Jimbo Fisher addresses timeline for naming Texas A&M starting quarterback

As Texas A&M begins their fall camp and prepares for this season, head coach Jimbo Fisher has a tough call to make on his starting quarterback. Fisher has to choose between returning starting quarterback Haynes King, incoming transfer Max Johnson from LSU and freshman Conner Weigman.

Adding to the difficulty is the fact that King didn’t get a chance to fully show his talents last season as a starter after suffering a season-ending injury early on. King won the quarterback battle last season, but now finds himself in the same position against two other talented options.

Jimbo Fisher on his timeline for naming a starting quarterback

While fielding questions at a press conference on Wednesday, Fisher was asked if he had any particular date in mind for naming his starter this year. Last season, the quarterback battle came down to the end of August before King won the job.

“Yesterday,” joked Fisher. “Nah, I mean, you do in that regard. But I always say don’t put a timetable on it. They’ll tell you. And the team will tell you, and how they play each and every day will tell you. It’ll be obvious in what you do.”

While Johnson and King both have tremendous potential, the stakes for the Aggies are incredibly high as they enter the 2022 season. Last year, Fisher won one of the biggest games of the season as they defeated Alabama — making him the first former assistant under Nick Saban to defeat him as a head coach.

Despite that successful week, the season did not go as planned for Texas A&M as they finished the year with an 8-4 record. Fisher has yet to record a ten-win season with the Aggies, and many pointed to the inconsistency of quarterback Zach Calzada last season as a potential reason for their struggles.

Now, Fisher has a chance to set his team on the right course by naming the right leader for his offense — but the choice is not an automatic one. Johnson provides a known-commodity at the position coming from LSU, and King already impressed Fisher and his teammates last season prior to injury. Weigman may not be a favorite to win the job, but the freshman will get his chances in camp to move up the depth chart if he performs well.

Whichever quarterback he’s leaning towards, Fisher is remaining tight-lipped about it at this time — and it may be near the end of August again when Aggies fans find out who wins the job.