What Should Texas A&M Look For Against Sam Houston?

When facing the Bearkats, Texas A&M should be heavily fixed on its quarterback position

The last thing on the mind of Texas A&M fans against Sam Houston should be picking up the win. The first thing every Aggie should be thinking about is the quarterback position. 

Make no mistake, the Kats will put up a fight. It's Texas football and Sam Houston won't lay down for anyone regardless of the level of competition. Then again, should it even be a battle for A&M if Jimbo Fisher and his latest top recruiting class live up to the expectation? 

It's best not to think about a receiver such as Evan Stewart against a cornerback. One shouldn't be paying attention to Walter Nolen's reps count on the second half or perhaps a breakout showcase from safety Bryce Anderson or cornerback Denver Harris. 

The attention is under center. It should be for good reasons. Last season, the Aggies were pegged to be college football's next legitimate contender. A Week 2 leg injury suffered by Haynes King led to Zach Calzada taking over for the rest of the season. 

Instead of building off a 9-1 2020 season, the Aggies regressed, going 8-4 and losing to programs such as Mississippi State and a rebuilding LSU.

Calzada is headed to the plains of Auburn to try a win the starting role left behind by Bo Nix. Max Johnson, the LSU quarterback who led the way to a 27-24 comeback win over the Aggies, is now donning the Maroon and White. King is fully healthy and Fisher has been high on freshman Conner Weigman since his time at Bridgeland, calling in the "best quarterback of the recruiting class" during the Early Signing Period. 

On paper, quarterback should be a strength for A&M in Year 5 of the Fisher era. That was also expected to be a strength for the Aggies in 2021, yet Calzada struggled with consistency and much is unknown of King. Let's not forget King's consistency was also troubling against Kent State. He threw three interceptions and completed only 63.6 percent of his passes. 

Fisher isn't tipping his hat toward one prospect being the starter. Johnson looked more comfortable during spring football, but he also was erratic on several drives during the team's spring game. King looked the part in practice, but that was also the case last offseason. 

Weigman, who elected to enroll early, showed promise this spring on the occasional drive with the expected starters. All three have also worked with what is expected to be the first-team offensive line, which will feature at least three returning starters from last fall. In 2021, the Aggies lost four starters to the pros. 

Expect Johnson and King to see meaningful reps against the Kats. One game won't decide the season start, but it could factor into Fisher's decision on who gets the nod for Week 2 against Appalachian State. Following a faceoff with the Mountaineers, the Aggies play host to Miami (FL). 

The season is officially underway when the whistle blows that September evening. A&M hits the road for a four-game set away from Kyle Field with games against Arkansas (Arlington), Mississippi State, Alabama and South Carolina. The Aggies return to face Ole Miss and Florida before another road trip to Auburn. 

South Carolina improved this offseason. So did Florida. Arkansas isn't your cousin's 2010 version of the Hogs and best believe Nick Saban has Oct. 8 circled in his office after falling in College Station last year. In short, the SEC only improved its reputation and the Aggies can't be playing the guessing game at quarterback if they hope to contend. 

Winning against the Kats is essential for A&M to remain a contender in the public eye, but the attention should be on quarterback play. The schedule only becomes more vigorous each week. 

A shaky quarterback performance against Sam Houston might end up telling more of the future of A&M than the final score posted on the jumbotron.

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