Who Starts At QB For Short-Handed Aggies In Gator Bowl?
Texas A&M quarterback Zach Calzada sure picked a good day to make an announcement of his next move.
Calzada officially entered the transfer portal Monday, making him the third SEC West starting QB to leave the program following the 2021 season. Calzada started in 10 games for the No. 25 Aggies (8-4), leading them to a Gator Bowl appearance against No. 17 Wake Forest.
Calzada will likely be best remembered for his three-touchdown performance against No. 1 Alabama in October. The 41-38 victory marked the first time that a former Nick Saban assistant (Jimbo Fisher) had defeated the seven-time national champion coach.
The Aggies now have concerns at QB come Jan. 31. Former starter Haynes King is still recovering from a fractured leg suffered in Week 2 against Colorado. When asked of his status against the Demon Deacons, Fisher said it's unlikely King would play due to his progress in practice.
"That's a big stretch," Fisher said earlier this month. "He is able to start running and getting back, but he hasn't done anything for three to four months, so that's probably a very unrealistic thing and something we probably wouldn't want to do.
"It's just good to get him back on the field and get him running. He just now started to be able to run and letting him run on his own, so playing would probably be a far cry."
The Aggies likely will be turning to walk-on freshman Blake Bost, who has played in two games this season. Bost, a native of Port Neches, Texas, has thrown seven total passes, completing two for a gain of 18. He also threw an interception in a 52-3 win over Prairie View A&M in the team's home finale.
Calzada threw for 2,185 yards and 17 touchdowns against nine interceptions. He completed 56.1 percent of his throws.
King, who only played in less than two full games, threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns against three interceptions in the home opener.
Another QB battle will ensue this offseason with the emergence of top recruit Conner Weigman. Weigman, who is No. 3 QB on SI99's list, and the No. 32 prospect overall, will enroll early following Early Signing Day on Dec. 15.
The Aggies are expected to be short-handed on defense at TIAA Bank Stadium. Defensive linemen DeMarvin Leal and Jayden Peevy, along with starting safety Leon O'Neal, all have opted out for the bowl game to prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft.
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