'It's Still Going': Aggies Continue To Watch QB Battle Unfold
When No. 23 Texas A&M takes the field on Sept. 2 for its season opener against New Mexico, either Conner Weigman or Max Johnson will command the huddle as the new full-time starting quarterback.
With less than two weeks until kickoff from Kyle Field, the battle for QB1 rages in College Station, but sixth-year coach Jimbo Fisher is pleased with the progress of each passer through two Saturday scrimmages.
"We haven't announced anything yet, but we're very pleased with both guys," Fisher said Monday at his weekly presser. "Both guys had really good moments on the day. Made big plays, made consistent plays, executed third down, made plays in the red zone...I was very pleased."
Weigman, a true sophomore, entered camp as the projected favorite to win the title after finishing the year on a high note with an upset victory over then-No. 5 LSU in the season finale. A product of Bridgeland (Cypress) High, Weigman looked poised from the jump, tossing four touchdowns in his first career start in a 31-28 loss against No. 15 Ole Miss.
But Johnson, a redshirt sophomore, has continued to raise the level of competition in practice under new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. Experience isn't a problem as he played in 18 games during his two-year stint at LSU.
Johnson actually got the nod first to start after back-to-back struggle outings by initial 2022 starter Haynes King and impressed, leading the Aggies to a pair of ranked victories over No. 15 Miami and No. 10 Arkansas in the annual Southwest Classic in Arlington. His season was cut short due to a broken hand suffered in Week 5's road loss to Mississippi State.
Weigman and Johnson are competitors on the field, but friends and supporters on the sidelines. Both passers have specific strengths that should elevate an offense that ranked 101st in scoring last season en route to the first losing season for the program since 2008.
“He’s done a great job of understanding the system over the past year,” Johnson said of Weigman. “He’s really athletic and does a good job of getting the ball out on time, and he understands coverages. He’s done a good job this fall camp.”
"He’s a very smart guy,” Weigman echoed of Johnson. “He knows what’s going on in the offense, like he’s been around for a little bit. He has experience and just his consistency (and) I admire it. Every day he comes in and works and I mean, that’s all you can do, and I respect that of him.”
Fisher won't put all the pressure on the quarterback to be the reason for an uptick in offensive production. He's in control of making the right reads and finding open targets, but football is a team sport.
A quarterback must be able to connect with his targets downfield to put up points, but the receiver is responsible for doing their job so the passer "can do his job." The same goes for the starting five linemen up front.
"We're getting the protection," said Fisher. "We're getting time in the pocket. We're having a consistent group up front where the communication is right and allowing the quarterbacks to function."
Weigman and Johnson, who combined for 11 touchdowns against zero turnovers last season in eight games, are the favorites to win the starting job, but Fisher has been pleased with the progress of transfer Jaylen Henderson and 2023 recruit Marcel Reed. Henderson joined the program after spending two seasons at Fresno State, where he appeared in five games.
Reed, the son of former Tennessee State coach Rod Reed, was the only quarterback recruit A&M targeted in the 2023 cycle. Known for his pure arm strength and open-field speed, Marcel Reed finished his high school career at Montgomery Bell Academy with 6,357 passing yards and 62 touchdowns while rushing for 2,277 yards and 38 scores.
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