, we were punting almost every possession.

The Miami game, we moved it slightly well. Got it down into the red zone a couple times, but everybody knew how the wind was in that game. There were some missed field goals from both ends.

Couldn't really capitalize on that. It was an unfortunate event. And, yeah, we lost and gotta move on from it.

Q. You said earlier with confidence, you feel like you are one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. How important is it to you to have that kind of mindset? And do you believe this team can go as you go?

MARCEL REED: Yeah. I mean, I think it's really important to that have mindset. If you don't, you shouldn't be playing in the country -- you shouldn't be playing in college football, you shouldn't be playing in the SEC.

I've always had that confidence growing up. I've always played with guys older than me. So I've never been afraid of anybody. I've never been afraid of a name. I always go out there and know what I'm capable of and play the game that I love.

So, yeah, I think I'm always gonna have this confidence. I'm never gonna let anybody tell me I can't do anything.

I think this team's gonna be -- this team's going to go -- obviously where I'm gonna be. Being a captain now I have a voice that these people are gonna follow. We have four other ones as well who have done a great job this offseason of speaking up and just being able to lead this team.

And we have the players to go do it. We just have to buckle down and be consistent this year.

Q. I just want to ask about something you mentioned earlier, having a new OC, new quarterback coach. What's been the biggest transition since losing Coach Klein, and is there something that he may have taught you that you're still utilizing to this day?

MARCEL REED: Yeah, it hasn't been a crazy transition. Going into every single offseason, there's an install and everything. So you've got to learn new things every single year.

But I think the change this year was we changed up our verbiage a little bit. And that's always how it goes. People get your number. You gotta change it up every single year.

But, yeah, nothing really drastically different. I'm in the room with Coach Wiggins and my quarterback coach, Coach Lynch, a lot this offseason, just trying to pick their brains a little bit and let them pick mine, so we're on the same page when it comes to each and every weekend this year.

So really excited for it. Still going to be explosive. Still going to have really great offense. Looking forward to it.

Q. You guys are heavy favorites in week one. What will you guys learn about yourselves in that game?

MARCEL REED: I think we'll learn a lot. That's definitely like the -- we'll get the jitters out in that game. No matter who the opponent is, we still have to go out there and execute. What we're going to see all the preparation that came through -- winter, spring and summer, and fall camp -- come out in that game. That will tell you a lot about how the season's going to go, definitely what we're gonna have to clean up going into the weeks after.

Q. What are you most excited about with the new offense this year? And what do you see as the biggest hurdle?

MARCEL REED: I'm really excited to get the ball to my receivers again. We have some really good guys outside, returning guys -- Ashton Bethel-Roman, Mario Craver and Terry Bussey. And then Isaiah Horton coming in being that big X receiver is a good pick-up from the portal.

I don't think there is a roadblock or speed bump or anything in our offense. I think we have a lot of guys. O line might be what people talk about, but we have our returning center who has been a center for us for five years now. And he understands the game. He's been in Coach Cush's offense before. So he's able to help out the people around him.

And we also have some experienced SEC guys that came in throughout the portal. So I think we're going to be just fine. There's nothing that really concerns me going into the season. I'm just really excited to get to play.

Q. You're the first quarterback to represent A&M here since 2019 in Kellen. Does that mean something to you, and does it mean something to you to be kind of stability in a position that has been a little bit unstable for the Aggies for almost a decade?

MARCEL REED: Yeah, it means a lot. Whenever your coach picks you to do something to represent the team and yourself, I think it's really important.

Also, representing my family, my faith. Without God, I wouldn't be here at all. So just happy to be in this position, for sure, as well as getting the captain's badge. That's something that your coach and your teammates give you credit.

I think I've worked to be in the position that I'm in, and this is just the proof of what I've put in for it, for sure.

Q. The transfer portal has grown its popularity over the years, but you chose to stay at Texas A&M. Why was that?

MARCEL REED: I don't think there was a reason for me to leave. A lot of people may have things outside of football that they've got to worry about, and with NIL nowadays, people will leave for money and stuff. The coaching situation might not be good. But I think when Elko came in, I saw his vision, and I saw what he wanted to do with the program, so I chose to stay then.

And then Klein, Coach Klein left, took his job, which I respect because it's his alma mater, and he's wanted to be a head coach.

Coach Wiggins is somebody that I've known about. He coached a lot of good players at Alabama. So I trusted him. And Coach Lynch, who's my quarterback coach now, always had a relationship with him while he was at Vanderbilt being the offensive coordinator there. I went to school about six minutes away from Vanderbilt, so I've known him for a long time, got to understand him and become close with him and his family.

So there's no reason for me to leave. I had everybody that I needed in my corner. And like I said, I love my team. I love College Station. There's no reason for it to happen.

Q. Wanted to ask you about your new left tackle Tyree Adams. What have been your early impressions of him so far, and what kind of contribution or difference do you think he can make for the Aggies and this offensive line?

MARCEL REED: Tyree is, I mean, very light on his feet, which I think is very good for a tackle. He moves really well. He has the length. He has the hands.

We joke around all the time. That's one of my favorite guys. Tyree is awesome. Really excited that he came to join Aggieland. And he's gonna protect me this year. I know that for sure. He protects me in the locker room, so really excited to have him on my side.