Fall Camp Preview: Quarterbacks
Will Johnson, 12th Man Productions
The Aggies step into August with two quarterbacks that have proven they can lead an offense.
One is just getting started.
The other has been around a while.
Conner Weigman heads into his second season of college football after handling the lead role for most of 2022’s back half. He played considerably in five of the last six games, starting four.
Max Johnson, the veteran, started three of the first five games before a thumb injury hindered him the rest of the way.
First and foremost, they both were exceptional at protecting the football.
Neither threw an interception.
Weigman put the ball in the air 132 times without throwing it to the other team, the most attempts without an INT in the entire country.
Johnson’s 71 tosses without a pick ranked third nationally. For his career, which spans his time at LSU and A&M, Johnson has thrown 38 TD passes and just seven interceptions--a sparkling ratio.
Jimbo Fisher always asks that an offensive possession ends in a kick (meaning a PAT, field goal or punt). These guys are pretty good at ensuring that.
To take their game up a notch, Weigman and Johnson will need get past the next level of the defense. The explosive plays and deep ball need to be more prevalent in the pass game. Last year, A&M notched 36 pass plays of 20 or more yards (ranking 89th nationally). There were only 12 of 30-plus yards, which was 111th in the country.
But with the targets the QBs have to throw to, they’ll have the ability to stretch the field. Wideouts Ainias Smith, Moose Muhammad III and Evan Stewart all have explosive ability. Muhammad and Stewart started to show it a year ago. Smith has always had it but was injured for much of 2022. Noah Thomas is another receiver that emerged this spring as one who can go up and get a deep ball.
The group is working with Fisher and new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. They think the added experience to the staff will only help their progress.
“Coach Petrino is a really smart guy,” Weigman said. “He breaks everything down fundamentally. You know exactly why you’re doing things on this play and what you’re not doing on this play.”
After Weigman and Johnson, others in the room include freshman Marcel Reed and sophomore Jaylen Henderson. Reed arrives from Nashville, where he was named Tennessee’s Mr. Football after his senior year. Henderson is a transfer from Fresno State.
“It’s a good group,” Weigman said. “Me, Max, Marcel and Jalen? We’re all tight. We all compete out there. We push each other to make each other better. That’s why we came here, to compete at the highest level.”
Blake Bost and Dallas Novicke are also in the quarterback room and will work with the unit in 2023.
The quarterback group has a great foundation. The floor appears to be high.
Now, about that ceiling, can they reach it?
Because the sky certainly appears to be the limit.
