Matt Leinart says Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed is 'name to keep an eye on' for Heisman Trophy

Former Heisman winner Matt Leinart said the current race was turned upside down and Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed is a name to watch. With Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer going down with an injury and expected to miss three weeks, give or take, more names can emerge in the coming weeks.

Reed has been highly productive through the first few games of the year, which included a win over Notre Dame. His dual threat capabilities had Leinart intrigued, as he explained Saturday on Big Noon Kickoff.

“This race is completely turned upside down because of that injury,” Leinart said. “I think you can throw four or five guys out there. Just one name to keep an eye on is Marcel Reed, the quarterback out of Texas A&M. Obviously had a moment last week against your Notre Dame Fighting Irish, leading them to that victory, that touchdown pass, averaging 337 total yards per game, 10 touchdowns, only one interception, truly a dynamic, dual track quarterback that has improved stuff here. 

“You know, it’s all about opportunity, right? You still have an opportunity against Auburn, LSU, you have Texas and that SEC schedule. So just a name to keep an eye on.”

In three games this season, Reed has 869 yards, nine touchdowns, one interception and a 58.6% completion percentage. On the ground, Reed has 142 rushing yards and a score, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

Head coach Mike Elko knew Reed could take strides in the offseason to develop as a passer. That was on full display against the Fighting Irish.

“So if you now go through this, right, that’s Auburn, that’s the bowl game, and there’s this game. It’s the third time in a row that he led us on a game-winning drive,” Elko said of Reed a couple of weeks ago. “That was a big piece of the offseason for him that, in those moments he has been really good, and they got overshadowed last year, obviously, because we lost those two games, but he has been really good in those moments, and so we had a lot of confidence.”

Elko made it clear that the idea Reed couldn’t throw had been rubbing him the wrong way for months. Reed’s proven he could be a dynamic thrower and runner.

“That narrative was never right. There was that narrative was one of the most unfair narratives that had ever been created,” Elko said. “He completed over 60% of his passes. His touchdown to interception rate was elite. But for some reason, because he came in in the LSU game, and that was what everyone saw (was him running).”