Texas A&M may finally be forced into decision at quarterback

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The feeling all week for Arkansas fans was uncertainty around who Texas A&M would have at quarterback. Now we know more than we have all week. It will be a guy they’ve seen before. Max Johnson will be the next man up for the Aggies, according to a report Wednesday morning at All Aggies.

Starter Connor Weigman suffered a foot injury against Auburn last week and Johnson, who’s had a pretty good career coming in as the football equivalent of a reliever, will get to do it all over again.

“Toughest of news for A&M football. Per everything I’ve heard since yesterday and from sources very close to situation, QB Conner Weigman’s foot injury is, in fact, a season-ender for the emerging SEC star,” TexAgs’ Billy Liucci reported on Twitter. “Weight-bearing bone and roughly a 3.5-month recovery.”

A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said Monday that Weigman’s status was day-to-day. Apparently they got the results of all those tests they do with scans and all that other stuff. That likely revealed a problem the earlier x-rays and things didn’t catch. If it’s a weight-bearing bone, you can’t take a shot and play on it.

“You have two guys, guys I’ve said from the beginning I’ve felt very confident with,” Fisher said. “(Johnson) came in and played excellent football and did a great job. He made plays and really led us through the game.”

Through three games this year, Weigman completed 70.48% of his 105 pass attempts for 909 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. Johnson led the Aggies to 21 points, completing 7-of-11 passes for 123 yards, leading A&M to a win.

The Razorbacks faced Johnson the last two seasons, winning in 2021 and losing last year when KJ Jefferson fumbled on the 1-yard line, leading to a huge return by the Aggies and Cam Little missed a field goal at the end that somehow managed to clang off the right upright.

Now defensive coordinator Travis Williams at least knows who he will be preparing to face. The players don’t have much feeling either way, we discovered Tuesday night after practice, not giving anybody bulletin-board material either way.

It is a key matchup for both teams looking for different things. The Aggies need to keep the track positive after a stumble against Miami and now winning SEC opener against Auburn. The Hogs, coming off two straight losses with road games coming up against Ole Miss and Alabama, may already be in desperation mode with this one.