Billy Liucci gives a rundown on why he thinks Conner Weigman can make a big jump this next season.
Texas A&M’s 2024 football season will come with a lot of a lot of question marks. However, outside of the defensive line, the quarterback room is the other position group with immense talent. While the actual game experience might be lacking, signal callers Conner Weigman, Jaylon Henderson, and Marcel Reed all showed the ability to make plays in the hybrid Jimbo Fisher/Bobby Petrino play-calling system last season.
While the competition in the spring will be interesting to watch, Weigman still holds the QB1 sport, with the backup position being an under-the-radar battle to keep an eye on. Billy Liucci of TexAgs recently gave us his insight into why he believes Weigman will make a big jump this next season.
We can get our first look at Conner in Collin Klein’s offense and what we can expect from this team during the spring scrimmage on April 20th.
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“The doctor called a couple of days ago. He looked at my CT scans and said the bones were all healed. It was good to get cleared from him.”
Texas A&M junior quarterback Conner Weigman was recently cleared to play after suffering a season-ending foot injury in Week 4 of the 2023 season.
Weigman chatted with Billy Liucci of TexAgs this week about a variety of topics, including his rehabilitation and the new era under head coach Mike Elko and his staff.
“Rehab has been good so far,” Weigman told TexAgs. “The doctor called a couple of days ago. He looked at my CT scans and said the bones were all healed. It was good to get cleared from him. We just need to start working with the training staff now and itās about getting back to feeling like myself again.
“Itās exciting to be back with the team and do the same workouts with the guys. Being on the side by myself was pretty tough because I couldnāt be with my teammates and in the fire with them. Iām excited about being back with them and getting the ball rolling again.”
He’s back š£ļø
QB @ConnerWeigman details his rehab progress ahead of spring ball š
“The new regime is not playing around. I love it. Thereās discipline in the little details. The little things matter because they all add up. Itās cool to see how itās all coming together quickly,” Weigman said. “The portal transfers came out to be something like 28 guys. It has been cool. I try to eat breakfast every day with a new guy to try and build that bond and build that brotherhood. I remember how I felt when I first got here, so I just try to reach out to them.
“Iāve already been talking to the new defensive backs because I want to see what theyāve got. The competition at practice is going to be something and Iām looking forward to it.”
Weigman seems to be gelling with his new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach as well.
“Working with Collin Klein has been cool because he played the position at a high level. Just a few years ago, he was in the Heisman race with Johnny Manziel,” Weigman recalled. “Klein is a younger guy, so heās in tune with all the new-age stuff. Heās fun to sit and talk to about football. I remember watching him play in 2012.”
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The list of players that he has coached includes the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner and current Philadelphia Eagles wideout DeVonta Smith.
Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has reportedly made a huge addition to his coaching staff to bring one of the top young recruiters in college football to Bryan-College Station.
Per Billy Liucci of TexAgs, Elko is hiring Holmon Wiggins from Alabama to serve as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. The 43-year-old will coach alongside Collin Klein, who was hired from Kansas State in December.
š£š£š£ BREAKING: A&M coaching staff with a head-turning hire, as WR coach @HolmonWiggins makes the move from Tuscaloosa to Aggieland.
Wiggins had been working under Nick Saban since the 2019 season. Big-time hire for the Maroon & White. š£š£š£
As noted by AggiesToday on X, Wiggins is “one of the top recruiters in the entire country, landing four 5-star receivers in the past two seasons while sending multiple to the NFL.”
The list of players that he has coached includes the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner and current Philadelphia Eagles wideout DeVonta Smith. Wiggins has coached the wide receivers in Tuscaloosa since 2019 and has been the offensive assistant head coach since 2021.
“Goes without saying that coach Mike Elko adding longtime Crimson Tide assistant Holmon Wiggins to the Aggie staff is going to turn heads around the SEC,” Liucci stated on X. “This one is a big one on the field in terms of WR development and the recruiting/portal arena, as well.”
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Per Billy Lucci of TexAgs, Mike Elko is set to hire Auburn defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff to join his staff alongside Ishmael Aristide.
With so many versatile playmakers in college football, and especially the SEC, having dependable defensive backs is key to having a great team.
The Texas A&M football program now reportedly has two coaches to lead their speediest defenders. Mike Elko is set to hire Auburn defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff to join his staff, per Billy Liucci of TexAgs.
McGriff will work alongside Ishmael Aristide, who was hired earlier this month to coach cornerbacks. Aristide followed Elko from Durham after coaching on his Duke staff for one season.
As Liucci pointed out on X, McGriff comes to College Station with more than just SEC coaching experience, he is also a talented recruiter who has developed elite prospects into dependable NFL players.
Love the addition of Wesley McGriff to this A&M staff as @CoachMikeElko adds an SEC veteran who has fought – and won – some big recruiting battles while also developing plenty of NFL talent.
McGriff had three separate stints with the Tigers in 2016, 2019 to 2020 and in 2022. He served as the secondary coach at Lousiville in 2021. McGriff also has previous experience at Florida and Ole Miss.
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Texas A&M is set to hire Florida ILB coach as the program’s new defensive coordinator
News broke via TexAgs on Thursday morning that Texas A&M is in the process of hiring Florida’s assistant coach Jay Bateman to be the new defensive coordinator for the Aggies.
After coach Mike Elko mentioned in his press conference on Wednesday that we could expect a hire soon, rumors started to swirl. The name that came up the most was the former Aggie linebacker coach and current Duke defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci.
We know how the internet can be, and the Santucci hate was abundant and unwarranted. Now, with the Bateman, some of the same people are still complaining.
With Elko being a defensive coach, the thought behind the hire really came down to how good of a fit Bateman would be within Elko’s system and the staff. Granted, Bateman has been up and down with his success, but he is known mainly for turning around a struggling Army defense and being named as a 2018 Broyles Award finalist.
It’s not the splash hire fans might have wanted, but Elko seemed more interested in building a grounded staff that can recruit and will jell with the university. But like everything in life, not everyone will agree with everything that someone does, and social media gave us a taste of both sides.
It has been reported by multiple sources that Texas A&M will bring on former Florida ILB coach Jay Bateman as the program’ new DC.
Texas A&M and head coach Mike Elko are reportedly finalizing a deal to hire Jay Bateman as the program’s new defensive coordinator/linebackers coach after a brief stint at Florida as the Inside linebackers coach. TexAgs’ Billy Liucci first reported the news, which was further confirmed by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Like several of the Aggies’ new assistants, Elko and Bateman go all the way back to the early 2000s during their time at Richmond as defensive assistants, as the new head coach has smartly brought on familiar faces whom he trusts, as every first-year coaching transition presents a bevy of challenges.
Outside of simply knowing Mike Elko, Jay Bateman is very accomplished in his own right, serving as a defensive coordinator at five programs, including a highly successful stint at Army (2014-2018), where he helped take a once 91st-ranked defense to 8th in the nation during his final season, resulting in being a finalist for the Broyles Award (top assistant coach in college football) in 2018.
Also known as an impressive recruiter during his brief two-year stint at North Carolina as DC/Safeties coach, Batemen helped secure several elite defensive prospects.
Bateman will replace D.J. Durkin, who served as the Aggie’s DC for the last two seasons and follow current A&M defensive line coach Sean Spencer, who also left Florida for the same position earlier this month.
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It has been reported that Texas A&M interim head coach Elijah Robinson will depart the program to become Syracuse’s new DC.
A rumor has become fact, as current Texas A&M Football interim head coach Elijah Robinson will leave the program to become the new defensive coordinator under first-year head coach Fran Brown.
Late last week, it was reported by Syracuse.com writer Emily Leiker that a 2024 offensive lineman, Noah Rosahac, stated that after verbally committing to Syracuse, new head coach Fran Brown reportedly told him:
āThe (new) defensive coordinator is coming from the SEC.ā
This immediately led to speculation that Robinson, who had received a contract to stay with the Aggies under new head coach Mike Elko, would entertain the idea due to his relationship with Brown, as the two coached together at Baylor and Temple over a decade ago.
While the specifics regarding a potential raise/promotion was a part of the contract, TexAgs Billy Liucci confirmed on Sunday afternoon that this would be the first shot at a defensive coordinator position for Robinson, likely indicating that he was not a candidate for Texas A&M’s D-coordinator spot, currently filled by D.J. Durkin. However, according to Liucci, Robinson received a highly lucrative contract that would have made him the highest-paid position coach in the country.
BREAKING: Just got word that A&M d-line coach Elijah Robinson is headed to Syracuse as the new Orange defensive coordinator. E-Rob's first crack at running the defense so a big step for tge longtime Aggie assistant.
Since coming on board under previous head coach Jimbo Fisher in 2018, Robinson has served in several roles, most recently as the defensive line coach, co-head coach, and assistant defensive coordinator.
How Robinson’s exit will affect recruiting is to be seen, but knowing his relationship with nearly every player on the roster is quite telling, and how Elko will replace such a beloved and influential coach could define his coaching tenure.
However, in the matter that Robinson would depart, Liucci also noted that there is a plan in place that will be announced in a matter of time.
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Texas A&M starting QB Conner Weigman revealed his excitement to get to work under head coach Mike Elko in his recent TexAgs interview.
Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman is, by far, the most important player on the roster going into the beyond critical 2024 season, as new Aggies head coach Mike Elko will enter his first full season at the helm.
After the firing of now-former head coach Jimbo Fisher, Weigman’s future in Aggieland was realistically never in doubt, as his previous relationship with Elko during his time as A&M’s defensive coordinator from 2018-2021, helping recruit the former five-star signal caller in 2022.
After just four starts during the 2023 season, Weigman, who had already passed for 979 yards, eight touchdowns, and only two interceptions, sustained a season-ending lower-body injury just minutes before halftime amid the Aggies’ 27-10 win over Auburn back on Sept. 23.
Still sticking around the sidelines during the rest of the season, Weigman is now in the rehabbing stage after a successful surgery and is poised to return to spring football in the next couple of months if all goes well. Providing fans more clarity, Weigman joined TexAgs’ Billy Liucci on Friday for a 12-minute interview to discuss his return and his excitement to play under a familiar face in Mike Elko.
“I was excited because I’ve known coach Elko for a while, I played baseball with Mikey (Mike Elko’s son Michael), he was with the team when I was being recruited here, and just a really cool, down-to-earth guy, and it’s cool to see him back in Aggieland.”
While Elko has made several staff changes, including the dismissal of offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, an announcement regarding Petrino’s replacement should be coming sooner or later. Still, as of now, everything is based on speculation.
However, Elko has already gained the trust of Weigman and the rest of the offense, as whoever is deemed to become the Aggies’ new OC will hopefully bring a wealth of explosiveness to the offense in 2024. As Liucci noted his excitement that the offense will have a clean slate to work from, he asked Conner just how pumped he is on a scale of 1-10:
“I’m at a 10. All of us offensive guys are, and we trust him to make a good hire, and that’s what he’s preached to us that he’ll go get a really good guy and put us in a good position to succeed.”
As usual, Liucci and the rest of the TexAgs staff cleared up yet another rumor regarding the ongoing transfer portal chaos, so no matter what happens next, knowing that one of the most talented quarterbacks in the country will be back on his Aggie redemption tour next season is undoubtedly a sight for sore eyes. Here is the full interview:
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According to multiple sources, Duke head coach Mike Elko is in line to become the 30th head coach For Texas A&M Football.
After Saturday night’s chaotic ending following the botched hiring of Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, Texas A&M’s search for the next head football coach after the firing of Jimbo Fisher has finally reached its conclusion, as, according to multiple sources, Duke head coach and former Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko has been named Fisher’s immediate successor.
On Sunday afternoon, TexAgs’ Billy Liucci officially confirmed the news that the A&M Board of Regents made the decision late Saturday night, just hours after the Stoops debacle, as the longtime favorite to succeed Fisher at the helm potentially has finally reached the mountain-top.
While Fisher’s $76.8 million buyout will likely remain a record for quite some time, Elko’s reported buyout from Duke sits at around $5 million, making this a win-win from a financial standpoint.
Ending his Duke career with a 16-9 record, Elko has guided the Blue Devils to consecutive bowl appearances, as his first head coaching stint was impressive, to say the least.
After a wild 24 hours, Texas A&M set to hire Mike Elko as next head coach. Decision on A&M's side was made late last night, with conversations with Elko taking place throughout Sunday.
Elko’s four seasons in College Station were built on consistent progress. The Aggies’ defense continued to improve yearly, including his ninth-ranked unit during the 9-1 2020 season, the most successful campaign under Jimbo Fisher during his Aggie career.
Regarding relationships, Elko is close with several of A&M’s coaching staff members, including interim head coach Elijah Robinson, who will likely stay with the program, so stay tuned for any updates.
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Mark Stoops, who was reportedly expected to become Texas A&M’s next head football coach, is staying at Kentucky.
It has now been confirmed that Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops will not be taking the Texas A&M head coaching position after all, as Saturday’s news has taken a sudden twist after Kentucky Sports Radio host Matt Jones released the news just hours after the first announcement.
Multiple sources, including TexAgs’ Billy Liucci, AggieYell Editor Mark Passwaters, and ESPN insider Pete Thamel, confirmed that Stoops will stay in Lexington (KY) after all, as nothing was finalized between both parties.
Stoops, who is finished his 11th year at Kentucky with a 7-5 record (matching A&M), has compiled a 72-64 record (35-55 SEC) and has taken the Wildcats to seven bowl game appearances, including four wins while recording two 10-win seasons in 2018 and 2021.
BREAKING:
I am told by a very good source that Mark Stoops is staying at Kentucky
At the age of 56, Stoops has a proven track record. Still, after firing Fisher with an enormous $76.8 Million buyout attached, this looks more like a lateral move, if anyāStoop’s $4.5 Million buyout was probably a selling point initially. Still, until we receive the inner details regarding the sudden change in the agreement, the Aggies will return to the drawing board as the coaching search continues.
Saturday’s reports from Thamel and The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman included UTSA’s Jeff Traylor, Arizona’s Jedd Fisch, Duke’s Mike Elko, and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham as fellow candidates for the postion. At the same time, Stoop’s sudden inclusion surprised many. Here is a personal message from the man himself:
I know thereās been much speculation about me and my job situation the last couple of days. Itās true I was contacted about a potential opportunity this weekend, but after celebrating a big win against our rivals with players I love like family, I knew in my heart I couldnātā¦
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