Jimbo Fisher updates quarterback Haynes King injury

No. 5 Texas A&M escaped Colorado with a 10-7 win Saturday. But the Aggies also left without their starting quarterback fully healthy. Haynes King exited the game early in the first quarter after suffering a foot injury and was ruled out for the game near the end of the second quarter. 

The freshman quarterback was replaced by Zach Calzada, who finished 18-of-38 pass with a touchdown. But Calzada couldn’t replace the dual-threat that King brings.

The extent of the injury or what King’s availability will be for next week’s game against New Mexico is unknown. After the nonconference game, however, the Aggies are entrenched in their SEC schedule.

“We’re still waiting on that. There’s not a final analysis on that,” Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said in his postgame press conference.

King took over the Texas A&M offense for Kellen Mond, who took the Aggies to the Orange Bowl last season. Mond also left College Station as one of three SEC quarterbacks to record over 9,000 career passing yards with 1,500 rushing yards.

The freshman quarterback impressed in his debut last week, finishing 21-of-33 for 292 yards, two touchdowns and three interception against Kent State.

Zach Calzada leads Aggies to win

Sophomore Zach Calzada replaced King in the first quarter and kept the Aggies’ College Football Playoff hopes alive. Texas A&M did not take the lead until late in the fourth quarter, but Fisher was impressed with Calzada’s composure.

“To have the character to do that and make the plays — he scrambled, he started moving his legs. And sometimes you get thrown in there, things get going too fast,” Fisher said. “He has guys open and he missed them. I call [it], you flash read. I’ve been there, man. I played quarterback. And I call it flash reading. You see it, but you’re going through it too quick.

“Then, finally, the more reps and it slows down. I think he realizes he had to do it. There’s something to that, now. When you realize you’ve gotta do it and put two drives together, scramble, make throws, plays when you had to.”

Calzada connected with running back Isaiah Spiller on an 18-yard pass to give the Aggies a 10-7 against Colorado with 2:41 remaining.

The Aggies offense struggled without King, mustering just 289 total yards and only 98 on the ground. Typically efficient on the ground, Spiller was held to just 20 yards on eight carries. He was a lot more involved in the passing game than usual with six catches for 56 yards and the touchdown.