Aggies Have 'Good Problem' At QB Entering Summer Workouts

Both Conner Weigman and Max Johnson could end up being the reason for Texas A&M's success come 2023.

If New Mexico were to enter Kyle Field this weekend, Texas A&M Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher might have a problem when it comes to naming a starting quarterback.

Spoiler alert, the Lobos won't arrive in College Station for another 19 weeks. That's 19 more Saturdays before Fisher must decide if Conner Weigman or Max Johnson gives the Aggies the best chance to begin the season off with a victory.

In terms of talent, either passer should be able to handle business against New Mexico. The real test comes a week later when the Aggies touch down in Coral Gables for their Week 2 matchup against Miami. After that, the schedule becomes a juggernaut between trips to Arlington to face Arkansas and return home to take Nick Saban and Alabama.

Still, Fisher, who enters his sixth season with the Aggies, feels content with the quarterback position. And while neither Johnson nor Weigman looked perfect in the Maroon and White game, that might not be a concern given a look back at the lackluster production at quarterback following Kellen Mond's departure following a 9-1 season.

“Both of them came back and played well after (they) had some mistakes," Fisher said earlier this month following the spring game. "That’s part of the game and I think both showed a lot of maturity that way.”

Expectations will never change in Aggieland, especially when Fisher is slated to make $9 million starting September 1 when the new season begins. A quarterback "guru" of years past, one could argue that's been the one position holding back A&M from reaching SEC West contention status on the regular.

Weigman, a former five-star commit from Bridgeland High in Cypress (Texas), made the most of his time in the spotlight last season when he replaced Haynes King to close out the 5-7 season. He went 3-2 as a starter, but he also looked the most consistent in terms of passing, throwing for 896 yards and eight touchdowns against zero turnovers.

Weigman also led the Aggies to a massive upset win over then-No. 5 LSU in the season finale and looked poised when delivering strikes to young receivers like Noah Thomas, Moose Muhammud III and Evan Stewart, along with tight end Donovan Green. The quartet also will be back for another season, along with veterans Ainias Smith and Max Wright.

Johnson, who transferred from LSU following the hiring of Brian Kelly, could have retained the starting role throughout the regular season if not for a season-ending hand injury suffered in early October. No, his production didn't come close to matching Weigman, but he also handled the pressure of playing quarterback in the SEC with ease, finishing with zero turnovers in three starts.

Fisher feels like the Aggies are in a good spot at quarterback. In a sense, he's not wrong. Both passers have taken a liking to new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. They interchanged reps with the first-team offense throughout spring drills, and had their highlight moments in practice for what's expected to be a more "up-tempo" offense.

"Max and Conner are awesome," Wright said. "Those guys push each other every single day. It's always beneficial when you have two guys who are as selfless as they are in the same program who are always willing to push each other, hoping that the best guy is going to play for the program."

The pressure is at an all-time for Fisher entering Year 6. He inherited Mond from the previous coaching staff but never stopped recruiting at the position in hopes of upgrading A&M's persona once the San Antonio native departed for the NFL.

James Foster left College Station after one year. Zach Calzada was hit-and-miss in his 10 starts back in 2021. King struggled with consistency before transferring to Georiga Tech this offseason, and Eli Stowers was asked to switch positions the second he arrived on campus. He's now playing quarterback for the Aggies of New Mexico State.

On paper, Weigman is the best prospect Fisher has recruited since Jameis Winston at Florida State. Johnson has the SEC experience to guide a team toward double-digit wins, a potential first for the program since 2012 when Kevin Sumlin and Johnny Manziel roamed the sidelines at Kyle Field. And both are pushing each other in a tug-o-war battle that consistently sees each passer jumping ahead in the fight for QB1.

“It’s gonna be a competition all the time, every week, all the way until the end of next year,” Fisher said of the quarterback battle. “Every position is going to be that way.”

Weigman, who finished 17 of 40 for 243 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception, still needs to finely tune out the kinks before taking over full-time as A&M's starter. Johnson, who went 21 of 37 for 273 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions, might be ready to take over the reins early but could limit in ways Weigman isn't.

Fisher won't name a starter until the clock reaches its final seconds. In most years, it's to keep opponents guessing on which passer will take the field.

This season, it might be because there's a legitimate battle afoot heading into the summer, instead.

Said Fisher: "You’ve got to compete for your job every day, and I think we have two capable guys and I’m excited about both guys. ...Both guys have some work to do, but both guys can be really good players.”

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