‘Just keep playing great football’: Jimbo Fisher on naming Conner Weigman the starting QB, season opener, and more
Jimbo Fisher’s staple afternoon press conference hit a bit different this week as only a few days separate Texas A&M from their 2023 college football season opener. Before the Aggies take on New Mexico in Week 1, Fisher spoke with the media on a handful of topics, most notably announcing Conner Weigman as the team’s starting quarterback.
After a tightly contested battle that lasted throughout the spring and into fall camp, Fisher noted that he and the staff evaluated the process every step of the way. Only then, with a full picture to assess, did the team decide that Weigman had won the starting quarterback job over senior southpaw Max Johnson.
Despite the Aggies entering as presumed favorites on Saturday against New Mexico, Fisher took a few moments to break down the strength of the Lobos, particularly on defense. As a football program that excels in being physical on the front and on blitzes, Texas A&M’s offensive line, aka the “Maroon Goons” will need to be prepared.
Fisher made sure to tout the depth and leadership at linebacker, with two experienced leaders Edgerrin Cooper and Chris Russell Jr. equipped to mentor the likes of freshman Taurean York, who continues to impress beyond his years. Despite the season opener being a litmus test of what’s to come, Fisher hammered the point that the key is to play every game as if the season depended on the outcome.
Below is Jimbo Fisher’s press conference video from Kyle Field Media Center on Monday, as well as notable highlights from his time at the podium.
Like the rest of us, Fisher can't wait for the start of the regular season
“It’s great to get game week going. It’s great to be working on somebody else other than seeing yourself every single day.”
Fisher noted the strengths of the New Mexico Lobos
“They do a great job. They’re very physical on defense. They’re tough to prepare for. Tons of fronts, motions and blitzes.”
The Aggies have arguably one of the strongest QB rooms in the country
“It’s a unique position… Quarterback is so different. Having two guys that can win, win at a high level and potentially win a championship for you helps you sleep well at night.”
The season opener will be litmus test of what to expect for the rest of the season
“First games are a pain… You never know what people do in the offseason. They’ve got new people, new schemes and new coordinators. It’s the unknown because you haven’t seen (the opponent) play in a game.”
For Fisher it's simple: you take every game one step at a time
“The most important game is the one in front of you. The most important play is the next one. Those aren’t cliche things. The best players and teams are the ones that understand that. You have to think singularly. You cannot be outcome-oriented.”
All eyes will be on Week 1 as the Aggies look to illustrate the hard work they've put in
“You are what the film says you are. That’s what you find out about your team (in the first game). Hopefully it tells us that we’ve made great progress and that camp was successful.”
This mindset is what separtes contenders from pretenders
“Is good enough ever good enough? No. There’s always something you can work on.”
Fisher is very encouraged by Texas A&M's leadership at linebacker
“I feel very good. They’ve had good camps. We have experience there with (Edgerrin Cooper) and (Chris Russell). Those guys are all producing in scrimmages and practices. We’ve got good numbers and good people. I feel very good about it.”
Chase Bisontis and Trey Zuhn III should get plenty of reps as Rueben Fatheree works his way back
“Right now, (Chase) Bisontis and (Trey) Zuhn will be in there.”
When exactly did Texas A&M decide to name Conner Weigman as the starting QB?
“All camp has been evaluated, and at the end of camp, we have to make a choice. That was it.”
Fisher kept it straightforward and simple when discussing expectations for Weigman
“Just keep playing great football with great decision-making and great accuracy with toughness and leadership and the ability to help other players on the field.”
The Aggies will play every game as if the season depended on it
“Every game is a big game. Every game is an important game. You only get 12 of them. You better cherish those 12 and play every one of them at the highest possible level.”
Texas A&M's combination of experience and youth should provide tremendous value
“Getting the older guys back and the younger guys grown up creates that competition on the team. You’re only as good as your two-deep.”
C Bryce Foster continues to work hard in getting back onto the field
“He was practicing and playing last week. We’ll see how he does and practices this week. He’ll give us a lot of different options if he’s ready to go.”
Fisher continues to tout freshman LB Taurean York and his wisdom beyond his years
“Playing linebacker is like playing quarterback. You’re making calls and checks. It’s tough to be the vocal guy as a freshman. (Taurean) York is able to make checks. He’s 18 going on 25, and I say that from a maturity standpoint… He has had an outstanding camp.”
Stay tuned as Texas A&M waits to announce its 12th Man this season
“It’s a very tough choice. We have quite a few guys that are up there. We have more guys this year than ever before that we have to choose between. It’s a very, very tough choice, and we take it very seriously.”
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