Aggies QB Max Johnson Steps Up Once More In Win Over Auburn
COLLEGE STATION -- Max Johnson had thought about the moment becoming a reality when he arrived on campus in 2022.
You know which one, right? The one where his little brother, Jake, would be on the receiving end of a touchdown from his fingertips.
Max Johnson, who spent two seasons at LSU before electing to transfer to Texas A&M, said Jake found a way to get open on a whip route in the Florida State Championship Game at Oconee County High School.
This one, a 22-yard wheel route, was different. The end result, however, led to the same feeling when Max and Jake were a senior and sophomore, respectively, for the Warriors.
"We had been dreaming about that one for a long time," Max Johnson said postgame following a 27-10 win over Auburn Saturday afternoon.
Jake Johnson was expected to potentially find his way into the end zone. Max, who lost the starting quarterback battle to sophomore Conner Weigman, was not.
Weigman, who started four of the five final games last season, had been on pace for a record-setting first season as A&M's full-time starter. He scored five touchdowns in the season-opener over New Mexico, and nearly had 1,000 passing yards entering Saturday's SEC opener.
But on A&M's final offensive drive of the first half, Weigman suffered an ankle injury that required x-rays and further evaluation. A&M coach Jimbo Fisher turned to Johnson to close out the afternoon.
Fisher, who enters his sixth season on campus, said throughout fall camp he felt A&M had two starters fighting for one spot. Perhaps the Aggies do as they move deeper into conference play.
"It's a unique position and you're one play away from something happening," said Fisher. "That's basically what happened to [Conner]; he was stepping forward and make their feet come together...you can't have enough good quarterbacks. We're blessed to have [Max].
"Max was outstanding on the day coming in with what he did."
Max Johnson, the son of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Brad Johnson, looked cool commanding the huddle. He connected on five straight passes, including the touchdown to Jake Johnson, to extend A&M's lead by 10. He found Evan Stewart for a 34-yard touchdown to make it 20-3, and then kept the offense humming before a 79-yard run from Amari Daniels set up a 4-yard run from Le'Veon Moss.
Confidence and poise have never been concerns for Max Johnson in the starting role, who finished 7-of-11 for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Last season, he led the Aggies (3-1, 1-0 SEC) to back-to-back ranked wins over Miami and Arkansas. The year prior, he defeated A&M in his final game at LSU, targeting Jaray Jenkins for a 28-yard score with mere seconds remaining in the Ed Orgeron era.
"I've been in a lot of situations and I feel like I've learned a lot," said Johnson. "I was ready for the moment."
As Jake Johnson crossed the end zone, the two brothers embraced. Max said he told his little brother he loved him. Sitting in the stands were Brad and Nikki Johnson, watching their boys relive the moments from their high school days.
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"Max did a great job stepping up today," offensive lineman Layden Robinson said. "That's the type of guy you want on your team because no what position he was in, and he performed when he needed to."
Weigman's X-rays came back negative. The hope is he'll be cleared to play next week when the Aggies return to Arlington for their annual matchup against Arkansas at AT&T Stadium in the Southwest Classic.
But Johnson isn't a consolation prize if called upon. Teammates consider him a "starter 2.0" rather than a backup.
"There's no drop-off between Conner and Max," said defensive back Bryce Anderson. "The leadership is still there. The execution is still there. It's never a drop-off. It's definitely what we expected."
When Weigman was named the starter, Johnson could have entered the transfer portal a second time, but chose to stay on campus. He redshirted last season after suffering an injury, so he'll still have three years of eligibility remaining."
Why stay in College Station as "the other QB?"
Said Johnson: "I am getting an awesome degree here. This is where I want to be. I love the coaches, the players, I love this university."
Finding the end zone with his brother is simply a bonus.
