Does Texas A&M Have A Conner Weigman Problem?

The Texas A&M Aggies have been in a limbo state waiting for Conner Weigman to come back while Marcel Reed proves he's capable of winning games. And for a young team with a new coach, the last thing they need is inconsistency,.

Sep 28, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman (15) walks off the field after the Southwest Classic against the Arkansas Razorbacks at AT&T Stadium. / Matt Guzman-Texas A&M Aggies On SI

ARLINGTON, Texas — Conner Weigman isn't scared of "the moment" or the criticism not performing when it comes brings, but neither is Marcel Reed.

He couldn't have been. Not if he wanted to win the Southwest Classic for his Texas A&M Aggies, which became his task just a few hours prior to kickoff at AT&T Stadium.

Reed had been given the green light for the past two games after he came in during the second half of the Aggies' game against the McNeese State Cowboys, and when it was announced that not only would Weigman not be playing, but also not dressing, the signal was once again given to him.

"Today was Marcel's game," Texas A&M coach Mike Elko explained after his team's bout with the Arkansas Razorbacks. "He had to go out and win it for us."

He did. The Aggies scraped by the Razorbacks behind a couple of strong offensive drives, a few key defensive possessions and what they called a "brotherhood." One in which Reed was now leading, or at least, had been since being named the starter against the Florida Gators.

That's how it's seemed on the field, though according to Elko and the team, it's not being treated that way.

"We have three quarterbacks that we trust that can go out there and play," the coach said, reiterating a point he's made since fall camp began prior to the season.

That might be the case, but arguably the biggest question surrounding the Aggies is their offensive consistency, and that's also been the case since fall camp.

Against Notre Dame, Texas A&M looked out-of-sorts. When "the moment" came, they couldn't find the end zone, and by time they finally did, it was too little too late.

Handling business against McNeese State was expected, and even then, both Weigman and Reed got their respective chances to shine, the pair combining for 196 passing yards on a day that the rushing attack stole the show.

Against Florida, Reed had a strong game that allowed the Aggies to feel better about their situation, especially if Weigman's health was going to be an ongoing issue. But when Bowling Green came to town, Texas A&M's win wasn't convincing.

Reed once again had a good game with 173 passing yards, a pair of passing touchdowns and over 90 rushing yards, but with Weigman still listed as the starter, it wasn't something he could adequately build on.

"Conner is going to be listed as day-to-day and week-to-week," Texas A&M coach Mike Elkosaid back when the Aggies nabbed a win on the road against the Florida Gators. "We'll continue to manage the quarterback room in the same manner that we have and play the guy we feel gives us the best chance to win."

So far this season, that's been Reed. The Aggies had far too many issues on opening night to place that loss on Weigman, but he didn't look great himself, either. With Reed in the picture, the Aggies are 4-0, and with very little being shared about the Aggies' week-to-week, it leaves room for speculation.

What would they look like if they ruled out Weigman for the next two weeks?

At that point, Reed would be able to prepare as the full-time starter for a No. 9-ranked Missouri Tigers squad. And after that game, win or lose, he'd enter the bye week knowing he was getting the call for the Aggies' road test against Mississippi State.

The argument isn't foolproof. To some level, Reed, Weigman and even Jaylen Henderson have to prepare as if they are going to be receiving the call, but there's also a mental aspect.

How can a team truly buy in to a system without knowing who's going to take the helm?

"(Weigman) is a great player, and he's going to take us to great places this season," Aggies captain Trey Zuhn III said after Week 1. "I think he did a great job staying composed throughout the whole game. I can't wait to see what he does the rest of the season."

That was the message and the support Weigman was receiving from his teammates, all of whom knew he was Texas A&M's first option. And then he wasn't.

So, Reed, having taken a backseat to Weigman, was called up. He performed well enough to earn his team a win over the Florida Gators on the road, yet the sentiment remained the same. He was still a backup, and if Weigman was ever healthy, he'd be sitting right back on the bench.

That wasn't the case against Bowling Green, nor was it at AT&T Stadium. And again, Reed performed well enough to earn wins, but still, he's listed second on the depth chart, sensing that perhaps his season is soon coming to a close.

Reed, as a starting quarterback should, recieved praise from his coach and his teammates after beating Arkansas. He got to behave like the No. 1 option while Weigman watched from the sideline.

"Marcel is still growing," Elko said. "There's still some up-and-down moments with him ... he's a young kid, and he's going to continue to get better every time he goes out there."

If that's the case, then he'll put on a better performance against Missouri. He'll go to the bye week and come out even stronger against the Bulldogs. The process will continue, all the way through the final home game of the regular season — the one that every Aggie in College Station has been waiting on.

Except, that's not likely. Weigman is still expecting to come back and move forward business-as-usual. For the Aggies, that could work. But it's not ideal.

If Reed is supposed to stay stuck as a backup, that should be made clear. If he's going to ride until the wheels fall off, that should also be clear. And if one thing is certain, Reed has certainly earned a shot.

If he weren't coming up with wins, it'd be a completely different story. But he is. So far, he's done enough when "the moment" arrives.

Reed has given a young team with a new coach a sense of consistency — already having three strong starts under his belt — and as far as the Aggies are concerned, that's exactly what they need.