Report: Texas A&M plans to use freshman phenom against Alabama
Texas A&M (3-2, 1-1 SEC) is coming into Tuscaloosa on Saturday night as a 24-point underdog. So far, the Aggies have been unable to get much going offensively, and now veteran quarterback Max Johnson is going to be out awhile with a broken bone in his throwing hand.
From all indications, that means A&M will look to Haynes King, who started the first two games of the season, to fill the void. The redshirt sophomore has only played in seven career games, but he’s already turned the ball over nine times. That includes five turnovers this season (four interceptions, one fumble).
Now, you’re asking the former blue chip recruit to go on the road in a hostile environment and play against one of the top defenses in college football. That doesn’t exactly sound like a recipe for success, but with Johnson out, Texas A&M doesn’t have a choice — or do they?
ESPN senior writer Chris Low went on The Next Round Live on Friday morning and said that he expects true freshman Conner Weigman to get some run at quarterback against the Crimson Tide. That feels like quite a twist based on where things had been trending at that position.
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Weigman was one of nine five-star prospects signed by the Aggies in their 2022 recruiting class. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound gunslinger was the No. 29 overall player, the No. 3 quarterback and the No. 8 player from the state of Texas, according to the On3 Consensus rankings.
One thing is certain: Weigman has a much higher ceiling than King. Obviously, he doesn’t have the same experience working in a college system, but from Alabama’s perspective, there are also some unknowns here. Below, you’ll find the On3 scouting report for the Cypress (Tex.) Bridgeland product:
Creative, productive playmaker who stresses defenses as a passer and rusher. Delivers the football with zip in the short to intermediate areas. Shows the ability to hit small windows and get the ball to the boundary. Can deliver passes from multiple platforms and doesn’t need his feet set. Capable of making second-reaction plays when things break down. Has quick feet and is a dangerous rusher both on designed concepts and scrambles. A high usage quarterback at the high school level who is not immune to taking risks. Has helped turn a newer high school into a winning program. Also a top baseball prospect who was on MLB radars before opting to enroll early to play both sports.
I absolutely love the long-term talent here. I even said back in April that I felt like Weigman was Texas A&M’s best chance at winning a national title in the near future. I believe he’s going to be a problem for opposing defenses at some point in his career, but how much of a problem will he be on Saturday?
That’s the question we should be asking.
First off, I don’t think he’s going to offer Alabama anything that King doesn’t. Yes, you read that correctly. Not A&M, Alabama. Playing against a freshman quarterback always presents more opportunities for turnovers. But even if Weigman makes a few costly mistakes, what difference will that make compared to King, who we expect to do the same?
On the other hand, he could offer his own team upside in a game like this. Upside that King simply doesn’t possess at the moment. The Alabama staff knows Weigman, but they’ve never seen him play in a college game. They have no idea what he would offer that A&M offense.
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That’s where this decision would make sense for the Aggies. More than likely, that upside won’t reach a point where it outweighs the youth, but there’s always that small possibility. I don’t think anyone expected Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers to look as good as he did against Alabama back in Week 2.
I will be curious to see how Weigman holds up though.
Jimbo Fisher is known to run a complex offense similar to one you’d find in the NFL. It puts extra strain on quarterbacks, mostly because of what all it asks them to do pre-snap. These guys have to read defenses and make sure A&M is in the right play, but they also have to make the line calls. As ESPN pointed out in a recent piece, that duty typically falls on the center.
All of those requirements will be even more challenging to get right when you’re playing a defense like Alabama. Saban and company have always done a great job disguising things and making pre-snap reads more difficult, and that doesn’t even include what will be asked post-snap. You’re talking about one of the top defenses in the country, after all.
Granted, there’s no guarantee that Weigman plays. These are reports, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he did. I think a lot of that will depend on how that offensive line is holding up for Texas A&M. Weigman brings a mobility factor similar to King, but that’ll only get you so far.
Alabama fans should keep an eye out for No. 15, though.
