Tag: Conner Weigman

Post game recap: Texas A&M’s Maroon & White spring game ends with a 24-10 Maroon team victory

Texas A&M’s spring game concluded with a 24-10 Maroon team victory

Texas A&M’s annual Maroon & White spring game concluded on what turned out to be a rainy latter half of the afternoon. The Maroon team defeated the White team by a score of 24-10 behind the arm of backup quarterback Marcel Reed and the hands of junior wide receiver Noah Thomas.

As I noted ahead of the game, nearly 20 players, mostly presumed 2024 starters, did not play, including several starters on the offensive line.

Head coach Mike Elko had a plan for all three quarterbacks going into the game. Starter Conner Weigman is still recovering from surgery after a 2023 foot injury sidelined him after four games, but he still made the start for the White team.

Lacking his usual mobility, Weigman only completed 5-14 passes for 47 yards. Still, none of this should be surprising due to the lack of blocking up front and a lack of receiving options compared to the Maroon team.

Quarterbacking the Maroon, sophomore Marcel Reed (10-14, 84 yards, 1 TD) shared reps with senior Jaylen Henderson (8-13, 100 yards, 1 TD) as both found the endzone. Yet, Reed’s mobility and accuracy have made this offseason battle even more intriguing down the stretch.

Making waves offensively, junior wide receiver Noah Thomas has now made his case as the Aggies’ No. 1 wide receiver next season. He led the game with seven receptions, 82 yards, and two touchdowns, including a diving endzone grab for his final score.

Defensively, former Purdue Edge Nic Scourton looks like the team’s best overall player going into the fall, credited with five tackles, 2.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup for the Maroon defense. In comparison, junior Shemar Stewart was equally impressive for the White team, with seven tackles, a sack, and a tackle for loss on the afternoon.

From what I saw today, Texas A&M’s transfer portal-heavy cornerback room is filled with length, speed, and, most importantly, experience at a postion group that struggled throughout the 2023 season.

Overall, the offense showed flashes, especially his improvement at running back, as Le’Veon Moss and Rueben Owens both ran for touchdowns. At the same time, the defense looks like the Aggies’ predominant strength heading into the season opener vs. Notre Dame on Saturday, Aug. 31.

Final Stats: 

White Team: 

  • Total yards: 128
  • Rushing yards: 70
  • Passing yards: 58
  • 1st downs: 6
  • Turnovers: 0
  • Time of possession: 20:51

Maroon Team: 

  • Total yards: 364
  • Rushing yards: 180
  • Passing yards: 184
  • 1st downs: 21
  • Turnovers: 1
  • Time of possession: 39.09

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The rosters for the Aggies legends flag football game have been announced

The Aggie legends teams have been announced for the Spring game halftime event

Part of the scoring game is the annual Texas A&M tradition of the Aggie Legends game. The event is a flag football game with two rosters of Aggie favorites on each team and one quarterback throwing for both teams. The team generally takes players from a few eras and places them, similar to the spring game, into a Maroon and White team; however, they are named after two Aggie Legends, David Crow and Bill Pickard.

Team Crow (Maroon) will be coached by Cullen Gillaspia and Terrence Murphy. Team Pickard (White) will be coached by Jake Matthews and Trayveon Williams. Jake Hubenak will be the quarterback for both teams when they take the field during halftime of the Spring game on April 20. Below, you can find the full rosters posted by Carter Karels.

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Texas A&M’s Maroon & White spring game rosters have been revealed

The Maroon & White teams have been announced for the spring game next week and the rosters give us an idea one what battles will take place.

We are a few days out from seeing what the new regime under head football coach Mike Elko has been cooking up this spring. Granted, we won’t see a full playbook, but we will get an idea of the depth chart, blocking scheme, and play style. Texas A&M football recently released the rosters for the Maroon & White team for the game on April 20.

The Maroon team captain will be offensive lineman Trey Zuhn and the captain of the White team will be linebacker Taurean York. A few notable absences are the following:

  • OL senior – Bryce Foster (Track & Field for the spring)
  • OL freshman – Blake Ivy
  • OL junior – Dorian Hinton
  • WR senior – Jabre Barber
  • DE junior – Malick Sylia
  • LB junior – Martrell Harris Jr.

The full rosters are below via the Texas A&M official X account.

 

 

Based on how the rosters are broken down, it will be interesting to see how starting quarterback Conner Wiegman plays in the game. The Maroon Team has both Jaylon Henderson and Marcel Reed, along with what most people think will be the starting wide receiver core next season.

I believe the reason is that Henderson and Reed will get plenty of opportunities with quality receivers to compete for the backup position behind Weigman.

Henderson showed that he can play up to par in the SEC but needs to improve his accuracy. Reed showed a lot of promise during the bowl game, but there is still some concern with his size, only 180 pounds on a good day.

The other two positions to watch are the offensive line and defensive backfield. We saw a number of transfers, so there is bound to be great competition for those spots.

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‘I think there’s a massive disruption opportunity for Texas A&M’ On3’s J.D. PicKell likes the Aggies’ chances in 2024

On3’s J.D. PicKell theorizes what Texas A&M football could become is the star align in 2024

Just two weeks away from Texas A&M’s annual Maroon & White spring game on Saturday, April 20, the buzz surrounding new head coach Mike Elko’s coaching style compared to former head man Jimbo Fisher shows a much-needed change after two consecutive disappointing seasons.

With a clear focus on accountability and structure, including a shake-up in the offensive trenches during spring practices after one of the worst offensive line performances in program history in 2023, Elko and his experienced coaching staff are taking the right approach thus far.

Only losing a handful of last season’s primary starters, Elko attacked the transfer portal with vigor, landing 22 players, including former Big Ten sack leader Nic Scouron and former Kansas State cornerback Will Lee Jr., who already look like immediate starters as soon as fall camp.

However, the most important position, quarterback, has continued to hinder the program since the departure of longtime starter Kellen Mond, as injuries have continued to mount every season since.

After missing the final eight games last season due to a foot injury, blue-chip redshirt sophomore Conner Weigman has continued to heal this spring, participating in practices while recently noting,

“I’m feeling good. We’re almost there.”

Well, the preseason No. 25 Texas A&M Aggies are obviously underrated for a reason, and On3′ J.D. PicKell feels that the “underdog” tag could finally work in the Aggies’ favor with four playoff teams on the schedule and a head coach worthy of respect in his inaugural season:

The thing with A&M is that it’s never been an issue of roster talent” PicKell stated “For me, it’s always been a matter of structure, execution, and putting the right pieces of the puzzle where they’re supposed to go.”

Yes, Jimbo Fisher was an ace recruiter in his own right, but his results on the field never matched his offseason success. Elko, who spent the last two seasons as Duke’s head coach, finished with two winning seasons and consecutive bowl game appearances.

“Mike Elko, who, quite frankly has done more with less with his time at Duke, I think think there’s a massive disruptions oppurtunity fro the folks at Texas A&M. They play four college football contenders this season, the guys they bring back, they’re top 20 in returning production.”

Lastly, after noting what Conner Weigman could bring to the table in a full 12-game season as opposed to simply “flashing” in brief moments, PicKell ended with a message that should resonate with Aggie fans who remember just how disregarded Texas A&M’s memorable 2012 season was just months before the season.

“There’s no College Football Playoff buzz around A&M right now, but I don’t think we should ignore the fact that this could definitely be the year with the talent they have and the structure they could have. I’m Just saying that A&M could be a force this year.”

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‘Conner’s going to go into the spring as the number one’ HC Mike Elko appears on the Paul Finebaum Show

Aggies head coach Mike Elko provides an update on QB Conner Weigman’s injury recovery

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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Texas A&M football team begins spring ball in less than 2 weeks with brand new coaching staff

“We have to develop them as men and then use their strengths to fit in and building around them,” said offensive coordinator Collin Klein.

The Texas A&M football team starts spring ball in less than two weeks on March 22 and it is quickly approaching.

Mike Elko officially begins his first season in College Station as head coach and brings a brand new staff with him. One of the key personnel is offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach Collin Klein, who will be a huge factor in whether or not junior quarterback Conner Weigman lives up to the Heisman hype.

Klein recently sat down for a Q&A with the Aggies’ social media team and Weigman had to love what his new OC had to say about what’s in store for Texas A&M this season at Kyle Field.

“You’re going to have a chance to be the best player in the country on the best team in the country year in and year out,” Klein proclaimed. “That’s what we’re going to build from the ground up and look out!”

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SEC Quarterbacks rankings ahead of 2024 spring football practices

Ahead of spring football practices, the SEC still reigns supreme, and the 2024 QB slate should create storylines from top to bottom.

Heading into the 2024 college football season, changes are upon us, led by the expanded 12-team playoff structure which will create much needed parity within a sport that a handful of team has dominated throughout the last decade.

The SEC will also expand starting in July, with the inclusion of Texas and Oklahoma as the most powerful conference in the country, which has become stronger and more prominent, especially due to the high-level quarterback play on nearly every respective roster.

For Texas A&M, new head coach Mike Elko has been provided a gift in the form of incoming junior quarterback Conner Weigman, who, due to injury, missed the Aggie’s last eight games in Jimbo Fisher’s final season at the helm, but it now healthy and ready to continue his development under Elko and new offensive coordinator Collin Klein.

However, Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers is looking to cement himself as a future NFL first-round pick, while the 2024 squad surrounding him is as loaded as ever, looking to go on a championship run in just six months.

Focusing on the signal callers who lead the SEC next season, a slew of newcomers could surprise us, while all eyes will certainly be on players like Ewers, Weigman, and Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold.

Here are our pre-SEC quarterback rankings ahead of what should be a highly entertaining spring football season.

ESPN identifies Texas A&M’s quarterback room as its biggest strength entering 2024 season

“The upside of all those quarterbacks getting thrown into the fire due to injuries is that there’s now a solid QB room full of confidence.”

ESPN college football reporters identified the biggest strengths of college football’s top 25 teams on Wednesday.

Coming in at No. 25, Texas A&M‘s biggest strength entering the 2024 season is its quarterbacks, according to Dave Wilson.

“The Aggies have been trying to find the right man for the job since the departure of Kellen Mond in 2020, and Jimbo Fisher‘s complex offense — combined with a struggling offensive line — did them no favors,” Wilson wrote. “But the upside of all those quarterbacks getting thrown into the fire due to injuries is that there’s now a solid QB room full of confidence.

“Starter Conner Weigman threw for 979 yards, 8 TDs and 2 INTs in four starts with a 68.9 completion percentage. Unheralded Fresno State transfer Jaylen Henderson got the job after an injury to backup Max Johnson, and Henderson completed 67.9 percent for 715 yards and 6 TDs to 2 INTs. When Henderson was hurt on the first play of the Texas Bowl against Oklahoma State, true freshman Marcel Reed completed 20-of-33 passes for 361 yards and added a 20-yard TD run.

“New offensive coordinator Collin Klein molded Will Howard and Avery Johnson before departing for College Station and Weigman could be the best Aggies quarterback since Johnny Manziel if he lives up to his potential.”

Johnny Football didn’t quite live up to the hype in the NFL, but will Weigman do so at the college level, led by new head coach Mike Elko? We’ll all find out together beginning on Aug. 31.

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Opinion: Should Texas A&M players opt-in their NIL to appear in EA Sports College Football 25?

Starting on Thursday, athletes around the nation can opt-in to their NIL rights to appear in the upcoming game per On3 reporter Pete Nakos.

After 11 long years, EA Sports will finally be releasing a brand new NCAA college football video game later this year.

It will reportedly be renamed from “NCAA College Football 25” to “EA Sports College Football 25.” Starting on Thursday, student-athletes around the nation can opt-in to their NIL rights to appear in the upcoming game per On3 college sports business & transfer portal reporter Pete Nakos.

According to multiple reports, the players are being offered $600 and a copy of the game for their respective appearance fees. Six Benjamins and the game is a cool offer, considering that college football players from 1993 to 2013 didn’t receive a dime for their NIL. But this news leads to larger questions.

Should Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko encourage all of his players to participate? Should star players like junior quarterback Conner Weigman and sophomore linebacker Taurean York take the initial offer?

This CFB franchise’s return is highly anticipated, but it’s also been gone for 11 years. Therefore, current college football players likely haven’t grown up playing it as much as those from a decade ago, minimizing the nostalgia factor.

If I were a primetime player, I would try to maximize my NIL rights. Worst case scenario, you end up like Bill Belichick in Madden, it’s worth the risk.

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Texas A&M cracks ESPN’s way-too-early Top 25 rankings

Texas A&M has received a dose of preseason hype, as ESPN’s Mark Schlabach placed the Aggies wining his newest 2024 Top 25 rankings.

The Mike Elko era at Texas A&M is filled with high expectations. Still, this time, said expectations feel much more rooted in reality, as the former Duke head coach is determined to bring the Aggies back to contention with a blend of toughness and determination coupled with yearly development.

Heading into his inaugural season, it’s okay to be unsure of how things will transpire on the gridiron, but after acquiring 22 players from the transfer portal while closing out the 2024 recruiting class with multiple key singing, including 5-star athlete Terry Bussey, we could be looking at a nine, or possible ten win season right out of the gate.

Avoiding Alabama and Ole Miss this coming season, Texas A&M’s schedule is manageable, barring overall health and how things translate on the field after six years under Jimbo Fisher. However, with the return of talented quarterback Conner Weigman and senior defensive lineman Shemar Turner to the fold, plenty of leadership presides on both sides of the ball.

On Tuesday, ESPN senior writer Mark Schlabach released his new “Way-Too-Early” Top 25 college football rankings, and what may come as a surprise to some of the Aggies fan base, Texas A&M comes in right at the finished line at No. 25. Here’s what Schlabach had to say about their inclusion:

“A little discipline and structure might go a long way at Texas A&M, which lost its footing under former coach Jimbo Fisher. New Aggies coach Mike Elko knows the program well after working as Fisher’s defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021. Elko inherited a talented roster and added several key players through the portal.

Quarterback Conner Weigman gets new life and might flourish under new coordinator Collin Klein. The Aggies will have to identify a No. 1 receiver during the spring. Purdue transfer Nic Scourton led the Big Ten with 10 sacks last season, and Alabama cornerback Dezz Ricks is among eight defensive back additions through the portal. Versatile freshman Terry Bussey will start his college career in the secondary.”

While Nic Scourton and Dezz Ricks certainly stand out as the more intriguing portal additions, others, including cornerbacks Will Lee Jr., BJ Mayes, and Donovan Saunders, all possess the size and experience in the secondary that it is in dire need of a makeover after last year’s struggles.

Another underrated storyline resides at wide receiver, as the departure of Ainais Smith (NFL Draft) and Evan Stewart (transferred to Oregon) leaves a new opening at the No. 1 spot, as Moose Muhammad III, Jahdae Walker, and Noah Thomas will compete for the position starting next month, keep an eye on former Louisiana Tech WR Cyrus Allen, who brings a wealth of experience, speed and versatility to the table.

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