Texas A&M benches QB Conner Weigman, takes lead over LSU after going to Marcel Reed

Texas A&M made a hard call in the second half, benching starting quarterback Conner Weigman in the third quarter, trailing LSU, 17-7. It was a decision that paid off for head coach Mike Elko and Co., though, as backup Marcel Reed led a pair of scoring drives.

When he was benched in the third quarter, Weigman was 6-of-18 passing for 64 yards. Reed didn’t attempt a pass in his two drives, but did show up as a rushing threat, scoring both touchdowns to put the Aggies ahead.

He took four carries for 40 yards and the two touchdowns on those drives.

Elko praised how Reed handled the quick change

Elko could have made the switch and instantly seen the move blowup but according to his head coach, Reed was ready for the moment. He praised the second-year player for being prepared, no matter the situation. Reed did not skip a beat, even when Weigman returned from his injury.

“He works his tail off,” Elko said. “He never backed away. We needed him early, he came, he was ready. When we went back to Conner, he stayed ready. We felt like, the way the game was going, we needed him tonight, and he was still ready. He’s a great kid, he’s a great competitor, he won us the football game tonight.”

Reed explained his mentality when ESPN’s Holly Rowe asked him what the moment was like when Elko told him to go into the game.

“I got to play, I got to be me,” Reed said. “All of these guys trust me. Conner trust me, Coach trust me. It’s a matter of me coming in and doing my job. I do what I’m coached to do and I’m ready whenever my name is called.”

LSU had absolutely no answer for Reed. Five full drives resulted in points in all of them, four being touchdowns. A field goal late in the fourth quarter was the cherry on top, extending the score to 38-23. The sixth possession was a kneel down to run out the clock — a scoreless drive Texas A&M will take every single time.

Reed had nine rush attempts, going for 62 yards and three touchdowns. He completed both of his two pass attempts for an outstanding 70 yards. No matter what offensive coordinator Colin Klein called, it worked.

“They didn’t take me, so I kept being open and running,” Reed said. “Until they made an adjustment, I was going to keep doing it. Every time I did it, I scored. So, just making the read I was supposed to make and making plays.”