Tag: Conner Weigman

Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed proclaims that Mike ‘Elko tells nothing but the truth’

“The people who stayed are a big testament to what this program has done this year and what we’re going to continue to do in coming years.”

Texas A&M football head coach Mike Elko faced a tough decision midway through this season, whether to stick with the incumbent at quarterback, redshirt sophomore Conner Weigman, or move on to redshirt freshman Marcel Reed.

Elko ultimately went the younger route with Reed, who emerged during the Texas Bowl last year before Elko officially took over the program previously led by Jimbo Fisher.

Reed was a guest on the 12th Man Foundation‘s podcast “Answering the Call” this week, where he boasted about his head coach.

“Elko tells nothing but the truth,” Reed proclaimed. “The people who stayed are a big testament to what this program has done this year and what we’re going to continue to do in the coming years. Everyone in this organization has bought in and done what they’re supposed to do, and everybody is seeing the results of it.

“We’re going to keep doing that.”

The No. 14 Aggies (8-2, 5-1 SEC) play Auburn (4-6, 1-5) in their penultimate regular season contest at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday night. The matchup at Jordan-Hare Stadium will be broadcast on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

Should Texas A&M QB Conner Wegiman head to the transfer portal this offseason?

It might be time for a fresh start somewhere else for the redshirt sophomore If Marcel Reed is indeed the future starter

Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1 SEC) entered Week 12 without a quarterback controversy for the first time this season, knowing the redshirt freshman Marcel Reed will remain the starter for the remainder of the year.

In his 5th overall and second consecutive start, Reed looked better in the pocket, completing 20/31 for 286 yards and two touchdowns, including a rushing touchdown, before hitting the bench early in the second half.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman, who entered the 2024 season as A&M’s starter, has been relegated to the primary backup spot after his poor showing during the first half of the Aggies’ 38-23 win over LSU. Weigman’s appearance was short-lived, completing 2/5 for 37 yards and an interception before being replaced by freshman QB Miles O’Neill.

After his first snaps in over three weeks, Aggie fans and those in the media questioned Weigman’s sudden decline, especially after his shoulder injury that kept him out of the lineup during the first half of the season.

Weigman’s excellent start during A&M’s 41-10 win over Missouri solidified his standing as the starter. However, an average showing against Mississippi State might have been the first sign of a disappointing season for the former 5-star prospect.

Weigman’s future with the program has certainly become a talking point, as Marcel Reed and O’Neill look like the future options under center, especially after the news that 2025 5-star QB Husan Longstreet has flipped to USC. While it’s fully possible that he could compete next season for the starting job, Reed looks like the better fit in OC Collin Klein’s offensive scheme.

Right now, entering the transfer portal looks like the best option to pursue a fresh start, but this is all speculation based on the future of the postion under head coach Mike Elko.

Weigman is still talented and may need more time to heal if his shoulder is still an issue so he can get back to playing at full strength. For the Aggies, quarterback depth was a longstanding issue under former head coach Jimbo Fisher, but the tides have likely turned under Elko’s guidance.

Regardless of Conner Weigman’s decision, I can safely say that Aggie fans will cheer him on.

Texas A&M will face Auburn on the road on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 6:30 pm. CT. The game will air on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

Instant reactions to No. 10 Texas A&M’s blowout 44-20 loss to South Carolina

Texas A&M falls 44-20 on the road to South Carolina, dropping its first SEC game of the season.

No. 10 Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC) was handled by South Carolina (5-3, 3-3 SEC) 44-20 on the road, the Aggies’ first SEC loss of the season.

The SEC is an extremely competitive week-to-week league. There are no trap games in this league. You line up, and the better team each week wins. On Saturday, the Gamecocks punched A&M in the mouth and ran away from the Aggies in a statement win.

Coach Mike Elko’s style of defense was absent. The Aggies were plagued by untimely penalties and a lack of toughness. However, the most unforgivable thing had to be the poor tackling. The defense was called perfectly several times, but the defender missed the sack or there was a defensive penalty.

Offensively, they looked like the team that stepped onto the field against Notre Dame to start the season. Redshirt quarterback Marcel Reed started; however, the spark from his three-touchdown comeback win over LSU was missing. They couldn’t push the ball downfield, the running game stagnated with the loss of running back Le’Veon Moss in the first half and Reed had two costly turnovers.

Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

It was not a good night in the office for the coaching staff or the players, who dropped a tough game before the second bye week of the season. This loss is not season-ending, but the Aggies will need to win out to have a chance at the SEC title game and a college football playoff spot.

Going into their second bye week, the Aggies’ next game is at home against New Mexico State on Nov. 16 at Kyle Field in Bryan-College Station, Texas.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

Johnny Manziel weighs in on Texas A&M’s QB decision before facing South Carolina

Heisman winning QB Johnny Manziel is much higher on Marcel Reed continuing as the Aggies’ starter

No. 10 Texas A&M is currently 7-1 and 5-0 in SEC play after mounting one of the more impressive comebacks in program history against LSU, defeating the Tigers 38-23 after trailing 17-7 at halftime.

However, none of this was miraculous, as first-year head coach Mike Elko opted to go with redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed to replace struggling starting QB Conner Weigman. This led to five consecutive scoring drives, including three rushing touchdowns for Reed, who was virtually unstoppable in the second half.

Heading into Week 10, Elko revealed on Monday that he will not decide which quarterback will start against South Carolina on the road until this week’s practice is complete, as the Aggies will prepare for yet another primetime matchup on ABC, facing a Gamecocks defense that recently demolished Oklahoma on the road.

While this is both strategic and based on the hope that Weigman will work out the various issues that led to his 6/18 showing, former Texas A&M quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel provided his own opinion on the matter during his weekly appearance on Action Network’s BBOC podcast

A notable fan of Reed’s playing style, Manziel feels that the dual-threat signal caller is the hot hand that should stay in the driver’s seat until further notice:

“I think it would be really hard right now to go away from Marcel Reed and the energy and vibe that he brought to that team on Saturday,” Manziel stated.

However, the Aggie legend also noted that having two quarterbacks with different skill sets is an obvious advantage, especially if Weigman reestablishes his footwork and accuracy that led to his efficient passing day in the Aggies’ Week 6 win over Missouri.

“Right now, I would anticipate on Saturday Marcel Reed being the guy,” Manziel stated. “But it definitely is nice having the option to be able to go back and forth. You obviously have a very capable guy in Conner Weigman as well, and you don’t want to get to the point where Texas A&M is too one-dimensional and having to rely on running the football too much.”

You can catch Johnny Manziel on the BBOC YouTube channel every Monday and Friday.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko is not ready to announce the starting QB against South Carolina

On Monday, Mike Elko noted that this week’s practice is determine which quarterback starts against South Carolina

On Monday, No. 10 Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko took questions from the local media just two days after the Aggies’ memorable 38-23 comeback win over the LSU Tigers after trailing 17-7 at the half.

Behind the legs of quarterback Marcel Reed, who entered the game in the third quarter due to starting QB Conner Weigman’s poor play, scored three rushing touchdowns while leading the offense to five consecutive scoring drives in one of the season’s most dominant showings.

While many believe Reed, who remains 3-0 as A&M’s starter this season, has regained the starting job, Elko noted that nothing is set in stone, and this week’s practice will determine who starts against South Carolina on Saturday night:

“We just want to see how this week plays out and what we think gives us the best shot to go into this challenge and be successful.”

Regarding Marcel Reed’s dual-threat ability and success with the QB option, Elko stated that there are always plays available in the playbook to get him on the field, similar to his insertion against LSU:

“We have to have a plan for Marcel (Reed) ready at all times because you never know how, injury-wise, the game is going to go.”

“It’s a credit to Collin (Klein) that he’s able to do that in a way that doesn’t create a volume for our offensive players. … It’s not like we’re running two separate offenses because we have enough wrinkles in our system that we can tailor it to specific quarterbacks.”

Conner Weigman’s 6/18 day in the pocket was one of his worst career outings. Still, as we saw in Texas A&M’s season-opening loss, the redshirt sophomore has shown the ability to rebound after every bad performance, and Elko trusts his QB will right the ship this week. However, this is a two-way street concerning the wide receiver rotation finding consistent separation in their routes.

“He still has a ton of growth, repetition that he needs to gather to be able to consistently go through the progressions at the pace and speed that you need to.”

“Sometimes our wideouts are a little too slow getting to where they need to be, and sometimes Conner is a little too fast going through his progressions.”

If the Aggies want to reach the season finale vs. Texas with an undefeated conference record, the passing game, with either Weigman or Reed, will need to improve and find life early in games before the running game can find its footing.

“We’re looking for some consistency in the throw game, and it feels like we’re still working through some of the timing elements of it.”

“We have to get our passing game working in a rhythm in a way it can be productive and efficient for us to get down the road where we want to.”

Texas A&M will travel to Columbia to face South Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 2nd, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on either ABC or ESPN+.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Texas A&M has a quarterback advantage, not a controversy

This week’s practice will determine who starts against South Carolina next Saturday night

Texas A&M’s (7-1, 5-0 SEC) Week 9 home win over the LSU Tigers was a surprise to many, especially after the Aggies trailed 17-7 going into halftime before head coach Mike Elko made the change at quarterback to redshirt freshman Marcel Reed.

Unprepared for the change, Reed and OC Collin Klein bullied the Tiger defense into submission on the ground, as the backup duel-threat ran for three touchdowns and led the Aggies to five consecutive scoring drives in the second half.

Weigman’s bad day in the pocket included just six completions on 18 attempts, which led Elko to insert Reed to find some offensive energy, which obviously worked.

However, don’t let this performance fool you into thinking he won’t see the field again.

Returning to Texas A&M’s Week 6 41-10 win over Missouri, Weigman’s solid week of practice and increased confidence led to his best game of the season, completing 18/22 for 276 yards.

It’s fair to note that A&M’s offensive line was much better in pass protection than Saturday’s performance, as Weigman was pressured on 54% of his dropbacks against the Tigers.

For those unaware of Weigman and Reed’s close relationship, it’s clear that both players are always each other’s biggest cheerleaders, as Reed noted after the game:

“He said, ‘Let’s go. You got it.’ We are brothers and teammates. I have his back. He has mine.”

Reed went 3-0 as the starter before Weigman regained the job. His accuracy issues in the passing game are a noted weakness. At the same time, despite his recent performance, Weigman is still seen as the better passer. So, where does Elko go from here after Saturday’s result? It’s likely a similar pathway to the week leading up to the Missouri game.

Here’s the scenario moving forward: If Reed is named the starter early in the week, defenses will be able to prepare for OC Collin Klein’s QB run scheme that frustrated the Tigers’ defense. Even if he is the choice, keeping things under wraps while giving Weigman the chance to earn the job in practice is the smartest route.

Again, knowing if good Weigman or bad Weigman will show up has been the primary issue, but the pass protection needs to improve to allow him to go through his progressions if we’re ever going to see improvement.

At the same time, it’s also fair to see if Reed has improved as a passer, providing a brief glimpse against LSU after hitting junior WR Noah Thomas for a 50-plus yard completion in the 4th quarter.

While continuity at the quarterback position is key for most teams, this system has worked so far.

Texas A&M will travel to Columbia to face South Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 2nd at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on either ABC or ESPN+.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Instant reactions to No. 14 Texas A&M football team victory versus No. 8 LSU

Following Saturday’s matchup between the Aggies and Tigers, we break down our instant reaction.

At long last, the Marcel Reed era in College Station can truly begin.

The Texas A&M football team hosted LSU in a primetime matchup this weekend with first place in the conference on the line. The No. 14 Aggies (7-1, 5-0 SEC) overcame a slow start to defeat the No. 8 Tigers (6-2, 3-1) by a final score of 38-23 on Saturday night at Kyle Field.

With redshirt sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman under center, Texas A&M’s offense was stagnant and struggled to get going. Then in the penultimate period, head coach Mike Elko made the bold, but correct, decision to replace Weigman with Reed.

The redshirt freshman immediately gave the Aggies a spark that they so desperately needed. Texas A&M trailed 17-7, then Reed rushed into the end zone twice to give the Aggies a 4-point advantage entering the final quarter.

With all the momentum, Texas A&M never looked back and outscored LSU 31-6 in the second half to earn its first 5-0 SEC start in program history. Just like the Aggies did Saturday, Elko can’t look back and must roll with Reed for the remainder of the season.

Otherwise, Texas A&M can kiss its hopes for the College Football Playoff goodbye, because Weigman isn’t the guy.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

Texas A&M Football schedule: Are the Aggies playing today?

Texas A&M will host the 8th-ranked LSU Tigers on Saturday night in primetime on ABC

Texas A&M (6-1, 4-0 SEC) has reached the thick of the 2024 schedule after reaching 6-1 and 4-0 in SEC play, as the Aggies have already gone through the first of two bye weeks after defeating Missouri 41-10 in Week 6.

Earning their second SEC road win after defeating Mississippi State 34-24 in Week 8, the Aggies will now face their most significant challenge yet, hosting 8th-ranked LSU, who are also 6-1 and undefeated in SEC play.

After both teams had won their Week 8 matchups, it was obvious that the game should be a primetime event at 6:30 p.m. CT, with a kickoff on ABC.

On paper, both teams are equal in several areas. Still, in the trenches, Texas A&M’s defensive line will need to break through LSU’s border elite bookend tackles, who have yet to allow a sack on Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier in seven games.

However, like most games, the quarterback battle between Nussmeier and Texas A&M starting QB Conner Weigman will likely determine who leaves Kyle Field with a victory.

Here is how Texas A&M’s 2024 schedule looks after seven games:

  • Week 1: Saturday, Aug. 31, Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame: L, 23-13
  • Week 2: Saturday, Sept. 7th, Texas A&M vs. McNeese: W, 52-10
  • Week 3: Saturday, Sept. 14th, Texas A&M @ Florida: W 33-20
  • Week 4: Saturday, Sept. 21st, Texas A&M vs. Bowling Green: W 26-20
  • Week 5: Saturday, Sept. 28, Texas A&M vs. Arkansas: W, 21-17
  • Week 6: Saturday, Oct. 5th, Texas A&M vs. Missouri: W, 41-10
  • Week 8: Saturday, Oct. 19th, Texas A&M @ Mississippi State: W 34-24
  • Week 9: Saturday, Oct. 26th, Texas A&M vs. LSU
  • Week 10: Saturday, Nov. 3rd, Texas A&M @ South Carolina
  • Week 12: Saturday, Nov. 16th, Texas A&M vs. New Mexico State
  • Week 13: Saturday, Nov. 23rd, Texas A&M @ Auburn
  • Week 14: Saturday, Nov. 30th, Texas A&M vs. Texas

Texas A&M will host LSU at home on Saturday, Oct. 26th, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ABC.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Texas A&M’s red zone offense will be tested against LSU’s defense

Texas A&M’s red zone offense has been the best in the SEC, but will face the best red zone defense against LSU

Ahead of Texas A&M’s Week 9 showdown against 8th-ranked LSU inside what could be a sold-out Kyle Field on Saturday night, we at Aggies Wire have analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of both teams, including the Aggies’ highly efficient red zone offense under first-year OC Collin Klein.

Going into the matchup, this looks like a quarterback duel that could come down to the final possession, as Texas A&M QB Conner Weigman needs to find the same rhythm he had during the Aggies’ 41-10 win over the Missouri Tigers earlier this year, while LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier is one of the best throwers in the country.

One area of interest before both teams take the field is Texas A&M’s borderline elite red zone offense, which scores touchdowns on nearly 80% of its trips. Meanwhile, LSU’s red zone defense allows an SEC-best 33% in the red area, pitting the best against the best.

For the Aggies to make it in the endzone against the Tiger’s stout front and impressive linebacker play, OC Collin Klein will need to get in his back, utilize motion, and find ways to get tight ends open, utilizing various mesh concepts to get receivers on the move and confuse the defense.

However, If and when the Aggies move the ball down the field and reach the red zone, star running back Le’Veon Moss will be the focal point, as the junior has already scored eight touchdowns through seven days.

Texas A&M will host LSU at home on Saturday, Oct. 26th, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ABC.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

The experts weigh in on the Texas A&M vs LSU matchup in Week 9

Experts are split on their predictions for the primetime game between Texas A&M vs LSU

The SEC is wide open to take, and at the same time, it’s full of one-loss teams. No. 14 Texas A&M and No. 8 LSU are the only teams without an SEC loss.

After Saturday night, there will only be one with an unblemished conference record, and the team will be on top of the standings going into week 10 of the college football season. Over the last decade, the best way to determine the winner of this matchup was to pick whoever was playing at home.

With how evenly these teams are matched and the betting spread under three points, I think going with the most recent trend is warranted in this situation. Texas A&M starting quarterback Conner Weigman will bounce back for a big game, winning a close back-and-forth contest.

Here is who the experts are picking to come out victorious in this week’s matchup:

Steven Lassan / Athlon Sports

Thomas Neumann /Athlon Sports

Eddie Timanus / USA Today

Shehan Jeyarajah / CBS Sports

David Cobb / CBS Sports

Texas A&M will host LSU on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 6:30 pm. CT. The game will air on ABC.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.