Heading into Week 6 of the college football season, Texas A&M football finds itself in a situation that wasn’t expected by anyone following the team over the offseason, not even the players.
However, the Aggies must look past the 18-point loss in Starkville, Miss., and look toward their next matchup on the road in Tuscaloosa, Ala., against the No. 1 Crimson Tide.
Here’s what we learned at the press conference the following Monday:
Bracing for Bama
On Oct. 8, Alabamians will be flooding into Bryant-Denny Stadium, which holds a capacity of about 101,000, to witness their Crimson Tide seek revenge against a maroon and white squad that upset them nearly a year ago to this day.
Senior tight end Max Wright said playing at Kyle Field, which has a similar capacity, has prepared them for this road trip.
“Playing in Kyle Field prepares you for other atmospheres,” Wright said. “Kyle Field is one of the loudest atmospheres in the world. That definitely helps us playing on the road.”
In Alabama’s 49-26 win last week against Arkansas, junior quarterback Bryce Young left the game with an apparent shoulder injury that allowed redshirt freshman Jalen Milroe to come in and show his skills.
“[Milroe] is very athletic, strong and has a strong arm,” A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “He was a guy we were recruiting at the time … He’s an outstanding athlete.”
Junior defensive back Antonio Johnson said he is prepared to face whoever starts at the position.
“We have to prepare for both Bryce [Young] and what’s his name … We have to prepare for both,” Johnson said. “No matter who plays this game, you just have to go out and execute and play.”
Another QB competition
In last week’s loss, junior quarterback Max Johnson left the game with an injury to his throwing hand, allowing sophomore quarterback Haynes King to retake his spot with a chance to prove he still has what it takes to hold the keys to the offense.
“[King’s] decision making was good,” Fisher said. “Unfortunately, he had a couple breaks where the ball got tipped. He was doing the right things.”
With Johnson still being evaluated, the problem of who is the starting quarterback in Aggieland is back in the equation with a potential freshman from Bridgeland being a potential solution.
“We give [Conner Weigman] reps every week,” Fisher said. “He takes reps with the 2s every week. He’s very knowledgeable.”
Is beef settled?
When A&M finished less than a point ahead of Alabama coach Nick Saban and his Crimson Tide in the 247Sports Composite recruiting ratings with the highest-rated recruiting class of all time, Saban said Fisher “bought every player.”
Fisher did not hold back when news erupted in the media and called Saban a “narcissist” along with a few other things.
All of a sudden, the feud has been squashed.
“We’re in good shape, and we’ve moved on,” Fisher said.