‘They’ll tell you when they’re ready.’ Texas A&M’s QB Battle is coming down to the wire
Texas A&M’s 2023 season is already filled to the brim with storylines stemming from last season’s unforgettable 5-7 (2-6 SEC) debacle, as Head Coach Jimbo Fisher’s worst season in both his career and tenure with the program after signing the most significant recruiting class in program history in 2022, culminating in nothing short of a 12-game train wreck.
After what has been a successful offseason for the most part, including bringing new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino into the fold to help improve what was a flailing offense, things are finally looking up for the Maroon and White, at least in terms of viewing things through the lens of “forgive and forget,” but as Good Bull Hunting Editor Robert Behrens eloquently stated in a recent article discussing the Aggies rebound potential this season, it won’t be despite going 5-7 in 2022, but instead using said failures to learn from every mistake.
“Only time will tell whether we see this team rise from the ashes and establish themselves as a contender in the SEC. But if it does happen, it won’t be despite going 5-7 in 2022. It will be because of it. We’ll begin finding that out in just 28 days.”
This all leads into last week’s start to fall camp, as the 2023 coaching staff and talented roster are back in the swing of things ahead of the season opener against New Mexico at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 2.
With a bulk of the staring units on both sides of the ball solidified, the most crucial postion of them all, quarterback, has yet to be decided, as sophomore and former five-star 2022 signal caller Conner Weigman and former LSU quarterback Max Johnson, son of Super Bowl winning QB Brad Johnson, stayed with the program despite Weigman’s ascendance during the latter half of last season, as his story in College Station is still being written. Jimbo Fisher doesn’t seem to be worried about how things will play out at the postion, but this sounds like things are coming down to the wire.
“They’ll tell you when they’re ready,” Fisher on Wednesday during his introductory press conference to fall camp. “You’ll see it.”
Both players possess enough talent, arm strength, accuracy, and leadership skills to take the reigns, but knowing Jimbo Fisher’s tendency to perhaps play favorites after choosing Haynes King (now with Georgia Tech) over Johnson before the 2022 opener, many, including me, believe that Conner Weigman showed enough on tape from an ability standpoint to at least earn a chance to continue where he left off. After throwing for an impressive eight touchdowns and zero interceptions while helping engineer A&M’s season finale 38-24 win against the then 5th-ranked LSU Tigers.
Earlier in the season, Texas A&M’s memorable ugly home loss to Appalachian State led to King losing the starting job, as Max Johnson’s opportunity to prove his worth resulted in consecutive Top 25 wins over Miami and Arkansas, but after enduring a season-ending hand injury in a blowout loss to Mississippi State just a week after downing the Razorbacks, placing his future with Aggies in jeopardy, but I guess nobody told him that.
Echoing Fisher, when the time comes, either Weigman or Johnson will edge out one another by either a hair or a mile in some facet of their performances, finally providing enough to garner a decision this month, and while we wish nothing but the best for Haynes King as he competes for his shot at redemption with Georgia Tech this season, a two-horse raise should result in a more precise decision moving forward.
No matter what choice is made, Texas A&M is in good hands at the quarterback postion, and while I have my own opinion as to who deserves to start in 2023, both options have earned the trust of the coaching staff and their teammates to lead the Aggies towards a big-time rebound this season.
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