Will Texas A&M Switch QBs Against Miami?

Haynes King and Max Johnson both could see reps against the No. 13 Hurricanes.

Teams win or lose often based on quarterback play. And while Texas A&M’s quarterback conundrum isn’t the only concern of the offensive woes, it does remain one of the biggest. 

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher isn’t ready to name a starting quarterback for Week 3’s matchup against No. 13 Miami (2-0). 

Currently, the No. 24 Aggies (1-1) have worked with both sophomore Haynes King and junior Max Johnson in the first-team unit throughout the last nine months.  

“We’re reppin' our guys as we’re reppin ’em,” Fisher said Wednesday during his weekly SEC teleconference call. “I’m not going to elaborate on who’s taking what reps with what group … for what we’re going to do on Saturday. We’re looking into everything.”

King, the initial starter of the 2021 season, won starting job again following another intense August battle. There’s been a glimpse of potential with the deep ball accuracy, but most of King’s performance has been erratic and rushed. 

In the Aggies’ 31-0 win over Sam Houston, King threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns. All three scores came on throws that traveled over 30 yards through the air – two of which came on throws of over 50 yards. 

King’s biggest issue has been connecting with receivers across the middle of the field. In last week’s 17-14 upset loss to Appalachian State, King finished 13-of-20 passing for 95 yards. His longest completion came on a 19-yard pass to freshman Evan Stewart. For the afternoon, he averaged 4.9 yards per attempt. 

“He’s a young guy,” Fisher said Monday of King. “He’s not ready to clean up anybody’s messes right now. He’s still trying to do his things right. There are a lot of things he’s not ready to fix, but there were three or four throws I wish he would have made. 

“There are some plays we wish he would’ve made at the end of the game and he knows that." 

King’s current passer rating of 33.3 is the third-lowest among all Power Five quarterbacks. Of all 131 FBS passers, King is ranked 110th. His 461 passing yards also has him ranked 58th overall, though 173 yards have come on three plays. 

The inconsistencies of King might open the door for Johnson to start moving forward. A transfer from LSU, Johnson started all 12 games for the Tigers in 2021, throwing for 2,815 yards and 27 touchdowns against six interceptions. 

Against the Bearkats, Johnson went 3-of-4 passing for 23 yards. Following Saturday’s loss to the Mountaineers, A&M fans began to chant “We want Johnson,” in hopes that Fisher would give the proven veteran a chance to compete for the starting role. 

“Guys are very anxious to play, and we’re playing a great Miami team … a very good team,” Fisher said.

Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal isn’t underselling the sluggish start from A&M’s passing offense, either. Another Nick Saban disciple that has been on the side of an upset, Cristobal told reporters that the victory at Kyle Field was a mix of poor play from the Aggies and near-flawless execution from the Mountaineers.

Cristobal has seen what A&M’s passing attack can do when it’s clicking. And although the Aggies are currently ranked 103rd in total offense, all it takes is one good outing from a quarterback to get things back on track. 

“These are the best of the best that have been recruited and developed there,” Cristobal said. “They are complemented by 10.1, 10.2, 10.5, 10.6 [-second] 100-meter guys at the different skilled positions. They didn’t click, but we’ve seen them click both last year and in the first game of this year, so we’re expecting their very best.” 

Fisher did not say when he would name a starter for Saturday’s game. Kickoff from Kyle Field is set for 8 p.m. 

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