My Top 4 Biggest challenges for the 2026 season:

1. Tough Schedule - Last 5 games - Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma & Texas

2. Offensive Line - Successful Run Blocking & Pass Protection - Can they consistently do it.

3. Marcel Reed - Learning how to run a passing game against a 7 to 8 man Zone Defense Coverage:
--- Every team out there knows this is how you beat Marcel Reed. He must overcome this weakness.
--- Throwing on time with rhythm, throwing into tight windows with accuracy - Making decisions quicker.

4. Marcel Reed - Learning to take advantage of or being allowed to - take off and run more often.

The Top 4 things that I am not concerned about is:

1. The Overall Defense - Talent, Strengths/Weaknesses, Believe that this will be an improved group

2. Running Backs - They will be young & inexperienced - But Freshman RBs have played successfully.

3. Kicking Game - I feel that Elko has made this a priority and will have it fixed.

4. New Offensive Coordinator - Holman Wiggins has 5 years of elite SEC coaching experience.

Look forward to everyone's Thoughts:

How you have Marcel reed twice and brand new OC nunce is wild.

The offensive line part is probably a question mark most teams have going into the season. So we're reshaping there along with most teams. Whether it works or not remains to be seen. But we have some positive things, I think, to start with... the experienced guys we brought in, the depth, and our OL coach.

I agree with your points on Reed. Most notably, his need to make quicker decisions; and, oddly enough, he's shown he can do that - the comeback against S.C. was the "good" Reed. He trends toward being able to hit the crossing route in stride, to throwing behind his receivers (see the final Miami play). He still needs to work on his deep throw and even finding the open check-downs - and get it to them quickly so they can YAC it downfield.

30,000 foot pff summary for Reed 2025. He does struggle with zone but also looks like he would benefit from being under center more. We shall see.

This is AI right?

Redbeard85 said:

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This is AI right?

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PFF stats, yes. Not sure about the Op.

I think macel reed can improve but he's only as good as his o-line.

1. Marcel Reed
2. Marcel Reed
3. Marcel Reed
4. Wind, apparently

AgFan1974 said:

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30,000 foot pff summary for Reed 2025. He does struggle with zone but also looks like he would benefit from being under center more. We shall see.

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I'm sure it's just me misunderstanding, but how is Reed both "using his elite mobility" to beat the blitz but also doing quite poorly when "moved off his spot"?

Does stepping up in the pocket count as mobility but not being moved off one's spot?

1) OL / Running game. Run the ball, and Reed looks better.

2) Reed's individual improvement / his dynamic with Wiggins and our WRs.

3) Can the defense be the best since Elko has been back. We need a step up from last year overall.

4) Play calling (I know that some think this is the most important part of being an OC, but designing an offense, identifying and landing the talent / personnel that can execute that offense, all matter more. Play calling is just what we see and the easiest thing to blame as a fan. A number of play calls can work any given situation.)

5) Schedule. It's hard on paper. What we focus on and take care of within our own program all matters more.

My post - "My Top 4 Biggest Challenges for the 2026 Aggies Football Team" -
Is all me. No AI analysis or research.

If you watched our last two games - My statements are very obvious on Marcel.
I do like Marcel a lot, but he does have weaknesses. Defenses have figured him out.
Just pointing out what I believe that our 2026 challenges are...

Maybe it's because you don't have to blitz to be under pressure? I don't know, just thinking out loud.

Like when they blitz him with more than 4, he doesn't struggle. Usually has a good option and/or can run and escape the pocket.

When they blitz with 4 and get pressure, he struggles.

Considering Wiggins has never got a sniff at another OC with over 20 years' experience gives me extreme caution. Not sure how you can be so confident.

Also, our run defense as a whole hasn't been very good with Elko. He had 3 draft picks last year and we gave up big plays, and he talked about making the right fit all this year. This is another that has to be looked at with extreme caution unless we finally have much better personnel

He can avoid the blitz but having to throw on the go he isn't strong. He should take off on the run more.

Agree on all points!

Paul Pierce Ag said:

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AgFan1974 said:

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30,000 foot pff summary for Reed 2025. He does struggle with zone but also looks like he would benefit from being under center more. We shall see.

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I'm sure it's just me misunderstanding, but how is Reed both "using his elite mobility" to beat the blitz but also doing quite poorly when "moved off his spot"?

Does stepping up in the pocket count as mobility but not being moved off one's spot?

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Its a good question. My guess is PFF makes a distinction between the blitz schemes and realised pressure out of non-blitz packages. I consume all of these stats with caution but usually there are tidbits of truth.

Oline & run defense


Reed's flaws can be overcome w an oline that doesn't flounder against competitive defenses

AgFan1974 said:

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Paul Pierce Ag said:

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AgFan1974 said:

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30,000 foot pff summary for Reed 2025. He does struggle with zone but also looks like he would benefit from being under center more. We shall see.

---

I'm sure it's just me misunderstanding, but how is Reed both "using his elite mobility" to beat the blitz but also doing quite poorly when "moved off his spot"?

Does stepping up in the pocket count as mobility but not being moved off one's spot?

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Its a good question. My guess is PFF makes a distinction between the blitz schemes and realised pressure out of non-blitz packages. I consume all of these stats with caution but usually there are tidbits of truth.

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my understanding is it's the difference between blitzing and the 4 man front just playing contain, look at Miami game for the best example, half of the sacks were him trying to run but because guys stuck to assignments and closed the pocket instead of just rushing the edges, he couldn't escape an forced his own sacks.

AgFan1974 said:

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Paul Pierce Ag said:

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AgFan1974 said:

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30,000 foot pff summary for Reed 2025. He does struggle with zone but also looks like he would benefit from being under center more. We shall see.

---

I'm sure it's just me misunderstanding, but how is Reed both "using his elite mobility" to beat the blitz but also doing quite poorly when "moved off his spot"?

Does stepping up in the pocket count as mobility but not being moved off one's spot?

---

Its a good question. My guess is PFF makes a distinction between the blitz schemes and realised pressure out of non-blitz packages. I consume all of these stats with caution but usually there are tidbits of truth.

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One might deduce Reed is holding the ball too long and/or slow on reads when not seeing a blitz.

Getting happy feet in a dirty pocket but making a decision to dump to the empty zone or run when seeing the blitz. Thats why is said 30,000ft view. Probably lots of ways to chop this up.

1) Don't suck when it matters most.

If we were in the Big12 I'd like our chances of making the playoffs again. But we play a tougher SEC schedule this year.