COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Texas A&M is looking to get its season back on track after two straight SEC losses, and head coach Mike Elko says the answer starts with getting back to work.
“When you’re in a position where you’re facing adversity, where things aren’t going the way that you hoped, the only thing you can do is come together and work,” Elko said. “That’s the only option you have.”
Elko said the Aggies have to trust the process and focus on the things they can control rather than looking for a quick fix.
“You’ve got to commit to a process that’s going to allow the results to change somehow, some way,” he said. “We can’t want it to happen. We can’t talk about it happening. There’s no magic words.”
A major part of that process will be finding more consistency on offense.
Texas A&M has struggled to create explosive plays, and Elko said the offense needs to do a better job of creating opportunities for its playmakers.
“We’ve got to find better leverages and create better opportunities to be able to do that,” Elko said. “We’re having to be too precise.”
That challenge puts added attention on quarterback Marcel Reed, who continues to have the support of his teammates despite the offense's recent struggles.
Offensive Lineman Wilkin Formby said Reed is one of the hardest workers on the team and believes the quarterback can handle the pressure that comes with playing at a high level in the SEC.
“I have a lot of belief in Marcel,” Formby said. “We just got to give him the time to go play at a high level and just keep helping him build his confidence every day in practice.”
While the Aggies work to find their rhythm offensively, their defense will have a key assignment against an Arkansas passing game led by wide receiver Chris Marshall.
Marshall leads the SEC in receiving yards, making communication in the secondary a priority for Texas A&M.
“He’s a great receiver,” Linebacker Noah Mikhail said. “Just that constant communication of what coverage we’re in, what we’re doing to kind of stop him, is going to be crucial.”
Elko also said Arkansas is continuing to develop its identity under a new coaching staff. He praised the Razorbacks for finding their footing and expressed respect for head coach Silverfield and the work he has done with the program.
The matchup also continues a history of close games between Texas A&M and Arkansas, setting the stage for another important SEC contest.
The Aggies will host the Razorbacks Saturday at 6 p.m. at Kyle Field, with Texas A&M also set to debut its new camouflage jerseys.
