Aggies Notebook vs. New Mexico: 3 Things We Learned
If one thing is certain regarding the Texas A&M Aggies' Week 1 beatdown of the New Mexico Lobos, it's that Jimbo Fisher and company aren't messing around this season.
Coming out of the gate with a new entrance song and a stadium packed with eager fans, all eyes went right to No. 15 — Conner Weigman — who had just been given starting privileges. And it's safe to say he did not disappoint.
Then again, nobody on the Maroon & White did Saturday evening, so following the Aggies' 1-0 start, here are three things we learned:
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1) Conner Weigman. That's it.
It didn’t take long for coach Jimbo Fisher’s named starter to show exactly why he was deserving of being QB1.
Last season, Weigman was a bright spot on his own, throwing for nearly 900 yards and eight touchdowns on zero interceptions to close out the season, and he picked up right where he left off.
The sophomore looked calm and collected in the pocket while also showcasing his range — throwing for over 200 yards and five touchdowns in yesterday’s game alone. He led the Aggies to a perfect first half, too, as they scored every chance they had the ball in what ended up being a near-perfect first impression for him and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino.
There certainly was a quarterback battle going on behind the scenes — Fisher isn’t one to stir up unnecessary conflict — but while that may have been the case, Weigman’s victory (both in-game and against Max Johnson) made sense.
Johnson has talent, yes, but he also looked slightly frantic in the pocket at times. Once he found his composure, all was well. He also threw a passing touchdown and no interceptions, but just wasn’t as smooth — making sense of Fisher’s choice to roll with Weigman.
The future is bright for the Aggies behind their sophomore quarterback, especially if they can translate the positives from Saturday’s contest to next week and beyond against tougher opponents.
And if they can successfully do that, Weigman will be a huge reason why.
2) The Aggies have receiving weapons — and a lot of them.
On a depth chart fearing a talent like Ainias Smith, it would be hard to imagine any other player taking the spotlight on the receiving end. But difficult or not, that’s what happened — and it isn’t a bad thing.
Right away, sophomore receiver Noah Thomas asserted himself for the Aggies, reeling in a deep ball for his and Weigman’s first score of the game.
The next one for Weigman went to Evan Stewart, and then Thomas two more times, which would be less surprising if Smith reeled one in by the end of the night … but he didn’t.
Saturday’s matchup didn’t set the tone for the season as far as Smith is concerned. He’s been around the system for five years now and has proven time and again how dangerous he can be when given the chance to run — so he’ll certainly be around as another weapon for Weigman moving forward.
And besides, wining by six touchdowns without utilizing Ainias Smith might spell more trouble for the Aggies’ future opponents than it does Smith’s season.
3) Texas A&M's RB1 is still an open audition.
Entering Saturday's matchup, not much was known about the Aggies' run game other than the fact that three players could all feasibly be Petrino's go-to back.
Following Saturday's matchup, still not much is known about the Aggies' run game. Le'Veon Moss, Amari Daniels and Reuben Owens all saw game action against the Lobos, and all three of them also showed potential.
Sure, one could argue that Moss is ahead of the curve after scoring Texas A&M's lone rushing touchdown, but his touchdown would have meant more if Daniels hadn't gotten three straight carries right before him.
The three backs combined for 20 total carries and a 102 yards — which would be a lackluster stat if Weigman hadn't been slinging the ball around all night — and while there is a lot to improve upon still for the Aggies, it's a promising start.
So, however the running back race shakes out — if it does at all — Texas A&M will be in good hands, especially with its impressive offensive line.