Aggies' Freshman Signee Conner Weigman Making QB Battle A Little More Interesting
Sophomore Haynes King remains the favorite to be Texas A&M's starting quarterback for the 2022 season. He won the job last season before being lost for the year when he suffered a broken leg in the second game of the season at Colorado.
Zach Calzada took over and played well in spots, but he transferred to Auburn after the season. Max Johnson, who was the starter at LSU last season and also played well here and there, transferred to A&M after the season and has provided the most competition for King.
But freshman signee and early enrollee Conner Weigman's recent performances in scrimmages has made it more interesting.
All three will be on display Saturday afternoon when the Aggies conclude spring drills with the spring game (2 p.m. eastern, SEC Network +, ESPN +).
Weigman (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) signed with the Aggies as the No. 1 dual threat quarterback in the nation and the No. 36 overall prospect by Rivals.com out of Bridgeland High in Cypress, Texas.
"Maturity," Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said this week when asked about Weigman. "Doesn't get overwhelmed by the moment. Very, very quick learner, very instinctive."
Maybe he will not make his mark this season, but he is someone to watch Saturday and through August practices.
"Conner was excellent with his legs, with his arms, with his intensity, quick release," Fisher, a former quarterback guru at Auburn, LSU and Florida State, said of his recent scrimmage last week. "But they're all starting to see things now. I think all have progressed really well."
The quarterback battle will likely stretch through August - or part of it.
"Oh yeah, I don't think there's any doubt," he said. "We'll see how it goes. Like I say, you'll know when you know. But I think all three guys have had their moments, and they've played well."
King clearly beat out Calzada last August and has played well this spring.
"Been very pleased with Haynes," Fisher said. "I thought last scrimmage, he did some really good things. Plus his legs. I thought Max was excellent."
Johnson tended to wait too long to throw last season at LSU, but Fisher may have already corrected that.
"Really sharp making throws," he said. "Making deep ball throws and getting the ball out. And also moving well."
SEC SPRING FOOTBALL GAME TV SCHEDULE (All times eastern):
SATURDAY
Kentucky, 1 p.m., SEC Network +, ESPN +
Tennessee, 1 p.m.*
Auburn, 2 p.m., SEC Network +, ESPN +
Texas A&M, 2 p.m., SEC Network +, ESPN +
THURSDAY
Florida, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network +, ESPN +
APRIL 16
Arkansas, Noon, SEC Network +, ESPN +
Mississippi State, Noon, SEC Network +, ESPN +
Georgia, 1 p.m., ESPN2
Vanderbilt, 2 p.m., SEC Network +, ESPN +
Alabama, 3 p.m., SEC Network +, ESPN +
South Carolina, 7 p.m., SEC Network +, ESPN +
APRIL 23
Ole Miss, 1 p.m., SEC Network +, ESPN +
LSU, 2 p.m., SEC Network +, ESPN +
NOTE: Missouri held its spring game on March 19.
*Tennessee is holding a private spring game Saturday in the Anderson Training Center as Neyland Stadium is not available because of renovations.