Mike Elko reveals what Conner Weigman must do to 'take the next step' as elite SEC QB

Opinions currently vary on Texas A&M QB Conner Weigman as he enters his third collegiate season. There’s plenty of potential there but it’s about fully unlocking it now this year in College Station.

Mike Elko spoke about Weigman’s development while at the podium in Dallas during SEC Media Days on Thursday. For him to continue his progression, he wants him focused on the small steps to improve his game. From there, it’ll be about getting more real reps with him only playing in so many games through a pair of seasons.

“I think he just needs to stay focused on the day-to-day of becoming a great quarterback,” Elko began.

“It’s his third year of college football and he has only played six games,” said Elko. “He has got to pack experience into his brain and he has got to earn off the field. I think that’s going to be critical for him as we move forward.”

The Aggies’ quarterback rotation along with injuries have limited his snaps as a freshman and a redshirt. Now, with him healthy after his season-ending leg injury last year, he sets up for potentially big numbers as a sophomore.

“I think, you know, obviously, he was playing at a high level through six games. Unfortunately, he had the injury in the Auburn game,” Elko recalled “He had the injury in the Auburn game and, you know, the rehab for that was long and tiresome.”

“Now he’s back, he’s healthy,” said Elko. “He’s moving around the way he wants to.”

Elko further dove into Weigman’s rehabilitation in a later interview on ‘SEC Now’. Much of that was focused on rebuilding his mindset following his latest setback. However, with him back, he is already proving to be an even better version of himself than he was before on and off the field.

“I think the first thing this offseason was just trying to get his mindset back. It was such a disappointing fall. He had such high expectations for what he was going to do, what the team was going to do. In a lot of ways, when he goes down, a lot of the wheels fall off on last season,” explained Elko. “The first of it was just kind of building his mental back – ‘It’s going to be okay. You’re going to get another shot at this. You’re going to be alright. Don’t put all this pressure on yourself.'”

“Now that he’s back heathy, it’s just cool watching him,” Elko said. “Like, his leadership has enhanced. His connection with the wide receivers has gotten better. He’s being more intentional about getting out and around the guys on the team.”

In total, Weigman has appeared in nine games, with eight of those being starts, the last pair of years for Texas A&M. That’s due to being a reserve behind Haynes King and Max Johnson as well as his injury history.

During those opportunities, Weigan has completed 61.8% of his throws for 1,875 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just two picks. That includes his four starts last season where he had a 68.9% completion rate for 979 yards, eight touchdowns, and the two interceptions that both came in a loss to Miami.

Weigman now projects as one of the best young prospects in the nation. That’s both at the collegiate level as well as possibly for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Still, for now, Elko wants Weigman’s focus on the here and now for his continuation as a player. The rest will come from there once he taps into what many see in him as a quarterback going into year three in college.

“I just think he needs to take the next step,” Elko said.

“He certainly has put on tape the ability to be a really talented quarterback,” said Elko. “Everybody knows he’s talented. Now we’ve just got to get him out there and put him in positions to be healthy and be successful.”