Aggies Jimbo Fisher Confident In Max Johnson As New Starting QB

The Aggies will push on with Max Johnson as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2023 season.

Jimbo Fisher figured Conner Weigman's lower-body injury was just a strain on his right foot. Perhaps he wouldn't be cleared to play by Saturday for Texas A&M's matchup against Arkansas, but at least there'd be optimism for his return in the coming weeks. 

Then came a second scan and thus Weigman's season. 

Fisher confirmed Wednesday on the weekly Southeastern Conference teleconference that Weigman would miss the remainder of the year after a CT scan on Tuesday showed a fracture rather than a simple sprain. 

"He was having some pain," Fisher said. "We X-rayed and MRIed it and it didn't show anything. Thought it was a normal sprain. Then got a CAT scan and it showed us some things in there that they're going to have to go in and fix and get that done."

Weigman left Week 4's 27-10 win over Auburn during the second quarter after being stepped on by a Tigers' defender following a second down completion. He stayed in the game for one more play before the Aggies were forced to punt. 

According to the ESPN broadcast, he was "shouting in pain" while being looked at by team trainers. Following the win, Fisher said x-rays came back negative. On Monday, Fisher said that the time, Weigman would be "day-to-day" in practice moving closer toward A&M's trip to Arlington. 

Redshirt sophomore Max Johnson stepped in and stabilized the offense, completing 7-of-11 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns. He will now start for the remainder of the season, hopefully being the answer that keeps the Aggies' conference hopes alive en route to their first SEC title game appearance. 

"He did a heck of a job in the game," Fisher said on the teleconference. "Threw the ball very well and understands our offense and we're blessed to have him and feel very confident and we're going to keep right on pace." 

At this point in his career, filling in for a starter is second nature for Johnson. He replaced Myles Brennan in 2021 as LSU's starter for 11 games, leading the Tigers to a 6-6 finish. Last season following a Week 2 loss to Appalachian State, Johnson took over for Haynes King and started three games, helping the Aggies pick up win over then-No. 13 Miami and then-No. 10 Arkansas. 

Weigman, who started four of A&M's final five games in 2022, likely would have been relegated to the backup role if not for Johnson's season-ending injury in Week 5's loss against Mississippi State. Johnson had earned the title of QB1 and the respect of the locker room, but he suffered a broken thumb on his throwing hand during the second quarter against the Bulldogs. 

"I've been in these situations before and I feel like I was excited to be out there with those guys," Johnson said after Saturday's win. "I feel like we did a great job of going out there and executing." 

Bryce Anderson and Tauren York bring down Auburn QB Payton Thorne (No. 1) for a loss in Saturday's 27-10 win over Arkansas.  / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Backup quarterbacks have seen their fair share of playing time in College Station since joining the SEC in 2012. Kyle Allen, Nick Starkel, King, Johnson and Weigman have all missed significant time due to injury since 2015. Fisher dealt with an early-season injury back in 2021 when forced to turn to Zach Calzada after King suffered a broken leg in Week 2's win over Colorado. 

Johnson, who competed with Weigman this fall for starting reps, comes with multiple years of playing experience unlike most backups. He played 18 games during his two-year span at LSU, completing 59.8 percent of his throws for 3,884 and 35 touchdowns against seven interceptions. 

Last season in the annual Southwest Classic, Johnson connected with Evan Stewart for a 10-yard touchdown that put the Aggies down 14-7. He finished with 151 passing yards and led two scoring drives to help A&M secure the 23-21 win at AT&T Stadium.

“Obviously, I hate that for Conner Weigman, I do,” Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said on the SEC teleconference. “He was playing really well and sorry to hear that news. Fortunately, for A&M, they have a wonderful backup quarterback and now starter in Max Johnson.”

Johnson has remained a steady passer when given opportunities to see the field this fall. Through four games, he's completed 20-of-31 passes for 226 yards and four touchdowns. In eight games since joining the Aggies, he's thrown seven touchdowns and has yet to toss an interception. 

"I said before, we have two starting quarterbacks and feel very good about that, and we’ll have to move on," Fisher said. 

Fresno State transfer Jaylen Henderson will serve as the new backup quarterback, while true freshman Marcel Reed will now take over as the No. 3 option. Henderson saw action in the Aggies' 47-3 win over Louisiana-Monroe. Reed, a former four-star recruit from Nashville (Tenn.), is known for his dual-threat mobility. 

The Aggies (3-1, 1-0 SEC) will kick off against the Razorbacks (2-2, 0-1 SEC) at 11 a.m. this Saturday. Since the game moved to AT&T Stadium in 2014, A&M has won eight of the previous nine matchups, suffering its only loss in 2021.