Missouri football’s assistant director of on campus recruiting, Briah Reed, isn’t allowed at the Tigers’ practices this week.

Eli Drinkwitz was more than likely joking when he said that during his Tuesday press conference. He also said the team was fortunate to have her on board.

But we’re opting to say ‘more than likely joking’ instead of ‘definitely joking’ here … because there’s a decent reason she wouldn’t get the invite: She’s the sister of Marcel Reed, who Drinkwitz believes will start for Texas A&M at quarterback on Saturday.

That belief, however, isn’t quite in line with the Aggies’ current depth chart.

But the Missouri coach is calling his shot, saying he expects to see Marcel Reed over Game 1 starter Conner Weigman at quarterback for Texas A&M for the Tigers’ visit Saturday to College Station, Texas.

There’s a few reasons why that’s interesting.

Reed was not the starter at the beginning of the season, but has played the past three games with Weigman out injured. Texas A&M coach Mike Elko told reporters on Monday in College Station that Weigman is still a game-time decision for the matchup with the Tigers (4-0, 1-0 SEC), suggesting he’s still in consideration. Above all, Weigman is still listed as the starting QB on the Week 6 depth chart for Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0).

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But there’s a couple clear reasons Drinkwitz called that “just semantics” and added that Reed has “clearly become the focal point of what they're doing offensively.”

One: The Aggies’ offensive coordinator, Collin Klein.

The Tigers have seen Klein-led offenses twice over the past two seasons, as he was previously the OC at Kansas State. That’s bred some familiarity.

“You can tell, in my opinion, that Coach Klein is very comfortable with him as the quarterback,” Drinkwitz said. “(Reed’s) style of play reflects, in my opinion, what Coach Klein had in the past at K-State (and) the type of player that he was. Does a great job designing run schemes for him, also utilizing him on the move, and (Reed’s) able to create opportunities on his own with his feet.”

Two: Reed ain’t lost yet.

“The guy’s 3-0 as the starter,” Drinkwitz said. “And whether (Weigman is) listed as questionable or whatever, I don't see them going back. So, they're 3-0, they clearly have a different offensive identity with this guy as the quarterback, and they developed an offense that fits around his system. … So, I mean, if they go with the other one, they go with the other one.

“But they've kind of already built the offense towards this — towards Marcel.”

If it is, as Drinkwitz is predicting, Reed who trots out onto Kyle Field for the Aggies on Saturday, that’s an intriguing — but increasingly common — test for the Tigers.

He is far more mobile than his not-quite-yet-confirmed predecessor.

Reed ran for 83 yards and a touchdown in a win over Florida and backed that up with 91 yards on the ground in a win over Bowling Green. He was a bit less effective against Arkansas on Saturday with 10 carries for 13 yards, but even with that is still rushing for more than 62 yards per start.

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Buffalo’s CJ Ogbonna, although it hardly looked like it in a Mizzou defensive shutout, is a dual-threat. Then there was Boston College’s Thomas Castellanos, who is perhaps the most elusive, speedy QB in the country. Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia provided a different test, with mobility erring more toward the hustling and bustling variety.

“You know, I think (Reed’s) got a speed dynamic that is similar to Thomas Castellanos,” Drinkwitz said. “Until you see him live, I don't know if the short area quickness or burst is the same, and I don't know if he's got the physicality, necessarily, that Diego had, but he's kind of somewhere in between both of them.”

Mizzou has mostly done a decent job containing the mobile QBs it has faced to a tight pocket.

But the Tigers have fallen short at the adverse end of stopping a QB with threatening legs, which is making sure they don’t hurt you with their arm.

The Tigers’ have given up three 35+-yard touchdowns — two of which for more than 60 yards — in the past two games on busted coverages as eyes in the secondary mistakenly turned to the offense’s backfield and away from their guarding assignment.

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Reed, as Drinkwitz noted, leans on the side of a QB who can take advantage of any more undisciplined defense.

Through three games, the QB’s passing numbers are not jaw dropping, but they are efficient for a team that is run-first with talented tailback Le’Veon Moss, who is yet to run for less than 70 yards in a game this season.

Reed is 38-of-68 (55.9%) passing over his three starts for an average of 171.3 yards, and he has six touchdowns passes and no picks.

“He does a really good job keeping his eye downfield, throwing the ball,” Drinkwitz said … “For us, it's just one of those challenges that, I think he's a really good thrower, so it's not like you can sit there and try to do the same rushing attack that we had against Boston College to keep him in the pocket, because he'll pick you apart. But I don't know that we can afford to let him out of the pocket the way we ended up letting (Pavia out) a couple times.

“So, we’ve got some challenges on that side of the ball to try to figure that out.”

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz expects Marcel Reed as Texas A&M QB