What Miami Can Expect From Texas A&M QB Max Johnson?

The Hurricanes will have to defend against Max Johnson on Saturday after the quarterback was named the starter.

Texas A&M has made a quarterback change ahead of its Week 3 matchup against the Miami Hurricanes, according to The Battalion.

LSU transfer Max Johnson has received the nod to start in place of sophomore Haynes King, who started Texas A&M's first two contests.

King totaled 461 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions against Sam Houston State and Appalachian State. His performance against the Mountaineers faced criticism, and a quarterback competition was opened up throughout this past week of practice following the loss. 

Johnson gives Texas A&M proven Southeastern Conference (SEC) production. Last season with the Tigers, the 6-foot-5 junior threw for 2,815 yards along with 27 touchdowns and only six interceptions.

Here are some of Johnson's strengths and weaknesses heading into his first start of the season against the 'Canes.

Strengths

- Strong arm

- Solid at throwing off-platform

- Attacks the middle of the field well

- Very accurate on short-to-intermediate throws

- Makes quick and confident reads

- Quick release

- Agile in the pocket

- Throws well on designed roll-outs

Johnson excels at dicing up defenses in the short-to-intermediate game. He throws sharp slant and out routes and has the ability to thread the needle when a situation asks him to.

When the junior has a clean pocket that he can step into, he can deliver crisp passes downfield. When the pocket collapses, Johnson can also make plays when his feet are not set, which is a testament to his solid arm strength.

Beautiful touch on the off-platform throw from Max Johnson, who was named Texas A&M's starting quarterback for its Week 3 matchup against Miami, per @TheBattOnline. pic.twitter.com/OXpJ1UWkkz

— Luke Chaney (@lukechaney247) September 16, 2022

When Johnson is at his best, he is a surgical quarterback who is more than capable of turning the Aggies' offense around.

Weaknesses

- Not a threat to break containment.

- Not very mobile, unlikely to evade pass-rushers

- Does not sense backside pressure well

- Footwork tends to become stagnant in the pocket when forced to go through multiple progressions

Miami's defense could force Johnson into making mistakes by constantly applying pressure on the quarterback.

The first-year Aggie is not very quick and struggles to escape pockets that are collapsing. He also has a tendency to stay in these collapsing pockets for too long, which ties in with his inability to effectively recognize backside pressure.

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