Is Aggies quarterback Haynes King dealing with a significant injury?
Texas A&M (3-3, 1-2 SEC) is nearly halfway through their bye week, set to end next Monday as the team will begin preparations for their Oct. 22nd matchup against the South Carolina Gamecocks in Columbia, South Carolina.
The team is in the same “reflection” mode as we are here at Aggies Wire during the bye, looking back in great detail on what went wrong, and what went right against an Alabama team that was favored by 24 points, while escaping 24-20 after holding the Aggie offense from scoring what would have been the game-winning touchdown in the final 3 seconds.
The immediate reaction after the loss from most of the media centered their focus on the low-hanging fruit being the final offensive play call orchestrated by Aggie head coach Jimbo Fisher, yet the tough, gritty play by quarterback Haynes King, who threw for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns in the loss was also pointed out, with many noticing King limping around paired with pain induced boy language in the final seconds of the game.
Early Wednesday, Brad Crawford of 247Sports tweeted a rumor that Haynes King may be dealing with a semi-serious injury that could keep him out of the Oct. 22nd game against the Gamecocks.
… hearing rumblings this week that Texas A&M may be going with QB3 at South Carolina later this month …
Another tailor-made opportunity for the #Gamecocks against a freshman QB, this time at home and under the lights in front of a probable sellout.
Information regarding King, along with other Aggie injuries, has been scarce due to Jimbo Fisher’s lack of media availability during the bye week, and until we hear it from Jimbo or someone in the program, it’s impossible to know for sure.
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Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Texas A&M stream, injury, and broadcast information for Saturday, Oct. 8.
Today is the day, folks. Like most college football fans, this has been a Saturday that I have been waiting on for some time. [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] and the Alabama Crimson Tide await Jimbo Fisher and the Texas A&M Aggies for a showdown between SEC West rivals.
Even though the matchup has lost some of its razzle and dazzle due to injuries to both starting quarterbacks, the game still has meaning for both squads.
Texas A&M has also not performed up to their expectations this season or this could have been a matchup of two top-ten teams in early October.
The Aggies now have an opportunity to play the part of a spoiler for the second year in a row, while the Tide looks to exact revenge on last season’s 41-38 defeat.
Here is everything you need to know heading into the matchup:
Some areas of concern ahead of Alabama’s Week 6 matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies.
Alabama players, coaches, and fans are well aware of what the outcome was last season against Texas A&M. It was one of the worst-played games since Nick Saban became the coach at Alabama. As a result, the Crimson Tide have had to wait a year to avenge their loss to the Aggies.
It has created a lot of friction between the programs. After Saban stated his strong opinion on the state of college football in the name, image, likeness (NIL) era, especially the Aggies football recruiting philosophies, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher responded by calling him a narcissist.
It hasn’t sat well with the Alabama faithful. However, the time has now come for Alabama to settle the feud on the gridiron. On Saturday, the Crimson Tide will host the Aggies for a highly anticipated Week 6 matchup..
Roll Tide Wire will take a look at some of the areas of concern ahead of their matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies.
Aggies Wire previews Alabama’s highly anticipated SEC West matchup with Texas A&M.
The highly anticipated SEC West matchup between Alabama and Texas A&M is nearly upon us. On Saturday night Jimbo Fisher will lead his Aggies into Tuscaloosa for a contest against his former boss, [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag].
This matchup offers plenty of storylines for each team including revenge for the Tide from last season’s upset, to off-the-field beef between the two head coaches. And despite what has happened so far this season, the game is sure to bring lots of intensity.
Before we make it to kickoff, let’s take a few moments to go behind the scenes of the Texas A&M football program with Joey Ickes from Aggies Wire.
Max Johnson will make the start as the Aggies welcome Miami to College Station on Saturday.
Texas A&M’s offense has had an ugly start in 2022.
Despite scoring 31 points in the opener against Sam Houston State, Haynes King threw two picks. Things didn’t get better in the loss to Appalachian State. King threw for just 97 yards on 20 attempts. He didn’t throw a pick, but he didn’t find the end zone either.
A&M entered the App State game close to a 20-point favorite. The result isn’t sitting well with the folks in College Station and there will be some changes in Week 3.
Most notably, [autotag]Max Johnson[/autotag] will take the reigns at quarterback as the Aggies welcome the Miami Hurricanes to town.
Johnson’s start has yet to be confirmed by A&M, but [autotag]Jimbo Fisher[/autotag] did say they were going to look at other options this week and reports have stated that Johnson worked with the first team.
Johnson initially lost the competition to King after transferring out of LSU. As LSU’s starter in 2021, he offered a mixed bag. He threw 27 touchdowns and just six interceptions, but he was middle of the pack in most other stats.
According to PFF, only three QBs with at least 200 dropbacks graded out worse than Johnson in 2021. Perhaps there is some irony in Johnson’s best game coming against Texas A&M, which also happens to be the last time he made a start.
He threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns, leading a game-winning drive in Ed Orgeron’s final game as head coach.
When [autotag]Myles Brennan[/autotag] went down in 2020, LSU had a revolving door of Johnson and [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] at quarterback. Now, there’s a chance both start on the same day for SEC teams. Although, Finley is mixed up in a QB controversy himself at Auburn.
SEC QB rankings following Week 1: Stetson on the rise.
The reigning Heisman winner, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, appears ready to repeat as the recipient of college football’s most coveted award this season. And after a 6 touchdown performance that included 100 rushing yards, he’s the frontrunner for the award again this season.
But the Southeastern Conference has no shortage of elite talent at the quarterback position that will give Young a challenge every week.
There’s Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, a player very few considered one of the top passers in the SEC this season. The reigning national champ had a stellar game, helping UGA’s offense score 49 points against No. 11 Oregon. Don’t forget Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, who torched Utah through the air and on the ground in an upset win for the Gators. Hendon Hooker of Tennessee looked like he’s ready for a big year with a nice performance in Week 1. Same goes for Mississippi State’s Will Rogers and Arkansas‘ KJ Jefferson, who both put up big stats over the weekend.
We ranked every SEC quarterback following their Week 1 performance.
The rankings, plus their Heisman odds (courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook):
Say hello to your new starting quarterback for the 2022 season, Hayes King
Going into the 2022 football season, Aggies Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Texas A&M roster.
Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Jimbo Fisher this season.
Haynes King is entering his third season with Texas A&M, and was named the starting quarterback for the 2022 season on Saturday, August 28th. King is coming off of what was a devastating season-ending injury last season against Colorado and after extensive rehab throughout the season, King had the potential to play during the bowl game, but due to Covid-related issues, the Aggies couldn’t participate.
King committed to Texas A&M on July 17, 2019, and went into the Covid-shortened 2020 season as the primary backup to Kellen Mond, tallying 2 completions on 4 attempts for 59 yards and 1 touchdown, and an interception. After Kellen Mond declared for the NFL Draft, Haynes King was named the starter a week before the 2021 opener, battling with current Auburn Quarterback Zach Calzada. In his first start career start with the Aggies, King threw for 292 yards on 21-33, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions, giving a glimpse of what he brings offensively for now, and the future. In the week 2 matchup against Colorado in Boulder, King went down with a leg injury while scrambling up the middle of the defense, which would ultimately be his last play with the Aggies during the season.
Preseason Player Profile
Hometown: Longview, Texas
Height: 6-3
Weight: 205lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking
Class of 2020: 4-Star player ranking, 19th ranked player in Texas, 5th ranked duel threat quarterback in the country.
Career Stats
Year
G
Comp
Att
Yards
TD/INT
Rush
Yards
2020
2
2
4
59
1/1
6
43
2021
2
22
35
300
2/3
6
24
Depth Chart Overview
Haynes King is the starting quarterback in Texas A&M’s offense, led by head coach Jimbo Fisher, and offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey. King is in a quarterback room with Max Johnson (Junior), and Conner Weigman (Freshman). From a scouting perspective, King is maybe two or three minor tweaks away from reaching his full potential at the position, standing at 6-3, 205lbs with room to still add healthy weight and muscle mass. As one of the fastest players on Texas A&M’s roster, King is somewhat of an aberration in accordance with his height and length, but can stop and start on a dime, and is very dangerous in the open field. In the pocket, King displays good accuracy and touch on his throws, while also showing adequate ball placement, yet his passes on the run show more zip and velocity overall. His arm strength is above average at this stage, while his throwing power is still developing, but is sure to increase this season.
What sets King apart from from the rest of the depth chart is his Football IQ and general instincts as a quarterback, feeling pressures, reading defenses, and throwing his receivers open. The trust that Jimbo Fisher has in Haynes King after making his way back from injury and relentlessly competing for the starting spot says it all about what to expect next Saturday against Sam Houston State, and throughout the rest of the season for Texas A&M.
Long live the King: What Jimbo Fisher’s decision means for the Aggies
We finally have the answer. Saturday afternoon, Billy Liucci tweeted that Jimbo Fisher had made up his mind, and that Haynes King would be the starting quarterback for the 2022 Texas A&M football team.
The competition in fall camp was fierce, and Max Johnson gave King a run for his money, but ultimately the sophomore signal caller’s playmaking ability and knowledge of the offense (he’s entering his 3rd year in Coach Fishers’ system), were enough to give him a lead that Johnson’ a senior transfer from LSU this winter, couldn’t over come.
King played only one full game as the Aggies’ starter in 2021, a 41-10 Aggies win , in which King completed 21-of-33 passes for 292 yards, with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
That game gave his teammates and fans a glimpse at the highs and lows that young King brings to the position. He averaged almost 9 yards per attempt, showed his mobility with some scrambling, made several big throws into the middle of the field, and completed a 53 yard deep ball.
However, he also took two sacks, and threw three interceptions. So when Jimbo talked throughout fall camp about the quarterback battle coming down to consistency, it’s easy to see with hindsight, that he was emphasizing to his players, specifically Haynes, the importance of making good decisions play-to-play in order to lead the team into the 2022 season.
The fact that he won the job means that King, atleast through camp, was able to balance his playmaking instincts with a focus on protecting the ball, a key aspect of high level quarterback play.
Ultimately King gives the Aggies their best chance to have a standout season that breaks the 8 or 9 win ceiling and puts them in contention for the College Football Playoff.
Haynes King named as Texas A&M’s starting quarterback for 2022
It has been the biggest topic of the off-season surrounding Texas A&M football, Who would be the starting quarterback on a team that otherwise appears ready to make a run towards the College Football Playoff.
That interest continued through fall camp, as Haynes King and Max Johnson took virtually equal repetitions with the first team offense in practice and the scrimmages.
During last Wednesday’s final fall camp press conference, head coach Jimbo Fisher gave zero leeway regarding who he would name as the starting quarterback for the 2022 campaign, stating “We’ll announce it when we’re ready” leaving all of us wondering when that moment would be, and how close it would come to their season-opener on Sept. 3rd against Sam Houston State at Kyle Field. Well, I hope you’re enjoying your Saturday so far because we’ve finally received an answer to the question that has put all of us on pause for the last week. Without further ado, say hello to your new starting quarterback for the 2022 season, Redshirt Sophomore Haynes King!
BREAKING: Third-year man @haynes_king10 has won a highly-competitive fall camp battle and has been tabbed as Texas A&M's starter entering the season.
This comes as no surprise after what we have witnessed during fall camp, as the competition between Haynes King and LSU transfer Max Johnson has been neck and neck, though Haynes, who has now been in the offensive system for two full seasons has the trust of his head coach and coordinators while displaying a unique duel threat ability that may have given him the edge in the final days of camp. With the mental drive to prove his worth on the field after a season-ending injury in week 2 against Colorado last season, King has been preparing for his comeback year since said injury, with today’s news proving that he is ready for all the challenges that lie ahead. Gig ‘Em, Haynes, and BTHO Sam Houston State!
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
On3: Will Jimbo Fisher settle on a quarterback during fall camp or keep the job semi-open until a showdown with Miami in Week 3?
In an article published by On3, one of the leaders in college football news and recruiting, writer Jesse Simonton asked each SEC West team their most important question heading into the offseason, ranging from Alabama’s potential offensive line issues to Mississippi State’s unusual kicker problem since Mike Leach’s hiring. When the article landed on Texas A&M, the question was asked “Will Jimbo Fisher settle on a quarterback during fall camp or keep the job semi-open until a showdown with Miami in Week 3?”
The question is not new by any means, but it does make one wonder if the competition will still be going or decided before the season opener against Sam Houston State on September 3rd. During the spring game, all three Quarterbacks, Max Johnson, Haynes King, and Conner Weigman had their share of impressive moments, paired with a number of plays that show why there is an ongoing competition in the first place.
As the article notes, Max Johnson is an accurate thrower who brings experience in the SEC, and Haynes King, while having a lack of playing experience, knows the playbook inside and out after a year in the system. Then there’s Conner Weigman, who’s perhaps the most talented of all three, but most likely needs a full year to learn the Jimbo Fisher offense, is still a legitimate option to win the job if his learning curve is faster than we think.
Lastly, with Miami being the first “big name” matchup in week 3 of the 2022 season, an announcement of the starting Quarterback for the Aggies needs to come before the season opener, and Jimbo Fisher will have quite the predicament during the choosing process; Experience? Familiarity? Talent? Godspeed.
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