Texas A&M’s season opener vs. Notre Dame is just 34 days away. Mike Elko is set to debut as the program’s new head coach, returning to the program after serving as the Aggie’s defensive coordinator from 2018-2021.
Inheriting a talented roster, Elko added nearly 30 players from the transfer portal to fill out the depth chart. However, like every college football team in the country, the quarterback position will make or break a program’s chance of succeeding.
With quarterback Conner Weigman returning for what could be a final season in College Station, the former 5-star prospect is poised to bounce back big after missing the final eight games of the regular season due to injury.
The sample size is small, but Weigman’s arm strength, accuracy, and impressive touch produced 979 yards and eight touchdowns through the air in four games last season, all while withstanding A&M’s porous offensive line, which will hopefully improve heading into the 2024 campaign.
This offseason, national analysts view Weigman as a Top 10 QB in the conference based on his traits alone but still undervalue his talent compared to his fellow SEC signal callers—however, ESPN analyst Jordan Rodgers feels that the redshirt sophomore has a chance to finish the year as one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
Speaking with Saturday Down South, Rodgers, who ranked Weigman fifth in his SEC QB rankings, explained that Weigman’s toughness and overall pro-like demeanor should be taken into account despite his less than ten career starts.
Referencing Texas A&M’s loss to Miami last season, Rodgers was very impressed with Weigman’s late-game performance despite the deficit.
“Going back to the tape, the Miami game last year, you’ll see big time throws under pressure in one singular game, it truly uncanny” Rodgers stated.
“I started marking down plays do go back to at some point, and 15, deep, he was under fire tha entire game; back foot would hit the ground and there would be someone in his face within a second and half and he’d be ripping the seam right on the money in tight coverage.”
Now, in new offensive coordinator Collin Klein’s system, which, as Rodgers mentioned, “actually try to make it tough on defenses” pre-snap, Weigman’s quick release and ping point accuracy make him a player to watch every time Texas A&M’s take the field this season.
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