Jimbo Fisher Anticipates 'Open Competition' At Quarterback During Spring Practice

Texas A&M finally got things rolling in Year 3 under head coach Jimbo Fisher. After a good -- not great -- 17-9 record over the first two seasons, the Aggies went 10-1 and finished No. 4 in the final polls in 2020.

The work isn't over though.

The next goal is to make an appearance in the College Football Playoff. Once there, then they can focus on winning a national title. But they've got to get there first, and A&M came extremely close this past season.

Any team that wants to make the Playoff has to have quality play from the quarterback position. Kellen Mond, while inconsistent, brought experience and playmaking ability to the Aggies offense for several seasons. But now he's gone, so who is the next man up?

Well, Fisher recently talked about that as the team gets ready to start spring practice next week. The good folks over at TexAgs.com were there to get the quotes from Fisher and did a great job paraphrasing what he said about the looming quarterback battle.

So who are the candidates competing for a chance to replace Mond? It's more than likely going to come down to two guys: redshirt sophomore Zach Calzada and sophomore Haynes King. While incoming freshman Eli Stowers will have a chance to work his way into the mix, he's got an uphill battle.

There are many who predict King will win the job for two reasons: 1) he saw limited action in 2020, but Calzada did not and 2) he was the higher-rated prospect coming out of high school. Both of those things are true, but don't count out the more seasoned Calzada yet.

Any quarterback competition is going to make guys better, and while King brings upside as a passer and runner, Calzada probably has the more talented arm. This could be anyone's race, but regardless of who wins, the expectation is now a Playoff push.

Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.