Texas A&M’s (5-1, 3-0 SEC) 41-10 blowout victory over the 9th-ranked Missouri Tigers was one for the record books, as head coach Mike Elko and his squad are the first Aggie team to reach 3-0 in SEC play wince 2016, and defeat a top-15 ranked team since 2012.
Just minutes before kickoff, it was reported that redshirt sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman, who had missed the previous three games due to an ongoing shoulder injury, would return to the starting lineup, which surprised most of us in the media and the fan base.
However, from a skillset perspective, Weigman’s NFL-like arm talent opened up the playbook in the passing game while providing the Aggies the best chance to win after QB Marcel Reed’s recent accuracy issues, especially downfield.
As soon as the offense took the field, Weigman was outstanding, looking like the player we all anticipated seeing before the start of the season. Completing 18/22 for 276 yards, Weigman completed 82% of his passes for over 12 yards per completion, while his footwork, accuracy, and throwing touch were impressive throughout the afternoon.
Due to his excellence in the pocket, the running game racked up 236 yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground as the Aggies completely rattled the Tigers for their first loss of the year.
After the game, head coach Mike Elko, fiery as all get out, was asked about Weigman’s memorable performance. The first-year head coach didn’t hold back when referencing the signal caller’s recent critics during his shoulder rehab over the last month.
“Some of the stuff that has been said about this kid and written about this kid … is embarrassing. … There are a lot of people right now who need to stand up and recognize what they’ve said over the last three weeks and take some f***ing ownership.”
While I won’t get into specifics, part of our job as reporters is tracking fan reactions to player struggles or injuries, which sometimes results in false rumors on social media. However, Elko was also calling out some in the national media.
In Weigman’s case, credit the young signal caller for ignoring those who either fairly or unfairly criticized him during his absence, as his impressive performance should eliminate most of the remaining doubt.
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