Oh, where to start? Well, maybe by explaining the quarterback carousel that has revolved around Texas A&M football. There have been five starting QBs named since the start of the 2021 season — and the two most recent are being examined under Offensive Coordinator Collin Klein’s new perspective: sophomore QB Conner Weigman and redshirt freshman Marcel Reed.
This time, instead of air raid and short pass schemes that we saw under former coach Jimbo Fisher, we have Klein’s mesh of heavy runs and quarterback drawls.
Discussing the identity of the Aggie offense now is a tricky subject — first off, we have two very different performances to compare in the Notre Dame opener and the most recent win over Florida in Gainesville.
Starting against Notre Dame under center was the reigning named starter of the 2023 season: Weigman.
The Cypress native accounted for only 100 yards through the air and went 12 for 30 passing. However, when acknowledging the prowess of the Fighting Irish’ defense, Weigman’s lackluster stats can be explained easily. One aspect about his performance that can be critiqued, however, is the three interceptions he gave away.
Poor decision-making and off-target throws undermined Weigman’s performance, and the Notre Dame defense took advantage of it. To me, this appeared to be a combination of nerves and ill-guided decisions, culminating in a poor look at what a Klein and Weigman combination looks like.
Elko and Klein were both questioned after the aftermath of Week 1, alluding to a lack of familiarity and continuity.
“It was really, really hard because [Weigman] was not in rhythm, and there was nothing easy to get,” Elko said. “So we kept trying. We kept trying. We just couldn’t get there.”
Following Week 2’s win against McNeese State, Texas A&M athletics announced that Weigman sustained a shoulder sprain following Week 1. The ultimate question of which QB will be available for a date in the Swamp quickly became a relevant topic on every media members’ mind.
A few hours before gametime, audiences witnessed Weigman suited up on the sideline — but with a ballcap on instead of a helmet by his side. With that confirmation, the next man up, Reed, made the first start of his collegiate career, winning SEC Freshman of the Week honors alongside Texas redshirt freshman QB Arch Manning.
The dual-threat QB looked comfortable in rolling the Gators in the 33-20 win, throwing for 11 completions on 17 attempts and 178 yards in the air. On the ground, Reed made his presence known as well with 83 yards on 13 carries, with his longest run going 31 yards.
The offensive scheme that Klein implemented worked better under Reed’s ability to scramble out of the pocket.
“He has the ability that when a play breaks down, he can utilize his legs and he can make something happen — and you know he’s got a lot of confidence in his ability to do that,” coach Mike Elko said.
The throwing ability Reed showed also garnered a lot of praise from his coaches, especially his confident nature.
“I think the dig ball that he threw to [graduate wide receiver] Moose Muhammad was probably every bit as important and impressive that he stood in the pocket and drilled that one across the middle,” Elko said.
With this game under his belt, Reed has proven he can compete for the starting job against any other Aggie QB under Klein’s new offense. Now, only a matter of time rests between the Aggies’ next game against Bowling Green, and the decision from Elko on who will reside under center.
Many questions still remain before Saturday.
