Marcel Reed Named Alexander Award Player of the Week

© Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Texas A&M freshman quarterback Marcel Reed only played two quarters and completed 2 passes but his legs gave the spark the No. 10 Texas A&M Aggies (7-1, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) were looking for in their come-from-behind upset win against the then-No. 8 LSU Tigers (6-2, 3-1) on Oct 26. 

After entering the game in the third quarter for a struggling Conner Weigman, Reed helped the Aggies cash in on LSU’s second-half miscues with 3 rushing touchdowns and erase a 17-7 first-half deficit to win 38-23. For his efforts, Reed was named the Week 9 Shaun Alexander Award Player of the Week by the Maxwell Football Club on Oct. 29.

Reed’s Heroics

The 6-foot-2 Nashville, Tenn. native had seen action earlier in the season, leading the Aggies to three wins for an injured Weigman, but returned to the backup role with the sophomore’s return to the lineup against the Missouri Tigers (6-2, 2-2) on Oct. 5. 

Trailing by 10 at the half and with Weigman completing just 6-of-18 of his passes for 64 yards, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko made the switch to Reed. After his first two drives ended in punts, the Aggie defense gave Reed and the offense a short field to work with following an interception return to the LSU 8-yard line with 8:17 left in the third. On the next play, Reed scampered into the end zone to cut the lead to 17-14. 

Although LSU got into field goal range on its ensuing drive, a bad snap and fumble gave the Aggies the ball back at their own 40. Seven plays later, Reed gave A&M its first lead (21-17) with his second 8-yard touchdown run with one minute left in the third quarter. Two plays later, the Aggie defense struck again with another interception of LSU’s Grant Nussmeier to set up the Aggies at the Tigers’ 26-yard line. Reed then scored his third rushing TD of the game to start the fourth quarter to give A&M a 28-17 lead. 

LSU would answer with a touchdown on its next drive, but Reed helped seal the win with a 54-yard pass and 18 rushing yards on his next drive leading to a Le’Veon Moss 3-yard touchdown run with 8:09 left in the game. Reed finished the day 2-of-2 passing for 70 yards and rushed for 62 yards on 9 carries and 3 rushing scores. 

After the game, Elko said the switch at quarterback was game-changing for the Aggies.

“It was a litany of issues and we just felt like we needed a spark and we pulled the trigger and went with Marcel and what a spark he gave us,” Elko said.

On the Season

Reed is 45-of-81 passing for 655 yards and 6 touchdowns. He has rushed for 288 yards on 52 carries and 5 rushing touchdowns so far this season. Despite Reed’s heroics against LSU, Elko has said that the Aggies’ starting quarterback will be a game-time decision for the rest of the year. 

Currently sitting in sole possession of first place in the SEC, the Aggies have two conference road games against South Carolina (4-3, 2-3) on Nov. 2 and Auburn (3-5, 1-4) on Nov. 23 before ending their conference slate with in-state rival No. 5 Texas Longhorns (7-1, 3-1) on Nov. 30 at Kyle Field.

The Shaun Alexander Award

One of the Maxwell Football Club’s most prestigious awards, the Shaun Alexander Award is presented to the best freshman player in college football each year. Originally named the College Football Freshman Player of the Year Award, the award was established in 2019. The inaugural winner was quarterback Trevor Lawrence of Clemson, while former Alabama and current Ohio State defensive back Caleb Downs won the award in 2023.