Conner Weigman and Max Johnson Bring Out Positives In Each Other During QB Battle

Conner Weigman and Max Johnson continue to push each other through camp for the chance to win the starting job for 2023.

COLLEGE STATION -- Conner Weigman isn't a finished product yet. Then again, neither is Max Johnson. 

The two Texas A&M passers spend their days picking each other's brain despite knowing that come Sept. 2, one will be starting against New Mexico, while the other will have to wait his turn. 

But a team is only as strong as its weakest link. Neither quarterback is ineffective and have their personal strengths. 

So, what makes Weigman an ideal option to take first-team reps against the Lobos? 

“He’s done a great job of understanding the system over the past year,” Johnson said of the true sophomore. “He’s really athletic and does a good job of getting the ball out on time, and he understands coverages. He’s done a good job this fall camp.”

And why could Johnson be the best man for the job? 

"He’s a very smart guy,” Weigman said of his Georgia native counterpart. “He knows what’s going on in the offense, like he’s been around for a little bit. He has experience and just his consistency (and) I admire it. Every day he comes in and works and I mean, that’s all you can do, and I respect that of him.”

Time, patience and persistence will give Aggies' fans an answer as to which gunslinger wins the starting job by the end of the month entering a pivotal 2023 season. Sixth-year coach Jimbo Fisher will have the final say on the matter. First-year offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino will likely have opinions, given his status as the team's quarterbacks coach. 

Weigman, a former five-star commit, is the presumed starter based on his late-season success. He began his A&M career with a bang; a four-touchdown outing against Ole Miss. The 6-3 product from Bridgeland High also gave A&M fans talking points throughout the offseason following a 38-23 upset over then-No. 5 LSU in the season finale. 

But Johnson, the son of Super Bowl winner Brad Johnson, showed he had the chops once replacing initial starter Haynes King in Week 3's win over Miami. Perhaps he would have remained the season's starter if not for a broken hand injury sustained in Week 5's loss to Mississippi State.

Quarterbacking programs in the SEC are not for the ill of heart. Petrino knows this first-hand, having spent four seasons at Arkansas. A quick release and pristine timing helps, but a short memory benefits a passer's confidence more than anything throughout a rigorous season. 

"There's a lot of occupational hazards as a quarterback and one of them is that when things don't go good to blame is coming on your shoulders," Petrino said. "You gotta be able to just brush it off and forget about it." 

Fans clamored for Weigman to see the field following early struggles, but the then-freshman needed to accomplish other goals first. Besides finding a rapport in an offense with receivers, Weigman simply looked to keep his head above water, navigating through the huddle and crowds to weekday classes. 

“You bring Conner into a situation when he’s ready for a situation,” Fisher said earlier this summer. “You want to bring all freshmen in when they’re ready, because you never want to destroy an athlete’s confidence — you never want to put him in a compromising position. You say, ‘Well, he’s got ability,’ but is he ready to play?'"

Weigman looks more prepared entering Year 2. He continues to work alongside Petrino and Johnson in practice, detailing his game's mechanics and finishing the little things like footwork, release point and touch on a pass. 

Johnson, however, won't be going down without a fight. The former LSU starter who beat A&M in his final start with the Tigers continues to up the level of competition in practice. 

"Both guys have been working hard at that and they're doing a good job," said Petrino. 

The A&M offense has changed slightly since last fall's 5-7 finish. Fisher, who's been the primary play-caller on offense for over two decades with different programs, will relinquish those duties to Petrino. There are similarities to some concepts, but stark differences in others. 

"He’s a very smart guy, and he gives us every little detail of what we need to know about a play, and that’s what it takes to be a quarterback," Weigman said of Petrino. "You’ve got to know what’s going on and to just be able to have that input coming from him in a positive way has been huge."

Fisher said at the start of fall camp that he doesn't have a set date on when he'll name a starter, mainly because reps in practice will "reveal" the winner. The Aggies could play both Weigman and Johnson against the Lobos before a must-see rematch on the road against the Hurricanes in Week 2. 

Either player could take the leap before camp comes to a close. The good news is they'll be well-equipped to implement Petrino's 'Feed The Studs' philosophy thanks to a promising arsenal led by Evan Stewart and Ainias Smith. 

“I feel like we have one of the best-receiving cores in the country," said Weigman. "Just be able to give them the ball in space and let them go make plays. I feel like that’s what we’re going to do.”

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