Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko, who established himself as a favorite among the fan base even before coaching his first game with the program, has made the media rounds during the A&M’s spring practice period, which officially began late last week.
While the roster as a whole, which is filled with blue-chip talent at every level, will continue to create multiple storylines this offseason, incoming redshirt sophomore starting quarterback Conner Weigman’s injury recovery after missing eight games during the 2023 season is under the microscope once again.
On Monday, during an interview with Paul Finebaum on the SEC Network, Elko expanded on the talent of the Aggie’s quarterback room while providing a straightforward update on Weigman’s injury progression:
“Connor’s going to go into the spring as the number one, and I think everyone’s aware of that,” Elko said. “Like everthing, you want competition and competition within your program.”
In terms of how he’s working through the everyday practice-related tasks, Elko expanded on the level of intensity that Weigman can take on during the early portion of the spring period:
“He’ll be able to work efficiently as a pocket passer. I don’t know how well he’ll be able to truly run around yet,” Elko stated. “He still hasn’t quite been fully out there doing agility work and those types of things. It’s important for us to get him out there and get him integrated in the system.”
Regarding the options behind Conner Weigman, senior Jaylen Henderson, and sophomore Marcel Reed are about as good as backup security.
“You have two quarterbacks who filled in and had some very succesful moments, as Jaylen Henderson on the backend of the year had a great game against Mississippi State. Jaylen wound up getting hurt on the first series of the bowl game, and Marcel Reed, as a true freshman steps in and throws for over 370 yards in the bowl game.”
Right now, nothing on the injury front has changed outside of the already known players who will miss spring as they continue to recover, including offensive linemen Kam Dewberry and Aki Ogunbiyi, defensive ends Shemar Turner and Enai White, and tight end Donovan Green, who missed the entire 2023 season due to an ACL tear.
For Conner Weigman, slow and steady wins the race, and a full recovery should be the only thing on his mind. Texas A&M’s annual Maroon & White Spring Game will take place on Saturday, April 20.
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